On November 18, 1978, at the Jonestown settlement in Guyana, 909 people died in a mass murder-suicide orchestrated by cult leader Jim Jones. The majority of the victims, including more than 200 children, died from drinking a cyanine-laced fruit drink.
The other thing that always puzzled me was how many Germans were fooled by Hitler. I always figured it was a combination of stupidity (ignorance), racism and hatred of anybody different from them. Perhaps the biggest factor were those people in positions of power and influence who knew better who, through their own avarice (greed) and cowardice permitted Hitler to come to power and destroy Germany.
Now I understand.
As I type this blog entry I realize that almost all of the Republican members of Congress failed in the oath to the Constitution of the United States when they took office. They lied. Their first priority is staying in power. They are also cowards because they know what Trump and his thugs are doing to the United States is against the law and yet they do nothing.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the so called "Supreme Court" of the United States. Three Trump appointed judges (who should recuse themselves when any case appears before them that Trump brings) are corrupt and dishonest. They lied at their Senate hearings and now bend over backwards to give Trump any slim excuse to continue on his law breaking actions. They know better yet they do noting but enable Trump and his thugs.
Thomas Homan, the thug director of ICE has been reported to accepting a bag of $50,000 cash to use his influence in the Trump administration to get people jobs. The corrupt FBI killed that investigation. This is just one example of the blatant corruption of the FBI now.
For those of you who are reading this blog who reside in countries outside the U.S., I know it looks bad. But I'm telling you, you don't know how bad it is to actually live here in the United States and see our constitutional protections chipped away at every day by this criminal presidency and enabled by a coward Republican Congress. It looks and is bad now and will probably get worse but I a convinced that this too shall pass. I don't know how exactly but I have hope. I think the United States democracy is being tested now. A stress test.
Interesting times folks. I never imagined the greatest threat to democracy in the United States would come form within but here we are.
5 comments:
So true. I think you have to live here to grasp how stressful it is daily.
Justices do recuse themselves from cases where they had involvement either legally or administratively before being on the Court. Jackson and Barrett have done so.
I'm living for the day when the justices who lied under oath at their confirmation hearing are made accountable. Yes, I know, dream on.
Meanwhile I'm doing every bit of resistance I can to hinder the villain felon in power.
Right on point-as always-Ron.
I always tout that Mussolini Don could not do all this damage by himself. When the dust settles-And I have my way-All individuals that have enabled this man starting from the Supreme Court all the way down should be run out of office and never allowed to work for the US government again. Full stop!
What is so glaring is that the American people knew what was coming. They dropped Project 2025 on us before the election. Even without that we knew the temperament of this man since his NY days and during his first presidency. The alarms where going off. But no!!
I sometimes think on a personal level. Imagine being close friends with those who have sublimated themselves to Diaper Don and are now doing his bidding. I would be hurt that such a close friend, my next door neighbor, co-worker... have fallen for the depravity. What kind of friend were they really? They have now shown their true tailfeathers. I have been bamboozled. Saddening really.
Have a great afternoon and evening!!
Boud,
The thing with Trump is that he knows he can ignore the law even if the Supreme Court votes against him because they have no enforcement power. Trump is wily that way. What a shame that he can't put his skills to good use for Americans instead of his own self ego and enrichment. Trump is true evil and those who enable him like the Republican cowards in Congress and the six conservative Supreme Court justices who Trump has successfully intimidated with his threats. Trump knows there are just enough unhinged people out there who just might carry out his threats. Same with the Congressional Republicans. I am still astounded at the number of cowards who are unwilling to stand up to this bully. Including the lawyers and businessmen. So much for the myth of "American exceptionalism."
Ron
Vic,
I hope I live long enough to see these cowards and enablers held accountable for their actions enabling Trump. Now with this latest Trump diversion from releasing the Epstein Files, which is absolutely what he is doing, by trying to indict James Comey on treason charges. Trump is doing nothing for the American people and those who voted for him are too ignorant are deep in the cult of personality to realize the's fucking them over. Trump always has been all about himself. He is the personification of evil. The banality of evil. He has no conscience. None.
Ron
We've now learnt, with enormous regret, that fascism - which we'd all assumed to be so unlikely to repeat itself in history - is, in fact, only far too possible when there's a combination of an outright bully, self-centred egoist and inveterate liar at the top. What naive fools we were!
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