Fortunately, I was raised in a family who were devoted followers of FDR, Liberal NY Democrats, who taught me at a very young age to respect all people, to fight for social Justice, believed in the Constitution, and to read the New York Times daily. More importantly, as I was an only child, I was permitted to be privy of many adult conversations. I learned to listen and to weigh arguments and to discern fact from fiction. I was taught about the Hitler, the Nazis, and shown photos of some atrocities. It was a lesson of what can happen if those in democracies permit the rise of fascism. Learning truths sometimes can be very painful. Even so, these lessons are needed, and it should not be censored as “too sensitive’.
Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. I say the words . . . and hope. The worst is beyond my comprehension, even as I hear the threads woven into the news every day since 2016 and tell myself that this country, my country, is not exempt from a repetition of what happened in Germany.
God how I'd love to hear he gets arrested this Friday evening, has to spend the weekend in the slammer before he's arraigned Monday morning, and then they get him remanded because he has an airplane that can go anywhere and the resources to run. Let him make his "big announcement" from the tank.
At age 59 and with political science and history being two fields in my interdisciplinary undergraduate degree at Stanford, and having lived in Germany and studied how authoritarianism took hold in that country, I sympathize with your concerns. My own anxieties about this election have been extreme, an appropriate response given the threat level. Very helpful for me these past couple days have been these essays by Michael Moore. For example, see this one from Nov. 4th:
Thank you for posting this link. I kept shaking my head that Hershel Walker will beat out Rapheal Warnock. Seriously? I also have a deep feeling that the GenZers and Millenials will show their presence this Election Day.
In regard to polling, I wish the MSM would STOP showing these polls. It only enables these "organizations" to keep up the disinformation. I feel if every news show stops showing polls, they will either go away, or be overhauled.
I agree with you. Michael Moore has really helped me become more confident with his vision for our country right here on SubStack and what’s really happening out there. Just search his name.
The"amazing" and "astonishing" phenomenon is that in California every registered voter is mailed a ballot 3 weeks or so before election day which can be completed at home and put in any mailbox. A couple of days later with 3 or 4 stokes on a computer you can verify it was counted. There is no reason Congress cannot pass a law to set this up for all federal elections.
I am so happy that you mentioned William L. Shirer’s magnun opus,“The Rise and Fall of the Tird Reich.” It’s a doorstop of a book, even in paperback. I read it twice while in high school in the early 60's (and yes, I am that old). I highly recommend it to anyone insufficiently afraid of the direction our country is taking.
I love the expression, doorstop of a book. Haven't ever heard that before. And yes, it's such an important read. My Grandad kept a copy in easy reach on his bookshelf and I think we all pulled it out and read it at some point.
It is fun. I studied Germany in grad school because I'd run out of French courses and was surprised it wasn't very difficult by comparison. The literature we read was excellent. My most enjoyed histories were however more difficult, so it did help with references in my final papers, because at the time the German literature was unappealing to me.
In a more balanced time, Trump would not be able to run again. He is responsible for the mayhem, suffering and death that occurred on Jan 6. Wives without husbands. Mothers without sons: families broken. Law enforcement with PTSD. He sold his soul to Putin in Helsinki: it was a disgrace beyond words He allowed millions to die of Covid without remorse: ‘I like to play it down, Bob,’ he said to Woodward; knowing so many would die bc of his denial: malice aforethought. He made some shady deal to stack SCOTUS. He vainly & naively ‘fell in love’ w/KJU, a brutal Communist dictator. And there was the ‘perfect phone call’ to Zelensky: a bribe. A similar call to Brad Raffensberger. He is not on the side of truth and democracy. His lies abound. In a fair world, he would not be able to run again. His perfidy would disqualify him. KB
A wonderful piece, filled with the honest trepidation we’re feeling.
I pulled this quote: “ An important part of civil discourse is being armed with the facts and the patience to refute the chronic disinformation that pollutes our public conversation. ”
Where has the DNC been for the last four years, certainly the last two, hammering home this very message?
Election denial proliferation was deliberate. The message was consistent and constant, RARELY countered by the truth. So it became their truth.
I hope the Dems find a truthful, honest, verifiable, and consistent message AND messenger going forward. Or we won’t go forward.
Joyce... I can’t find Joyce! I’m blocked? I started to comment earlier but things I tried to write didn’t except for I think one sentence, and it came out looking like I was approving. I couldn’t delete anything, and I was concerned you would think I wrote something positive to himself. Woah.. now I see a few things here, and I found your message that explains it. I believe I commented on himself’s take-over but I can’t even find anything except the one short sentence that makes me look like I like what he said. This is wrong.
