 | Incremental Steps to Dictatorship Teresa Morris Updated October 5, 2010 |
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"Giving leaders enough power to create ‘social justice' is giving them enough power to destroy all justice, all freedom, and all human dignity." (Thomas Sowell )
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (George Santayana)
"The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse." (Edmund Burke)
"If you by any means forget the Lord your God and follow other gods... you shall surely perish." (Deut. 8:19)
History shows us that as free nations become complacent, they become vulnerable to manipulation. Most dictatorships rise gradually -- a step at a time. Smooth talking politicians make each incremental step seem reasonable, because the masses are blind to the tides of change. The wisdom of Wendell Phillips fades away: "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."
Austria illustrates the power of gradualism. In 1933, it was a free nation. In 1934, its government began to centralize its power and welcome the influence of Nazi sympathizers. By 1938, it had become a Nazi dictatorship .
The downward slide began with one crisis after another. A third of the people were out of work, inflation rose to 25%, and political turmoil caused civil unrest. People longed for a leader to rescue them. Adolf Hitler campaigned in Austria, promising to solve their problems if they were annexed to Germany. A persuasive speaker, he gave them hope and won their hearts. The Austrian people voted him in.[1]
Why? How could the Austrians be so blind? The answer is simple: they faced hard times, so they chose to believe Hitler's promises. They didn't see him as we do -- brutal, arrogant, narcissistic and ruthlessly ambitious. That image came later, when it was too late to escape his grasp. In the beginning, Hitler appeared as a caring, charismatic, captivating visionary.[2] His words brought hope of prosperity, and his public image was intentionally shaped with pictures of his smiles, benevolent deeds and warm encounters with children and babies.[3]
After the annexation, new government jobs were created and order was restored. The people were encouraged and hopeful, and -- for a short while -- the nation prospered. Then it crashed. This transformation is described by Kitty Werthmann:[4]
"I lived in Austria under Adolf Hitler's regime for seven years. Dictatorship did not happen overnight. It was a gradual process starting with national identification cards, which we had to carry with us at all times.... Gun registration followed, with a lot of talk about gun safety and hunting accidents.... Freedom of speech was the next target.... With a large network of informers, people were afraid to say anything political, even in their own homes."
She tells of other changes, including nationalization of education; indoctrination of children; socialized medicine; government control of businesses; and a lack of respect for human life. Before the annexation, most Austrian mothers stayed at home to take care of their children. Under Nazi rule, both parents had to work, so the children were sent to government-run daycare centers.
Gun control came in two stages. First there was gun registration, and then the people were required to give up their guns. Once the people were unarmed, they had no way of defending themselves against the Nazis. After that, political correctness replaced freedom of speech; taxes were increased to eighty percent (i.e., four fifths of income); the nation was filled with informers; anybody who spoke against the government was arrested; and the people lived in constant fear.
In Austria, the transformation from freedom to dictatorship was incremental. No nation is immune to such things, including the United States. In fact, America seems to be following some of the same incremental stops toward totalitarianism.
National Identification Cards
In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act. This, in effect, would turn drivers' licenses into a national ID card. However, the law is controversial, and 17 states have passed legislation or resolutions opposing compliance with it. Congress is considering repealing the law. Even if they do, this was an attempt to impose a national ID, and there could be other attempts in the future.[5]
Nationalizing Education and Indoctrinating Young Children
Kitty Werthmann told us how Hitler nationalized the education system. Christian symbols were removed and prayer was banned. Through their government-run child care program, the Nazis would indoctrinate the children with politically correct ideology and absolute loyalty to Hitler. Hitler worship became part of the new structure. The daycare workers were trained in Marxist psychology, not motherly love, for Hitler was fascinated with communist mind-control.
Children idolized Hitler and sang his praises. Some American children have been taught to do the same for Obama. (See the video "Barack Obama Kids and Hitler Youth Sing for their Leader.")
America is also a nation where prayer is no longer allowed in school, and daycare is common. Obama is centralizing the public schools. His administration is completing a process begun in the nineties during the first Bush administration. A national curriculum with national standards, national tests, and a national database is fast becoming a reality. The goal is to provide "cradle-to-career education for all of America's children." The federal government is encouraging the states to provide children with "early learning experiences from birth through kindergarten entry."[6]By imposing government education at such a young age, this un-American system exposes Christian children to the worldviews of secular humanism, neo-paganism, and countless other beliefs that clash with home-taught values. It subjects them to anti-Christian peer pressure, and to teachers determined to undermine their faith. No wonder children raised in Christian homes from coast to coast are fast rejecting our God and His ways. Meanwhile churches and youth leaders are bending backwards to conform to the new values and wants of our youth.
