Global consensus is that nothing can ever be compared to Nazi Germany. No current or future atrocity could be worse than The Holocaust. Thus far that is correct. But there’s a problem with that rule: it disallows the People to identify when a country is approaching a similar state of politics, and therefore prevent it.
While on my way to buy a ladder today, I was cut off by a Trump voter. Again.1 This particular Californian Trump voter was the sort I’ve dubbed, “The Chanter”: those who find deep meaning in repetitious Trump chants. It’s The Chant that gives them purpose. A prayer to their savior. The drum beat of their soul. I know he was a Chanter not because he decided to roll down his window and pray to his savior while weaving around traffic – which direction do they face during daily prayers, one wonders… down? I knew because he had extended his speech to the written word by hand-writing multiple places on his truck like Hail Marys, “Trump Trump Trump” vertically and in red marker, with childlike penmanship (admittedly, far better than my own left-handed scratching).
I mused and gave him a peace sign while he passed using the bike lane. He sped away through a yellow light; pistons misfiring like a “Trump! Trump! Trump!” chant lead by Don Jr’s girlfriend in a humid airplane hanger.
Whereas for me right-wing zealots destroyed the American flag, Trump voters have destroyed the chant. I loved a good chant! (Who here doesn’t get misty-eyed at the thought of, “Rudy… Rudy… Rudy…”?) Now I view waving the American flag and chanting the same way Germans view singing their national anthem at football games: too much patriotism can get a country into serious trouble, so best not go overboard.2
My point is: chanting, just like an entire citizenry being forced to march in-step in front of their Supreme Commander, is extraordinarily dangerous to our world. If I were a fascist leader, outlawing chants and flags (except the Snoopy ones) would be one of my first initiatives. Consider this: without flags, the absurd Trump parades wouldn’t even exist – they don’t know what to do without a flag to wave.
Trump’s America Is Hitler’s Germany… Not Allowed!!
Global consensus is that nothing can ever be compared to Nazi Germany. No current or future atrocity could be worse than The Holocaust. Thus far that is correct. But there’s a problem with that rule: it disallows the People to identify when a country is approaching a similar state of politics, and therefore prevent it. As such, the very restriction of comparison results in discovery only after it’s too late and we have yet another planet-wide crisis. We must compare Trump’s America to the early stages of Nazi Germany. Opening. Loudly!
Avoiding the comparison for fear of offending is offensive because it invites repetition. Political correctness cannot overrule efforts to prevent the systematic deconstruction of liberal democracy.
Progress relies equally on discovery and preventing disaster while we get there – we need an engine and a seat belt. We wear the seatbelt because we know what will happen to our noggins if we hit a wall at 40 MPH without one… but when it comes to politics… we’re not allowed to express that sort of foresight… too politically incorrect.
And so here let it be said: Trump’s America is careening toward the same over-the-top, white-man-lead, equal-justice-is-dead, “patriotic education” of Trump Youth that created Nazi Germany… WTF America!?!? And just like Germany, too many reasonable citizens are sitting on the sidelines hoping that if we stay quiet it’ll all pass over. “It couldn’t possibly get that bad…. if I wait it out in my comfort zone the country will get back to normalcy sooner or later…. right?”
We cannot wait until it’s too late to make the comparison between Trump’s America and Hitler’s Germany. The vast majority of Americans who don’t drink his Kool-Aid need to be kicked in the head and wake up to that reality: Trump, Barr, and McConnell are shredding American institutions on a daily basis to a singular end: remaining in power. Citizens sitting and watching – hoping it will get better – gives them permission to do so.
All empires fall, and America is no different. Trump has brought American democracy to the edge and only a United States will get him out of office, and then tackle the even more difficult task:fixing everything he’s already destroyed.
1 Has anyone in the known Universe ever been kindly-waived through a stop sign intersection by a car with Trump stickers? Not me. I believe that tells us something, but I know not what, because the same phenomenon applies to BWM and Audi drivers… Winners!(back)
2 “Trust us.” the Germans say, “We know what we’re talking about on this one.”(back)
