A National Cancellation of Compassion
A fascist is one whose lust for money or power is combined with such an intensity of intolerance toward those of other races, parties, classes, religions, cultures, regions, or nations as to make him ruthless in his use of deceit or violence to attain his ends.”
-Henry A. Wallace, United States V.P. 1941-1945
Welcome to the second month of the year 2025 in America. Due to recent changes in the leadership of the United States of America there is a national cancellation of compassion, kindness, empathy, generosity, altruism, benevolence, charity, tenderness, goodwill, humanitarianism, congeniality, national philanthropy, and any other combination of letters that create any words that denote emotional or social intelligence in any way whatsoever.
What passes for leadership in America has made it crystal clear that said leader is devoid of the previously mentioned positive human traits and therefore fully intends to remake this country in his image from sea to shining sea.
Politically speaking we are in a time of cynicism, snarkiness, and chest-thumping. The “bully pulpit” of the United States Presidency has an actual bully in charge. But that’s not all, folks; in some bizarre version of what is considered useful or of value, the current U.S. President is leaning heavily into a kind of oligarchical inner circle. It has been reported that “at least 13 Billionaires are set to take on government posts”. Many of this moneyed class who were left on the sidelines have already made the trek up the hill to kiss the ring and who can blame them; after all they have a lot to lose, and he has demanded complete “Fealty”. I use the term Fealty as it means “Formal acknowledgement of loyalty to a lord”.
A few weeks ago, countries worldwide recognized Holocaust Remembrance Day and even now as I write this the U.S. and Canada are celebrating Black History Month. These “remembrances” have a connection directly and indirectly to a time in history when the authoritarian figureheads Hitler and Mussolini rose to power on the shoulders of hatred expressed as racism and bigotry. The rise to power by these individuals was preceded by a steady (sometimes subtle) erasure of dignity and self-determination of the peoples they targeted. This slow boil of antisemitism and race hatred erupted to become World War II.
You are probably aware that the current leader of the United States has signed executive orders rescinding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in the federal government and has encouraged the private sector to do so as well. Interestingly the NFL removed the stenciled words “END RACISM” from both end zones for the Super Bowl.
The slow boil has begun.
Peace
Al Obert / Radical Urge