One thing we need to remember, Hilter idolized Mussolini and shaped his own "brand" of authoritarian rule from the latter. So lets seque from that to the "sensitivity" of certain tweets. I feel Elon Musk is carrying out Republicans plans to limit what history we learn and not learn. Here in NY several Republican candidates are saying that our children's reading and math scores are low because of the Democrats. These tactics are so Orwellian. Oops, I forgot, 1984 has been banned. But today, Election Day, remember this:
Although I cannot picture myself as a republican this current group we see on TV or read about elsewhere is far beyond what my parents and friends saw in republicans. They would simply have not discussed politics with their friends. They would have talked about issues with their families while sitting around the kitchen table. Sometime in October they would have a chat around the dinner table and lightly asked questions like who do you think might make a good president. Then they would go vote. That seemed to change in the sixties as people watched people killed and being killed on the TV news.
“Twitter suspended LWVC Executive Director on Election Eve. She did not violate any Twitter policies. This stifles voter education, keeping a reliable source from sharing non-partisan material benefiting millions. Full statement tomorrow.”
“Huge thanks to all for your outrage about my suspension from Twitter. Thanks to everyone for speaking up- I have now been reinstated with a note telling me that my account was mistakenly included in a batch of Spam accounts”
Great piece! You are so correct in that there is no comparing the Nazis atrocities to what is going on in modern day America.
There are however many comparisons to Donald Trump and authoritarians such as Hitler and Mussolini indications that our democracy is threatened. Consider these: Trump's statements and actions are at odds with democratic ideals; he degrades political discourse in our country; disregards facts; threatens to imprison political rivals; refers to the press as the enemy of the people; lies about the integrity of our electoral process; vilifies immigrants; labels opposition politicians as guilty of treason for failing to applaud his words. He is about violence not popular governance, reasoned debate, freedom of expression (except his) or fair electoral competition. Everyone is corrupt except him. Elections are rigged unless he wins. He brings ugly feelings to the surface and stokes fear, anger and resentment. Trump is a wannabe authoritarian and our Democracy is threatened. These comments are written by Madeline Albright our former Secretary of State.
While nothing on the scale of the atrocities of the Nazis is happening in the United States yet, all the protections to prevent it from happening are being dismantled. I don't think it will get as bad as Nazi Germany. The German people did not think it would happen in 1929.
Fortunately, I was raised in a family who were devoted followers of FDR, Liberal NY Democrats, who taught me at a very young age to respect all people, to fight for social Justice, believed in the Constitution, and to read the New York Times daily. More importantly, as I was an only child, I was permitted to be privy of many adult conversations. I learned to listen and to weigh arguments and to discern fact from fiction. I was taught about the Hitler, the Nazis, and shown photos of some atrocities. It was a lesson of what can happen if those in democracies permit the rise of fascism. Learning truths sometimes can be very painful. Even so, these lessons are needed, and it should not be censored as “too sensitive’.
Amen.
Ditto. “My mother didn’t raise no fool”. She never forgot and neither will I.
Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. I say the words . . . and hope. The worst is beyond my comprehension, even as I hear the threads woven into the news every day since 2016 and tell myself that this country, my country, is not exempt from a repetition of what happened in Germany.
God how I'd love to hear he gets arrested this Friday evening, has to spend the weekend in the slammer before he's arraigned Monday morning, and then they get him remanded because he has an airplane that can go anywhere and the resources to run. Let him make his "big announcement" from the tank.
😁
At age 59 and with political science and history being two fields in my interdisciplinary undergraduate degree at Stanford, and having lived in Germany and studied how authoritarianism took hold in that country, I sympathize with your concerns. My own anxieties about this election have been extreme, an appropriate response given the threat level. Very helpful for me these past couple days have been these essays by Michael Moore. For example, see this one from Nov. 4th:
https://www.michaelmoore.com/p/midterm-tsunami-truth-36
I bet these insights and information will help you as well.
Thank you for posting this link. I kept shaking my head that Hershel Walker will beat out Rapheal Warnock. Seriously? I also have a deep feeling that the GenZers and Millenials will show their presence this Election Day.
In regard to polling, I wish the MSM would STOP showing these polls. It only enables these "organizations" to keep up the disinformation. I feel if every news show stops showing polls, they will either go away, or be overhauled.
I agree with you. Michael Moore has really helped me become more confident with his vision for our country right here on SubStack and what’s really happening out there. Just search his name.
The"amazing" and "astonishing" phenomenon is that in California every registered voter is mailed a ballot 3 weeks or so before election day which can be completed at home and put in any mailbox. A couple of days later with 3 or 4 stokes on a computer you can verify it was counted. There is no reason Congress cannot pass a law to set this up for all federal elections.
And we do the same in Washington and Oregon. I have no desire to go stand in a long line to cast my vote.
Joyce,
I am so happy that you mentioned William L. Shirer’s magnun opus,“The Rise and Fall of the Tird Reich.” It’s a doorstop of a book, even in paperback. I read it twice while in high school in the early 60's (and yes, I am that old). I highly recommend it to anyone insufficiently afraid of the direction our country is taking.
Ray Laing
I love the expression, doorstop of a book. Haven't ever heard that before. And yes, it's such an important read. My Grandad kept a copy in easy reach on his bookshelf and I think we all pulled it out and read it at some point.
