The Rise Of Authoritarianism

When I look at the United States today, I don’t see a country that’s drifting closer to autocracy. I see a country that is speeding toward fascism at 120 miles per hour.

Does that sound like hyperbole? Is it alarmist? Consider the following.

In every jurisdiction where authoritarians have unchecked power, such as partisan trifectas or legislative supermajorities, they are enshrining authoritarianism into law.

- Laws that make it more difficult to vote.

- Laws that ban books and accurate accounts of history.

- Laws that promote voter intimidation as a civic service.

- Laws that flood the nation with firearms.

- Laws that perpetuate minority rule by partisan gerrymandering.

- Laws that prevent citizens from accessing critically vital healthcare.

- Laws that dehumanize vulnerable populations.

- Laws that threaten doctors with felony charges.

- Laws that take away rights from citizens based not on what they do but on who they are.

Here is the critical question. Do you see any signs that such actions are slowing down, any at all? Or is this behavior becoming more prevalent, more brazen, and more extreme?

Why is this happening? It’s happening because resistance to authoritarianism has thus far been slow and disorganized.

There is no national law or standard to protect voting rights.

There is no national law or standard to protect women’s rights.

There is no national law or standard to protect the rights of the LGBTQ population.

There is no national law or standard to keep the most powerful weapons away from the most irresponsible and dangerous people.

There is no national law or standard against domestic terrorism.

American democracy has been inflicted with gaping wounds, and when we treat those wounds at all, we’re covering them with bandaids. The system is not going to be able to handle attacks of this magnitude for much longer.