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What do we do if democracy commits suicide? [1]

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Date: 2024-09-18  

“The unavoidable conclusion seems to be that when the individual faces torture or annihilation, he cannot rely on the resources of his individuality.’

Eric Hoffer, “The True Believer”

Kamala Harris’s popularity has renewed our hope. While hope keeps springing eternal, we are still confronted with the fact that the cult of personality is capable of regaining power. What if certain voters in a few states (either unaware of Project 2025 or supporting it) swing the 2024 election to fascism? What if millions of Americans, bedraggled by the nonstop assault of media controversy and misinformation coming their way, decline to participate in the democratic process, abandoning the electoral battlefield to followers of the cult’s pied piper, who at least believe something? Democracies have the right to commit suicide—a permanent solution to temporary problems. What will I do if our democracy take its own life? I have a healthy fear of finding out. When we are scared, we either fight or flee, and there is nowhere to run. Perhaps some of you have similar fears.

Without actually exploring the dangers of fascism (to themselves first of all) many pundits in the major news media have been casually predicting fascism’s ultimate resurgence, almost since Americans voted down fascism in 2020. Polls keep asserting that while Americans dislike dictatorships, high prices and general economic uncertainty are tempting many Americans to give strong man rule a try. Are we ready to believe the MAGA big lie? Are we curious about how it might feel to live in a police state? For whatever reasons, America, the bulwark of human liberty, could chuck democracy and embrace authoritarianism. I cherish not needing to test my mettle in a real world version of Orwell’s Ministry of Love. I hope to keep it that way.

While most American voters still abhor fascism, the Electoral College could install it anyway. Interestingly, the Electoral College was set up by the Founders as a last defense against the rise to power of a popular demagogue—a firewall against the insanely gullible masses. But in 2016, that firewall actually enabled tyranny to overcome both democracy and common sense, by electing a demagogue against the judgment of the majority. In 2020 more people voted, and the anti-fascist majority was large enough in several more states to tip the Electoral College toward freedom. The more people vote, the better are democracy’s chances for preservation. If enough eligible voters ignore society’s complex challenges, the pro-fascist mob—whose members do vote—will cause democracy’s suicide.

Obviously, should democracy kill itself, our constitutionally protected freedoms of speech, press, religion and assembly; and security in our persons, houses, papers, or effects; will die too. In future speedy and public trials, juries of our peers will be instructed what verdicts to find, and accused people will be forced to testify against themselves. All powers, whether delegated or not, will be reserved for the Corporate State, whose leader will never be deemed wrong. We will probably keep the Constitution; it is a pretty document, after all. But it will be interpreted by a compliant court system to mean whatever America’s ruler wants it to mean. The courts are already re-interpreting the Constitution to favor autocracy, as we have seen in several decisions involving Donald Trump’s criminal trials.

We also watched some of Trump’s former rivals and critics symbolically bend the knee at the coronating convention in July, 2024. Having humiliated themselves, they will heretofore be expected to consistently reaffirm their total loyalty. They anticipate rich rewards for their fealty, and they could receive them. Or they could be ruthlessly denounced and disappeared. They have put their fates in the hands of one person, and have voluntarily become his slaves. Slavery will be the fate of us all, willing or not, should our democracy take its own life.

I would scorn myself pitilessly if I imitated the fawning underlings of America’s aspiring Duce. But modern totalitarian persuasions are effective and unpleasant, capable of breaking just about anyone. After American fascists come for the immigrants, pregnant women, Blacks, Muslims, and LGBTQ’s, I cannot pretend that they will not remember me. Consider this blog—though it wields negligible influence, nothing is small enough to avoid scrutiny by a dictator’s Thought Police. Winston Smith was vaporized for writing a diary. Should I warn you against reading my scribbles? It’s already too late, the cloud remembers everything. Big Brother will be watching you, too. Autocrats, like all bullies, are desperately paranoid cowards whose chronic fear is only relieved by attaining the impossible goal of being loved by everyone. And since they cannot feel or give love, they must cultivate false love through universal fear. If democracy commits suicide, I do not expect to be left alone, even if I stop blogging now, which (am I insane?) I am unable to do.

The MAGA faithful—zealously united, confident of total victory, certain of divine support for their righteous cause—are working diligently to achieve their goal. If victorious, they will revel in retribution against all who oppose them, while they surrender their will to one individual, who they believe channels divine will. Against this autocratic absolutism, we practice democracy (which demands we tolerate opposition) and cling to a sometimes faint hope. But we dare not give up. While we fight with everything we have, we had better consider the possibility we might lose this historic battle, and make plans to keep fighting if democracy really does end it all…because surrender will not go well.

Having reached an age when I have learned some solid truths about my personal assets and defects, I cannot credit myself with being tough enough to withstand a coercive investigation using only my own resources. I know my courage is about average. We could all be cowed by “enhanced interrogation.” We cannot challenge an authoritarian government’s absolute power by ourselves. We must join large, powerful organizations with the skills of speaking truth to power. These organizations will continue to fight for democracy while they can. Will they be vaporized? Who knows? Authoritarians and their bullying flunkies will certainly try. But by getting involved with pro-democracy movements and organizations, we can at least put up a fight. Fascists, who thrive by making solitary individuals feel hopelessly insignificant, will be ruthless if they take control. The fight for freedom will become precariously difficult, but we are already in it, and we are the majority. If we oppose fascism together, we have a chance to survive with dignity, and restore democracy.

Of course, defending democracy will be easier if we stop fascism in November. If our homeland becomes one of those terrifying autocracies we read about, the odds against us will increase, but there is no escape. Only the blessedly fortunate will be able to leave, and at best they will find temporary security abroad. Just ask Russian expatriates how safe they are from a dictator hunting them. If the U.S. goes fascist, what foreign countries will long resist? Trying to stay here and slink into oblivion will end in obscure demise. Having made our feelings known, we will not be overlooked by paranoid bullies who tolerate no opposition. If our democracy does itself in, fighting to revive it will be harder than we must fight to keep it now. Though “1984” was not written to be an instruction manual, some American politicians seem to be closely following Big Brother’s example. Dictators have only one playbook. I hope Americans will vote.

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