Tag: faith

The Trump DICTATORSHIP – Stupidity, Cruelty, Corruption, Craziness, LXIII – Destroying The First Amendment – Suppressing Dissent, Controlling and Censoring Information, Threats

~ tomdolen

*** “Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.” [ Harry Truman, 33rd U.S, president ]

First, for perspective, just a few headlines on the Trump DICTATORSHIP’s war on dissent:
– “A step-by-step checklist toward autocracy – moving along too easily so far”. [3/26/25]
– “I Taught My Students Slavery Was Wrong. then MAGA Came After me”. [ June, 2025]
– “After Decades Trying, G.O.P. Guts PBS and NPR”. [7/19/25]
– “Trump Amplifies Attacks On Foes After Kirk Death”. [9/14/25]
– “After Kirk’s killing, calls to ostracize, fire his critics”. [9/15/25]
– “Liberal groups targeted after Kirk death” [9/16/25]
– “National park ordered to remove historic photo”. [9/17/25]
– “Kimmel is silenced, Who will be next?” [9/21/25]
– “Trump, allies seek to punish speech”. [9/21/25]
– “America Inches Closer To Authoritarian Club”. [9/21/25}
– “Kimmel Won’t Be the Last”. 9/21/25]
– “Trump’s Chilling Push To Punish Free Speech” [9/21/25]
– “Trump pushes Bondi to go after his foes”. [9/22/25]
– “Profs face increased pressure on speech”. [9/23/25]

This, OBVIOUSLY, is a PATTERN, a STRATEGY. Trump and allies using government power against speech by American citizens – BUT – ONLY, against those whom they don’t like. In principle – what is the difference between the Trump DICTATORSHIP – and. – Stalinist Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Communist China, Putin’s Russia??? And – the McCarthyist. 1940s-1960s. “Red Scare” ???????????

***. “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
[. Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. president ]

For perspective on past suppression of dissent, consider this: “some 300 lynchings of whites transpired between 1830 and 1860″ in the American South. People were found ‘guilty” of saying the ‘wrong things” about slavery. Other, luckier people were tarred and feathered and literally railroaded out of town. [William Freehling: “the Road to Disunion”]

1]. “National park ordered to remove historic photo”. [Jake Spring, Hannah Natanson; Washington Post; 9/17/25 ]: “The Trump administration has ordered the removal of signs and exhibits related to slavery at multiple national parks..” [note: apparently telling the TRUTH about slavery is considered a “corrosive ideology”!!!!!!!!! The good news: there is a citizen group collecting photos of signs the Trump DICTATORSHIP might rip down – they’ve received over 3000 entries so far!!! YOU can help too. Please do.]

2]. “Trump is hitting the media with all that he’s got” [Jim Rutenberg; New York Times; 9/19/25}: ‘..[Trump] ..is now conducting the most punishing government crackdown against major American media institutions in modern times…to eradicate reporting and commentary with which he disagrees.”

***. “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.” [Patrick Henry]

3]. “America Inches Closer To Authoritarian Club”. [Damien Cave; New York Times; 9/21/25]: “Those in China, India, Iran, Russia, Turkey and Venezuela are familiar with this scenario…[people] squeezed toward silence….President Trump with his threat on Thursday to revoke broadcasting licenses from networks with late-night hosts who joke or comment at his expense, has pushed the United States closer to that club.”

4]. “If the American ideal of freedom means anything, it is that Americans can engage in an extremely wide range of political speech…President Trump himself is a purveyor of tasteless and even threatening language…that no previous president did…Mr. Trump’s aides are drafting an executive order that could come as soon as this week…most likely target left-leaning organizations.” ………..
“Mr. Trump’s promised crackdown depends on the false premise that liberal and nonpartisan groups are part of a far-left conspiracy that promotes violence against conservatives…In fact, multiple data sources show that neither side has a monopoly on political violence, but it is more likely to come from the right. Between 2015 and 2024, 54 percent of ideologically connected killings were committed by people on the far right, according to the Anti-Defamation League…8 percent came from the political left.” [New York Times, Editorial; 9/21/25: “Trump’s Chilling Push to Punish Free Speech”]

***. “Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.” [ Mark Twain ]

5] “On his podcast Friday, GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called it “unbelievably dangerous for government to put itself in the position of saying we”re going to decide what speech we like and what speech we don’t, and we’re going to threaten to take you off the air if we don’t like what you’re saying.” [Meg Kinnard: “Trump pushes Bondi to go after his foes”; Associated Press; 9/22/25]

