General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI've reported on war for years. I'm more afraid now than I've ever been.
Carmen Gentile
Angry and armed protesters shout down authorities and call for the imprisonment of a democratically elected leader.
In a neighboring state, another irate gathering is marching on a capitol and demanding change, or else.
Ive seen episodes like these while reporting on conflict and unrest in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, and elsewhere.
But I never expect to see it in Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky, like we have in recent days. Protesters furious with the shutdown orders and social distancing, some waving Trump flags and others bearing swastikas.
For years I kept one eye on the hysteria and extremism thats been brewing in America while I covered atrocities half a world away.
https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2020/04/20/ive-reported-on-war-for-years-im-more-afraid-now-than-ive-ever-been/
-snip-
Nowadays, Im afraid that America's demise, (not to mention my own), will be slow, agonizing and too much to bear.
The last four-plus years of U.S. happenings have been fraught with the kind of anti-intellectualism and hatred of outsiders Ive seen peddled by inept, tinpot dictators the world over and those with cruel acumen to sustain their tyrannical rules.
Carmen Gentile is a longtime conflict reporter and author of Blindsided by the Taliban, the story of his injury in Afghanistan, recovery and return to front line reporting.
Solly Mack
(90,816 posts)followers - terrifying. A triple threat, with each able to feed off the others.
The very fact that Trump is at the helm increases my fears tenfold.
roamer65
(36,749 posts)Amishman
(5,559 posts)and military (even if it is National Guard) seem to lean even further right.
roamer65
(36,749 posts)Break up the illegal protests.
These are illegal gatherings. What they are doing in MI is punishable by a $1000 fine.
https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2020/04/03/violating-michigans-stay-at-home-order-is-now-a-1000-fine
redstatebluegirl
(12,265 posts)officers or so their facebook pages say. I will never understand how military people can love this moron.
pwb
(11,354 posts)Fake tough beer belly hot doggers.
Chainfire
(17,757 posts)You are not paying sufficient attention to the power behind the actors.
pwb
(11,354 posts)But don't try and push your fears on others.
Chainfire
(17,757 posts)of a once great nation. A more accurate name for our country would be the Divided States of America.
Four more years of Fascism may stretch into decades. Even If we win the elections by a small majority the conservatives will not accept the outcome, if they can not win in the courts, which have been stacked, they will take the battle to the streets.
We may be witnessing the beginning of a second civil war triggered by a pandemic. Progressives, intellectuals, and professionals, and minorities, may be in a fight for their very lives. Are you prepared to take on the by Nazis financed by the modern day Krupps? The part of the earth that the meek inherit is 6' x 2'. What will you do when they come for you?
If we continue on our path our nation will be one of the short passages in future history books. We only became a world player after the First World War, and a real powerhouse during the Second World War, so roughly a hundred years. We came to be a world force based on industrial capacity. Now, we have outsourced our production capacity to the point that we can't supply damn paper face masks to doctors without help from the Chinese....Since WWII, we have sat by, fat, lazy, and well entertained, and watched the slow motion destruction of a thriving Representative Democracy. We have sold a great nation on the alter of unfettered greed for the benefit of 2% of the population, and we have been taught to accept it as the way things should be.
Answers to our problems are to be found in the study of history. Perhaps the old saying is correct, "A nation gets the government it deserves."
volstork
(5,404 posts)Thank you.
ElementaryPenguin
(7,800 posts)It will truly be time to hit the streets if Trump has another "miraculous, unforeseen, miracle" of a victory!!!!
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,114 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,614 posts)Give them a stadium to congregate, let them breathe. Problem solved.
hadEnuf
(2,235 posts)Because they have lots of guns and we don't.
Just sayin'.
Chakaconcarne
(2,487 posts)Can't say they weren't warned...
Everyone else looks upon them as the fools they are.
CBS is reporting these rallies are being organized by the gun lobby.
Mr.Bill
(24,394 posts)I've lived her since 1961. Most people I know are liberals. Everyone I know has at least one gun, usually several. What we don't own are 50 guns and 100,000 of ammo in our garages. No one will ever have the chance to use more than one or two guns and about 50 rounds of ammo in the average gunfight. Wingnuts who think liberals are unarmed and not willing to fight do so at their own peril.
Martin Eden
(12,894 posts)That is Putin's plan, and Trump is his tool.
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.