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[-] RedstoneValley@sh.itjust.works 185 points 1 week ago

Hello. I'm from Germany and I have bad news for you. If our own history taught me anything, it's this: When there is a critical mass of citizens (including military personnel) who are willing to ignore common societal values and at the same time there is a corrupt justice system which can just bend the law to their will, there is very little in the way to full scale fascism. You guys have the groundwork for this right in front of your face. Your supreme court is only inches away from fulfilling that role and the last election showed that a majority of people are already blindsided enough to wholeheartedly believe the bullshit that they are being fed.

So please don't take this lightly. Democracy is not for granted and it can be taken away. It's a slow process up to a point where things fall in place and then it happens very quickly. In Germany the rise of the Nazis didn't happen over night. Warning signs were there from the first world war on, and the slow erosion of society along with economic factors was a key element. Hitler himself was widely regarded as a loud mouthed clown with little chance to actually accomplish anything.

The erosion part has been going on in the US for decades now. This time, most of the puzzle pieces needed are already in place.

And about the "they are incompetent, it won't be that bad" argument. They don't need competence to break things when they are in power. Breaking things is precisely what these people are looking for. Destruction of democratic values, economic instability, fear, poverty, chaos and social unrest are the key to more power. You just need to look at the designated cabinet positions. Those candidates were specifically chosen to fuck things up in the worst way imaginable. This is not a coincidence. This is a recipe taken right from the fascist's handbook.

[-] frog_brawler@lemmy.world 69 points 1 week ago

A lot of us know and agree.

[-] Freefall@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago

We are the ones without any power.

[-] MySkinIsFallingOff@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

Please find your groups, organize, protest, demand change. We, the rest of the world, saw how big you've protested for good before, and it's needed now more than ever in your country. You're not powerless, you're not alone, and your actions matter.

You live in a country that used to pride itself as a world leader, and while that image is long gone and lost, we're still watching you guys.

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[-] samus12345@lemmy.world 43 points 1 week ago

You are correct, and those of us who aren't fucking morons have known this since even before he came into power the first time. We have a lot of horrible and/or apathetic people. Democracy is worthless if the populace is uninformed or doesn't participate. Now it's dead here.

[-] ziggurat@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Education should be free, even for the kids if the neighbor you don't like.

Of course it's not free, it costs tax money, but it's okay. Id rather my neighbors had free education, then maybe I'd like them.

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[-] frazw@lemmy.world 136 points 1 week ago

Bracing for "Wait, I didn't think you meant me?!?!?"

[-] thefartographer@lemm.ee 79 points 1 week ago

"Cool, a leopard! Can I pet it?"

[-] Big_Boss_77@lemmynsfw.com 12 points 1 week ago

[Scene opens on a wide, desolate savanna at dusk. The camera slowly pans over a leopard lying under a tree, its large body barely able to move. The sun is setting, casting a cold, dim light over the scene. Soft wind rustles through the dry grass. The leopard’s eyes are dull, its breathing labored.]

Narrator (soft, somber voice): In the wild, leopards are meant to stalk, to hunt, to climb. But for some, this is no longer possible. These are the leopards of the forgotten savanna... the ones who can no longer live the life they were born to lead.

[Cut to a close-up of another leopard, this one lying next to a watering hole, panting heavily. The camera lingers on its enormous, bloated body, its paws barely able to reach the ground. The leopard’s eyes seem vacant, devoid of the wild spark they once had.]

Narrator: Overfed and unable to move, these leopards have been left to a slow, painful existence. They can no longer hunt their prey, no longer climb the trees to escape danger, no longer feel the thrill of the chase. They are trapped in their own bodies.

[Cue the soft, mournful opening chords of "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan. The camera slowly pans over a third leopard, sluggishly trying to rise, but its massive weight prevents it from standing. It lets out a heavy sigh, its once-strong legs buckling beneath it.]

Narrator: They are the forgotten victims of a world that has abandoned them. Too fat to run, too weak to fight... These leopards are slowly fading, one breath at a time. They need your help.

[Cut to a shot of a leopard staring out over the savanna. The camera lingers on its face, eyes half-closed, its expression one of quiet resignation.]

Narrator: For just $3 a day, you can provide the care and support these leopards so desperately need. A donation will help give them the chance to live a life of dignity. Help them find their way back to the wild they were meant to roam.

