In recent years, the United States has witnessed a disconcerting drift toward authoritarianism, a development that should deeply unsettle any who cherish democratic ideals. Central to this trend is…

I want to start by saying that this post isn’t meant to bash anyone’s beliefs. I’m genuinely and deeply concerned about the direction our future is headed, and I felt it was important to share my thoughts.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read and share this. I also welcome any feedback or criticism—just please, let’s keep it respectful, and ideally, educational and professional.

At the end of the day, we’re all humans sharing this planet, and everyone faces their own struggles and hardships. It’s up to us to shape a future that supports and protects everyone.

  • TheHiddenCatboy@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    3 months ago

    A couple of points I’d add to this:

    1. Trump is a symptom, not the cause. Put another way, should Trump choke on an overcooked steak tomorrow and die, the threat won’t be ended. The cancer is the entire GQP, not just its leader.

    2. Americans as a whole have a desire for authoritarianism. ‘Make those bad people behave the way I want them to’ is endemic in American culture.

    3. Not only can it happen here, it has, twice, and damn near took our Democracy down with it both times.

    • Nougat@fedia.io
      1·
      3 months ago

      More than twice. I assume you’re referring to the US Civil War and January 6, 2021.

      • The former colonies after the American Revolution only barely came together under the Articles of Confederation, which themselves were insufficient to hold the nation together.
      • Icky compromises were made in order to form the US Constitution, and those compromises arguably set the long stage for the later Civil War.
      • In the 1940s, there was a push for fascism in the US.
      • McCarthyism in the 1950s and continuing anti-Communist sentiment through the 1960s did a lot of work to silence any opposition
      • In the wake of the 2000 presidential election, there was the Brooks Brothers Riot, that put an end to vote counting in Florida, handing the election to Bush.
      • After 9/11, the PATRIOT Act created a surveillance state that we still labor under.

      I’m sure there are more.