{"id":13306,"date":"2016-07-22T10:09:14","date_gmt":"2016-07-22T17:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/?p=13306"},"modified":"2016-07-22T12:26:28","modified_gmt":"2016-07-22T19:26:28","slug":"i-am-your-voice-i-alone-can-fix-this-someone-is-running-for-dictator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/2016\/07\/i-am-your-voice-i-alone-can-fix-this-someone-is-running-for-dictator.html","title":{"rendered":"I Am Your Voice. I Alone Can Fix This. Sure Looks Like Someone is Running for Dictator"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Donald<\/a>
\nI understand Mr Trump\u2019s acceptance speech was well received, at least according to the over night polls.<\/p>\n

I had a different experience.<\/p>\n

The text of Mr Trump\u2019s speech is resplendent with references to how he will fix things. He, Donald Trump, personally. He\u2019s John Wayne. He\u2019s Jim Stewart. He\u2019s the man on the white horse. He\u2019s not running to be president. He\u2019s running to be our dictator. <\/p>\n

He promises, give him the job, and he will do the job. That job is murky, mud dark. It has something to do with a laundry list of others who are the problem. And, who will be dealt with.<\/p>\n

And, people liked it.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a meme out on the interwebs right now. The version that sticks for me is by author Colin Dickey. \u201cIf you\u2019ve ever wondered what you would have done in 1930s Germany well then my friend here is your fucking chance to find out.\u201d <\/p>\n

What we\u2019re facing isn\u2019t 1930s Germany. But, then, it isn\u2019t exactly not, either.<\/p>\n

Just speaking of America. While the economy is improving in the wake of the Great Recession, the new normal in America is much poorer than it was before. That tiny very rich crowd are getting much richer. And there is a shrinking class of professionals who are well compensated but who are living ever more precariously, ever more at the edge of a growing abyss of poverty \u2013 hidden a bit from sight by a variety of governmental policies that help, but which most everyone who looks sense are not going to expand, but contract. And lots and lots of poor people.<\/p>\n

People are afraid. At every level, in every community.<\/p>\n

And people do bad things when they\u2019re afraid. <\/p>\n

Stupid things.<\/p>\n

There is always that ancient Chinese curse, \u201cmay you live in interesting times.\u201d And, in these interesting times, as Mr Dickey notes this is going to be your chance to see something about yourself\u2026<\/p>\n

Me. Well, my mind keeps going back to that scene from Cabaret. For me one of the most chilling in all of film history\u2026<\/p>\n