The Rise of the Nazis Establishing Dictatorship │ The Plot to Destroy Democracy from Within (1918-1936)

 https://www.keene.edu/academics/cchgs/resources/presentation-materials/the-rise-of-the-nazis-establishing-dictatorship-destroying-democracy/download/?ref=deepstateua.com

When do every day social processes become more dangerous? Who is the first to notice? Are we really interested in, and able to, confront evil or do we embrace, assimilate, accommodate, and normalize evil? Why Germany? Why the Nazis? To what degree was support gained through coercion and/or consent?

Hitler was not inevitable. It would be a critical misunderstanding to buy the self-propagated Hitler myth that it was his “will” and genius that brought him to power. Hitler was always rescued by others who underestimated him, but utilized him for their own purposes. Indeed, many were drawn to Nazism and Hitler more for shortterm gain then an admiration of Hitler. What are the myths and realities about the Nazi rise to power and how does it challenge our understanding of our civic responsibilities in a democratic society?

Dissatisfaction led to a “hazardous adventure.” - Carl von Ossietzky1

Trump Leaves Former Aides Unprotected

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-ends-security-protection-john-bolton-mike-pompeo-brian-hook-iran-44b3b620?mod=editorials_article_pos3

The possibility of falling out of President Trump’s good graces is an occupational hazard for good people who serve in his Administration, but this looks like a new low: Mr. Trump reportedly has ordered an end to security protection for three former advisers who are living under threat of assassination by Iran. Pray it won’t happen, but what if one of them now gets attacked?

Donald Trump's Hannity Interview Fact Checked

 https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-hannity-interview-fact-checked-2019915

Despite the easy ride, Trump still peppered the conversation with a mixture of falsehoods that Newsweek's Fact Check team has assessed.

Donald Trump Said He'd End Ukraine War in First 24 Hours. He Hasn't

 https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-trump-war-2018906

Elected officials are often accused of not keeping campaign promises, but Trump's rhetoric has set new standards of optimism. He said in May 2023 he could end the war in "24 hours"—and told a rally in June 2024 he could end the conflict even before he entered the White House.

But there has been a realignment of this goal as media outlets noted how the war continued to rage two days after he returned to the Oval Office.

Trump did not mention Ukraine in his inauguration speech on Tuesday but has since told reporters that Vladimir Putin would be destroying Russia by not agreeing to a deal, later saying had he been U.S. president at the time there would have been no invasion.

Musk’s straight-arm gesture embraced by right-wing extremists regardless of what he meant

 https://apnews.com/article/musk-gesture-salute-antisemitism-0070dae53c7a73397b104ae645877535

Since Musk bought Twitter, now called X, the self-described “free speech absolutist” has faced criticism from hate-speech watchdogs for allowing extremist, dangerous and antisemitic comments to flourish on the social media platform. His response has been to attack his critics, suing one group unsuccessfully after advertisers fled X and threatening to sue another, the Anti-Defamation League, which urged calm at what it called a “delicate moment” in its statement Monday.

Kurt Braddock, a professor of communication at American University who studies extremism, radicalization and terrorism, said the gesture was a fascist salute and “people shouldn’t doubt what they saw.”

“I know what I saw, I know what the response to it was among elements of the extreme right including neo-Nazis, Braddock said. “And none of it is a laughing matter.”

Netanyahu defends Elon Musk after he’s accused of giving Nazi salute

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-defends-elon-musk-after-hes-accused-of-giving-nazi-salute/

To some of his supporters and fans, the salute appeared to be a gesture of his gratitude that was distorted as clips were shared on social media. To many others, mostly among his critics but also including some on the far right, it bore an uncanny resemblance to the straight-armed, palm-down salute of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.

“I never imagined we would see the day when what appears to be a Heil Hitler salute would be made behind the Presidential seal,” Nadler tweeted. “This abhorrent gesture has no place in our society and belongs in the darkest chapters of human history. I urge all of my colleagues to unite in condemning this hateful gesture for what it is: antisemitism.”

