HE COULD HAVE BEEN A NAZI LEADER

by Ruth A. Sheets

Donald Trump could have been a Nazi leader, you know, the ones that commanded sections of concentration camps or were in charge of removing the "enemies of the state" to those camps. He does not have the abilities of a military or political leader of the regime, but, his gifts for resentment, vengeance, self-righteousness, and hatred for anyone he believes inferior (just about everyone else) would have made him a perfect man for such a post.

His charismatic bullying style and bent for cruelty would have endeared him to those in power. They would have given him free hand to do whatever he liked to those under his control and I have no doubt he would have used that power. The objects of his wrath would have suffered tremendously as long as Mr. Trump received good food and a beautiful place to live. 

Having no moral compass, I suspect nothing would have been off-limits to him. That, is, if he didn't have to actually perform the cruel acts himself and could blame it on his underlings or the victims. "They did it" or "They made me do it." 

Mr. Trump's ability to be manipulated by anyone in his circle would be of great benefit to the other Nazi leaders.  They would be certain that he would do what was "necessary" to get the last drop of life out of the powerless he supervised.  Those pathetic souls would declare how much they loved him and wanted to serve in their pathetic inadequate way, under threat of death, of course.

It is impossible to have watched Mr. Trump for the past few years and not notice his cruelty, his inability to accept responsibility for anything he says or does, his inability to judge people on anything beyond their loyalty to himself.  His racist statements, even about the President of the United States show there are no limits to what he will say or do to promote whiteness as the superior attribute of a human being, a perfect Nazi leadership stance. 

And, Mr. Trump's got the lying knack down pat.  His ability for stirring up a crowd while spewing insults and lies to their faces is astounding.  Then, he repeats the lies and false claims over and over to make them true.   

For example, his idea of deportation is telling poor people of color they would be going back to a place where they will be with people of their own kind who will appreciate them, while sending them to a gang-torn impoverished land where their lives will be at risk from the moment they step off the plane.  There are definite similarities with the holocaust boxcar stories, if not the actual horrific conditions of the journey.  Death often comes at the end of both, though.   

This man was elected president of the United States by an outdated, racist structure, the Electoral College.  He has no mandate to be doing the things he is doing to the people of this country just as Hitler and his cronies had no mandate in 1933 when they took power.  As with the German government in 1933, the Republicans and other conservatives are bowing to Mr. Trump's wishes for the win, even if they have only a slight inkling what he is demanding.  If Mr. Trump could, I suspect he would order all kinds of despicable actions on behalf of his racist, sexist, homophobic agenda.  He already started the process by ordering Muslim bans, deporting undocumented parents of American children, ending the "Dream Act," and trying to ban transgender people from the military.

At least this is still America and we have laws to stop him, but the bowers and scrapers reside in our Congress and could make some of his cruelties law, and how likely is it that our highest court would stop them?  We really haven't seen the Court in action yet to have any real sense of it.

Having read Michael Wolff's book, Fire and Fury, you may note that Mr. Trump surrounds himself with family members and sycophants who either don't know or don't care what America stands for.  It's about power and who has it.  We already know Mr. Trump agrees with the last person who spoke to him, unless they disagree with his basic beliefs of white male superiority. 

Mr. Trump surrounds himself with people who know how to get him to do and say what matters to them, so, the next steps could be dangerous to many people in this country.  As long as the lower level Nazi leaders produced the desired outcomes, their superiors didn't care much how it happened.  What a scary thought that the far right haters could get their "leader," Mr. Trump, to do their bidding.  Their goal is a hierarchy of white men on top and everyone else to serve them.  Too many women or people of color around?  Get rid  of them! put them in their place! 

The parallels are strong with this one.

WHEN YOU CAN'T FEEL SHAME, LYING IS THE LEAST OF YOUR FLAWS

by Ruth A. Sheets

The year 2017 will ultimately go down in history as a year in which a political party did its best to undermine the American way of life, to promote dysfunction, and to enhance control at all levels by the wealthiest few. 

