A call to action:
I was born in Munich, Germany, in 1920. I lived there during the rise of the Nazi Party and left for the U.S.A. in 1938.
The main elements of the Nazi regime were the suppression of dissent, the purging of the dissenters and undesirables, the persecution of communists, Jews and homosexuals and the ideal of the Aryans as the master race.
The policies started immediately after Hitler came to power, at first out of sight but escalated gradually, leading to the Second World War and the Holocaust. Meanwhile most Germans were lulled into complacency by all sorts of wonderful projects and benefits.
What we see now in our country is very similar to the early days of the Nazi rule in Germany:
The Neo-Nazis and the KKK have become more prominent and get recognition in the press. We are all familiar with Trump's remarks against all Muslims and all Mexicans. But there has not been anything as alarming as the appointment of Steve Bannon as Trump's chief strategist. Bannon has, apparently, made anti-Semitic remarks for years, has recently condemned Muslims and Jews, and he and Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the pick as national security advisor, advocate the political and cultural superiority of the white race. At the same time Trump is trying to control the press.
Thus the entire Nazi ideology is in place already in and around the new government. How far will it get? We can hope that our government of checks and balances will be more resistant than the Weimar Republic was. Don't count on it.
We have to counter this trend toward Fascism in every way we can. Being alert to all manifestations in word and action. Alerting our representatives and urging them to act. Writing to newspapers. Making our friends aware. Demonstrating when appropriate.
Franz W. Wassermann, M.D.
You know one of the rules for political writing is no Hitler comparisons.
However I think we are long past that being considered hyperbolic or unreasonable.
Donald Trump seems to have taken this country to a new time and place, but perhaps most concerning is that in Germany they would recognize it as an old time and place.
For Georgia Peach and all the rest of us..
ReplyDeleteFUCK Mitch mcCONnell with a REDHOT Pitchfork up his a$$ and out his turtle face ears and nose. TRAITOR!!!!!!
http://www.vox.com/2017/1/2/14123496/mitch-mcconnell-motives
""Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a’prey, when wealth accumulates and men decay,” wrote Oliver Goldsmith in 1777"
Delete"One might argue that there has always been a festering hole in every civilization’s soul."
Mitch is a slippery coward. And Paul Ryan is vile. That's my "take" and I'm sticking with it.
Deletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2017/01/02/leading-gop-strategist-labels-trump-supporters-traitors.html
Deletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trumps-press-secretary-sean-spicer-russian-hacking_us_586a48eae4b0eb58648a063b?59nag4qj1ai3z3erk9
ReplyDeleteVery scary. But - it is going to get much worse than it is right now. All hell will break loose before his blind supporters will acknowledge the truth about Trump.
ReplyDeletePat Padrnos
I don't think that the blind supporters will ever acknowledge the truth. It will be up to the supporters who hedged their bets on him to do the right thing. We already know we did and are doing the right thing, and no one did or will listen to us.
DeleteSome still won't.
DeleteThey won't care about pogroms or camps or anything. Because they are not the targets.
It's that sadistic Puritan streak that takes delight in the suffering of others, as long as it's others and not them.
"Hitler rising." I have been saying it for months.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/unholy-crusade-against-political-correctness-was-all-cover-donald-trump-needed
ReplyDeleteVery good article on HuffPo by Robert Kuttner titled "Impeaching Trump".
ReplyDeletePat Padrnos
HE will never face impeachment with a GoPee controlled congress and senate.
DeleteHe'll face impeachment as soon as he signs all of the deplorable laws that they pass which they'd prefer to blame on him.
Deletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/impeaching-trump_us_5869b806e4b0eb586489f3a4?section=us_politics
DeleteRobert Kuttner is a very astute man. He's been right more than once.
Why is "No Hitler Comparisons" a rule?
ReplyDeleteIf it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....
The UNamerican Shitler, in all his self reflected glory. A 96 year old doctor remembers all too well. Today's Germans know what is happening here...
ReplyDeleteOne of the alphabet agencies needs to DO something.
My Mother was 9 and in Germany during WWII. She doesn't remember a lot but enough to not vote for Trump in the primary or the election. She usually votes the straight Republican ticket. But this time could not bring herself to do it.
Deletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2017/01/02/black-members-congress-plot-resistance-trump-disenfranchisement-african-americans.html
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/14/black-panthers-black-lives-matter-505542.html
BLM!
ALM! All Lives Matter. Even those that are thy enemies.
DeleteWhat a joke. There is no bigger obstacle to black people than the Democratic party.
Delete@9:43 - First a photo of you and a brown paper bag. Then your proof of your statement.
DeleteAgree but this started in bush/ Cheney.
ReplyDeleteTrump will use Israel as a red herring to cover up his policies.
This started in Reagan Bush.
Delete"You know one of the rules for political writing is no Hitler comparisons. "
ReplyDeleteHaha, now you are a political writer! Good for you, when did you get the promotion? So copying and pasting other left wing hate blogger opinion, lies and propaganda with little to no basis in reality, is now considered heavy political writing eh?
" So copying and pasting other left wing hate blogger opinion, lies and propaganda with little to no basis in reality, is now considered heavy political writing eh?"
DeleteLittle or no basis in reality? Did you NOT read the above letter? Do you know NOTHING of history?
Or is it you don't WANT to know so you may hope to become one of those in control?
The white-washing you have just spouted is EXACTLY the sort of thing used by Hitler and his cohorts to nibble their way into control.
I would suggest you at least try to bone up on what happened to those known as Quislings at the end of WWII.
Untie your knotted panties leland.
