“Lügenpresse”

I’ve pointed several times before to the fascistic elements that I see associated with the Trumpist movement, and that trouble me deeply.  These include the personality cult that seems to have emerged around Mr. Trump himself, the authoritarian nationalism that he appears to espouse (which seldom refers to liberty, limited government, and the Constitution), the racism and xenophobia that surface so often in and around it, the latent violence of some of his rhetoric, and the sometimes overt violence that has occasionally accompanied his rallies.

I was struck, last night, to learn that — almost incredibly — an actual German word linked to the rise of the Nazi Party and now to modern neo-Nazis has evidently begun to appear among some Trumpists:

“The ugly history of ‘Lügenpresse,’ a Nazi slur shouted at a Trump rally”

And here are four other distinct illustrations of related matters that I find, frankly, disturbing:

“How Pepe the Frog Became a Nazi Trump Supporter and Alt-Right Symbol”  (Be warned that there’s an f-bomb in this piece.)

“Donald Trump’s ‘Star of David’ tweet controversy, explained”

“Reform Jewish Leader Responds to Donald Trump’s Remarks”

“Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories sound anti-Semitic. Does he even realize it?”