FIRST THEY CAME

Trump Hugging the Flag

Credit: nymag.com

First, they came for the news media, crying "fake news," promoting "alternative facts" and denying the reality of any unfavorable reports or evidence, and we did nothing.

Then they came for the "aliens" and immigrants, and though concerned, we did nothing.

Then they came for judges whose legal rulings prevented the separation and caging of migrant children at the border, and, though protesting, we did nothing.

Then they came for Homeland Security officials whose warnings of Russian election interference they rejected, and though surprised, we did nothing.

Then they came for the FBI Director who would not pledge complete loyalty, but it was 'complicated', and other concerns were cited, and we did nothing.

Then they came for the Attorney General whose required recusal opened the door for the Mueller Investigation, and who was no Roy Cohn, and, we did nothing.

Then they came for the Investigators themselves, accusing them of being "deep state"agents and labeling the investigation a "total hoax," and we did nothing.

Then they came for the "whistleblowers" who revealed corrupt dealings with a foreign power to undermine a potential political rival, and we, ultimately, did nothing.

Then they came for the Inspectors General in every Federal agency where questions were raised about administrative corruption, and we grumbled, but did nothing.

Then they came for the Public Health experts and officials, charging a "cabal" of scientists with undermining the President by promoting the "hoax" of a pandemic and the wearing of masks, and we've done nothing.

Then they came for peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors, smearing them as "subversives" and "anarchists" bent only on destruction, deserving of "retribution," and threatening to charge them with sedition, and we've done nothing.

Finally, they came for the Electoral System, claiming it to be "rigged," against them, suppressing voting, cutting short the census, shrinking the Postal Service, and undermining public faith in the integrity of the most basic mechanism of a functioning democracy, and so far, we've done..... 

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Les Adler

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This piece was inspired by Martin Niemöller, a prominent Lutheran minister and courageous opponent of Adolf Hitler. Niemöller survived seven years in Nazi concentration camps.

TRUMP TO ATTACK SANCTUARY CITIES

The New York Times reported today that the Trump administration is planning to deploy heavily armed border patrol tactical units to hunt down and capture undocumented people in sanctuary cities.

In normal times, these highly trained, heavily armed units are used near the border to deal with equally heavily armed, highly dangerous individuals or groups, such as gangs of drug or arms smugglers.

Coming soon to a sanctuary city near you

Credit: James Tourtellotte

Now, cities such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles that have defied Trump by declaring themselves to be sanctuaries for undocumented people, will see these tactical units working side by side with ICE to enforce Trump and Stephen Miller's draconian immigration policies.

There's no doubt that this will play well with Trump's base. Images of uniformed, armored squads "taking down" immigrants whom Trump's true believers have been conditioned to fear and hate will provide visceral proof that tough guy Trump is making America great again.

For me, it brings to mind the aphorism, attributed to psychologist Abraham Maslow, that if the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. These special tactical units are hammers, trained and primed to strike. When they are deployed against ordinary people in the heart of our cities, innocent people will die. It's just a matter of time.

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REA