With the First Link
- Brian
- Mar 20
- 6 min read
Article Type: Fact & Opinion
Disclaimer: This article contains a mixture of facts, supported by 3rd party references, and constructive opinions of the author. These are meant to be done in a thought-provoking and non-confrontational way. If you disagree, that’s okay, just be kind in your responses.
"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."
That quote is one of my favorites from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It stands as a warning that impeding freedom and democracy without allowing due process and justice to take place, we all become enslaved to ruthless dictators. Without it, legitimate suspicions and concerns can lead to rampant paranoia and societal discord.
The recent actions by United States President Donald Trump lead me to believe that we are headed down a very dark path where he and his gang of bullies are readying to dismantle the world's greatest democracy and have it become a dictatorship. Without due process of law, he continues to sign executive orders, stoppages by judges, and has left Congress and the Senate afraid. That only happens when a brutal regime takes hold, not when a democratic leader is in place. Throughout history, truly democratic leaders voice their opinions in a positive, constructive manner and follow the laws of their country to get things done. They may spend time urging, campaigning, and convincing others of why they should follow the path they've outlined, but would not move in sweeping fashion to bypass those processes.
The fundamental core issues that President Trump is trying to accomplish are real and need to be addressed, however, the manner in which he is going about them is frightening. Those core issues include:
Illegal Immigration
Fair Trade Policies
Fair Commitments to World Organizations
Illegal Drugs & Gangs
Border Security
Ending Birthright Citizenship
Ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs
The President has gone about attacking each of these issues in rapid-fire succession and through executive orders instead of through due process. He's operating on a principle of "act now, ask for forgiveness later," and relying on an assumption that no one will fight back against him hard enough to stop him. While this tactic may work well in business, it will have destructive consequences on the world stage. So far, he's been mostly right. A brave few have begun to stand up, including other countries who are unwilling to be bullied, but not enough have spoken out yet. Canada recently made a general statement that they will not be bullied and "see you in four years."
In regards to Illegal Immigration, President Trump has been especially dystopian in his methods. The issue itself, he's exactly right and it needs to be addressed. Instead of going through due process to re-assert that it is called illegal immigration for a reason, he's simply executed executive orders to round up and deport, sometimes taking families out that are in process of medical care. He's also used tariffs to punish countries, such as Mexico, that have not done enough to address illegal border crossings.
On the issue of fair trade, Trump has latched onto utilizing tariffs as a weapon to get what he wants. Again, the issue itself is not in dispute – he is right that there is an imbalance that must be fixed. The issue is the manner in which he's going about it. Instead of closed-door negotiations, instead of respectful negotiations, he's openly called out other leaders and countries and issued sweeping tariffs against their countries all the while making statements that his goal is to "make America rich again."
Many dictators throughout history have begun their ascention through similar means. They use broad, sweeping power and authority at such an incredible pace that due process can't keep up to stop it. It happened when Adolf Hilter assumed control of Germany. It happened when Julius Caesar declared himself dictator in perpetuity. It happened when Joseph Stalin took control of the USSR. And again when Al-Assad took control of Syria. There are many more cases. None of these ended well, especially for the average people just trying to live normal, peaceful lives.
In a television interview recently, a staunch Trump supporter and ally, rambled on about Trump running again in 2028. When the interview said, "You realize he's term-limited, right? How would that happen?" Bannen simply replied, "We're working on it." This very statement, whether real or not is a threat to nearly 250 years of United States democracy.
Recently, France has asked for the Statue of Liberty back, citing that America no longer represents the values it did when they gifted it. In a response very much harkening to a dictator and bully, the United States responded with a simple "be glad you're not speaking German." Friends, allies, and even countries trying to be friendly would never state such a thing.
In another move by the Trumpian-dictator, history is being rewritten. Trump recently forced the removal of anything he deemed not within his beliefs or views from government websites. While the core issue is around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), he's taking it too far. An example is the Pentagon recently removed references to the holocaust, suicide prevention, and more. How do these things impact DEI? All are either history or programs meant to support the citizens that the government serves.
Overall, Trump seems to be forgetting that the government is there to serve and protect its citizens, not to squash them into submission. We, the citizens of the United States, are beginning to see the chains forged around us.
A Better Approach
In my opinion, a better approach to all of these issues would be for President Trump to draft outlines for each of what needs to happen to address them. The ones dealing with internal U.S. matters need to go before the House and Senate. The matters involving foreign countries should be treated like a friendly negotiation whereby they are given time, deadlines, and consequences for not working with us. As a real leader would do, much of this should be done behind closed doors and then the outcomes, or expected outcomes, presented jointly with our allies and partners to display unity and real strength.
Today's Decision, Tomorrow's Impact
The United States has always stood as a beacon of hope and opportunity. It has been one where the rest of the world looks to for example and the possibilities of what can be accomplished. In less than 2 months, that is beginning to unravel and is being replaced with views that the U.S. is unstable and unfriendly.
All of the decisions President Trump has made so far, and those who surround him, could have very dramatic and dystopian ramifications. Some of it is already being seen as allies are left stunned and now backing away from decades – in some cases hundreds – of years of friendship and support. This path appears that it will continue on.
What we are likely to see is the United States will be left with fewer allies. It will be left with allies that are wary of when and how to trust the United States. As countries seek alternatives, the United States will very much be weaker economically since much of the economic strength has ridden on the U.S. Dollar being a de-facto world currency for many decades.
Internally, if Trump is successful for a 3rd term, it will mean the beginning of the end of democracy. It will mean that due process and constitutional law are suddenly invalidated. And it will mean that once again, history has repeated itself and allowed a dictator to run rampant instead of stopping him before it was too late.
In the end, however long it may take, history has also shown that dictators and dictatorships rarely last. Eventually those under their rule become so careworn that they rise up and demand a better tomorrow.
That's what I urge everyone to do: demand a better tomorrow, but be kind and unifying in the approach to getting there.
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