In Trump’s latest assault on domestic tranquility, the White House ordered the end of ‘Un-American’ racial sensitivity training at federal agencies.” He rails against “training’ government workers to believe divisive, anti-American propaganda.” He refers to press reports that say federal employees “have been required to attend training where they are told that ‘virtually all White people contribute to racism’ or where they are required to say that they ‘benefit from racism.’ This is one more step in redirecting a government to his own ends.
Brave people and institutions are calling it out for what it is:
- Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich recently said, “I have held off using the f word for three and a half years but there is no longer any honest alternative. Trump is a fascist, and he is promoting fascism in America.”
- Ron Wyden, a Democratic senator from Oregon,: “The fascist speech Donald Trump … delivered [a reference to his first public address since the killing of George Floyd sparked protests and riots across the country verged on a declaration of war against American citizens. I fear for our country tonight and will not stop defending America against Trump’s assault.”
- Journalist Masha Gessen “I don’t think we have fascist rule in this country, but what we have is a fascist leader. We have a nativist, nationalist leader who is devoting all of his energy into portraying a group of people as a super dangerous enemy, both sort of subhuman – animals, infestation – and superhuman at the same time…that is fascism.”
- In a Washington Post article entitled Twelve signs Trump would try to run a fascist dictatorship in a second term
In Trump’s own words:
- Donald Trump opened his first speech of the Republican National Convention today by telling the live crowd chanting the usual “four more years,” “If you want to really drive them crazy, you say 12 more years.” When he jokes about something enough, it becomes serious.
- “I’m proud to have that German blood — there’s no question about it.”
- Trump has referred to “an American SS.” Of course, that can mean “Secret Service,” but was this an accident, or a gaff, or a clear signal to his supporters and his allies. Trump is telling us who is he and what he wants.
- In 2020, there is apparently no longer any need for Trump to pretend to dislike domestic terrorism carried out against his political enemies. “Law and order” as Trump uses this phrase does not mean law and order. For five years, he has been complimenting rightists who support him at every opportunity. In Kenosha, Trump insists Kyle Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense.
- Trump responded to a Tweet, “critical race theory is the greatest threat to western civilization and it’s made its way into the US federal government, the military, and the justice system.” His response, “Not anymore!”
- Trump regularly reposts roughly 20 more Twitter messages from conservative media or other accounts praising his new move.
Democrats have been concerned for months about Trump’s efforts to sow doubt about mail-in voting despite the coronavirus pandemic. Fearing that the combined force of President Trump’s warnings of voter fraud and the expected influx of mailed-in ballots will lead to a bitter and protracted fight over the election’s results.
There’s a disturbing article entitled by Amanda Marcotte , “Trump has a plan to steal the election — in fact, he has at least 5 of them.
How can we fight this tortured journey to authoritarianism?
I believe campaign rhetoric needs to be transformed. Using a phrase like “systemic racism” is too nominalized a way of describing this overwhelming problem. We can be more persuasive by identifying constitutional principles like due process, fair play, and equal protection of the law that are being trampled by the incidents that propel wells of anger deep in the American soul. The unfairness.in the way we maintain public order can be solved with bipartisan legislative reform and people engaging in local communities.
It’s time to call out the local criminals, right-wing and Nazi sympathizers who are responsible for most of the looting and burning, as evidenced by the fact that Gov. Tim Walz said 80 percent of the people involved in the violence and destruction in Minneapolis were from outside the state. ao Seth G. Jones, director of the transnational threats project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies says most of the violence was committed by “local hooligans, sometimes gangs, sometimes just individuals that are trying to take advantage of an opportunity.” White supremacists have been hyperactive using social media to increase tensions between protesters and law enforcement by calling for acts of violence. Equal justice means they get prosecuted.
Paul Edwards