Author: Op-Ed

A cabinet of cronies: How Trump’s corrupt leadership will finally usher in the American “Dark Ages”

As Donald Trump prepares for a second term in the White House, the country finds itself staring into the abyss of a future that promises to push America into its darkest period yet. While such a declaration may sound like an apocalyptic prediction, it is an honest evaluation of the disastrous choices Trump has made for his Cabinet picks. The radically inappropriate selections reflect his spiteful intent to further erode democratic institutions, dismantle checks and balances, and roll back vital progress in civil rights, healthcare, environmental protection, and foreign relations. Looking at his Cabinet nominations, it is apparent that...

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The Rise of American Autocracy: Lessons from North Korea’s Kim Dynasty about how dictators keep control

With his unpredictable political strategies, contentious policies, and efforts to centralize power, Donald Trump has been a highly polarizing figure in American politics. His style and tactics have often led to comparisons with various autocratic leaders worldwide, from Russia’s Vladimir Putin to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. However, among the more chilling comparisons is the parallel drawn to the Kim dynasty of North Korea, a tightly controlled regime where power and propaganda reinforce a near-absolute authority. While the United States and North Korea are vastly different in structure, economy, and values, examining Trump’s approach through an autocratic lens raises concerns about...

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Once upon a Tuesday: A political parable about running with scissors in America

Once upon a Tuesday … there was a schoolhouse in a small rural town where some young children spent their time learning in class, while others goofed around at play. Every morning semi-trucks would roar by the schoolhouse without regard to the speed limit or the safety of the students. It would vibrate and shake for most of the day. Some parents had complained that the big trucks should be rerouted to another road to protect the children. Other parents complained that re-directing traffic would slow the transport of goods and hold back the progress of the local economy....

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The missing voices of courage: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, faith leaders, and the toxic legacy of MAGA politics

As America stands on the other side of yet another pivotal election, many look around, wondering why faith leaders were hesitant to confront the lingering influences of the toxic MAGA movement. Historical figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who famously stood against the moral failings of his time, have been largely absent in the modern political landscape in America. For those who see the movement that propelled Trump to power as antithetical to the core values of their faith, the silence from religious leaders is a disheartening reality. It also raises questions not only about the courage of America’s faith communities...

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Silencing Fascism: Raising the voice of freedom and humanity to save our democracy

This is what fascists do. They attempt to silence the people who give voice to the disenfranchised. They are threatened by those individuals whose eloquence and moral standing shatter the facade of white supremacy and expose the illusion of America’s meritocracy. They fear being exposed for their sociopathic disregard for the lives of children, the rights of women, and the dignity of those not like them. Pull back the curtain and it is nothing but a withering old man clinging to the levers of power he created. Struggling to push upward to increase the pressure, seek new allies, and...

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Equivalency of complicity: How both sides of the political spectrum promoted fascism in America

With the end of democracy fast approaching the realization of what will take its place is beginning to settle in. A fascist America steeped in White Nationalism predicted with increasing frequency by pundits, politicians and scholars. While not yet conceding defeat, many are beginning to speculate whether or not this is the last truly democratic election our country will have. The shock and dismay shown by many would be laughable were the stakes not so high. Because after all, the writing has been on the wall for years. From an insurrection in our nation’s capital, to the rampant increase...

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