“On Tyranny” - Chapter 16: “Learn from peers in other countries”
Snyder points out that what’s happening in the United States is part of a larger trend and we are seeing where there is push-back against what is happening here. But the trend remains; the shifting of power balances to the right, to the so-called “strong men”. However, we see cases where liberalism is winning and support of leaders who stand up to the current occupant of the White House is growing.
That said, what of people in the U.S. itself? To be sure, the incumbent did not win by a landslide and indeed, does not have a mandate. However, that has not stopped the onslaught of his executive orders and he has been directly empowered by the Legislature, either explicitly or tacitly, by silent complicity.
As I write, USAID has been dismantled, the Department of Education is being disassembled, the Center for Disease Control has seen valuable information scrubbed from its site and heavy firings so that a response to the measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico is half-assed, at best. The stock market is tanking and prices are escalating. Severe tariffs have been imposed, Medicaid is facing assault, the Social Security Administration has seen massive lay-offs and firings, and Medicare is very much in the crosshairs.
One of the major newspapers of legacy media has seen exoduses from journalists as a result of the owner’s support of the regime and his quashing of op-eds critical of the occupier of the highest office and, for that matter, himself. Other outlets and platforms are falling silent and law firms that sued the current occupier of the Oval Office are finding themselves under attack. A young Palestinian activist on a green card married to an American citizen who is seven months pregnant was disappeared by ICE. I could go on, but my point is straightforward; the United States is now under a tyrannical government. Consequently, despite the protests, the organizing, the writing, the resistance, we are facing an existential crisis.
We are not quite yet at the moment where the rule of law is completely superseded by a decree of martial law, but it’s not too difficult to see it on the horizon.
I do not know if leaving the country will be an option for many, but the comedian Bill Burr questioned why we should fear the shadow president, an oligarch whose only real power is money. He has the ear of the occupier, but he is not well-liked and his companies are not doing well; however, Burr put it out there that no one should be afraid of these people. No one should leave the country out of fear. This is a fine principle, but we need to ask what exactly is going to be left of the country if it continues to slide down this path?
If you are part of a population at risk of impoverishment, persecution, or as with Mahmoud Khalil, being disappeared, the idea of staying cannot feel too inviting. This begs the question, though: isn’t everyone, sooner or later, “at risk” in a totalitarian state?
Many people cannot exit a country as easy as they’d like. A look at any group fleeing across borders to get away from oppression and war shows the dangers involved; aside from possible sickness or starvation, there is exploitation at the hands of unscrupulous people, poverty, and of course, assault, robbery, and murder.
I’ve worked with the Tibetan community and have heard stories of what cross the closed border between Tibet and India and Nepal often entailed. I’ve known more than my share of political prisoners from different countries and this brings us to the unnerving realization that we are very close, all of us, to the possibility of similar circumstances.
For some, the imposition of the state on private life might be avoidable if they’re established enough to be deemed non-threatening to the state’s aims. Having property and at least, the appearance of respectability, you might be left alone for a while. To be sure, if the situation becomes untenable or too much, emigrating may be the most logical action to take.
This chapter emphasizes listening to other people in other countries who - whether they are in similar circumstances or not - can provide different perspectlves on our domestic situation. Also, it’s not a bad idea to know people who may be able to offer a refuge. Consequently, “Make sure you and your family have passports.”
Snyder notes that other countries, particularly Ukraine, find it amusing that “Americans seemed comically slow to react to the obvious threats of cyberwar and targeted lies.” After walking through the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Snyder brings us to the moment where, as he says, “Ukraine won, and the Americans lost”, referring to the Ukraine’s resistance and the country’s success at fighting back Russia, but how Americans lost and Russia won because their candidate seized power. The current occupier of the White House “is Putin’s great hope for the rise of a dictatorial world.”
People are often astonished or unclear of what the endgame is or the multiple endgames are of all these oppressors. “A dictatorial world” would be one in which a few have carte blanche to move through the world unfettered by rules or concern for others. They will amass ridiculous amounts of wealth and power. Only the naive will ask, “to do what?” To fulfill every whim, every selfish urge.
A recurrent observation has been “why, if these people have so much, do they not see how much better they could make things for others?” The answer remains, as it always has; there is no empathy here, there is no understanding of the suffering of others, and there is only the sense that they alone deserve what they have. In their minds, they have worked hard to get where they are. In their minds, they even see themselves as principled heroes of their own epics. As for the rest of us? We are chaff. Chattel, if we survive; chaff, if we do not.
Snyder also addresses the idea of staying in America and fighting and dying for it; most Americans don’t have passports and this “has become a problem for democracy in America.” Preferring to fight and die “are fine words, but they miss an important point. The fight will be a long one. Even if it does require sacrifice, it first demands sustained attention to the world around us, so that we know what we are resisting, and how best to do so.”
“Having a passport is not a sign of surrender. On the contrary, it is liberating, since it creates the possibility of new experiences.” This is key to traveling in general; this is why many of us do. I’ve been to developing countries and I’ve learned a lot about how people survive on a day to day basis. It’s not necessarily about what they do to survive; it’s the spirit that keeps us going, keeps us moving. Of course, I also know people in developing countries who are well-off, who are middle class, and who are, very often, attuned to the sufferings of their fellow citizens. Many start non=profits or support different initiatives to assist their less fortunate fellows.
Would that happen here? Under a repressive regime, helping others is often a crime. However, what happens when inflation careers upward, when prices get too high and people can no longer afford necessities? What happens when it’s no longer a matter of choosing between going hungry and buying medication because medication may only be reserved for the wealthy? What happens when people are disappeared or when voices are silenced? Staying may not be an option; leaving might be the only option.
Bibliography
Snyder, Timothy. On Tyranny - Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. Crown Publishing. New York. 2017..
I don’t have to add a lot here in terms of what we will likely be called on to do. You will read, again and again, how important it is to contact your reps, to volunteer your time, to march in protest, and to help where you can/as you can.
Two places to start with:
Mobilize at https://www.mobilize.us/. I have the landing page set to my area; populated with events, petitions, and volunteer opportunities, it’s practically one-stop shopping.
Indivisible at https://indivisible.org/ is another comprehensive hub. You can sign up for updates, download their guide to organizaing, find candidates to support, and more.
If you don't have a copy of "On Tyranny", you can purchase one here:
"On Tyranny" at Timothy Snyder's website where he lists several options. Support local bookstores and buy local or check it out from your local library.
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