DeleteIt is too much of a joke to even call this comparison irresponsible. It is parrots like you who actually know nothing of historical comparisons that allow this stupidity to continue. The frenzied left is turning into a total embarrassment.
Just out of curiosity, is Trump a Russian spy as you all claim? Or is he a Nazi, who the Russians hated, as you also all claim?
What is the monster of the week going to be?
Gryph, you most definitely are my best political writer! Appreciate everything you do for us! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteOh and hi Lou Sarah!
Who else here on IM has read Solving 9-11 by Christopher Bollyn published 2012? He names names and positions of Israelis in our high level intelligence positions.
ReplyDeleteWhy are we giving the Israelis so much support and money when there is irrefutable evidence that they have caused us harm in the past - bombing our ship, creating problems with Egypt - 9-11 which Netanyahu says was good for Israel?
Yet Israel gets a known 8+million dollars every day from our coffers. The actual amounts are really unknown because other sources have said the amounts cannot be verified because the DOD gives them so much from different accounts. Does that have anything to do with the missing billions the Pentagon cannot account for?
What in hell is going on with the Israelis and why are they (if correctly recorded)in such inner positions of power in our government's security departments?
Start with Michael Chertoff heading our Homeland Security Department with his dual citizenship!!! Chertoff authored the Patriot Act for god's sake. His mother is an Israeli citizen and there are many questions about Chertoff's behavior with getting suspicious Israelis out of the country immediately after 9-11.
Anyone here suggest another book besides Bollyn's that captures the names and positions of the Israelis working in our inner secretive government positions and why they are selected and by whom?
Sorry I did not highlight the names of the different Israelis in our government as I read the book and Bollyn does not give a section for retrieving it simply. I shall re-read the entire book so I can retrieve those now in inner positions in our intelligence community.
Mossad is the Israeli spy organization and apparently those members are free to torment our citizens without suffering consequence, unlike the Russians who do get called out for similar behaviors. What is going on with Israel - the country who coined the term "War on Terror"?
I would have cut aid to Israel years ago!
DeleteYou do all realize that, while the US does provide an enormous amount of aid to Israel, we also provide even more $ to all the other Muslim run middle east countries, do you not?
Delete@1:00
DeleteWrong, israel gets more then all of them. They also have a bunch of nuclear weapons, which none of the countries or people they bully have.
Throughout the campaign there were repeated comparisons between Hitler and Trump made by the "Politicalgates" blogger, who is German, and understands how it could all come about. Not cheerful reading but important.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
I think the ban on Hitler comparisons was so not to cheapen or normalize the atrocities he did or the extent of his evil depravity.
ReplyDeleteBut if the shoe fits.
You can't learn from history if you turn a blind eye. Too many have and now we're repeating it.
I recognized the comparisons to Hitler long before this and said as much. But I was scoffed at or dismissed with the "you don't use Hitler" crap.
Sure, Trump isn't as bad as Hitler, until he is.
Just remember this.
Hitler didn't have THE BOMB.
Yeah, but but but Nietanyahooo and Jewred Kushner are buddies with Trump.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not journalist so I have not constraints.
ReplyDeleteI've been calling out the Republicans for heading toward a Fascist State ever since the Patriot Act. More and more at each election.
I thought perhaps Bush, Cheney and Rove were enough of a wake up that when Obama was elected we were safe.
But now. The pendulum swung back even further.
I just hope we survive these four years and that enough of the public can recognize the danger and fear for the future of this country enough to put the RIGHT Democrats back in power and keep them there long enough to repair the damage and put us on a secure path.
Don't count on the Black Caucus.
They are getting ready to line up with Trump for beads and baubles. So much for a united front of opposition and obstruction. The Democrats are going to look pathetic.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-infrastructure-congressional-black-caucus_us_5862def1e4b0d9a5945970f5?section=us_politics
" Donald Trump opponents have been urging Democrats since the day after the election to offer the incoming president nothing but across-the-board resistance to his agenda. Anything else, the argument goes, is tantamount to an endorsement of racism, misogyny and Islamophobia.
Liberal magazine writers have been particularly outspoken in support of the strategy of all-out opposition, arguing that only complete obstruction will drive Trump’s approval numbers low enough for Democrats to capitalize, whereas bipartisan cooperation will only make him more popular. "
"The people who represent those communities of color, however, are much more ready to make a deal. The Huffington Post spoke with 11 of the 45 members of the Congressional Black Caucus in the House of Representatives and found the vast majority skeptical but willing to work on an infrastructure bill with Trump, even if Trump cuts House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and her lieutenant, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), out of the process."
"Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), who represents parts of Kansas City, advised Trump not to try to cut side deals but added that the CBC’s founding motto, formulated by Lacy Clay’s father, may become relevant. “It is worth Mr. Trump knowing the motto of the Congressional Black Caucus, written several decades ago by William Clay: ‘We have no permanent enemies, no permanent friends, only permanent interests.’"
"Bannon, who claims to have worked to establish Breitbart.com as a home for the “alt-right,” which was coined as a more palatable term for white nationalism, sees the infrastructure package as a way to cleave black and brown voters from Democrats."
"Cleaver said the CBC would be willing to talk. “Now, if there are things the next president wants to do that matches our agenda, then you’ll find the CBC working with the next president. For example, if he genuinely wants to do transportation, if he genuinely wants to do criminal justice reform, he’s going to find a receptive ear from the Congressional Black Caucus and Hispanic Congressional Caucus.”"
Is Trump smart enough to take this tactic?
No.
Those around him advising him?
Yes.