As mentioned in the last column, the quote usually (and apparently wrongly) attributed to Sinclair Lewis, “When Fascism [tyranny] comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross,” was a little too late and simply stated what had already come about, going back seventy years before Lewis.

But “wrapped in the flag” and “carrying a cross” is not the ONLY way for fascism or tyranny to come to the Fifty States. Indeed, in this latest lap to victory (or so they hope!) of tyranny, fascism, transnational socialism/progressivism, or whatever labels we affix? The very opposite seems true.

Back in 2016, and again to some degree in the hideous torture of the 2020 election campaign for Massa of these “united” States, there was a regular cottage industry in explanations of how The Donald proved the accuracy of this flag and cross prophesy. And actually, at several times in his career, Trump DID literally wrap himself in a flag (US flag!) and more than once verbally wave a cross – a “christian” cross and not a KKK cross.

But as a tyrant or a fascist? Frankly, the man was an utter failure in either of those roles. Consider some of the best-known tactics of past fascist and socialist and communist dictators (and maybe even some today!). Trump did not do well in the rankings:

• No purges, military or civilian governmental ranks or even serious political pressure to resign or retire
• No mass deportations (or even encouragement to leave) of political opponents, outspoken media critics, or even scientists!
• No organized or systemic use of assassination, character defamation, blackmail or even bribery!
• No pitched battles of competing government-supporting and rebel street mobs, not even to the extent of Australia in the last few weeks. (No, the so-called insurrection on 6 JAN 2021 compares to those things like a 4-year-old’s tea party compares to an Inaugural Ball.)
• No death camps. And not much in the way of concentration or retraining camps, either.
• No rounding up en masse of homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, or even Russians and Chinese.
• No routine beating up or stringing up of rioters, looters, street preachers – not even mimes or clowns!

Now, I am not saying that none of these thing happened at all between 20 January 2017 and 20 January 2021, but there is no pattern and no substantiate claim of organized, systemic orders, or even encouragement. Hard as Media, Democrats, Never-Trumpers, and a few Libertarian types have tried to push.

But…

Trump ultimately failed either to be a tyrant OR to combat the growing tyranny of federal, state, and local governments. And perhaps he squandered the last chance to combat growing tyranny withOUT having to shed massive amounts of blood. Not just the blood of murdered children in the womb or at the hands of insane mothers, fathers, and gangbangers. But of fighting men and women, and of civilians (including children of all ages) gunned down, bombed or shelled out, or left to starve and freeze in the battle-scarred ruins of cities, towns, and villages.

And so now we have Uncle Joe and dear, dear, sweet Kammie. With a chorus line of supporting actors: Ma Pelosi, Pa Schumer, sweet little Miss Alex, and more. And a supporting cast of millions of extras.

People in the past talking about tyranny growing due to war and reaping the benefits of fighting outside enemies didn’t really think of a virus (whatever its origin) as being such an enemy. Those who have opposed the welfare state of the New Deal and the Great Society really never contemplated the way “disease, life, and death” in a fake pandemic created opportunities for massive theft, fraud, corruption, and bribery of virtually every adult American through “stimulus” payments. Nor the way the economies of fifty states, a half-dozen territories, and thousands of cities and counties could be reduced to financial rubble – all begging for a massive “Marshall Plan” of building better a new socialism.

Overall, for a bumbling, tongue-tied guy with serious signs of senility, Uncle Joe seems to be showing a bit more success at the tyrant business than The Donald did. Internally (the purges of various and sundry, for various reasons including vaccines and viruses), externally (Afghanistan, China, Australia, Britain, etc.), and attacks on States and religions and statues and history, all with at least some signs of White House approval. (Jokingly, they are literally going after the 3%’ers – after all, normalcy is supposed to come when 98% of us’ns are vaccinated, right?)

Actually, now that I think of it, Nimrod and his Queen Semiramis (or Isis or Easter, if you prefer) much be even more envious, down there in Hell, than Uncle Joe Stalin, Red Mao, or Adolf – technology is a WONDERFUL thing for tyrants. (Well, and for liberty lovers, too, but that’s a different commentary!)

For we are watching the walls – physical and financial and spiritual and electronic and virtual – of tyranny being built higher. Not a piddling border wall, not a plastic barrier in front of the clerk of a convenience store. No, the walls of our prison, the same sort of “It’s for your own good, it’s for the People’s good, it’s for the children” walls that tyrants over the millennia have built in one way or another. Seeking to imprison not just the human body, but the spirit: mind and soul.

Is there any choice but to fight?