When I was young, I had a difficult time understanding how Hitler came to power and how the German people allowed him and his to do the atrocities to the Jews and many others. I believe we are seeing this play out in our own country. Trump has unleashed a wave of hatred and violence against anyone who doesn’t agree with him. He has formed a cult that is clearly trying to destroy our democracy. Speaking out against this evil may help but PUSH those votes to get rid of these evil people. PUSH!
While Trump was crudely critical of all sorts of people (not including anti-American autocrats) one of his policy moves that encouraged Palestinian resentment of Israel and the U.S. was to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. My secular, centrist view on that is to make Jerusalem a neutral zone administered by the U.N. and open to all.
Like you, when I was young, I had a hard time understanding the how Hitler was able to take power and control Germany. I am old enough that I knew men who had been “forced” to serve in the Nazi military. I asked one how did they “force you?”. He told me that if he didn’t his family would be punished. And now we see it here - if we allow it. But there are more of us than there are of them. They are chaos agents and incompetent. Their lack of ability to make life easier for the majority will be their undoing.
I agree with everything you said except that Trump targeted everyone who wasn’t a white male Christian. The bigotry that Americans tried for decades to reduce has come back like a “roaring lion looking for someone to devour” because of this evil ex President and his legions of followers.
Yes, best way to combat the spirit of “Toxic Tribalism” is with a grassroots organization encouraging people to be being carefully vocal. We may be different peoples, but we are one nation.
Thank you for this, Mr. Kinzinger. My late mother was a Nazi refugee, and while she’s been gone a long time, sometimes, I’m glad that she’s not alive to see the level of hatred Jewish people are facing.
I agree with everything you've said, Adam, but at this point, I am also concerned about Netanyahu's growing extremism and his cutting off water, food, and fuel supplies to the innocent people in Gaza. Also, it seems that their being told to evacuate to southern Gaza is not a workable plan, and there are people in hospitals that cannot be moved. If you get a chance, please write another post addressing this side of the issue. Thanks.
I guess I was hunting in Montana when this was posted because I just saw it today. This is so spot on I had to respond, however late. Late last week I got a survey from Judicial Watch, which was really a thinly veiled request for money. The questions were all about illegal aliens and how badly do I want Judicial Watch to eradicate the plague that is immigrants. Without giving it much thought, I responded to the survey by lighting them up about their gall in trying to fundraise by stoking hatred in America. I suspect that these folks simply open the envelopes, look for a credit card number and then toss the responses without reading them. But it felt good to at least make clear to these losers that I wasn‘t buying their crap. The RNC sends these „surveys“ out too, although they are slightly more subtle about it. I usually respond with something like the fact that I won‘t give them a dime until they get rid of Trump, but again, I suspect that they look for the credit card number and then toss the responses, as nothing changes.
I take comfort in the fact that those who benefit from this hate mongering was mostly weak, greedy and not very smart. This certainly makes them dangerous, but also fairly easy to outsmart. The recent elections show that people are wise to their hatred and are choosing experience and common sense over alarmist pandering. I sincerely hope this continues in 2024.
Knowing when to speak, when silence is the better way, when perhaps waiting for the right time to have words that can be heard by the party or persons who need to make a change. We must measure , be careful, watchful as to what choice is best.
Let’s not run and hide. Let’s not be apathetic. And lest us as Adam has said clearly here( let’s make a change one person to another).
Thr easiest thing to hear from a mother person is when we aren’t attacking and we aren’t making out viewpoint the most important thing.
Listen and love well... does it take time? You betcha.
People think it’s hard to stand up to bullies and anti-semites - it’s not if you’re willing to risk a relationship for your principles and what is right - as a Christ follower I’m inclined and called to respond to evil and stupidity with understanding and love. But also with the truth and humble acceptance that all I can control is my response not that of others - so truth telling - what I say and control is all I can do and will do when confronted with evil stupidity.
Thank you, Adam. I am in my upper 60s and remember the 60s, taught at home that everyone is equal. It didn’t matter if you were white, black, orange, purple, Christian, Jewish, or anything else. My dad fought a whites only clause, taking it to the Supreme Court. Trump has brought this all back to the forefront and his cult of deplorables started with birtherism. It’s a disgrace to this country, the greatest country, the United States of America.
