We have been here before

[drwex]

I am nohow happy about the outcome of the national election, nor much cheered by the results in Congress. The four MA ballot questions all went the way I voted. But gather 'round children and let old DrWex tell you a story of how we've been here before

Comments

[chienne_folle]

Thanks for the reminder that we did survive the Reagan years, even if a lot of terrible things happened during those years.

What I find myself thinking this morning is that the Jews who left Germany upon Hitler's rise to power looked like geniuses when he started sending the people who stayed to death camps. And I find myself wondering how you tell when a leader is so bad that it's "leave the country" time and when it's "we survived Reagan, and we'll survive this" time. How do you tell?

Should I encourage Black or Muslim friends to leave the country? If they can't afford to go, should I buy them plane tickets? How do we tell when something is a big enough emergency that emergency actions are necessary?

[drwex]

That's a good and scary question. I've been saying since the start of primary season that I am afraid we are living in Wiemar America. Any Jews who think that the haters are going to stop with Muslims and gays are advised to reread Pastor Neimoller's words.

There are other options. See here for one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqMhx6vh0VY

I think the breakpoint for me will be when it moves past words and to open violence.

[chienne_folle]

Pastor Neimoller's famous quote has always resonated very strongly for me, but then, I guess it's the nature of those of us on the left to understand that intuitively.

Thanks for that link! Watching that video finally allowed me to cry. I've been feeling on the verge of tears since it happened, but I've been too stunned to actually let go enough to cry.

[drwex]

Jay Smooth is pretty awesome.

[chienne_folle]

I'm not a fan of hip-hop music, so I had never heard of him before, but I'm glad to have discovered him. Thanks again.

[xthread]

I don't know.
My real fear is a slippery slope, 'Weimar America' - The track record of 'our neighbors are good and decent people and wouldn't do anything truly horrible' is.. not good.

[drwex]

My neighbors are not more horrible, nor more racist, nor more hateful than they were a week ago or a month ago when we lived side by side and I was not anxious.