Government schools and the judicial system work hand-in-hand to undermine the faith of Christian children. Take Amanda, a ten-year-old Christian homeschooler. She is "well liked, social and interactive with her peers, academically promising and intellectually at or superior to grade level." Her homeschool curriculum meets all state standards. Yet, a judge has ordered her to attend public school because of her "vigorous defense of her religious beliefs." The judge wants her to consider "different points of view at a time when she must begin to critically evaluate multiple systems of belief." In other words, he is forcing her into government education in order to confront her Christian faith.[7]
Information added on October 5. Buried inside the health care bill is a provision that gives the federal government control over all student loans. As a result, the government can now decide which students are able to go to college. It can also refuse loans for students who want to attend colleges that the government doesn't approve of, thus putting financial pressure on colleges to be politically correct.[46]
New federal regulations would enable the federal government to control the accreditation of all U.S. colleges. According to former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong, "the Department of Education is attempting to subject every college and university in America -- public and private -- to political supervision."[47]Government Control of Health Care and Businesses
Obama's massive health care bill established government control of health care, which is one sixth of the nation's economy. Its regulation will have a devastating effect on the medical profession. Why would bright students invest in medical school when the pay would be minimal and medical "murder" would be mandated? My foot doctor told me, "Obama wants to make me retire early." My general practitioner told me, "Let me take care of you while I still can."
The government wields increasing control over businesses, both directly and through regulations. Obama's destructive control over Chrysler has been called "another extraordinary intervention into private industry by the federal government." As a result, many car dealerships were closed.[8] According to an attorney who represents some of those dealers, Chrysler closed them because it was "under enormous pressure from the President's automotive task force."[9]
Treating People Like Livestock
Farmers can kill animals that are born sickly or become too old to be productive. Likewise, Hitler talked about getting rid of "useless eaters." In modern America, some "experts" want to dispose of people with a poor "quality of life."
Kitty Werthmann told how the Nazis killed the mentally retarded people in her village. That was a result of Hitler's eugenics program. Following the unconscionable Darwinian ideals of an evolving, purified human race, he wanted to produce a Master Race of strong, intelligent Aryans. People he considered to be inferior (including Jews and the mentally retarded) had to be eliminated.[10]
Because of the Holocaust, eugenics was discredited. However, euthanasia -- voluntary and involuntary -- is spreading. Voluntary euthanasia is a form of suicide, where patients choose to die -- usually with a physician's help. This is legal in Oregon and Washington.[11]
Involuntary euthanasia is based on new, convenient medical standards. In Holland, where thousands of patients have been killed against their will, some elderly people are afraid to go to the hospital.[12] A concerned Belgian citizen warned Western nations to guard themselves against "the encroaching euthanasia agenda."[13]
An influential bioethicist in the Obama administration actively promotes health care rationing.[14] Obama's health care law includes "death panels" with authority to deny life-saving medical care.[15] Once such care has been denied, it becomes unavailable even to patients who would pay the cost themselves.
Gun Control
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has a long record of supporting gun control. In a 2008 brief to the Supreme Court, Holder claimed that the Second Amendment does not pose any obstacle to banning guns.[16]
Obama has initiated a back-door approach to gun control by means of an international treaty known as CIFTA. President Clinton signed this treaty in 1997 but the Senate refused to ratify it. Now President Obama is promoting it. According to John Bolton (former U.S. representative of the United Nations):
"The Obama administration is trying to act as though this is really just a treaty about trade between nations, but there's no doubt -- as was the case over a decade ago -- that the real agenda is the control of domestic arms."[17]
Enforcing Political Correctness
President Obama has co-sponsored a United Nations resolution that calls on countries to criminalize "any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence." Since the President of the United States is backing the resolution, then Americans will be expected to abide by it. As a result, this U.N. resolution would take priority over our constitutional right to free speech. In addition, as Robert Spencer said:
"‘Incitement' and ‘hatred' are in the eye of the beholder -- or more precisely, in the eye of those who make such determinations. The powerful can decide to silence the powerless by classifying their views as ‘hate speech.'"[18]
In 2008, a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warned that the FCC is likely to implement regulations that will give the federal government control over the content of radio, TV, and the Internet.[19].
In 2009, a high-ranking official in the FCC called for a "confrontational movement" to increase federal control of the media.[20] He openly expressed admiration for Hugo Chavez' efforts to stifle criticism by seizing control of Venezuela's media.[21]
Informers
In 2002, the federal government attempted to recruit four percent of the population as informers. These spies were to include people with access to homes and businesses, such as mailmen, meter readers, cable installers, and telephone repairmen.[22] After a public outcry, this plan was abandoned. However, the attempt to have informants throughout the country is not new. It has continued in various ways, for years.[23]
As part of President Clinton's war on "hate crimes," the Justice Department had a website that encouraged children to report relatives who made a "derogatory comment."[24] Now that Congress has passed the "Hate Crimes" bill, we need to be alert to similar attempts to turn children into informers.
