- cross-posted to:
- world@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- world@lemmy.world
A prime time current affairs programme; a discussion about Donald Trump’s handling of the war in Ukraine. “He’s doing excellent things,” says a firebrand politician on the panel, before listing White House actions that have belittled Volodymyr Zelenskyy and weakened his battlefield position – military aid suspended; satellite communications obstructed; intelligence withheld. “Do we support this?” It is a rhetorical question.
“We support it all. Absolutely,” the celebrity host responds. “We are thrilled by everything Trump is doing.”
Historically, the USA did horrible things, as did most countries with power. The USA, as a superpower, did even more. However, they usually were reliable to allies. And, their atrocities were for the benefit of the nation, mainly.
Now, they are burning allies and it’s for the whims and benefit of Trump and Musk. So, it’s not the same. Tolerating it and saying it’s the same as it ever was minimizes the damage that is happening and normalises it.
Not just for trump, but who ever comes next. If institutions are damaged and laws are not followed, nationally or internationally, then much greater damage and atrocities are possible, and ever more likely,
This is highly unusual, even if some of the events are similar. It bears more resemblance to events leading to ww2 than the events after, that were muddied with Hollywood propaganda.
The “US” didn’t.
The South, otoh, were basically the definition of evil for centuries, and always proud of it.
Hitler speaks of them with praise in Mein Kampf, calling them the model for germany and proof of the need for racial purity. The Nuremberg laws are just Jim Crow with the name crossed out.
Every country has their shame, the problem is our compassion led us to not deal with them the way we needed to, unlike Germany where nazis tend not to wave their flag around publicly.