It is fun. I studied Germany in grad school because I'd run out of French courses and was surprised it wasn't very difficult by comparison. The literature we read was excellent. My most enjoyed histories were however more difficult, so it did help with references in my final papers, because at the time the German literature was unappealing to me.
In a more balanced time, Trump would not be able to run again. He is responsible for the mayhem, suffering and death that occurred on Jan 6. Wives without husbands. Mothers without sons: families broken. Law enforcement with PTSD. He sold his soul to Putin in Helsinki: it was a disgrace beyond words He allowed millions to die of Covid without remorse: ‘I like to play it down, Bob,’ he said to Woodward; knowing so many would die bc of his denial: malice aforethought. He made some shady deal to stack SCOTUS. He vainly & naively ‘fell in love’ w/KJU, a brutal Communist dictator. And there was the ‘perfect phone call’ to Zelensky: a bribe. A similar call to Brad Raffensberger. He is not on the side of truth and democracy. His lies abound. In a fair world, he would not be able to run again. His perfidy would disqualify him. KB
This is what is called “America First”. People get ready...
We will not know where this election is going for weeks, maybe months... Think about what we have been dealing with since the 2020 election.
The Republicans told us exactly what they were going to do and that is what is happening now.
There us always hope and there are more of us than them.
Thank you, Joyce, for your column. I am bracing myself for tomorrow's election results. I am very nervous and anxious.
This is an important time for all of us to never ever take democracy for granted ever again.
A wonderful piece, filled with the honest trepidation we’re feeling.
I pulled this quote: “ An important part of civil discourse is being armed with the facts and the patience to refute the chronic disinformation that pollutes our public conversation. ”
Where has the DNC been for the last four years, certainly the last two, hammering home this very message?
Election denial proliferation was deliberate. The message was consistent and constant, RARELY countered by the truth. So it became their truth.
I hope the Dems find a truthful, honest, verifiable, and consistent message AND messenger going forward. Or we won’t go forward.
The DNC has been bringing a pillow to a knife fight for years.
And worse- they funded extremist candidates to run in GOP primaries, thinking they would be easier to beat in the general election. Shameful.
Joyce... I can’t find Joyce! I’m blocked? I started to comment earlier but things I tried to write didn’t except for I think one sentence, and it came out looking like I was approving. I couldn’t delete anything, and I was concerned you would think I wrote something positive to himself. Woah.. now I see a few things here, and I found your message that explains it. I believe I commented on himself’s take-over but I can’t even find anything except the one short sentence that makes me look like I like what he said. This is wrong.
Relax maureen. You’re with friends.
One thing we need to remember, Hilter idolized Mussolini and shaped his own "brand" of authoritarian rule from the latter. So lets seque from that to the "sensitivity" of certain tweets. I feel Elon Musk is carrying out Republicans plans to limit what history we learn and not learn. Here in NY several Republican candidates are saying that our children's reading and math scores are low because of the Democrats. These tactics are so Orwellian. Oops, I forgot, 1984 has been banned. But today, Election Day, remember this:
Republicans have no agenda
Republicans are liars
Republicans are fearmongers
Republicans are fascists.
Although I cannot picture myself as a republican this current group we see on TV or read about elsewhere is far beyond what my parents and friends saw in republicans. They would simply have not discussed politics with their friends. They would have talked about issues with their families while sitting around the kitchen table. Sometime in October they would have a chat around the dinner table and lightly asked questions like who do you think might make a good president. Then they would go vote. That seemed to change in the sixties as people watched people killed and being killed on the TV news.
I'll be at the poll I'll monitor for Common Cause in 45 minutes. Bet wishes to all of us fighting to keep free!
Thank you
“Twitter suspended LWVC Executive Director on Election Eve. She did not violate any Twitter policies. This stifles voter education, keeping a reliable source from sharing non-partisan material benefiting millions. Full statement tomorrow.”
@sdoute @lwvc
“Huge thanks to all for your outrage about my suspension from Twitter. Thanks to everyone for speaking up- I have now been reinstated with a note telling me that my account was mistakenly included in a batch of Spam accounts”
Great piece! You are so correct in that there is no comparing the Nazis atrocities to what is going on in modern day America.
There are however many comparisons to Donald Trump and authoritarians such as Hitler and Mussolini indications that our democracy is threatened. Consider these: Trump's statements and actions are at odds with democratic ideals; he degrades political discourse in our country; disregards facts; threatens to imprison political rivals; refers to the press as the enemy of the people; lies about the integrity of our electoral process; vilifies immigrants; labels opposition politicians as guilty of treason for failing to applaud his words. He is about violence not popular governance, reasoned debate, freedom of expression (except his) or fair electoral competition. Everyone is corrupt except him. Elections are rigged unless he wins. He brings ugly feelings to the surface and stokes fear, anger and resentment. Trump is a wannabe authoritarian and our Democracy is threatened. These comments are written by Madeline Albright our former Secretary of State.
While nothing on the scale of the atrocities of the Nazis is happening in the United States yet, all the protections to prevent it from happening are being dismantled. I don't think it will get as bad as Nazi Germany. The German people did not think it would happen in 1929.