[The music swells as the camera fades to black, and the words "Your donation can make a difference" appear in white text on the screen.]

Narrator (whispering): Please, don’t let them suffer in silence. The time to act is now.

[The music fades out, and the SPCA logo appears in the corner, along with a toll-free number and website for donations.]

[-] Diplomjodler3@lemmy.world 94 points 1 week ago

Next up: arson attack on US Congress. And then the Enabling Act.

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[-] f4f4f4f4f4f4f4f4@sopuli.xyz 84 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Like the German version of Nazis before them, they aren't coming for their biggest target first. They're coming for their political opposition, the "abortionists", the atheists, the drug users, the mentally ill...

RFK Jr.:

"I’m going to create these wellness farms where they can go to get off of illegal drugs, off of opiates, but also illegal drugs, other psychiatric drugs, if they want to, to get off of SSRIs, to get off of benzos, to get off of Adderall, and to spend time as much time as they need — three or four years if they need it— to learn to get reparented, to reconnect with communities,"

Re-education camps, huh.

[-] Hobbes_Dent@lemmy.world 70 points 1 week ago

"prepared to declare a national emergency and will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program."

  • Trump reposted Fitton's comment Monday with the caption, "TRUE!!"

I don’t even know what to say. I’m gobsmacked to depression daily that you’re ok with this.

[-] brucethemoose@lemmy.world 73 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

But EGG PRICES! The economy!

And he's such a strong leader...

(I am paraphrasing actual interviews our local networks did with college students)

[-] Today@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

I think we need to start using strongman in conversation more for the people who don't know what it means.

[-] brucethemoose@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago

I'm afraid it would just bolster his image. Become a tiktok meme or something...

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[-] Sakychu@lemmy.blahaj.zone 41 points 1 week ago

Hey, the democratic party wasn't close enough to the workers so there was no alternative..

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[-] NeoToasty@kbin.melroy.org 59 points 1 week ago

Hope everyone in the military is going to be ready because this psycho is going to be calling on you...to do every little thing he wants.

Need to shut down those protesting against him? Better be there.

Need to start beating down people who voted against him? Better be there.

Nothing you'll do will be for the sake of this country's entire interests, it'll be for his interests.

That's why I'm hoping the military does its job and protects the country and constitution from him.

[-] Sc00ter@lemm.ee 25 points 1 week ago

Well if he has his way, he's going to be able to remove general at will

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[-] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 55 points 1 week ago

So, the Orange Turd plans on suspending the US Constitution and using the so-called national emergency to go for the full power grab. I certainly hope the US military upholds the pledge to protect the US Constitution.

[-] TheObviousSolution@lemm.ee 16 points 1 week ago

The US president is the commander in chief and the US military is subservient to US president, never mind how many of them come from the MAGA cult bubble themselves. The military is a poor safeguard for democracy.

[-] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago

The oath to protect the US Constitution from foreign and domestic enemies takes priority. You are correct in one regard, it will depend on the military leadership and soldiers.

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[-] dragontamer@lemmy.world 41 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

There are not enough ICE officers to conduct mass deportation in red states, let alone blue ones. Trump will require cooperation of local police.

If he uses the military in Blue states, it's an obvious attack on the 10th Amendment. It's also illegal to use the military for domestic police work.

We can bet on incompetence for now. Trump needs to grow ICE to a large size before he's even able to conduct a large scale deportation plan of any kind. Deploying the National Guard would be a faux pas, but that's probably the workaround else need to prepare for legally.

[-] justhach@lemmy.world 82 points 1 week ago

Oh no, its illegal to use the military for domestic police work? Deploying the National Guard would be a "faux pas"?

Well, I'm sure that will stop him for sure!

[-] dragontamer@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Its the next political bulwark and where we rally next. If Trump runs over that bulwark, then we make plans afterwards.

But the Military will NOT want to be seen going house-to-house deporting Puerto Rican American Citizens. I know there's a lot of racists out there, but if they do that, we just take some pictures and the national level outrage and blatant racism on the troop's faces will be shown for everyone. And trust me, if a mass deportation order were invoked, 100% legal US Citizens will be swept up in the blatantly racist attack.