The Ability to Arrest People at Will
The President can legally declare a state of national emergency on his own authority without the approval of Congress. There is no legal accountability. Once a national emergency has been declared, the President can "take over all government functions" and "direct all private sector activities" until he declares that the national emergency is over.[25]
A Master Arrest Warrant enables the U.S. Attorney General to have people arrested if he personally considers them to be "dangerous to the public peace and safety." He can keep these people incarcerated indefinitely without legal accountability.[26]
According to a U.S. Congressman, former Rep. Henry Gonzalez, there are detention camps in America. He said that, in the name of stopping terrorism, the President could evoke the military and arrest American citizens and put them in these camps.[27]
If American troops are unwilling or unable to carry out such arrests, then the President can use Canadian troops, thanks to a military agreement called the Civil Assistance Plan.[28] The President can also use troops from the United Nations.[29]
Right now, there is a bill in Congress (H.R. 645) that requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish at least six more detention camps on military installations. It also appears to further expand the president's emergency power.[30] Jerome Corsi observes:
"We are talking about a slippery slope: camps being prepared to be used in emergencies can easily be used to imprison dissenters."[31]
Additional Attempts to Increase Federal Power
The Obama administration's Financial Reform Bill was signed into law on July 21, 2010. It establishes an Office of Financial Research which would have "unprecedented, real-time access to a wealth of personal and corporate financial data."[32] This new agency would not be accountable to anyone, and it could use coercion to get information.[33]
The Senate has a bill which would give the federal government much more control over our food supply. It threatens to increase food prices and drive many small local suppliers out of business.
[34] Even without this new law, Federal agents have already harassed small farms. In April 2010, they invaded a private dairy that doesn't sell to the public.[35] In 2008, a SWAT team with semi-automatic rifles raided a rural home and food co-op, holding the family (including small children) at gunpoint for hours.[36]Information added on July 29: The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission are discussing ways to regulate what Americans are able to read and hear. These proposed regulations "would apply across the board to print media, radio and television, and the internet."[37]
In July 2, 2008, presidential candidate Obama said, "We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."[38] In March 2009, President Obama again discussed the need for a Civilian National Security Force. [39]
One approach to this is via Obama's Health Care law. It establishes a Ready Reserve Corps that would be subject to "involuntary calls to active duty during national emergencies and public health crises."[40] An article giving details about this corps is titled "Obama Just Got His Private Army."[41]
Another approach is the Universal National Service Act. If passed, this bill would require every American (including young mothers) from ages 18 to 42 to spend two years either serving in the military or doing national service as defined by the President.[42] The bill contains some provisions that could be used to promote a globalist agenda.[43]
Information Added on August 12: A National Security Letter (NSL) enables the FBI and other federal agencies to require people to give them information without "probable cause" or judicial oversight. Under the Patriot Act, the NSL includes a "gag order."[44] According to Judge Andrew Napolitano, this makes it a crime for people to speak the truth. He said,"If an FBI agent shows up at your house with a self-written search warrant, the agent will tell you, you may not tell anyone about this.... You can't even answer truthfully in a courtroom under oath whether or not you received one of these warrants, without violating the Patriot Act."[45]
Our Response as Christians
The Bible tells us to love our enemies, to warn all who will listen, and to trust Him -- no matter what happens. It says:
"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day..." Acts 20:31
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
If we are willing to obey Jesus and love even our enemies, then God will give us the grace to do it. And if we aren't willing, then we can ask Him to change our hearts and make us willing. With God's grace, we can forgive and love. His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
1. "Socialism vs. Freedom." (Video of a talk by Kitty Werthmann) (For more information by her, see Note 4.) http://www.sdfamily.org/Kitty+Wetrthmann
2. "Adolf Hitler and Charismatic Leadership." http://eeuropeanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/adolf_hitler_and_charmismatic_leadership
3. Hitler with a little girl. http://www.fpp.co.uk/Hitler/images/children/Inge_Terboven_on_Hitler.jpg
Hitler with a baby. http://www.golivewire.com/forums/img.cgi?i=62823
4. "Don't Let Freedom Slip Away: Sobering Steps from Freedom to Fascism." (Kitty Werthmann) (For more information by her, see Note 1.) http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/010/fascism.htm
5. "National ID: Another Step to Totalitarianism." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=45536
6. "Cradle-to-Career Plan by Obama and Duncan." http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/010/edwatch/garner/1-cradle-to-grave.htm
7. "Court Orders Christian Child into Government Education: 10-Year-Old's ‘Vigorous' Defense of Her Faith Condemned by Judge." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=108084
