There have been moments in this election campaign that have brought back dark memories. In Mississippi, Florida and elsewhere, presumed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump asked his supporters to raise their right hands and pledge their allegiance to his cause: "I do solemnly swear that I, no matter how I feel, no matter what the conditions, if there's [sic] hurricanes or whatever. Will vote on or before the 12th for Donald J. Trump for President." Tens of thousands raised their right arms and repeated the oath after him. The America media drew comparisons to Adolf Hitler.
Has the most powerful nation on earth become vulnerable to an authoritarian, nationalist leader?...
This was written several weeks ago in Germany's respected periodical Der Spiegel in their online version. Clearly, Germans are concerned about Trumpism in America. It is not hard at all for them to see comparisons with their dictator, Herr Hitler.
Some historians here say Trump is more like Mussolini than Hitler. I can take their point. But whether Trump is more like Hitler or Mussolini is hardly the point now. What matters is how America deals with this budding autocrat. Signs are beginning to point to a more effective defense against the Trump verbal onslaught.
But we must remember that Hitler's atrocities began with verbal thrusts. The Jews were an early target. Here in America, too, Jews have been targeted in recent days. This represents a shocking decline in American political verbiage. America doesn't have to put up with our own version of fascism, whatever the stripe.
The article here:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/essay-donald-trump-and-the-new-american-nationalism-a-1092548.html
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