By Butch Freedman
How do you stop a dictator? Especially one who clearly is no longer in control of his actions, thoughts, or speech. Of course, I’m talking about our addled, malignant, clown of a president. It’s increasingly clear that trump (I hate to even write his name, let alone capitalize it) is going to cause even more damage than he has already wreaked on the nation. Every day his failed war on Iran spirals into more chaos and bloodshed, while the damaged king keeps up his boasting and bluster, making threats that no sane person believes — including the Iranians, who are playing him like the stooge that he is. And now, more than ever, he’s thrashing about madly to corrupt the upcoming mid-term elections, frightened that a Democratic congress will not only put an end to his madness and grifting, but also bring him to account for his many crimes — yes, impeachment and removal could very well work this time around. Maybe karma finally kicks in. “What goes around comes around.” That’s one scenario for stopping a dictator.
History provides other examples, some peaceful, others not so much. Recently, we saw Viktor Orban, who trump called a “tough, smart prime minister” who has done a “tremendous job keeping Hungary safe,” booted out of his long-time gig as prime minister of Hungary. This was an easy exit, no violence required; the Hungarian people simply could no longer abide Orban’s right-wing oppression and his bashing of immigrants; and once rid of the dictator, continued on to rid themselves of his enablers. I hope this model prevails here; there are others to reckon with after removing the idiot-in-chief. Yes, we’re coming for you Stephen Miller, Hegseth, Kash, et al.
Other dictators left under more duress. Adolf took himself out—at least the world was spared that odious task. The Nuremburg trials dealt with his remaining cohorts and mass murderers, those that didn’t flee to Argentina. Is it right to compare the trump regime to the Nazis? Not yet, but not far off. Does ICE resemble the Gestapo. That’s not even a question.
How about Mussolini? The Italian fascist dictator was executed by Italian partisans. His body was taken to Milan and left in a suburban square, for a large angry crowd to insult and physically abuse. He was then hung upside down from a metal girder above a service station on the square. I’m not suggesting anything similar should or could happen here. But it is emblematic of how much rage is induced when a country can no longer stand the abuse of its government.
And some dictators continue on without any retribution or accountability. There’s Putin, another good buddy of trump, and the North Korean iron-fisted leader, Kim Jong-Un — our fearful leader greatly admires him also. But Putin and Kimmie rule over countries that have long been beaten into submission, that have seized control of all institutions of government, the military, and the press, and where any resistance is met with immediate and vicious reprisal. We’re not there. Not yet. We still maintain at least the semblance of free speech, and democratic elections. But both of those are currently under serious and on-going attacks by the trump administration. This new corruption of the republican party under trump is not interested in a democratic country, nor do they believe in the idea of equality. Their idea of a perfect America is one that is without immigrants (except from the “good” countries, i.e. the white ones), and where the only acceptable religion is a hardline Christian nationalism, and where no questioning is ever allowed. Think “1984” — a society where all information is supplied by the government, and any objection is labeled as treasonous.
It can’t happen here, people say. But it is. Right now, every day. And it has to stop, before it’s too late. Before more people are executed by ICE thugs. Before new wars are waged. Before the economy collapses. As has been said before, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” I’d up that now to — “if you’re not taking action, you’re allowing your country to be destroyed.”
