Faith & Reflection: Voices from the Black Church and Beyond
- Peaceful protests arose against perceived authoritarianism, escalating to violence and destruction in various US cities.
- The article cautioned that a significant majority of Americans might accept a shift to authoritarian rule without resistance.
- Claims surfaced that the regime used agent provocateurs to incite violence during protests, justifying military intervention.
- Many citizens, despite the risks, appeared indifferent to constitutional rights as long as personal comforts remained undisturbed.
- Success for America's democracy requires critical thinking, active participation, and commitment from its institutions to serve the people.
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(ThyBlackMan.com) In December, 2023, approximately a year before the 2024 presidential election, I wrote an article in which I had Donald Trump winning the 2024 election. President Biden had yet to drop out and I had Trump narrowly beating President Biden.
The article went on to discuss how within just a few months after Trump took office he issued a series of executive orders significantly increasing his power beyond anything anyone had done before.
The US Supreme Court was requested to weigh in on the constitutional crisis brought on by an overly aggressive executive branch and a nonfunctioning legislative branch. The US Supreme Court decided there was no case law available to decide the matter and felt it lacked judicial precedent to issue any type of ruling. So the executive branch continued its power grab.
Peaceful protests were taking place in various US cities to counter what some believed was an attempt to establish an authoritarian regime. Some of the peaceful protests became violent with attacks on law enforcement and the damaging and burning of public property.
Trump in the fictional article without any checks or balances went on to declare martial law in various large US cities. He did not hesitate to place those cities under federal control using National Guard and regular US Army troops to patrol the streets of those cities. Local police departments would be taken over by military commanders and local police officers would report directly to military personnel for assignment.
Various reporters would later learn that the Trump regime had infiltrated the peaceful protests with agent provocateurs whose job it was to cause violence and disturbance. It would give the regime the excuse to use the army and National Guard.
The regime also implemented a cultural war in which various books, movies and television programs were outlawed.
Throughout the article, after describing the action the Trump regime had initiated, it was pointed out that a significant majority of the American public approved of the actions of the regime. That such approval was widespread and came from all regions and racial, religious, social and economic sectors.
The goal of the article was to show just how easy it would be for the Trump regime or any other regime to establish a dictatorship within the US without a shot being fired. That a significant majority of Americans would have no problem if such occurred.
The article generated a range of discussion. Many found the article to be another left wing, socialist propaganda piece to undermine Trump’s presidential candidacy.
Trump however was the farthest thing from this author’s concern. It was not about Trump but the American people. It was what I believed to be their willingness without complaint to accept authoritarian rule.
As long as their favorite reality television show, their seemingly unquenchable thirst for vampires, werewolves, sociopaths and serial killers was not interrupted. The price of their beer and chips remained constant, Americans could care less about the US Constitution, due process, martial law, representative democracy and the concept of freedom.
Others saw the article as being some draconian fiction in the realm of The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone. Outlandish and irresponsible fearmongering.
Because it was during the lead up to the 2024 presidential election a lot of the comments made by readers were partisan in nature and reflected their like or dislike of a candidate or party. They did not address the fragile state of America’s democracy.
However, there were a few individuals who indicated they were military veterans who were certain that America would never end up in a dictatorship because the military would never allow for it to happen. They made passionate and compelling arguments. I wonder if they still stand by their viewpoint.
The current regime within days and hours after taking office basically cut off the leadership head of the military. It removed long established military officers in the army and veterans and career officers in the Pentagon.
They were replaced with individuals whose military experience and knowledge was highly questionable. The current regime was not interested in highly qualified military and foreign affairs experts. It wanted individuals whose only qualification was their unquestionable loyalty to the regime.
I was convinced when I wrote the article that Americans would not be upset if their experiment with democracy ended and an authoritarian form of government replaced it. I hoped I was wrong.
Unfortunately, I was proven right. Americans, overwhelmingly, have shown they have no problem with individuals who have been in the country for years contributing to the well-being and commerce of communities and the country being rounded up by masked men and placed in detention centers.
Have no problem with those individuals ending up in prison cells in other countries without trial or due process. Many will go as far as to indicate that was what they voted for.
An overwhelming majority of Americans have no problem that other Americans have and will be fired from federal jobs for no legitimate reason. Just as long as it is not their son, daughter, other family member or friend. Many will indicate that is also what they voted for.
They don’t care if millions of their country men and women will lose their healthcare insurance just as long as it is not someone they know. That the commercials they see of starving , undernourished children throughout the world may become tenfold perhaps include children in the US. All the result of cruel, heartless and evil policies of the current immoral regime. I guess they voted for that also.
There are some Americans concerned the regime’s irrational and irresponsible economic policies may force them to spend more for their butter, bread and beer. That the country might even head into a severe economic downturn. Otherwise, all is well.
I was certain that the country could easily slide into a dictatorship. I must admit however, I didn’t think it would be as easy and as fast as it did.
Still, my biggest bewilderment and disappointment has been to witness major corporations and prominent law firms, prestigious institutions of higher learning and longtime respected and established media outlets bow and take a knee. Many of them had projected how fierce they were in their defense of freedom, independence and integrity.
But in the end, like the O’Jays said, some people will sell their soul for the money. They will lay down for the money.
America’s experiment with democracy may not survive its slide into authoritarianism. However, if it does survive it will need to have a majority of its individuals to think critically, examine evidence, ask questions, and insist on finding the truth.
It will need to establish a true democracy in which far more people than not proactively and consciously participate in that democracy. It will also need to have solid, reputable institutions, political, social and economic, which are truly committed to the American people and America’s democracy. Institutions and organizations truly willing to fight for the American people and America’s democracy.
Staff Writer; Al Alatunji
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