An Attack on our Democracy

 Today I was robbed.  It wasn’t a robbery of valuable personal property or an invasion into my home.  It also was not an attack on my person or a threat to my life.  It was far worse. 

 Today, a constitutionally guaranteed right of citizenship, Freedom of Speech, was attacked. Freedom of Speech is a foundational right from which our Democracy is derived and thrives.

Freedom of Speech, especially during times of our National elections, is the keystone to our Democracy.  Without it, we are nothing more than a Banana Republic struggling to survive the whims of those in power.  Every four years we hold a public debate on the issues of our time in order to decide who will lead us.  This debate is a crucial element of the decision-making process.  It is designed to allow every citizen an opportunity to express their opinions on whatever topic they deem important.   In this arena of public debate where ideas flow and decisions are made.  This public examination of issues allows us to dream of a better future and set the priorities in how to attain it.

 At the end of the debate a leader is chosen and we experience one of the most unique and important aspects of our democracy – a peaceful transition of power.  The election of who becomes President is an expression of the Will of the People as realized in public expressions of opinions and through participation in the voting process.  Both elements of this process are critical.

 How was I robbed?  Someone decided to take away my right to post a sign in a public place that expressed my views and opinions.  Everyone who participates in the theft or vandalism of a legally posted yard sign is robbing people of their rights to Free Speech which, in turn, tears down the fabric of our Democracy.  Yes, you should have passion for your beliefs, but when you also honor the beliefs of others and allow for that expression to exist you are building a stronger Democracy.

 

48 hours later…

 OMG! The sign was returned and put back into position.  At least it looks somewhat like my sign from what I can read between the spray-painted letters “Antifa”.  We have now elevated this crime from simple larceny to an act of fear-mongering and threat.

 As many you have learned over the past couple of years “Antifa” stands for a loosely organized group of militants that have taken it upon themselves to stand up against the presence of Fascism, where ever it may raise its ugly head in the world.  Fascism is a loosely used term such as “They are Left-wing Fascists”  which I believe Trump was responsible for saying but I could be wrong.  Fascism is a very real, definable term.  “Fascism is a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.” By Merriam Webster.  Antifa or Anti-Fascism, by definition, is the opposite of Fascism.

 To infer, as the painter of the sign has done, that Antifa is some evil threat against our democracy is to align himself with Fascism, instead.  Only those with ill-intent would want to known as Fascists… unless, of course they truly are Fascists.

The most common example to come to mind when talking about Fascism is Adolph Hitler.  Millions of people were killed by his henchmen, the SS, in the name of race superiority and the willingness to destroy everything and everyone who did not agree with you. Hitler has not been the only fascist in history and to have a better understanding of how fascism arises and where it has occurred in modern history, I highly recommend reading Madeleine Albright’s book Fascism: A Warning.

 Fascism is the worse rendition of governance that humankind can inflict on each other.  Not only do the leaders want to gain power and riches, they want to annihilate an entire race or group of people in the process.  They gather their forces together under a flag of pure hatred.  The enemies are de-humanized to the point that the only logical result is to wipe them from the face of the earth.  Rwanda’s Armed Forces in the early 1990’s referred to the Tutsi as cockroaches as they murdered 500,000 to a 1,000,000 of them over a 100-day period.  This is always the goal and objective of Fascism, to wipe out the people they perceive to be less-than human and a scourge on the earth.

 Fascism is alive in many parts of the world today, including in the United States.  The proliferation of Nazis and Confederate flags are proof.  The White Nationalist rally in Charlottesville, VA in 2017 was a prime example of hate-filled rage where the marchers chanted “Jews will not replace us.” Trump is also creating a group of henchmen referred to TT or Trumps Troops that are being sent out to deal with the plague of liberalism.  Because of its ever-present threat, a group such as Antifa is a natural response.  Those who have been victimized by the pure and odium loathing of Fascism will naturally stand up and say, “Never again.”  If they don’t, if no one stands up, Fascism will rear return again and again.

 So, I have decided to leave the sign standing as long as it will be left alone in order to reveal the true feelings that lie in the heart of the perpetrator.  He is filled with hate and he wants to instill fear in the supporters of Biden.  If you think this is an isolated case, then you have not been reading the newspaper.   Trump rallies are filled with hate-spewed fans, yelling at the top of their lungs “F$CK Liberals.”  Yes, liberals are the cockroaches in the Trump world, and they see us as disease that must be eliminated.  They are lining up at voting areas to intimidate voters from voting.  They are doing everything in their power to eliminate us as a threat to their Supreme Leader and they believe we must be eliminated.

 If the intimidation and hate-spewing does not do the job, their AK and AR machine guns will.  They will not allow a peaceful transition of government should Biden win the election.  They will destroy everything they can touch. 

