Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

First they came for the media, then they came for the professors...

 

As POTUS, Trump continually declared to the American people that the media are "enemies of the people."

Any news that didn't flatter him, Trump called it "fake news." Any news that reported what he said and did Trump said was "fake news." His cultists repeated this; now they too believe the American media are "enemies of the people," and any report on what Trump actually says and does is "fake news."

Joe Biden won a landslide victory against Trump, and Trump has convinced his gullible cultists that the election was stolen. It was not. 

Trump is a liar -- he has been all his miserable life -- and this is his Biggest Lie, and the one that is tearing this country in two.

Now we have a new darling of the Trump cultists, J.D. Vance, telling audiences that  "the professors are the enemies" to loud applause by Trump cultists.  J.D. Vance graduated summa cum laude from Ohio State University with a B.A. in political science and philosophy. After graduating from Ohio State, Vance received a Juris Doctor from Yale Law school.

Think of all the "enemies" Vance had during those years where he attained his degrees! Those "enemies" actually were responsible for Vance getting his degrees and going on to be a best-selling writer, and now a supporter of the guy who calls the American media "enemies of the people."

Trump called the election he so ignominiously lost a "stolen election." Trump calls any election where his favored candidate loses a "stolen election." A few days before the Virginia gubernatorial election, Newt Gingrich claimed that the Democrats would cheat to win. The Democratic incumbent lost the election in Virginia on Tuesday, but neither Trump nor his lackey hangers on said anything about anyone stealing the election, because the Trumpublicans won!  Isn't that strange?


"Enemies of the people;" "the professors are the enemies." Any election where Trump or a Trumper loses is a "stolen election." Do you see what's going on here?

I do. And so does a friend of mine, and here's what he says:

Thomas P Albritton: "I hold a master's degree in History and what we are seeing develop is Fascism. I too have been thinking and saying this for quite a while. My mother grew up in Germany during WWII and she too understands this."

I understand this as well.

You better wake the hell up and understand this too.

21 comments:

Dave Dubya said...

Too many Americans are ignorant of history and blind to the warning signs of fascism.

There are no red flags as ominous as demonization of the press and educators, and accusing the opposition of being communists who hate America.

Appeals to greed and inflaming resentment, anger, and hatred have always nurtured the radical Right. They know the “Big Lie” will deceive and radicalize enough Americans into supporting a tyrant and his coup. Despite, or because of, his praise for his violent mob of insurrectionists, Trump will be their revered hero and they will build statues of him. This is the irrefutable identifying mark of a fascist leader and his movement.

The US Holocaust Museum list of the warning signs of fascism:

1. Powerful and continuing nationalism
2. Disdain for human rights
3. Identification of enemies as a unifying cause
4. Rampant sexism
5. Controlled mass media
6. Obsession with national security
7. Religion and government intertwined
8. Corporate power protected
9. Labor power suppressed
10. Disdain for intellectuals and the arts
11. Obsession with crime and punishment
12. Rampant cronyism and corruption

Les Carpenter said...

I don't have a masters degree in history but I recognize fascism in action when I see it. And trump, as well as the now defunct GOP (it has morphed into full fledged Trumpublicanism - aka American fascism). And yes, it is ripping this nation apart. I have zero patience for respectful BS or respectful dialogue when it comes to the filthy lying slime that is Donald J. trump.

The SOB is destroying MY/OUR country from within. I believe he is doing do with a great sense of glee. And his ignorant cultists love him all thme more for it. Just how goddamn stupid can his cultists be? I'll say this, I'm absolutely certain they have not sunk as low as they will eventually end up. Theie goal must be to hit absolute rock bottom fascist authoritariansm and extreme otherism. trump, making Hitler proud since 2015.

Anonymous said...

So why did Americans elect him president? Why do Americans continue to elect Trump politicians as they did Tuesday. This is more than a minority and in this country majority rules. The kind of signs mentioned above have been going on decades before Trump entered politics. It's not just Trump, it's the whole Republican party. The Republican party has had multiple KKK members in their party and in our Congress.

Anonymous said...

FOX news (they are part of media) is an enemy of the people. Media are part of the problem since they have become nothing more than partisan, political hacks. Rachel Maddow is just the opposite of Tucker Carlson and we should expect more out of her than that. It's like listening to a couple of bloggers go at it every night. We should expect more out of the Democratic party than we are getting, or they will continue to lose elections.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Anonymous @10:30

I'm an older American, and I've NEVER heard any politician in my lifetime call the media "enemies of the people." I've heard pols criticize and damn the media, but never have I heard a politician label them "enemies of the people." That's taking criticism to a level of inciting violence, for who wouldn't want to destroy an "enemy of the people?" Words have meanings.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Anonymous @10:50 ,

8 MILLION more Americans voted for Biden than voted for Trump. 71% of the American people support President Biden's "Build Back Better" programs! A majority of Americans want to keep abortion legal. A majority of Americans want better gun control laws. A majority of Americans want to address climate change. A majority of Americans REJECTED TRUMP!

So how is it that a minority party is in charge and thwarting the majority? That's not how democracy works.

We're witnessing the destruction of American democracy by the Trumpublican Party.

Anonymous said...

