Excellent analysis of what is happening today in our country. I would have never imagined it as even possible 25 years ago (though I might have 60 years ago). Among the things that anger me most about hidebound MAGAites is the fact they actually post smiley faces on some of my posts about this. There is nothing any of us can do to convince them of anything. They have to come to their own conclusions based on their realities. If any of you who support what is happening are bothering to read this, know this - There is NOTHING funny about what is happening to us and you may very well realize it too late. In the meantime, the absolute best thing the rest of us can do is VOTE while we still have a chance and encourage each other to do so.
I am President of the board for LaAID... Louisiana Advocates for Immigrants in Detention. We are volunteer run org (pay 3 contractors). Our volunteers visit in detention centers, write letters to those who are indefinitely stuck in detention, medical advocacy for those being neglected with health issues. Sign up on the volunteer tab on our website: laaid.org We are grateful for donations on website as well. We have been a 501c3 since 2019. Operating sorta underground until we needed to become more visible. We could use many talents... Website overhaul, hosts to keep a person overnight in case they gain asylum but their flight leaves next day, visit detainees, write letters... We use donated funds for gas to visit at detention since they are hours from large cities, for sending money to commissary accounts, for putting on Know Your Rights trainings, CPA fees. We are specifically short on volunteers from Alexandria and Monroe.
I may have submitted this earlier. Although it did no good I referenced John Tolands Adolph Hitler, Vol II, and quoted the page numbers to point out the Repugs communication plan. Additionally, I was given a foot locker by a neighbor filled with her Dad's uniforms etc. which I dutifully donated to the Ft. Polk Musuem(except I kept the 1950's Army Footlocker). Later, I was cleaning out the foot locker and found a book, "The Secret Front" by Wilhelm Hoettl, The Story of Nazi Political Espionage. Then this am, watching SOS Marco Rubio clearly referring to Trump's plan to support Putin instead of Ukraine, on the basis of we are spending too much money in Ukraine, the exact same thing my neighbors quoted to me. Thus I agree with Mr. Winham. thanks
Trump is an evil and also a stupid man. He is guilty of great crimes against human decency. But I hold his enablers to be more guilty. Some like Bondi, may be as ignorant as Drumpf himself; however, others certainly know better. "Little" Marco certainly knows better. Cassidy and Kennedy certainly know better. They are even more guilty, and their lack of courage speaks louder than a thousand trumpets.
Many years ago a lady from Germany who was Jewish (and married to an Auschwitz survivor) that worked for me told me how in 1932 she had supported the movement that put Hitler in power. She said “after the horrid years following WW1 in Germany (horrendous inflation, lack of goods, etc) that I and everyone I knew thought he was great, better than ‘sliced bread,’ and offered a better path to the future.” She was fortunate enough to get out once she recognized the true future that he was bringing. A history lesson some current voters need to pay attention to.
Trump, like Hitler, placed his torture prison outside the US. Hitler had no extermination camps in Germany. I’ve never seen a picture of any Brown Shirt or SS wearing a mask unlike ICE agents.
See Rachael Maddow’s “Prequel” for the number of Congressmen who were Nazi supporters.
Here are a few: The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and Invest in Louisiana (formerly the Louisiana Budget Project); 10,000 Women Louisiana, Louisiana Progress, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, the Louisiana NAACP, Step Up Louisiana, Together Louisiana, and the ACLU of Louisiana.
When I was converting to Catholicism, I found it’s a process. One day in our “conversion” class someone told the story about how they came into the faith. Well they saw “a thing on Pope Benedict and I was like what it is all this commotion when it comes to Popes? …” and that was why they converted.
Then the lessons about all of the Popes, the hard lessons on The Crusades, then on to the “fallibility” of the Pope in which what he says is what it is with no backtalk.
So there I was learning a new faith and while I am in “formation” class (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults-RCIA) Benedict is Pope but I just really don’t like some of what he stands for, but I do not object in public nor even in groups within our Church. My wife and I discuss my feelings and thankfully she always pushes me to Matthew Chapter 6 which dives into everything one needs to know about our faith and really about all others all the way to social justice, Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes.
Next thing you know along comes someone no one has really heard of named Jorge Mario Bergoglio, and he becomes Pope Francis. Immediately I’m liking this new head of “my” church. He takes the name of St Francis of Assisi and immediately starts stepping in places other Popes never did.
Then, all of a sudden some of these same people - “teachers” - of mine during RCIA are having hissy shit fits with this new guy that doesn’t demean gays, shows a love and spirit for so many, … and that is where I asked my wife “I thought the Pope was infallible?” And I am once directed back to Matthew Chapter 6.
