ANSWERING the KENNEDYS’ CALL
Why has the bullying behavior of one political party intimidated some of
our most powerful men? Reports say that billionaires like Bill Gates, Warren
Buffett, and JP Morgan’s Jamie Diman won’t publicly endorse Kamala Harris, even
though they have donated to her campaign and say privately they will vote for
her?
Timothy Snyder in his latest book, On Freedom, tells us what is
necessary to actively preserve and expand freedom, rather than remain quiet,
which is the choice for American voters in this Presidential election. One must
put their body, not just their money, on the line to successfully oppose
authoritarians, as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelens’kyi has done in opposing
Putin’s invasion of his land.
Snyder meant one must take a public stand, however dangerous it might seem,
because freedom itself is on the line. When Snyder asked Zelens’kyi why he
didn’t flee when Russian first invaded the Ukraine as many thought he would do,
Zelens’kyi replied, “I could not have done otherwise.”
“He was in the company of others who were also taking risks,” said
Snyder. “He understood the situation, he said, because of what it meant to
represent others. A president, he said, was only the first grain of sand in a
turning hourglass.”
The news that some of our wealthiest men won’t publicly endorse Harris
highlights the stakes in this Presidential race, and how fearful even powerful
men can be before someone who threatens retaliation, including bodily harm,
against anyone who opposes him.
These men don’t understand what underlies the bully mentality of one
political party that has no regard for election outcomes. Trump’s own niece has
called Trump a coward, and in fact bullies do pick on the weakest who will stand
down when opposed by those who stand up to them, say psychologists and
psychiatrists.
I first wrote about a certain political party’s Bully Mentality in 2012.
“Why do Americans have such a problem with bullies? Whether in schools, in
politics, or on Internet social media? The result has been teenage
suicides, horrendous school shootings by students who felt bullied
or belittled, and now a whole political party that opposes anything that smacks
of aiding the poorest, seniors, and less educated.”
Donald Trump’s threats of retaliation have only intensified so close to
November 5. Trump aides such as General John Kelley, his Chief of Staff, says he
is acting like a fascist who openly supports Russian’s Putin in his Ukraine
invasion and has said he wanted “Generals like Hitler had” to put down
demonstrations.
The real lessons Americans should take from such tactics of a wannabe
dictator was first spelled out in Timothy Snyder’s best-seller On Tyranny:
- #1) “Don’t obey in advance—Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely
given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive
government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked.” - #2) “Defend Institutions—It is institutions that help us to preserve
decency. So choose an institution you care about—a court, a newspaper, a law, a
labor union—and take its side.” - #3) “Above all believe in truth,” as without truth there is no trust, and
without trust there are no effective laws, which leads to tyranny.
Candidate Donald Trump, has made a point of blatant lying, meaning he wants
his followers to believe whatever he says rather than objective facts such as
global warming, or size of the audience that attended his inauguration.
What better example is there of real freedom and the preservation of our
democracy than President Zelens’kyi and the Ukrainian people who are literally
putting their own bodies on the line in opposing the Russian bully next door;
for those Americans who remain silent?
Harlan Green © 2024
Follow Harlan Green on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarlanGreen
