Editorial "Love it or Leave It" in 7/25 Sonoma West weekly

The editorial “Love it or Leave it” by Sonoma West publisher Rollie Atkinson in the 7/25 issue of the weekly, is one of the best editorials that I have ever read in my over 70 years. I have also been publishing articles on this matter, but they are not as good as what Rollie writes. My article includes a recommendation that people watch the award-winning film “Judgment at Nuremburg,” about Adolf Hitler, whose book Trump has at his bedside.

A reader of my article informs me that there is a TV documentary series entitled "The Dark Charisma of Adolph Hitler," which also received rave reviews, and is available on Netflix. As the famous saying goes, "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." Today's weapons are so much more powerful than those of Hitler's time, and more countries have them.

Trump does have a "dark charisma," which I do not respond well to, but millions of people apparently do. Everything that lives dies, even countries and eventually planets. If our "dark" president, whom some respond to his abusive charisma, presses the nuclear button, it would be all over.

I do not plan to leave my beloved country. However, if I were younger, I would consider leaving, for I expect things to get worse. Rollie quotes from six U.S. presidents, as well as former British Prime Minister Winston Churchhill, Dr. Seuss, and a former Supreme Court justice are important to read.

We now, once again, have concentration camps here in our beloved country, full of thousands of innocent children and families. Their “crime" is often only that they are people of color and some where not born here. “Be ye not like a child, you’ll not get into the kingdom of heaven,” according to the Christian bible. It’s time to wake up to what is happening here in the United States.

I appreciate the following quotes in the article: “I’m very angry because our country is being run horribly…” and “We have a political culture of intimidation…Our democracy is designed to speak truth to power.” How many more children and people of color must be jailed, separated from their parents, and abused here in American before we wake up?
Amen!

George Washington said: “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

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

I suppose the quotes referenced above were supposed to show that our present Political situation is one where freedom of speech is frowned on or not allowed and no criticism is tolerated. Seems more likely to me that that they were used in an effort to build a Strawman.
Being angry is not the basis for complaints concerning “the Squad” and their ilk. Freedom of speech is alive and well (even with the efforts of ANTIFA).

Be angry, be mad, but to hate? I don’t agree with hate and you probably don’t either. So answer me this, the hate generated by ANTIFA is never criticized by the Left, why is that?
And yes, Trump spoke those words. Points for accuracy, no points for intent.

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Posted in reply to the post by cyberanvil:

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I suppose the quotes referenced above were supposed to show that our present Political situation is one where freedom of speech is frowned on or not allowed and no criticism is tolerated. Seems more likely to me that that they were used in an effort to build a Strawman.
Being angry is not the basis for complaints concerning “the Squad” and their ilk. Freedom of speech is alive and well (even with the efforts of ANTIFA).

Be angry, be mad, but to hate? I don’t agree with hate and you probably don’t either. So answer me this, the hate generated by ANTIFA is never criticized by the Left, why is that?

And yes, Trump spoke those words. Points for accuracy, no points for intent.

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that's your big misunderstanding, shared by a lot of trumpies. The quotes were instead intended as a critique of the president's inability to tolerate criticism, which indeed does include threatening the press. I suppose you don't believe he'd follow through on shutting down critical media outlets, taking him "seriously but not literally". But the rest of us aren't so sanguine about it.

Also, any straw man here is the idea that ANTIFA is a universally-admired organization by the "Left". Actually, they are often criticized as acting too similarly to the Proud Boys and other groups on the right who have members a little too enamored of violent protest.

I sort of agree that 'hate' is becoming a bit meaningless, but 'inhumane' seems like a totally valid way to talk about trump and his policies. It's not symmetrical with the charge of 'hate' that's thrown at his critics - they make very clear the grounds they have for their disgust of him, his words and his actions. Frankly, they seem indefensible to me; even his supporters usually deflect rather than defend. The man himself is abhorrent; he shows no charity, understanding, empathy, but instead shows ignorance, selfishness, hostility and intolerance. Pointing out that he doesn't always subject his friends and supporters to his worst qualities isn't much of a defense.

“Inability to tolerate criticism?”
Hummm. Does such a thing ever happen on this Forum?

“Threatening the press.”
Poor babies. Haven’t seen the threats. Disapproval and criticism, but no threats. Can you list examples?

“Shutting down critical media outlets.”
Are you serious?

“But the rest of us aren't so sanguine about it.”
That could be caused by political intransigence.

“Actually, they are often criticized as acting too similarly to the Proud Boys and other groups on the right who have members a little too enamored of violent protest.
I've only heard the Proud Boys mentioned once.”

Often criticized? Hardly, in fact many incidences are not covered or are given short shift. Of course I disagree with your conclusions. Your stance illustrates why I generally do not support the Left. Although they have some good ideas from time to time, it's the implementation that bothers me.

It's hard to get used to cardboard straws.