Just shy of three years ago I read, over the course of a
month, Richard J. Evan’s excellent Third Reich
Trilogy, which “cover the rise and collapse of Nazi Germany in detail, with
a focus on the internal politics and the decision-making process.” (Wikipedia.)
My motivation was twofold: 1) I wanted to try and understand how something as
horrendous as the Holocaust could happen, and 2) I was worried about the current
political climate, where I saw less debate, critical thinking and civility, and
more shouting, obstructionism and occasional fanaticism and that such things
could lead to some new form of fascism taking place. Today, my worries seem
both prescient and quaint. I most certainly did not think a few short years
later I’d be sitting here trying to wrap my head around a Trump presidency. If
I was spot-on to be worried, I was blind to recognize signs. Or I was unwilling
to acknowledge them fully and do anything about them. It’s that last that is
not leaving my head alone right now.
We don’t live in a fascist state. Not yet. There’s a lot
of heated rhetoric being thrown around—this seems to have been the general tone
of our public discourse the last 20 or so years and it shows no sign of
stopping. One of the things I struggle the most with is how to keep informed of
what is actually happening without burying myself in the cesspool. To simply
disconnect from all media will not actually solve any of this (though doing so
in short bursts is, I think, sometimes necessary for sanity.) Neither will
immersing oneself in it 24/7. At some point, you simply can’t win a shouting
war. How do we change the conversation? How do we acknowledge our rage and hurt
without letting it destroy us? How do we stop the cognitive dissonance?
We (referring here to those who live in the United
States) don’t live in a fascist state, but I do believe we live in an oligarchy.
I’ve felt this for some time. Perfect democracy may not exist, but if we don’t
work to build an inclusive, loving society we will lose what shreds remain. I
don’t know about you, but I’ve never liked bullies. They run on insecurity and
fear and ugliness. I’ve been beaten up by a few in my time. I learned to fight
back. I’m mad right now, and I’m confused, and I’m full of despair. But I’m
also energized. And I refuse to give up hope. To do so is to betray my children
and their future. To betray the future for all of us.
I have many questions and few, if any, answers. I have
never been afraid of learning or of hard work. Both will be needed.
And I will continue to create. Art is empowering and art
heals. In the wise words of Neil Gaiman: “Make good art.” The world needs it.
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