Repeating HISTORY! It's just that simple

"When it was over, when the Third Reich was finally defeated at the cost of millions of lives and devastation on a scale that defies comprehension, even the Germans themselves had no answer. If you look at the films and interviews from that time, ordinary Germans are stunned, shocked, ashamed, repulsed, and sickened by what they had wrought. Many still are to this very day. And we still ask, how could this happen?
How?
Inch by inch. Piece by piece. Goon by goon. Thug by thug. Speech by speech. Rally by rally. Fear by fear. Hate by hate. Until one day, Germany woke up to find their country had been stolen by madmen who promised to make them great again in a thousand years of glory - but instead led them to ruin and disaster in an orgy of blood."

Donald Trump has happened before. We know how this ends. We must put a stop to him. NOW.

Jim Wright

 Palmer, AK, United States · 

Brown Shirts

In the 1920's a militia known as The Sturmabteilung, commonly called the SA or Brownshirts, was formed to provide "protection" for Nazi rallies. Their primary function was at first to keep protesters from disrupting Nazi political rallies, but the SA quickly expanded to intimidation through violence. The SA was composed of racists and anti-semites, thugs and brawlers, and nationalist fanatics determined to "take back" Germany for Germans and restore their country to its supposed former greatness. Elements of the SA disrupted the rallies and meetings of opposing political parties and predictably began a campaign of intimidation against elements of German society they deemed undesirable, such as immigrants, foreigners, gypsies, liberals, Leftists, unions, and in particular Jews. At first, they were unarmed, but very quickly the SA became the paramilitary branch of the Nazi party and their tactics evolved into open armed violence. In large part, Adolf Hitler was carried to power on the shoulders of the SA. Ultimately the SA gave birth to the Schutzstaffel, the infamous SS, which at Hitler's order turned on the SA and in a day of murder known as The Night of the Longs Knives purged it of any elements not fanatically loyal to the Reich.

Jump forward a century and remember the adage regarding those who forget history:

“Do you want to provide security protection to innocent people who are subject to harassment and assault by Far-left agitators? If so, you are welcome to join. That’s the mission - to protect innocents who can’t hire their own security guards.”

That's the mission statement of The Lion's Guard, a militia currently forming to "protect" Donald Trump from "far-left agitators."

Lion’s Guard said that their members would be unarmed, “but willing to forcefully protect people if need be. We are defensive, protective of innocents who are being beaten and harassed for their political views.”

Except for that part where the only innocents beaten and harassed at Trump rallies are those who protest Trump's message. The ones Trump supporters have called leftists and possible members of ISIS and enemies of the United States. Except for that part where Trump himself has threatened to send his followers to disrupt the rallies of his opponents.

Just like the Stormtrumper who threatened me yesterday via email, these people seem to believe that the First Amendment applies ONLY to them and their candidate. More, they believe threats, intimidation, and violence are acceptable responses to anyone who opposes them.

For the last 80 years, people have looked at the Nazis and Adolf Hitler and the atrocities committed by that horrifying regime, they've boggled at how a democratic civilized country could devolve into murder and genocide and madness, and asked over and over "how could something like that happen?" When it was over, when the Third Reich was finally defeated at the cost of millions of lives and devastation on a scale that defies comprehension, even the Germans themselves had no answer. If you look at the films and interviews from that time, ordinary Germans are stunned, shocked, ashamed, repulsed, and sickened by what they had wrought. Many still are to this very day. And we still ask, how could this happen?

How?

Inch by inch. Piece by piece. Goon by goon. Thug by thug. Speech by speech. Rally by rally. Fear by fear. Hate by hate. Until one day, Germany woke up to find their country had been stolen by madmen who promised to make them great again in a thousand years of glory - but instead led them to ruin and disaster in an orgy of blood.

That's how.

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Over and over.