6] “The campaigns to silence educators who speak critically of figures on the political right have been effective, suggesting they are likely to expand….The strategy has the endorsement of the Trump administration….Kirk’s supporters, including many in the Trump administration, have made strong statements in the past supporting free speech, no matter how ugly. but now, many of those same officials are trying to limit speech that they say could lead to more violence.”
“Kirk, who was known for making statements that were often criticized as racist, antisemitic and sexist, declared himself to be a proponent of free speech.” ………..
“Turning point’s efforts to target professors it sees as radical datws back nearly a decade, to 2016, when it began asking students to report professors who “discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom.” [Stephanie Saul: “Profs face increased pressure on speech”; New York Times; 9/23/25]

***. “Those who begin coercive elimination of dissent soon find themselves exterminating dissenters.”
[ Justice Robert Jackson]

For perspective – read. “Red Scare,’ by Griffen Fariello, “Memories Of The American Inquisition.” Read how government power was used to ruin innocent people’s lives, loyalty oaths, the Hollywood blacklist. Read how the FAR RIGHT used government power to persecute people it didn’t like. THEN……
Read “He Bult America’s Rockets. The U.S. Deported Him Anyway.” [Kathleen Kingsbury; New York Times; 6/1/25]: “The decision to send Qian Xuesen back toChina changed world history.”

KNOW THIS: the STUPIDITY of the Trump DICTATORSHIP has ALREADY led some foreign scholars to NOT come toAmerica, or to leave. Some American scientists are also leaving.

***. “This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs: When he first appears, he is a protector.” [Plato]

Hatred – in the Trump Era

~ tomdolen

*** “Anew commandment I give to you, that ou love one another, as I have loved you.” [John 13: 34]

1] “Walmart rolls back DEI initiatives amid backlash”…”as conservative activists threaten boycotts on social media…Walmart will also discontinue DEI training..stop participating in the equality ratings by Human Rights Campaign..put guardrails on which community events, such as drag shows and Pride events, it supports through grants.”
“Walmart’s shift marks the latest win for the anti-DEI movement..gaining traction since the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in university admissions…”
“DEI refers to a wide range of practices that seek to increase employment and educational opportunities for historically marginalized groups. But critics contend the programs end up discriminating against non-minorities and say that policies should focus on race neutrality.”
“The conservative backlash grows despite 6 in 10 Americans having said that DEI initiatives are “a good thing,” according to a poll from the Washington Post and Ipsos.” [Julian Mark, Andrew Jeong; 11/28/24; Washgtn Post]

*** “You shall love your neighbor as yourself…The stranger that dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself.” [Leviticus. 19: 18, 34]

2] Have YOU ever noticed, people with Down’s syndrome are generally smiling and kind, they appear to hate nobody. They’re considered to be “handicapped” people. Isn’t it strange that people considered “handicapped” appear to hate NOBODY??? While people who DO hate others – are considered “normal”. people???

***. “The most effective way to silence our guilty conscience is to convince ourselves and others that those we sinned against are indeed depraved creatures, deserving every punishment, even extermination. We cannot pity those we have wronged, nor can we be indifferent toward them. We must hate and persecute them or else leave the door open to self-contempt.” [ Eric Hofer, “The True Believer” ]

3] In the last 10-15 years, numerous studies have been conducted on HATE and those that do, here are some:
A] “The Making of an American Nazi” [Luke O’Brien; December, 2017; The Atlantic]: ‘..during Trump’s candidacy suddenly it was OK to talk about banning Muslims or to cast Mexican immigrants as criminals and parasites..”
B]. “Addicted to Hate” [Wes Enzinna; July/August, 2018; Mother Jones]: “Starting at the age of 5, he received 2 hours of daily Bible study from his dad. He was schooled in the doctrine of “Christian identity,” which holds..the enslavement or extermination of all nonwhites will usher in the second coming of Christ.”
C]. “Make America Hate Again..Far Right Extremists Believe Trump’s Victory Has Catapulted Them Into Power..” [Josh Harkinson; January/February, 2017; Mother Jones]: “Thanks to Trump’s demagogic campaign..the alt-right now had an opportunity to inject racism, misogyny, and xenophobia into mainstream American politics…the normalization of the politics of hate.” [***. “..the NORMALIZATION OF THE POLITICS OF HATE.” ***]

*** “He that despises his neighbor sins.” [Proverbs. 14: 21]

4] “FBI says hate crimes in U.S. increased last year..More than 6,100 incidents were reported in 2016.” [Mark Berman; 11/14/17; Washington Post}
– “FBI reports spike in U.S. hate crimes..Total approaches level seen in 2008.” [Michael Balsamo; 11/17/20; Associated Press]: 7314 hate crimes in 2019; 7120 in 2018; 7783 in 2008 – which are UNDER-REPORTED because 2700 city police and county sheriffs DID NOT submit a single hate crime.

