Absolutely correct on all points. Watching the gop right wing fascist crowd do their chaos dance today (I did not watch all of it - I was studying Ukrainian) any thinking person must understand that the time has come to speak truthfully about the situation we're in presently. "When people show you who they are, believe them." I read Damo…
Absolutely correct on all points. Watching the gop right wing fascist crowd do their chaos dance today (I did not watch all of it - I was studying Ukrainian) any thinking person must understand that the time has come to speak truthfully about the situation we're in presently. "When people show you who they are, believe them." I read Damon Linker's Guardian article again after reading your piece, Tom, and everyone should look it up. And dig into the Heritage Foundation's plans. Now these things are chilling. In Germany at least the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) is considered by those charged with defending the German Constitution, with being an anti-democratic movement. That doesn't mean people aren't voting for their candidates but at least there is national recognition and a mechanism, though imperfect, of speaking publicly about what they are doing, contrasting that with the morality and ethics as well as deep concern for everyone in the nation and not just a few select people - Germany too struggles with the idea that "someone not German will replace the Germans". There is also fear on may fronts. I think that is partly what is happening here. Fear which is a powerful weapon in the hands of people like the former guy and the crowd around him, not to mention those ensconced in all kinds of places in business, education, industry, media, etc throughout the country. This nation has a long history with white supremacy and fascist tendencies. Both have been living underground for a long time, but the gop with no ideas and only one goal, power, was primed to become the conduit for its rise through djt, and the the monied crowd that include Peter Thiel, the Koch organizations, Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Heritage Foundation, the white "christian" nationalist movement, etc., etc. And many of these organizations got their start during the reagan era. So...we are where we are. What's needed is a citizenry that is capable of understanding, thinking, learning, and willing to stand up to resist physically and politically what is happening. I hope we've got the balls to do just that.
Citizenry are enthralled by reality tv and entertainment news. I can’t even watch the ads. Brain numbing nonsense all day, every day. Repubs have pretty much destroyed PBS by cutting their funding and turning them into advertisers paradise. My ignorant (not stupid) brother told his repub rep to defund PBS if he got the chance. Had to inform him that repubs were the reason PBS had turned to begging and constant ads. Ignorance abounds and money buys their votes.
Amazing how so many are totally unable to connect the dots. I attribute this weakness to a turn away from civics education, history education that discusses not just the good but the bad and ugly, and focusing on test taking instead of critical thinking skills.
That's true Jeri. Fox has killed political discourse. I don't watch TV or cable. Never see or hear Fox unless someone uses a program to showcase some idiocy. I'm in that oldster group but lying charlatans and con artists have never appealed to me. Maybe that's because I read banned books!😉
Another oldster who had a bff whose husband required Fox on 24/7. I had a first hand view for their first five years. Pukeifying. Love those banned books, but Foxers these days don’t have enough sense to widen their horizons.
Absolutely correct on all points. Watching the gop right wing fascist crowd do their chaos dance today (I did not watch all of it - I was studying Ukrainian) any thinking person must understand that the time has come to speak truthfully about the situation we're in presently. "When people show you who they are, believe them." I read Damon Linker's Guardian article again after reading your piece, Tom, and everyone should look it up. And dig into the Heritage Foundation's plans. Now these things are chilling. In Germany at least the Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) is considered by those charged with defending the German Constitution, with being an anti-democratic movement. That doesn't mean people aren't voting for their candidates but at least there is national recognition and a mechanism, though imperfect, of speaking publicly about what they are doing, contrasting that with the morality and ethics as well as deep concern for everyone in the nation and not just a few select people - Germany too struggles with the idea that "someone not German will replace the Germans". There is also fear on may fronts. I think that is partly what is happening here. Fear which is a powerful weapon in the hands of people like the former guy and the crowd around him, not to mention those ensconced in all kinds of places in business, education, industry, media, etc throughout the country. This nation has a long history with white supremacy and fascist tendencies. Both have been living underground for a long time, but the gop with no ideas and only one goal, power, was primed to become the conduit for its rise through djt, and the the monied crowd that include Peter Thiel, the Koch organizations, Harlan Crow, Leonard Leo, the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Heritage Foundation, the white "christian" nationalist movement, etc., etc. And many of these organizations got their start during the reagan era. So...we are where we are. What's needed is a citizenry that is capable of understanding, thinking, learning, and willing to stand up to resist physically and politically what is happening. I hope we've got the balls to do just that.
Citizenry are enthralled by reality tv and entertainment news. I can’t even watch the ads. Brain numbing nonsense all day, every day. Repubs have pretty much destroyed PBS by cutting their funding and turning them into advertisers paradise. My ignorant (not stupid) brother told his repub rep to defund PBS if he got the chance. Had to inform him that repubs were the reason PBS had turned to begging and constant ads. Ignorance abounds and money buys their votes.
Amazing how so many are totally unable to connect the dots. I attribute this weakness to a turn away from civics education, history education that discusses not just the good but the bad and ugly, and focusing on test taking instead of critical thinking skills.
That is true but the oldsters are the most amenable to the Fox crap. In my experience, non-stop propaganda for decades a major factor
That's true Jeri. Fox has killed political discourse. I don't watch TV or cable. Never see or hear Fox unless someone uses a program to showcase some idiocy. I'm in that oldster group but lying charlatans and con artists have never appealed to me. Maybe that's because I read banned books!😉
Another oldster who had a bff whose husband required Fox on 24/7. I had a first hand view for their first five years. Pukeifying. Love those banned books, but Foxers these days don’t have enough sense to widen their horizons.