The time for silence has long passed
Canadians have put their stake in the ground, Americans must, too
Read these words and let me know if they remind you of someone in the current public eye:
“Essentially, all depends on me, on my existence, because of my political talents. Furthermore, the fact that probably no one will ever again have the confidence of the . . . people as I have. There will probably never again in the future be a man with more authority than I have. My existence is therefore a factor of great value. But I can be eliminated at any time by a criminal or a lunatic.”
If you concluded, as I did, that these words sound much like the self-important ramblings of Donald Trump, you’d be justified in thinking so. After all, he is the person who claims that he is here on a Divine mission, and that he was spared from a would-be assassin’s bullet because he has a higher purpose. And he knows that, one day, he might yet come to a violent end. But his cause will live on – his disciples will see to it.
That’s the thing about Trump, isn’t it? He is here to smash the establishment, destroy the politically correct, ensure the elitists in the Deep State – you know, like doctors, academics and those smug lefties – never again put the American people in the shackles of a woke nightmare. And it’s not enough to stop there. Trump wants his “revolution” to spread across the entire democratic world. And he’ll see to it, even if it takes a third or fourth term in office to get it done.
He is carrying out his mission with brutal efficiency. As the Democrats in the United States reel from his constant, outrageous ideas and acts, he rolls over them like a Sherman tank with a shock-and-awe strategy that the opposition just can’t seem to respond to.
Does he care that he has infuriated long-term allies, like Canada? Does it bother him that Canadians boo the U.S. national anthem at sporting events? Does he feel the slightest bit bad about the constant onslaught of abuse in social media?
Not only does he not care; I believe he relishes it. Every angry word is affirmation that he has gotten under the skins of those who are not on his team. He revels as they squirm on the hook.
Elites in the U.S. are indeed embarrassed and offended by the head of their country. Some even write angry letters.
Guess what? That’s not nearly good enough. If the majority of the American public are not prepared to get out in the streets, protest, file law suits, demand change, then they will continue to get the president they deserve. If they really cared, they’d be willing to put their careers at risk, be ready to turn away from so-called friends who expect conformity, and to recognize this fight for what it is.
It is the battle for the soul of America.
Even casual students of history will know that there was another populace that stood blithely by while a narcissist destroyed their constitution and set their country on a path to one of the most horrific moments in modern history.
The country was Germany, and the leader, of course, was Adolf Hitler. And the words I quoted above were his.
That man also trampled his country’s constitution and defied the courts to get what he wanted. To those who find the comparison overwraught, I urge you to read more about how Hitler came to power.
European countries are starting to show their support for Canada but there is still much more they could do. Greg Quinn, a former British diplomat, expressed the UK’s reluctance to speak up succintly in a column in the past week. He wrote: “I can see only one explanation. Cowardice.” Fear that they will become Trump’s next target.
This week, I’m in Mexico on vacation. I don’t see any American flags flying in the tourist town I’m in. When the conversation veers toward politics, Mexicans politely demur. Except for Efren, our beachfront server, who is trying to earn money to send to his family in San Jose, Calif. When I ask him what he thinks of Trump, he doesn’t bat an eye.
“He’s a dick.”
He is indeed all that. And he is the entire world’s problem now. I am heartened to see how loyal Canadians have responded to his threats and intimidation. I hope to see much more of it in the coming weeks and months. The once-secure bonds between Canada and the U.S. are in tatters. It’s hard to imagine a time when they will be mended.
Canadians are quickly realizing they must adjust to the new reality; now, it’s time for Americans who value what they once had to make some serious adjustments of their own. Because if they don’t speak up soon, they find they soon won’t be able to. And we will never forget their failure.
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And on the subject of speaking up, I have been relatively quiet about the follies of the UCP government of Danielle Smith in Alberta. That’s because there are other media (thanks Globe and Mail) who are doing a fine job of exposing the blarney the government expects the people of this western province to swallow without protest.
It’s worth noting Smith claims to have not known about the dirty dealings going on right under her nose. Even if you accept her word, she looks terrible for not being more aware. Perhaps too much time travelling to Mar-a-Lago trying to convince Trump to do what he planned to do anyway?
Now, cabinet colleague Infrastructure Minister Peter Guthrie is calling for Health Minister Adriana LaGrange to be the fall guy for all the bad press over alleged corruption. Yet it seems an exit by LaGrange would fall far short of answering all the questions this case has provoked.
Here’s my contribution: When I land back in Calgary, I’m going to find a genuine Canadian hothouse head of lettuce. I’m going to put it on my counter. And I’m going to see which will go first: the lettuce, LaGrange or — if she fails to adequately answer her critics — perhaps even the premier.
©dougfirbyunfiltered
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