But I rated him on the scale anyway. I come up with mid-teens.
I don't have a problem with that. Exactly where he sits on the scale doesn't matter. My point is that one can see why folks might be concerned about some of his natural tendencies and view him cautiously. Mid-teens is enough to warrant some alertness to the question.
I did not label him a fascist. I can see where one might be concerned about the hyperbole of those who sling that term around loosely. But to go to the other extreme, deny that he is different in this regard from what we are used to in a president, and to embrace him without reservation is mindlessly blind.
What did he actually do to (rather than just verbally rant about) journalists?
Well, sure, it's not like he shuttered the doors of the Post. But he did "promise" to change the libel laws for journalists while on the stump, he continues to believe that they shouldn't be allowed to report anything that hurts his feelings, and he has a strong instinct to hit back. We are used to our leaders showing appreciation of the first amendment. Patriots are not supposed to even entertain the idea of chipping away at it. Regardless of how presidents really feel, they should know not to treat endorsement of the first amendment as mere political correctness rather than borderline un-American.
As for the immigration policy I've already stated my opposition, but "first they came for" was slave labor and death camps, not refusal to admit people in to the country.
I was not referring to the refusal to admit people. I was referring to Americans. Disfavored groups of Americans. The Pastor Niemoller version included unionists. So how is that different from journalists?
As for the severity of the outcome for the disfavored groups, sure, there is a huge difference. But the Nazis didn't start out killing Jews. They merely started by singling them out. They had to wear a patch so that everyone would know whom to reject. They worked their way up to to mass murder. The message in his quote is that you have to nip this stuff in the bud.
If someone were at the mall and saw some guys hassling a woman wearing a hijab, what does a decent person or a good American do? Surely not join them. If it's not safe to intervene physically, at least call the cops, not walk on by. I've read suggestions on how to handle the situation. Some suggestions to diffuse it were to ask her if she needed help or to try to distract by walking up an asking if anyone knew where to find the restrooms or some store. I'm prepared to intervene, even though I would be quite useless in a fight. That was my point. This immigrant thing is an early warning to be watchful, not dismissive. Sure, there's risk in admitting strangers. There's also risk in undoing what the country supposedly stands for. Alertness and caution are called for in both cases, not just the former. There's smoke there. |