You can be guilty of using child pornography and Trump will pardon you for Jan. 6

Judge excoriates Trump for pardoning January 6 'poor losers' as debacle grows

Did Donald Trump define all Americans as females in his executive order?

 https://www.jpost.com/omg/article-838803

According to his executive order, "female” means a person belonging at conception to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell, whereas "male” means a person belonging at conception to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell.

Biologically, however, all fetuses at conception are female until about six or seven weeks of gestation. 

The sexual organs (gonads) of a fetus remain undifferentiated up until this point, meaning that all fetal genitalia are female until 6-7 weeks post conception.

Justice Department issues freeze for civil rights division

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/22/justice-civil-rights-freeze-shutdown/

“It’s beyond unusual — it’s unprecedented. We’ve never seen this before at this scale with any transfer of power, regardless of the ideology of any incoming president or administration,” said Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “This should make Americans both angry and deeply worried. This is more than just a changing course of philosophy — this is exactly what most people [in the civil rights community] feared: a Justice Department that was created to protect civil rights literally abdicating its duty and responsibility to protect Americans from all forms of discrimination.”

Trump’s executive orders are not exactly crowd-pleasers

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/01/22/trump-mandate-polls-unpopular/

It is invariably the case that a winning political candidate casts his success as a stamp of approval for his campaign promises. Particularly in a political system dominated by two parties, this is misguided; voters are identifying the more palatable slate of proposals (when they’re not simply voting along party lines in the first place). It’s dishonest to suggest that every voter agreed with every proposal. But it’s politically useful, as it suggests that disagreement with those proposals is a rejection of the will of the people.

There’s one last useful question from the Journal poll that bears mentioning. It asked respondents which came closer to their view: that voters gave Trump a mandate to govern as he sees fit or that Congress has a duty to check Trump’s power.

By more than a 2 to 1 margin, respondents chose the latter option.

As Jan. 6 leaders call for retribution, judges warn against revisionism

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/01/22/tarrio-rhodes-retribution-jan6-revisionism/

Two newly freed leaders of the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups called for investigations into the prosecution of people charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, assailing judges, jurors and prosecutors as they sought “retribution” after being granted clemency from President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, several federal judges granted the Justice Department’s pardon-based requests to dismiss cases while saying in their rulings that the true story of Jan. 6 could not be whitewashed.

“Dismissal of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened on January 6, 2021,” U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote in dismissing one riot defendant’s case.

President Trump, Crypto Billionaire

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-crypto-token-melania-securities-and-exchange-commission-8cb7abf2?mod=hp_opin_pos_0

Donald Trump doesn’t always separate his personal interests from his public obligations, and a howling example is his sudden new status as a crypto billionaire. The President is inviting trouble with what looks like remarkably poor judgment.

Crypto markets have boomed since Mr. Trump’s election in part on expectations of friendlier regulation. And so be it. Animal spirits have been rising all around. But Mr. Trump and his family have tried to cash in on the mania by minting Trump-branded coins.

In sign of priorities, Trump’s first call with foreign leader held with Saudi prince

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-sign-of-priorities-trumps-first-call-with-foreign-leader-held-with-saudi-prince/

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday became the first foreign leader to hold a phone call with US President Donald Trump since his return to office this week for a second term.

The decision to first speak with the de facto Saudi leader, known by his initials MBS, indicated the Trump administration’s priorities, with the president expressing his desire to expand the Abraham Accords with a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The deal would likely be part of a massive defense agreement that Riyadh is looking to sign with Washington, which would provide Saudi Arabia with security guarantees from the US if it faces attack and also lead to huge investments into the American economy.

But the Saudis have long made clear that such a deal would require the establishment of a pathway to the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror onslaught, Riyadh has intensified that rhetoric, with those in touch with the crown prince saying he would no longer be able to accept more symbolic steps from Israel, and that concrete steps would be required. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has made clear that an end to the war in Gaza is also a necessity before normalization talks can proceed.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long rejected a two-state solution, and even small steps in that direction would likely lead to the collapse of his hardline government.