These people cannot tell the difference from an illegal Mexican, a legal Haitian or a US Citizen Puerto Rican. I'm serious. So that's no longer a Trump-specific thing at that point. That's commanders and soldiers who will have to live with that for the rest of their lives.

[-] thefartographer@lemm.ee 30 points 1 week ago

That's commanders and soldiers who will have to live with that for the rest of their lives.

If the second Bush era taught us anything, it's that there's plenty of soldiers willing to live with things for the rest of their lives.

[-] dragontamer@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

This is a border patrol agent invading a Miami Home to take that small boy on the right (Elian Gonzalez) back to Cuba.

This was a defining moment of the 1990s. What happened here was a Cuban family had a claim on Elian Gonzalez, meaning not only was he an illegal alien, arguably the US-side of the Family was kidnapping him. Gonzalez's father (Cuban side) pushed heavily for US to get Elian back. Ultimately, Clinton agreed with the Father and used deportation agents to capture the child and bring him back to Cuba (effectively deporting him).

Nonetheless, armed troops invading a Miami private home caused a national-level outrage event. Even though it was a 100% illegal alien with a 100% legitimate claim to be deported (ie: be reunited with his Father).


The stories of what will transpire here under Trump will be far more horrific and less gray. They will likely include US Citizens who forgot to hold onto a Driver's License and suddenly are disappeared (especially if he uses untrained dumbasses like US Military, composed largely of 18 year olds who were too dumb to go to college).

We can rely upon the outrage that will occur, but only if we document and take pictures of the horror. The focus needs to be on documenting the horrors as the next step. In any case, no reasonable troop will want to be seen as the man on the left, and no commander will want to be the one to sign their name okaying something like this again.


That also ignores 4th Amendment issues and court cases. How many homes and warrants are they going to issue? Just fucking everyone in a neighborhood? Like how do you actually make this work?

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[-] floofloof@lemmy.ca 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

the national level outrage and blatant racism on the troop’s faces will be shown for everyone

And what will anyone be able to do about it? That's the problem with installing a fascist autocracy. Outrage does not deter fascists. The left needs to organize and be prepared to physically obstruct these actions, and that is not going to be without danger.

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[-] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago

Stoking a violent insurrection while plotting a coup violated a few laws and norms, too.

[-] PineRune@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Trump will require cooperation of local police.

Plenty of pigs are already on his side, and would help him with this willingly.

Also, as president, SCOTUS has already ruled that he can pretty much do what he wants as long as it's an "official" act.

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[-] enbyecho@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago

You know what amazes me? That any vaguely brown person who voted for Trump didn't seem to think that even if they are literally carrying their papers at all times and easily able to prove their citizenship, they are gonna be harassed constantly for the next four years. With hopeful some state exceptions, they are going to have to be very careful to speak only 'Murican in public and suppress public display of non-American cultures. They are literally going to be having to watch their backs every day.

WTF.

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[-] NineMileTower@lemmy.world 33 points 1 week ago

The guy who couldn't build A WALL is going to orchestrate a mass deportation on millions and millions of people? Ok. Lol. Also, what happens when fruit/vegetables start to rot on the vine because they don't have anyone who will take their shit wages to do it.

[-] aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com 50 points 1 week ago

he will 100% focus on “Democrat cities” before he ever rounds up farm workers.

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[-] brucethemoose@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Every single bad thing about this country, from now on, will be prepended with "Biden"

It shall be law.

I'm not actually sure if I'm joking.

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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 20 points 1 week ago

Well. The chips are down. Your move Generals.

For what it's worth I think there's going to be a ton of pushback. To the point where using the military for this becomes infeasible.

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[-] TomMasz@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago

Saw this one coming. He'll do the same to justify ending elections.

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[-] ____@infosec.pub 16 points 1 week ago
  • this is terrifying.
  • This does not sound legally permissible, see posse comitatus.
  • Members of the military have an obligation to refuse illegal orders. I am neither in the military nor a lawyer, so I can’t go too deep on that.

Even if we see (likely) “act first, let it wind through the courts later,” I’d expect there to be a substantial number of refusals.

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[-] Gerudo@lemm.ee 15 points 1 week ago

Everything will be a national emergency to pass any and everything they want to.

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[-] zbyte64@awful.systems 12 points 1 week ago

How do we gum up the works?

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this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2024
414 points (98.4% liked)

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