Far right extremism is the road to tyranny

Tyranny and extremism

Echo opinion published in the News & Advance newspaper in Lynchburg Virginia.

Tyrants might claim different philosophies but tyranny is tyranny. Displaying the same glaring personality flaws, dictators manipulate the same way. Hitler vs. Stalin? Communist left? Fascist right? Same real-world consequences.

Americans have never experienced true tyranny, however our wanna-be and shouting far-right appeasers brazenly twist reality.

Dictating rigid fact-starved dogmatic beliefs, simplistic answers to complex issues, nonsensical conspiracies and fueling ignorance, they aid our enemies.

Naziism = Trumpziism

“Can’t happen here!” Really? Trump built his private army. Predictable weak responses to ongoing right-wing violence sent subtle nods of approval. Violence at Michigan’s state capital? A dress rehearsal. January 6? Dereliction of duty, deliberately violating his presidential oath.

Toxic reactionaries and unethical talking heads orbit Planet Trump, touting “freedom” (for themselves).

These right wing extremists push censorship, restrict rights of others, stoke fear and division, whitewash history, claim “oppression” but become oppressors, and savage those with real patriotic integrity while seeking to elevate Trumpism above the law.

Familiar with religious persecutions, our Founders outlined a stronger, rational, secular Constitution in an already diversifying society. They debated prayer to open the sessions but never approved doing so. A rigidly intolerant Puritan theocracy, our weak states-rights confederation and divine right of kings all failed. 

Now false, hypocritical right-wing “patriots” obscure the Founders’ real vision, becoming a reactionary, subversive, lockstep, aggressive Thought Police.

Danger! 😈 Hiding in plain sight!

Our own classic tyrant, warning flags flying, hides in plain sight peddling lies while seeking power. Some are either still blindsided or can’t believe that extremism can also come from the Right.

E. A. Paull in Amherst, Virginia