Donald Trump ran as a populist, which in the past has meant support for the common person.  It has meant a movement toward civil rights for all and a level of equalizing power and resources among many, if not all groups.

The media were enthralled by this man who would say the most outlandish things - Mexico will pay for a gigantic wall on its northern border, there is a war on coal which he will correct, disabled persons are worthy of ridicule, Gold Star families do not love America as much as he does, Black people should vote for him because things can't get worse for them, the mainstream media only does fake news, unlike Fox News, and so on. 

For those not enthralled by this rhetoric, these were shameful words.  They and so much of
Mr. Trump's campaign language were clear lies, just spoken loudly and with conviction.  Alas, it appears for human beings, the louder and more often something is said, the more believable it seems. 

One can understand that Mr. Trump is not ashamed of his lies and despicable actions.  These were a pattern during his professional life for decades.  Since he can't feel shame, he can say and do things that should be, at least seen by others, as shameful.

But, alas, this shamelessness is spreading.

Beginning in January, 2017, after the inauguration, Republicans in the United States Senate participated in the lying, deceit, and acquiescence to the shameful agenda of Mr. Trump.  They rubber-stamped nearly everyone put before them for government positions, no matter how unqualified or opposed to the department, agency, or people they would be supervising or making decisions about.

-Need a Secretary of State, America's chief diplomat?  Well, what about a man whose only experience is as CEO of a huge oil conglomerate, without a diplomacy background? 

-a Secretary of Education?  What about a woman whose only experience of education is through private schooling and anti-public school activism?

-a Director of the Environmental Protection Agency?  What about a man whose political career was engaged in fighting the EPA on behalf of fossil fuel and other polluting companies, and by the way denies science?

-a Secretary of the Interior?  How about someone who sort of cares about the natural lands of his own state, but anyone else's, not so much?

-a Secretary of Labor?  Maybe a person who opposes unions and anything that will help workers?

-an Attorney General, the head of our justice system?  What about someone known for his racist and misogynist views, who is OK with police brutality and militarization?

-need a Supreme Court justice, not one nominated by that last president, who of course, was not a legitimate president?  Why not another ideologue, someone who does not have to think about his decisions, but simply has to think of what would be best for people like him?

-a bunch of judges for the Federal Courts?  How about some of the least qualified, mostly white men, around, especially ones who don't even know the law related to the court they would serve?

-a head of the Federal Communication Commission?  How about a man who has close ties to a large communications conglomerate that wants to control the internet, who opposes "net neutrality"

The Senate should be ashamed!  They should feel guilty that they have put so many Americans at risk, but do they, not a chance. 

Millions of Americans wrote, protested, and called to tell their representatives they did not want the recent tax bill to pass, but those Americans were ignored so Republicans could get a victory.  And, aha, they got away with giving the biggest cuts to those least in need of them.  Who will pay?  The Congress is now preparing bills that will cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as well as many other programs that serve the middle class and poor citizens in this country.  Where is there shame?  They have none, so the lies they tell themselves and their constituents are only a minor flaw.  The bigger flaw is that they are beholden to the money that they have made while in office and the money that will help keep them there. 

Admittedly, some Democrats are also beholden to the big money, but they have, so far, mostly felt enough shame they could stand against the appalling legislation brought before Congress.  Will they continue to stand firm?  That is unclear.  A vote to continue funding CHIP, the health insurance for children of working-class families, and DACA, the "Dream Act" among other bills will be coming up soon.  We'll see where they stand.  We know MANY Congressional Republicans have sacrificed their humanity for some kind of victory.  Let's hope this disease is not contagious.

SEXUAL HARRASSMENT?

by Ruth A. Sheets

Sexual harassment has come to the fore this year, probably at least partially because the current occupant of the White House has credibly been accused of and has admitted acts of sexual harassment.

Individuals and groups are rushing to jump on a sexual harassment policy bandwagon.  The noise and pseudo-excitement is sweeping up a lot of people, many of whom have made comments or have touched someone in a way the touchee did not want or appreciate.  Often these take place between people whose level of power vary greatly or where one of the people has at least some level of control over the other person's livelihood.

It seems to me any sexual harassment policy MUST take into account levels of harassment.  Touching someone does not automatically mean sexual harassment.  Making comments that are "off-color" does not necessarily mean sexual harassment.  I am so sick of people "coming forward" with claims for things that can happen in ordinary conversation, particularly with someone who is generally demonstrative.  One act like this does not a sexual harasser make.  However, repeated such acts, that's a different story.

The process should begin with training in this area for everyone.  Then, there must be a graduated level of types of harassment from infrequent unwanted comments to  touching in a "Sexual" manner to lack of promotions for women unless they succumb to advances, to actual rape or assault.

Lately, though Democrats are acting as though all sexual harassment is the same.  No matter what the act, it requires the "perpetrator" to resign in disgrace.  This is absurd!  A casual touch, a comment in passing, touching the thigh of someone sitting next to one in the excitement of a stimulating conversation  don't come close to demanding sexual favors for promotions, career opportunities, money, or any other material or other gain.  And, they are not even in the same league with rape or attempted rape.

It is exciting that this issue has resurfaced for the general public.  It was out there in 1991 with the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court hearings when Anita Hill came forward to report an ongoing pattern of harassment on the part of a man who would be sitting on our nation's highest court.  She was only believed by women who had experienced the same kind of harassment.   Even many of them thought this was just the way of life and should not have been brought up.  Thomas was voted into the position he still holds more than a quarter of a century later.

It would be great if the current movement were to stay front and center, but people are already getting fed up with it, and I mean women, not just the men who keep the sexual harassment going.

Most people recognize the differences in levels of harassment and, like me, don't want legislators, particularly Democrats to rush to "do something, anything."  Sometimes when Democrats acknowledge a problem, they jump on it with both feet and want to immediately purge the problem and all perpetrators from their ranks, like some kind of religious mission.  In an undemocratic manner, they drive out people who do care and could learn and practice more appropriate actions in their lives.  Heck, the accusations have only been in the public court, not in the "real" courts or even before any kind of board that can help everyone work through what actually happened.

The need to work through what happened is essential if we are to have any kind of uniform understanding of the levels of sexual harassment.  How did a particular situation arise?  Are there political or other reasons an accusation was made?  Is what happened actually a crime?  Have apologies been made and accepted?  Will either party have to be in a working or social situation again?  Is the harassment a pattern or a one-time thing?  What can other women (or men) do to recognize when what is happening to them is sexual harassment?  Are there ways to avoid the situation? 

Without transparency, sexual harassment becomes a "she said, he said" situation and the victims don't get the full story out and the accused does not get to either explain or defend his/her position. 

Clearly some sexual harassment is a crime and needs to be addressed through our judicial system.  rape, attempted rape, assault, pedophilia, threats, and other acts are truly crimes already on the books.  What a good policy can do is address in a fair way the "lesser" acts.  What is a realistic response by an organization, by persons within that organization?  Should there be laws regarding specific acts described as sexual harassment?  What steps need to be followed to see that accuser and accused are heard?  How should issues of power in relationships related to harassment be addressed?  What kind of training in the workplace and other sites actually improves conditions?  These are all important considerations and will take time if we are to make effective sexual harassment policy.

Democrats MUST be involved in the process, but not pretend that driving their representatives out of office without some kind of due process is OK.  It isn't.  Dems must stop playing "holier than thou.  Republicans and Independents are just as involved in harassing, perhaps even more.  So, when Dems try one of their own in the court of public opinion, with no formal means of explaining, They are enabling the public to think it is only Democrats who are sexual harassers.  That is simply foolish and shows Democrats feeding on their own and gives Republicans victories they don't deserve.