October 30, 2016 – As we march toward the day of reckoning to determine who will be our next Commander in Chief, many in the electorate are becoming weary of the hateful and divisive rhetoric filling the airwaves of our oft complacent democracy. From the beginning of our nation’s founding, our nation and its people have engaged in an election process resulting in the peaceful transition of power. Even so, many in the electorate can recall past elections and their campaigns filled with misinformation, condescension, and quibbling–yet, none of them have ever risen to the level of vitriol that is apparent in the 2016 election. If fact, it is unprecedented to hear a candidate extolling commands to have the other candidate ‘locked up’ — a candidate who pre-avows not to accept the outcome of an election unless ‘he’ wins. This is not what US presidential candidates say or do–this is what third world dictators do! So why isn’t everyone enraged? And why are so many voters enthralled by such hateful rhetoric? The answer is that the one extolling hateful rhetoric appeals to the base instincts of those who are fed-up with the status quo–who believe the ‘system’ of our democracy is rigged unfairly against them. These discontents believe “shaking up” the US democracy is worth the price of a loud-mouthed, unrefined elitist. But what many patriotic Americans see as only bluster–is in fact a candidate setting the foundation for an fascist, totalitarian regime.
The Legal Standard of Inciting violence:
The standard set forth for inciting violence can be found in the 1969 Supreme Court Case Brandenburg v. Ohio. That case holds that for someone to be held liable for inciting violence, the speech at issue must be directed to inciting, and likely to incite, imminent lawless conduct.
As we long ago learned, it is a crime to cry ‘fire’ in a crowded theater. Yet, we must ask, Is it a ‘crime’ to insight violence by saying “beat the ‘crap’ out of him” when someone in the audience who voices dissension at hateful rhetoric extolled by a presidential candidate? Beyond hate speech and incitement, one has to ask, Isn’t that what Hitler did to achieve unanimity among his followers? Isn’t that akin to what is going on here? Yet this conduct is unprecedented in US elections, such as berating the opposing candidate, offering her up as if a criminal who needs to be flogged and beaten–as if she were a traitor to our nation and its security. This behavior is both deeply troubling and incomprehensible. Moreover, the very issue at hand, the use of a private email server, although unusual is not unprecedented. So why was it acceptable for General Colin Powell – former Secretary of State and others to do so, but not this candidate? And why did no one ever excoriate the use of a private server by the Bush and Cheney administration where over 22 Million–that’s right ‘Million’ emails went missing. In comparison, Hillary Clinton is a choir girl who was rudely and viciously attacked, humiliated, and admonished for something her predecessors did to a far grander scale– and did so with impunity. One might ask is there a double standard for a woman candidate? Or is this just an attack on Hillary because she extols the virtue of more transparency in government?
Anarchy Has No Place in Our Democracy
For good reason, anarchy is rightly shunned by politicians and those who remember its historical significance. Time and again, World Wars have engaged countries and their allies when those who have come to power incited violence, hatred and pathology toward those with contrary views and cultural predilections. For Americans who engaged in, lost a loved one or remember stories recounted by their loved ones who returned after WWII this should be a wake-up call for those who recall the atrocities that transpired during WWII, the Third Reich, the rise of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. For any candidate to espouse self-righteous rhetoric in stark contradiction to the facts which are caught on tape is both bold and telling–quizzical of what would lay ahead if such person is imbued with power of the presidency. Moreover, to take such a bold stance as to tell the electorate that “we don’t need an election’–just give it to Trump” is something that should set-off alarm bells in the minds of voters across the country. This is not how candidates act–this is how dictators come to power.
America Has Been Complacent About Democracy for Far Too Long
It is more than time for Americans to Wake Up and Remember History! For far too long you have been complacent about your democracy. Now the underpinning of our nation and being shaken to the core, and the pillars of your democracy are crumbling around us. The issues at stake, the future of democracy as we know it are in peril. Sure we are fed up with bureaucrats, and the status quo–but we cannot allow our democracy to implode, a democracy that so many brave and valiant soldiers fought and died for. As part of the preliminary restoration of our democratic principles, we need to restore the decorum needed to vie for the nation’s highest office. The office itself has been debased by disgusting rhetoric, plummeting our entire electoral process to levels of vulgarity never before seen or heard in our democratic process. As the electorate, we need to stand up and demand standards of decency and propriety for those who vie for our nation’s highest office. We need to remember the principles that made our country strong and great, and why our nation and the world came together to battle the rise of fascism–totalitarianism that represented the Nazi regime of WWII that threatened America and nations of the world.
No More Time for Complacency
America–there is no more time to be complacent. Remember your history before you vote. Remember, when those who extol the virtues of dictators as admiration– be wary. Conduct such as this should raise the ire of the electorate–both those who have lost loved ones in defense of country–to uphold our democratic principles and freedom. At minimum, there needs to be recrimination for such actions of extolling and praising dictators–not a vote to embolden such conduct. We as a a nation do not praise dictators nor engage in fascist authoritarian rhetoric–this is why nations banded together to defeat Hitler, and this is why we can’t allow a fascist despot to despoil our democracy. If we do, we risk losing it forever.
So ‘Wake-Up America,’ this is not just an election–your vote is a referendum on the continuation of our democracy and our freedom. A vote for those who engage in praiseworthy fascist rhetoric–calling to ‘lock up’ the presidential opponent or those in the ‘free press’ have no place in American democracy–they are a threat to American freedom. A vote for such a candidate undermines the very fabric of our democracy, and despoils all the battles fought and lives lost in protection of our American ideals and values. So Wake-Up America–the stakes are too high to stand idle or cast your protest vote–its time to stand up and stand united to extol the virtues of liberty, justice and freedom–and stand against fascist rhetoric and those who praise dictators and fascist leaders. If you fail to denounce this fascist rhetoric and cast a vote to elect such a despot–be prepared to give up your freedom and all you hold dear, as the buck will not stop at a presidential candidate–the buck won’t stop until it finds you.