The Pandemic of Tyranny
The disease, the symptoms, and the cure.
From ancient plagues in Roman times to smallpox, influenza, typhus, and COVID-19, pandemics have caused millions of deaths and altered societal structures throughout the ages.
Pandemics of tyranny have wrought similar devastation
Caligula of ancient Rome, Ivan the Terrible of Russia, Genghis Khan of Mongolia, Leopold II of Belgium, Robespierre of France, Joseph Stalin of the USSR, and Adolf Hitler of Germany all ravaged their nations, and millions died under their regimes.
“The accumulation of all powers, Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” ~ James Madison, Federalist Paper #47, 1788
Destroying public health, research, science, education, health care, veteran’s services, minority rights, the legislative branch, the judiciary, and the fundamental principles of our Constitution is the very definition of political tyranny.
The United States is now in the early stages of a political pandemic of tyranny that is rapidly spreading, infecting our institutions, undermining the rule of law, and threatening the constitutional principles we have held dear for more than 230 years.
These Are Not Separate Battles
As conservative columnist and commentator David Brooks notes in a recent essay, “These are not separate battles. This is a single effort to undo the parts of the civilizational order that might restrain Trump’s acquisition of power. And it will take a concerted response to beat it back.”
Each critical issue is a symptom of the disease of tyranny. The quicker an antidote or cure is discovered, the fewer pathogens are spread, and the more lives are saved.
Over the weekend, more than 3 million Americans across the country again gathered to protest the pandemic of political tyranny infecting our nation, standing up for the rule of law and seeking to inoculate us against the death of democracy.
President Trump issued an Easter message yesterday in which he condemned those who politically oppose him, attacked judges and law enforcement officials who fail to do his bidding, and once again claimed that the 2020 election was rigged.
Also yesterday, Pope St. Francis made a final Easter Sunday appearance in St. Peter’s Square. In a homily delivered for him, he emphasizes the importance of justice, peace, and kindness, urging individuals to cultivate mercy and compassion in their interactions with others.
The Pope called for a commitment to social justice and the protection of the vulnerable, highlighting that true peace can only be achieved through acts of love and solidarity.
Overnight, Pope St. Francis passed away.
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Resources:
Federalist Paper No. 47 ~Constituting America
Anti-Trump Protesters Rally In New York, Washington, And Elsewhere Across The Country ~Associated Press
Read Pope Francis's Final Address In Full ~BBC
Pope Francis Has Died On Easter Monday, Aged 88 ~Vatican News
The Invisible Fire of Cultural Cleansing ~Perspectives
America’s Gulag is Born ~Perspectives
Because of Your Convictions ~Perspectives
Great metaphorical usage. If I were your English teacher, you'd get an A+ with a Gold Star, Brad!