We’re not celebrating Thanksgiving at our house this year.
It just doesn’t feel right to us when so many of our minority neighbors are feeling frightened and uncertain as Donald Trump mans his fortress of power.
I know that many people are working very hard at looking for ‘normal’ amid the new world order, but that just reminds me of the many books I’ve read about Germany in the earliest days of Hitler’s rise, when denial was still the favorite defense. I highly recommend “Inside the Third Reich” by Albert Speer for a primer on rationalization.
I won’t belabor the parallels here, beyond a reminder that Hitler didn’t steal into power but was carried in on a populist sweep that exploited weaknesses in what was ostensibly a democratic system; and although accompanied by a heavy handed dose of demonizing the ‘other,’ his early policies seemed benign enough, including national health, full employment and support for the family.
Perhaps I will return to an interest in delving into political intrigues and policy issues on the local and state level, but until we see whether any rule of law can be enforced to check the ambitions of Donald Trump and his Cabinet of Horrors, I can think of little else.
It was gratifying at least to read the joint statement by outgoing Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin and incoming Republican Governor Phil Scott, promising to hold the line against the most hateful prospects of a Trump presidency. I sincerely hope that the new Governor is as good as his word.
Nevertheless, all one has to do is look at the remarks of Trump accolade Darcie Johnson and comments in the blogosphere to see that there are plenty of Trump’s cohorts ready for their marching orders, even here in the benevolent state of Bernie Sanders.
It’s as if a poisonous vapor has been released to waft through the countryside, reviving prejudice and suspicion wherever it lay dormant, inviting the spiteful to feed on the weak and vulnerable.
True evil walks the land.
No, we’re not giving thanks this year.
Actually, Hitler was NOT “‘democratically’ elected in a populist sweep.” His party won 37% of the vote to Hindenburg’s 53%.
Subsequently, Hindenburg appointed Hitler chancellor, and the rest, as they say, is history.
You’re right, of course; but that is sort of a technicality. I forgot the sequence of events.
He rose to power by exploiting conventional politics in an ostensibly democratic system.
Sound familiar?
I modified the post a bit, but the takeaway remains the same.
This morning former Gov. Madeline Kunin’s commentary on VPR made a lot of great points about the disappointment many, especially we feminists feel regarding the results of this election. However, she said that there are “no checks and balances” now that the GOP has the White House, both chambers of Congress and will soon have a 5-4 conservative majority. That’s just not true. Dems still have a fighting chance to keep the crazy at bay in the Senate. Recall that in 2009 President Obama had bigger majorities and still had some tough times getting big things done. I’m grateful to live in a country that has institutions that moderate our political spasms and slow change- even when that’s darn frustrating. I’m grateful for my wife and my daughter, and I look forward to some future election in which we can have a Governors and Presidents that look more like them.
Time to begin organizing for 2018.