When I was young, I had a difficult time understanding how Hitler came to power and how the German people allowed him and his to do the atrocities to the Jews and many others. I believe we are seeing this play out in our own country. Trump has unleashed a wave of hatred and violence against anyone who doesn’t agree with him. He has formed a cult that is clearly trying to destroy our democracy. Speaking out against this evil may help but PUSH those votes to get rid of these evil people. PUSH!
While Trump was crudely critical of all sorts of people (not including anti-American autocrats) one of his policy moves that encouraged Palestinian resentment of Israel and the U.S. was to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. My secular, centrist view on that is to make Jerusalem a neutral zone administered by the U.N. and open to all.
Like you, when I was young, I had a hard time understanding the how Hitler was able to take power and control Germany. I am old enough that I knew men who had been “forced” to serve in the Nazi military. I asked one how did they “force you?”. He told me that if he didn’t his family would be punished. And now we see it here - if we allow it. But there are more of us than there are of them. They are chaos agents and incompetent. Their lack of ability to make life easier for the majority will be their undoing.
Trump basically gave people permission to come out of the woodwork with their anger and hate :-(
I agree with everything you said except that Trump targeted everyone who wasn’t a white male Christian. The bigotry that Americans tried for decades to reduce has come back like a “roaring lion looking for someone to devour” because of this evil ex President and his legions of followers.
Yes, best way to combat the spirit of “Toxic Tribalism” is with a grassroots organization encouraging people to be being carefully vocal. We may be different peoples, but we are one nation.
Thank you for this, Mr. Kinzinger. My late mother was a Nazi refugee, and while she’s been gone a long time, sometimes, I’m glad that she’s not alive to see the level of hatred Jewish people are facing.
I agree with everything you've said, Adam, but at this point, I am also concerned about Netanyahu's growing extremism and his cutting off water, food, and fuel supplies to the innocent people in Gaza. Also, it seems that their being told to evacuate to southern Gaza is not a workable plan, and there are people in hospitals that cannot be moved. If you get a chance, please write another post addressing this side of the issue. Thanks.
You're not just talkin' the talk, Adam. This column proves you're walkin' the walk.
Bravo!
I guess I was hunting in Montana when this was posted because I just saw it today. This is so spot on I had to respond, however late. Late last week I got a survey from Judicial Watch, which was really a thinly veiled request for money. The questions were all about illegal aliens and how badly do I want Judicial Watch to eradicate the plague that is immigrants. Without giving it much thought, I responded to the survey by lighting them up about their gall in trying to fundraise by stoking hatred in America. I suspect that these folks simply open the envelopes, look for a credit card number and then toss the responses without reading them. But it felt good to at least make clear to these losers that I wasn‘t buying their crap. The RNC sends these „surveys“ out too, although they are slightly more subtle about it. I usually respond with something like the fact that I won‘t give them a dime until they get rid of Trump, but again, I suspect that they look for the credit card number and then toss the responses, as nothing changes.
I take comfort in the fact that those who benefit from this hate mongering was mostly weak, greedy and not very smart. This certainly makes them dangerous, but also fairly easy to outsmart. The recent elections show that people are wise to their hatred and are choosing experience and common sense over alarmist pandering. I sincerely hope this continues in 2024.
Knowing when to speak, when silence is the better way, when perhaps waiting for the right time to have words that can be heard by the party or persons who need to make a change. We must measure , be careful, watchful as to what choice is best.
Let’s not run and hide. Let’s not be apathetic. And lest us as Adam has said clearly here( let’s make a change one person to another).
Thr easiest thing to hear from a mother person is when we aren’t attacking and we aren’t making out viewpoint the most important thing.
Listen and love well... does it take time? You betcha.
People think it’s hard to stand up to bullies and anti-semites - it’s not if you’re willing to risk a relationship for your principles and what is right - as a Christ follower I’m inclined and called to respond to evil and stupidity with understanding and love. But also with the truth and humble acceptance that all I can control is my response not that of others - so truth telling - what I say and control is all I can do and will do when confronted with evil stupidity.
Thank you, Adam. I am in my upper 60s and remember the 60s, taught at home that everyone is equal. It didn’t matter if you were white, black, orange, purple, Christian, Jewish, or anything else. My dad fought a whites only clause, taking it to the Supreme Court. Trump has brought this all back to the forefront and his cult of deplorables started with birtherism. It’s a disgrace to this country, the greatest country, the United States of America.
Agreed! Aloha, Mike