One Sunday I decided after Mass I would attend the later class of the RCIA group just to get myself back into a feel. I was feeling weird since I had been in what is called “Adult Formation” class and I was around some younger, some my age, but mostly older than I just ripping the shit of Pope Francis. It quickly was becoming difficult for me to even be in a setting around some of my fellow congregants.
I walk in and before you know it the same ones teaching me just over a year ago were starting (politely?) ripping Pope Francis. Then since they were ripping him, they began the same with Obama, started talking about this “realty guy” on the horizon that they really liked because he spoke their language and understood them. I was getting ready to say “fuck this” and just wait in the car until my wife (who was teaching at the time) and our youngest child who was in a class had finished and our Deacon came in and all of the political hate stopped, at least most of it.
Our Deacon started talking about - what side would you had been on when Jesus started his sermons and meeting with the people. Would you had been with Jesus, or would you had stayed with the old guard. Several said: “ I’d been with Jesus for sure”, and I replied with something like “oh really? You would not have known who he was, there is no tv for those of you to say ‘what is all of this about?’, nothing on the magazine racks for you to pick up your favorite rag, no social media for you to follow what others are doing, …”. Yeah, I was pissed. Our Deacon actually backed me up.
I know this is a long response but I often look at this question as:
- would I had followed Jesus
- would I had followed Hitler
That would had depended mostly on my age, what part of my life I was in at the time.
I do know that I broke away from a group (type) of people that had me hoodwinked for about a 6 or 7 year period of my life. But that was the area I was raised around - the “derp” south where racism and hate is used everyday to justify everything wrong in your life. At some point you have to understand what you are responsible for and quit allowing others to direct you down a horrible path.
Jesus took his followers down a path of love toward others, acts of forgiveness, acts of turning the other cheek when you are wronged to not do that to someone else, pay it forward.
Hitler used blame, hate and fear. Trump uses blame, hate and fear.
It really has hurt that so many that were “teaching” me about my new faith have totally fallen in behind Trump, and also because I know those same are probably cheering that Pope Francis has passed away.
Great question asked.
Pope Francis was/is/will still be my guiding light
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
—Martin Niemöller
I started to add that to the piece. Glad you quoted it here!
Thanks, Bob. You are doing a great job. Keep doing it. We need more people like you!
Can't tell you how many times this reverberates in my mind.
Excellent analysis of what is happening today in our country. I would have never imagined it as even possible 25 years ago (though I might have 60 years ago). Among the things that anger me most about hidebound MAGAites is the fact they actually post smiley faces on some of my posts about this. There is nothing any of us can do to convince them of anything. They have to come to their own conclusions based on their realities. If any of you who support what is happening are bothering to read this, know this - There is NOTHING funny about what is happening to us and you may very well realize it too late. In the meantime, the absolute best thing the rest of us can do is VOTE while we still have a chance and encourage each other to do so.
I am President of the board for LaAID... Louisiana Advocates for Immigrants in Detention. We are volunteer run org (pay 3 contractors). Our volunteers visit in detention centers, write letters to those who are indefinitely stuck in detention, medical advocacy for those being neglected with health issues. Sign up on the volunteer tab on our website: laaid.org We are grateful for donations on website as well. We have been a 501c3 since 2019. Operating sorta underground until we needed to become more visible. We could use many talents... Website overhaul, hosts to keep a person overnight in case they gain asylum but their flight leaves next day, visit detainees, write letters... We use donated funds for gas to visit at detention since they are hours from large cities, for sending money to commissary accounts, for putting on Know Your Rights trainings, CPA fees. We are specifically short on volunteers from Alexandria and Monroe.
Peace, Michelle Lafleur Macfadyen
Thank you so much for sharing this information about your organization!
I may have submitted this earlier. Although it did no good I referenced John Tolands Adolph Hitler, Vol II, and quoted the page numbers to point out the Repugs communication plan. Additionally, I was given a foot locker by a neighbor filled with her Dad's uniforms etc. which I dutifully donated to the Ft. Polk Musuem(except I kept the 1950's Army Footlocker). Later, I was cleaning out the foot locker and found a book, "The Secret Front" by Wilhelm Hoettl, The Story of Nazi Political Espionage. Then this am, watching SOS Marco Rubio clearly referring to Trump's plan to support Putin instead of Ukraine, on the basis of we are spending too much money in Ukraine, the exact same thing my neighbors quoted to me. Thus I agree with Mr. Winham. thanks
Trump is an evil and also a stupid man. He is guilty of great crimes against human decency. But I hold his enablers to be more guilty. Some like Bondi, may be as ignorant as Drumpf himself; however, others certainly know better. "Little" Marco certainly knows better. Cassidy and Kennedy certainly know better. They are even more guilty, and their lack of courage speaks louder than a thousand trumpets.