 And the proof they are living in our own quiet neighborhoods in middle-class America is the picture of their artwork on my effort at Free Speech and my view that Democracy is worth fighting for.

The Death of a Democracy

 

Jim and Denise Crace along with their four young children paid a visit last night for a barbeque and some play time with our two kids.  It had been a regular event between our two families over the past couple of years but we had drifted apart recently, mostly due to the rising rancor that had evolved during Jim and my political discussions.  The women had decided to put a hiatus to the family gatherings until the political season reached an end and when less politically-charged times resumed.  However even though the elections were completed, it seemed that Jim and I were still at odds over the outcome as our ire continued to boil with the slightest provocation.

 

In an attempt to keep the family relationships strong for the children’s sake, Denise and my wife, Jill, decided to put on an early holiday get-together where the kids could rejoin their playful friendships while the husbands would hopefully set aside our political acrimony through a link of common interests; a championship football game involving a team we both followed closely.

 

Everything seemed to be going well as Jill and Denise watched over the children’s activity while preparing the half-time feast of chicken wings, hot dogs and hamburgers.  At the half-time break and with food in hand, Jim and I had wandered into my den to look at the new aquarium I had installed.  It was an excessively large tank that had become the wall between my office and the family room.

 

As we viewed a nondescript roil of activity at the top of the tank, Jim suggested that if I floated a couple of baseballs on the surface it would give some of the amphibians in the tank a refuge to crawl on.  I retrieved three softballs from a drawer that had been left over from a 4^th of July co-ed game played in the park a few years earlier.  Each ball was a different color representing the colors of the flag.

 

“Is everything about the flag for you? God I’m sick and tired of your jingoistic patriotism in everything you do?” muttered an increasingly irritated Jim.

 

Ignoring his comment I put the colored softballs into the tank, the churning slowed and the individual characteristics of the different species in the tank became clear.  Small turtles and frogs had made their way up onto the softballs, leaving behind larger specimens of turtle and fish swimming separately and more peacefully beneath.  “It works,” I said.  “They like the colors even if you don’t.”

 

“We’ll see, we’ll see.”

 

With the ensuing calm a new fish emerged from a cave in the bottom of tank.  At first they were relatively small.  “Albino eels!” Jim proclaimed. “Where did you find those?”

 

Before I could answer that I had no idea, large, serpentine specimens of the eels meandered out of the cave, twisting their way up into the tank.  Their action was hypnotic at first as the size and beauty of the motion captured us all in a sense of awe.  I could see through the glass that the children had discovered the aquarium and were mesmerized by the activity from the family room.  Suddenly, an adult eel struck, engorging itself with one of the larger tropical fish that had happened to swim by.

 

“Yeah, those critters are not great for a community tank.  They are always armed and ready to destroy everything in their path.  There are not very many fish that will survive their onslaught once they are gathered in large numbers, riled up and ready to fight. They will take over and destroy everything.  They are a lot like your political party… destroying everything that is good in our country.”

 

I shrugged and threw out a quick barb, “It’s your people in the streets with guns, scaring all the good people in our country.  I have no idea where those eels came from.”   I did not know where the eels came from. I didn't put them in the tank. Anyway, what I could do to save the tank but the half-time show had ended and we needed to return to the game.  “I guess that’s a problem for tomorrow. Perhaps things will calm down once, the fish all settle in to their new surroundings.  Let’s get back to the game.  It looks like we can win this one.”

 

In the meantime, the wives were relishing the relatively peaceful gathering of families, as peaceful as six children will allow.  The kids were outside on the trampoline while the women watched from the patio enjoying a couple of after-dinner glasses of wine.  Suddenly a scream erupted from the family room and Denise shouted, “Where are Caroline and Demi?” Everyone rushed to find out what was wrong.

 

Caroline, Jim and Denise’s oldest, was standing in front of the aquarium banging on the glass of the aquarium screaming, “Leave her alone!” Rolling around in the bottom of the tank, wrapped in sheet that looked tattered and grayed like old parchment paper, was the youngest of their family, Demi.  The water was boiling with activity as the eels repeatedly attacked the shards of her parchment encapsulated body. 

 

“How did she get in there?” I asked. “Somebody call 911.  Help me get her out.”

 

Very calmly but filled with rage, Jim looked at me and pronounced, “I knew nothing good would come out of this ‘party’.  Nothing good could ever come from people with your views.  I knew the minute ‘HE’ won the election that our lives would be destroyed.  This is your fault and my lawyers are going to have a field day.”

 

I tried reaching into the tank but the embroiled eel would not be dissuaded.  I sat helplessly and watched Demi Crace die.

 

 

Note from author:  Last night’s politically-induced dream of helplessness.