Fascism Is In The Air, Democracy Is In Our Hands

I watched the news this morning and was horrified by clips of 45 at CPAC.  The following statement isn't a news flash, as it was when I first started shouting it from the cyber rooftop back during the 2016 presidential primary season, but his particular combo platter of being a sociopath and being, frankly, an excellent con artist, is extremely, extremely dangerous.  He has zero hesitation and every intention and ability to harness hate and fear for his own ends.  He has zero hesitation to weaponize his followers to start a civil war, just to keep him out of jail and to get him back into power.  At which point, we would go from a democracy to a fascist country.

I don't think it is likely that he will get his party's nomination again. But either way--if he gets the nomination, or if he doesn't--he is going to weaponize his followers.  He's already started, if you listen to his words of last night.  He said "I'm your retribution".  Picture January 6th on a national scale.  45 is on the march again.  He's nothing without his followers, but he's got them.  He knows exactly how to press their racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, hate-triggered buttons.  He's an expert at Othering.

Look to history and just before Hitler came to power people didn't take him seriously.  We need to take 45 seriously.  Our only defense against him and the hate he harnesses and unleashes is our own power to vote, and our power of peaceful, creative, non-violent resistance, with our constitution as our foundation.  This is no time to sit anything out.  As a favorite quote of mine, by one William K. Wolfrum, says:

"The road to fascism is lined with people telling you to stop overreacting."