We need more than a 50/50 split to get legislation passed. The vote doesn't reflect the survey numbers you gave. Why not?































Shaw Kenawe said...

Dave Dubya

1. Powerful and continuing nationalism
2. Disdain for human rights
3. Identification of enemies as a unifying cause
4. Rampant sexism
5. Controlled mass media
6. Obsession with national security
7. Religion and government intertwined
8. Corporate power protected
9. Labor power suppressed
10. Disdain for intellectuals and the arts
11. Obsession with crime and punishment
12. Rampant cronyism and corruption

It's frightening to read this list and see the signs that we're dealing with right now in our country.

Number 3 is in full force. Trump and his cultists have named the media and the "professors" or as other folks call them, "liberal college professors."

There's some Trumpublican pol running for some office (just read about it the other day) that speaks to No. 7 -- He said that Christianity must be taught in our schools and be a part of our everyday lives and politics.

Shaw Kenawe said...

RN

All we can do is speak out, counter Trumpian lies, and VOTE!

I'll Take Questions About Idiots for $400, Alex said...

And here's more proof of the far right's mental decline:

"The deep state threw this election to the R’s. It strengthens the lie that voter fraud does not occur. They’re in good position for a more consequential election in the future."

Sooooooo, a far rightie believes the "Deep State" allowed the R's to win to prove there's no voter fraud so the "Deep State" can steal future elections.

Even when they WIN, the far right crazies believe it's a loss! My God! They are a bunch of sickos!

Les Carpenter said...

Trunpublican Party USA - Driven by egregious IGNORANCE and GREED.

It is not at all surprising that some of the fascist Trumpublican Party's strongest supporters are the evangelical wing of the Christian religion. As American Christians generally consider the USA to be a Judeo Christian nation, and since they actually live more by the Old Testement of the Bible than they do by Christ's actual teachings it makes semse they support a vindictive, merciless, vengeful, asshole to lead the country.

And the majority of the country pays the price. Let us pray the Orange Gas Atttack does the right thing and simply blows himself up. Soon.

Jerry said...

Shaw said:
"All we can do is speak out, counter Trumpian lies, and VOTE!"

I totally agree, but would add, if we find criminal activity (like 1/6) we must prosecute and jail the criminals including Trump himself.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Jerry "I totally agree, but would add, if we find criminal activity (like 1/6) we must prosecute and jail the criminals including Trump himself."

This is up to the DoJ. I hope Garland is doing his job!

Shaw Kenawe said...

ITQAIf$400,A

Once you fall down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, there's no getting out.

And yes, they're sickos.

Shaw Kenawe said...

RN

I read that Youngkin kept Trump out of his campaign as much as he could -- Trump didn't show up at any of his rallies, as far as I could tell.

That shows the GQP knows how toxic he is, and I'm betting they'll find a way to block him from getting the nomination.

Fed Up said...

GOP: Teachin' slavery was real is racist.

GOP: Blacks demandin' equality is racist.

GOP: There's no racism in America, except by minorities.

GOP: Bannin' books is good.

GOP: Nazi salutes are "free speech".

GOP: Violence to win elections is "patriotic."

Concerned yet?

Dave Dubya said...

”It is not at all surprising that some of the fascist Trumpublican Party's strongest supporters are the evangelical wing of the Christian religion. As American Christians generally consider the USA to be a Judeo Christian nation, and since they actually live more by the Old Testament of the Bible than they do by Christ's actual teachings it makes sense they support a vindictive, merciless, vengeful, asshole to lead the country.”

RN nailed it.

Along with racist nationalism, scapegoating minorities and red baiting, pandering to religion has always been a part of the fascist playbook.

“The National Government...regards Christianity as the foundation of our national morality, and the family as the basis of national life." - Adolf Hitler "My New Order" - Proclamation to the German Nation, Berlin, February 1, 1933

On October 10, 1936 Heinrich Himmler created the Reich Central Office for Combating Homosexuality and Abortion, or Special Office (II S), a sub-department of Executive Department II of the Gestapo.

Gott Mitt Uns (God With Us) was emblazoned on the belt buckles of Hitler’s Wehrmacht, as they slaughtered their way across Europe, and into Africa and Asia.

Mike said...

I think the democrats are afraid of prosecuting tRUMP and how it might rally the trumpublicans in the next election.

Paula said...

When Democrats lose elections, we concede gracefully, analyze what went wrong, and learn from our mistakes.

When Republicans lose elections, they scream “RIGGED!” “VOTER FRAUD!”, conduct endless audits, float ridiculous conspiracy theories, and storm the United States Capitol.

Dave Miller said...

Heck Paula... they're claiming the VA election WAS rigged so they'd win and make all their lying confused believers in the Big Lie look bad.

Really...

Just take a stroll by and read the stupidest man on the internet, Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit.

Shaw Kenawe said...

I don't know if Paula or Dave know this, but a friend emailed this to me yesterday AM:

"This is the first time since Ronald Reagan that the party in power didn't lose both Virginia and New Jersey in this same election. Biden almost held on to Virginia and kept NJ. Virginia was very, very close, not a blowout like California was in defeating the Trumpers recall!

The Democrats did damn good! I'm not at all discouraged!"