*** “Hatreds generally spring from fear or envy.” [ Machiavelli ]

5]. In 2022, the Southern Poverty Law Center established that there were at least 1,225 hate groups and anti-government groups; at least one in all 50 states.

*** “Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath, for all these things are things that I hate, says the Lord.” [ Zechariah. 8: 17 ]

6]. A MAJOR factor in post-1980 political turmoil and hate is perversion of religion. Read:
A] “When Religion Becomes Evil”. [Charles Kimball; 2002]: “The five warning signs of corruption in religion: absolute truth claims, blind obedience, establishing the ‘Ideal Time’, the end justifies any means, declaring holy war.”
B]. “Thy Kingdom Come..How The Religious Right Distorts The Faith And Threatens America”. [Randall Balmer; 2006]: the religious right uses selective literalism “to locate sin outside of evangelical subculture;” designate evil behavior of outsiders.
C] “Preparing For War..The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism – And What Comes Next” [Bradley Onishi; 2023]: on January 6, 2021 , “..religious symbols were everywhere..White Christian Nationalism was a major unifying phenomenon among the insurrectionists.”
D]. “Church & State”. is a monthly publication dealing with efforts to make America a “Christian Nation;” and reports how ordinary people – like YOU – are victimized by religious zealots. Virtually every issue has several pages of SPECIFIC instances where Americans – like YOU – had their lives turned upside down by religious zealots.

***. “I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there were a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. the hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it.”
[ Reverend Billy Graham ]

7] “Christian Nationalists were very prominent in the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol. former Christian Nationalist Bradley Onishi reported “..busloads of White evangelicals were indeed among the rioters..dozens of people from churches in our home region had been there..” [ Church & State; March, 2023 ]

*** “I’m frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D.” Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me.” [ Republican Senator Barry Goldwater }

8]. “The Creep of Christian Nationalism”. [Elwood Watson; 4/1/24; The Progressive Populist}: “In 2022, a collection of right-wing writers and leaders published a document entitled “Conservatism: A Statement of Principles.” The section on God and public religion stated, “Where a Christian majority exists, public life should be rooted in Christianity and its moral vision, which should be honored by the state and other institutions both public and private.”
“this is an alarming and troubling statement, implying non-Christians should have second-class status in our country. That Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostics, and others should be deprived of equality under the law…the antithesis of worship enshrined in the Constitution.” [***!!!*** – And – consider this FACT: the biggest growing American “religious” group is: “the Nones”. – who belong to NO church – currently estimated about 30-34% of ALL American adults!!! – meaning; white Christian Nationalists are distinct MINORITY. – trying to establish THEIR theocracy over YOU. – with much significant help from the CORRUPT. Roberts “supreme court” ]

***. “I have often expressed my sentiments, that every man..being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.”
[. President George Washington. ]

9] Hatred corrodes the soul. If everybody that disagrees with us is our enemy, then perhaps that is why 198-2024
America has become what it is, and even more, all evidence of 2015-2024 shows. HATE. HAS. corroded the
collective American soul.
Clever communicators – on radio, TV, internet, public speeches – have POISONED the
minds of vulnerable, ill-informed & often desperate citizens – illustrated by vote
totals of 2010 – 2024.
Hatred conveniently divides and conquers citizens, who are too busy hating the wrong people – ignoring the REAL
villains – those with economic power – some of whom are now poised to inflict further harm in the name of

“reform,” or “government efficiency.”

***. “Is it not strange that the descendants of those Pilgrim Fathers who crossed the Atlantic to preserve their own

freedom of opinion havew always proved themselves intolerant of the spiritual liberty of others?” [ General Robert E. Lee]


10] When you hate, you don’t think clearly and rationally. Witness 2024 events.
“One of America’s greatest presidents talked of. “Malice toward none, with charity for all..do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves..”

Little children don’t hate – they’re taught to hate.