Many years ago a lady from Germany who was Jewish (and married to an Auschwitz survivor) that worked for me told me how in 1932 she had supported the movement that put Hitler in power. She said “after the horrid years following WW1 in Germany (horrendous inflation, lack of goods, etc) that I and everyone I knew thought he was great, better than ‘sliced bread,’ and offered a better path to the future.” She was fortunate enough to get out once she recognized the true future that he was bringing. A history lesson some current voters need to pay attention to.
Well said Bob,
Trump, like Hitler, placed his torture prison outside the US. Hitler had no extermination camps in Germany. I’ve never seen a picture of any Brown Shirt or SS wearing a mask unlike ICE agents.
See Rachael Maddow’s “Prequel” for the number of Congressmen who were Nazi supporters.
Thank you , Bob. Everyone needs to read this piece..
Please list organizations and such to get involved in
Here are a few: The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and Invest in Louisiana (formerly the Louisiana Budget Project); 10,000 Women Louisiana, Louisiana Progress, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, the Louisiana NAACP, Step Up Louisiana, Together Louisiana, and the ACLU of Louisiana.
Also please see LaAID below and SouthEast Dignity not Detention Coalition (SEDND)
When I was converting to Catholicism, I found it’s a process. One day in our “conversion” class someone told the story about how they came into the faith. Well they saw “a thing on Pope Benedict and I was like what it is all this commotion when it comes to Popes? …” and that was why they converted.
Then the lessons about all of the Popes, the hard lessons on The Crusades, then on to the “fallibility” of the Pope in which what he says is what it is with no backtalk.
So there I was learning a new faith and while I am in “formation” class (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults-RCIA) Benedict is Pope but I just really don’t like some of what he stands for, but I do not object in public nor even in groups within our Church. My wife and I discuss my feelings and thankfully she always pushes me to Matthew Chapter 6 which dives into everything one needs to know about our faith and really about all others all the way to social justice, Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes.
Next thing you know along comes someone no one has really heard of named Jorge Mario Bergoglio, and he becomes Pope Francis. Immediately I’m liking this new head of “my” church. He takes the name of St Francis of Assisi and immediately starts stepping in places other Popes never did.
Then, all of a sudden some of these same people - “teachers” - of mine during RCIA are having hissy shit fits with this new guy that doesn’t demean gays, shows a love and spirit for so many, … and that is where I asked my wife “I thought the Pope was infallible?” And I am once directed back to Matthew Chapter 6.
One Sunday I decided after Mass I would attend the later class of the RCIA group just to get myself back into a feel. I was feeling weird since I had been in what is called “Adult Formation” class and I was around some younger, some my age, but mostly older than I just ripping the shit of Pope Francis. It quickly was becoming difficult for me to even be in a setting around some of my fellow congregants.
I walk in and before you know it the same ones teaching me just over a year ago were starting (politely?) ripping Pope Francis. Then since they were ripping him, they began the same with Obama, started talking about this “realty guy” on the horizon that they really liked because he spoke their language and understood them. I was getting ready to say “fuck this” and just wait in the car until my wife (who was teaching at the time) and our youngest child who was in a class had finished and our Deacon came in and all of the political hate stopped, at least most of it.
Our Deacon started talking about - what side would you had been on when Jesus started his sermons and meeting with the people. Would you had been with Jesus, or would you had stayed with the old guard. Several said: “ I’d been with Jesus for sure”, and I replied with something like “oh really? You would not have known who he was, there is no tv for those of you to say ‘what is all of this about?’, nothing on the magazine racks for you to pick up your favorite rag, no social media for you to follow what others are doing, …”. Yeah, I was pissed. Our Deacon actually backed me up.
I know this is a long response but I often look at this question as:
- would I had followed Jesus
- would I had followed Hitler
That would had depended mostly on my age, what part of my life I was in at the time.
I do know that I broke away from a group (type) of people that had me hoodwinked for about a 6 or 7 year period of my life. But that was the area I was raised around - the “derp” south where racism and hate is used everyday to justify everything wrong in your life. At some point you have to understand what you are responsible for and quit allowing others to direct you down a horrible path.
Jesus took his followers down a path of love toward others, acts of forgiveness, acts of turning the other cheek when you are wronged to not do that to someone else, pay it forward.
Hitler used blame, hate and fear. Trump uses blame, hate and fear.
It really has hurt that so many that were “teaching” me about my new faith have totally fallen in behind Trump, and also because I know those same are probably cheering that Pope Francis has passed away.
Great question asked.
Pope Francis was/is/will still be my guiding light
Powerful, crystal clear writing, and challenge to act now. While I'm doing some, I need to, and will do more. Thank you.