8. "Chrysler Files to Seek Bankruptcy Protection." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/business/01auto.html
9. "Plan to Ax Dealers Not Chrysler's Decision." http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2632731920090526
10. "Eugenics and the Nazis -- the California Connection." http://www.waragainsttheweak.com/offSiteArchive/www.sfgate.com
11. "5 People Die under New Washington Physician-Assisted Suicide Law." http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/06/prsc0706.htm"
12. Have Researched Euthanasia Speak Out." http://www.hospicepatients.org/euth-experts-speak.html
13."‘The Weekend Cleanup': The Gruesome Aftermath of Legalized Euthanasia in Belgium." http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jun/09060109.html
14. "Obama's Health Rationer-in-Chief: White House Health-Care Adviser Ezekiel Emanuel Blames the Hippocratic Oath for the ‘Overuse' of Medical Care." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203706604574374463280098676.html
15. "Palin Firestorm Brings Fresh Scrutiny to ObamaCare ‘Death Panels.'" http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/aug/09081109.html
16. "Eric Holder: Gun Grabber." http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=33694
17. "Obama, the U.N., and the Right to Bear Arms." http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/18882
18. "Obama Declares War on Free Speech" http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?print=yes&id=33869
19. "FCC Commissioner: Return of Fairness Doctrine Could Control Web Content." http://www.businessandmedia.org/printer/2008/20080812160747.aspx
20. "Inspired by Saul Alinsky, FCC ‘Diversity' Chief Calls for ‘Confrontational Movement' to Give Public Broadcasting Dominant Role in Communications." http://cnsnews.com/news/article/53055
21. "FCC ‘Diversity' Czar on Chavez's Venezuela: ‘Incredible... Democratic Revolution.'" (This article includes a video of Mark Lloyd's statement.) http://newsbusters.org/blogs/seton-motley/2009/08/28/video-fcc-diversity-czar-chavezs-venezuela-incredible-democratic-revol
22. "US Planning to Recruit One in 24 Americans as Citizen Spies." http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/14/1026185141232.html
23. "Your Friendly Community Spies." http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2002/spy.html
24. "The War on Hate Bans Christian Values." http://www.crossroad.to/text/articles/cwhbcv3-98.html
25. "Bush Makes Power Grab." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=41728
26. "Hidden Threats -- Part I." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=611127. "Detention Camps on American Soil." http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=400
28. "North American Army Created without OK by Congress: U.S., Canada Ink Deal to Fight Domestic Emergencies." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=57228
29. "A UN Militia in Your Community?" http://www.crossroad.to/text/articles/rapid-reaction99.htm
30. "Bill Creates Detention Camps in U.S. for ‘Emergencies': Sweeping, Undefined Purpose Raises Worries about Military Police State." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=87757
31. "Is the US Government Preparing to Send Dissenters to Prison Camps?" http://www.newswithviews.com/NWV-News/news123.htm
32. "Big Brother Loves ‘Financial Reform.'" http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/30/big-brother-loves-financial-reform/print/
33. "Financial Regulatory Windfall." http://spectator.org/archives/2010/04/30/financial-regulatory-windfall/print
34. "New ‘Safety Plan' Would Control What You Eat." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=146957
35. "Federal Agents Invade Farm for 5 a.m. Milk Inspection." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=144557
36. "SWAT Team conducts food raid in rural Ohio." http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/swat-team.htm
37. "Future of the News." http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/07/future_of_the_news.html
38. "Obama's ‘Big Brother' Vanishes from Speech: ‘Civilian Security Force' Missing from ‘Call to Service' Transcript." [NOTE: This article has an embedded video of the speech. Obama's call for a Civilian Security Force was omitted from the transcript of the speech, as published by the media.] http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=69784
39. "Civilian Security Force on Agenda Again." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=92109
40. "Obamacare Prescription: ‘Emergency Health Army.'" http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=132001
41. "Obama Just Got His Private Army." http://frontpage.americandaughter.com/?p=3549
42. "Democrat: Let's Have Mandatory National Service." http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=184325
43. Rep. Rangel proposed this same bill in 2006 and 2007. Its provisions are discussed in "The Draft is Back - Again! ‘Universal National Service Act of 2006.'" http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/006/draft.htm
44. National Security Letter, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Letter
45. Judge Andrew Napolitano, Natural Rights Patriot Act - Part 3 of 3 [NOTE: The information begins at 2:01 minutes, starting with the sentence, "Do you know that the Congress has used the Commerce Clause to make it a crime for you to speak the truth?"] http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=7n2m-X7OIuY
46. "Where's the Outrage Over What Just Happened to Student Loans?" http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/03/26/dana-perino-student-loans-health-care-sen-kent-conrad-democrats-students/
47. "Eye-Popping Power Grab: Licensing of U.S. Colleges: Federal Scheme Poses ‘Greatest Threat to Academic Freedom in our Lifetime.'" http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=209589
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