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Karen Brand's avatar

This was so well written. And it is heartbreaking watching this in real time.

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Greg Conners's avatar

I have spent most of my life disbelieving the concept of hell in the afterlife. Now I hope it exists, and there will be a special place just for Donald Trump. If you want to push back, find your local oligarch and tell your friends. People around you, no matter your address, gave Trump money - they invested in this and now they are getting paid.

How? Here:https://gregconners.substack.com/

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Cynthia Eklund's avatar

This is the most beautifully written piece; it articulately describes the horror of this period. I’m crying. Thank you. I wish the MAGA cult would read this and suddenly see the light—come to realize how inhumane our country has become. Who knows, hopefully —. Maybe this piece will change some minds. Again, thank you. Meanwhile, I’m heading out for my very first (in my 75-year long life) protest march — today!!! And I’ve got ANOTHER one scheduled for tomorrow. Am Finally gettin off the couch. Because, As my dad used to say, “ Don’t let the bastards keep you down!” I’m mad as hell and I’m not taking it anymore.

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Morgan's avatar

My Dad said the same thing Cynthia!!! Be safe out there and protest with pride!!

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Cynthia Eklund's avatar

Two days later…OMG. EXHILARATING. So satisfying, educational, rewarding. Met so many people who felt and thought as I did. Homemade signs were so creative. We stood on the sidewalks and waved at the passing cars. The drivers and passengers were more supportive than critical. If someone flipped a finger at me, I just smiled back, because THEY were in the minority. With cars honking their support, trucks blowing horns, people smiling, hands pumping, thumbs up…. I realize there IS hope. People are craving push back! Join me! Let’s get out on the streets. Let Trump know, we didn’t vote for this

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Mona Sigal's avatar

What is happening right now is an absolute travesty, full-on fascism. Indeed, people are being denunciated by neighbors, greedy business competitors or clients, using someone’s (suspected) undocumented status to destroy their lives and their families’ lives.

HOWEVER: the threat against Anne and all those who tried to hide from the German Nazis was DEATH, extermination camps.

Please do not use the Holocaust as a false equivalency

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Lynn Arthur's avatar

There’s a horrific irony in Michael’s comparison of the hunted undocumented immigrants to Anne Frank. The US government’s eugenics program and the use of cyanide gas for effective mass extermination were methods adopted by the Nazis for their “Final Solution.”

The United States has a history of barbarism that can’t be denied. Whether it’s military war crimes committed in other countries or the cruelty against citizens on US soil. Now we’re witnessing the trajectory of Trump’s mass deportation plan, which began with public propaganda indoctrination that’s evolved into a full-blown illegal “manhunt” and the deportation of non-criminals to detainment camps outside of the US—where human rights violations will go on, unchecked.

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Mar 7
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Lynn Arthur's avatar

By the time the Frank family was taken into custody by the Nazis (August 1944), there had been rumors about the extermination camps spread all over Europe. So I assume that the Franks had (at the very least) suspicions of what their fate could be.

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Mona Sigal's avatar

I suggest you do a search about when the family went into hiding and what the population knew at the time about the camps, especially the Jews

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Danita Hamilton's avatar

Trump Is A Evil Monster All These Maga Republicans Are Monsters You Have To Be To Think This Is Ok I Truly Loathe These Devils They All Can Go To Hell Where They Belong

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Wayne Masters's avatar

Imagine...

Me, a soundman, a John Lennon follower, being the soundman for 60 runs of the live theatre production of the Diary of Anne Frank Toronto, 1970s and in the Eli Wallach monologue when all the lights are out, except a tiny spotlight on him and a tiny desklamp lighting me and my soundboard at the top rear of the gallery glassed in booth......

He locks eyes with me and I cant look away for fear I'll make him flub his lines.

The fear in that play was most felt each time I panned the sound of a platoon of marching bootstepping nazis from left to right behind the stage and everyone freezes hoping they don't stop at this doorstep and raid this house.

That is the fear.

When will they come to my door?

🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦

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kat's avatar

He is descending into pure evil, and madness.

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⚠️ Listen Closer's avatar

He is going after legal immigrants too.

The well from which the American Dream was drawn from has been poisoned; those who have done the poisoning need to be held to account.

We have a lot of work to do if we hope to save the tattered remains of this dying dream...

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Yick Tong's avatar

How about throwing in there ethnic cleansing and are you next? This Nazi and administration will not stop with any specific creed, color or ethnicity. They want us scared and on our knees so we could be so disheartened and broken as are the Russians and Germans were.

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Soso's avatar

I have read Anne Frank's diary of a young girl. I cried like a baby. Now imagining these horrifying moments happening yet again is truly scandalous.

Are there any lawful recourses to stop this order from being implemented?

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Suzanne SG's avatar

...and any of his supporters better stop saying they care about kids since they are willing to traumatize thousands in our schools that will be witnesses to this travesty. They don't care about kids. Or families. Or seniors. Or the sick. They do not care about loving your neighbor. Shame on all who stay silent.

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Catherine Given's avatar

I agree with every word you've written here. Two chilling reports, one that the felon-in-chief will re-open huge family separation centers and another that he'll start deporting Ukrainian refugees are keeping me awake at night.

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Joan Powell's avatar

Last night cking on substack briefly, one of our Ukrainian father has a family on tik tok refugee has a month. (It probably means all Ukrainian refugees) Look on my account Likes, post by Truth matters. I left a message for Qasim & A.Vindman to please help them. This is heartbreaking 💔 including immigrants/DACA/migrants who are labeled criminals by Trump. I have spoken out for them and all of us on X and substack, we need peaceful protests.

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WeThePeople's avatar

The Anne Frank analogy is an accurate one. I had the opportunity to visit Amsterdam and to tour Frank House; to think someone hid in that small space for two years is astonishing. Thank you Michael for writing this! I encourage everyone: artists, writers, musicians, and activists to continue speaking out LOUDLY in your chosen medium, lest we see a repeat of this shameful past..

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Sandra MH's avatar

Ethnic cleansing is Putins goal in Ukraine aside from the land and recreating the Russian Empire. He has targeted cultural buildings, and occupied areas are forced to speak Russian. Part of the Zelenskyy ambush was the fact that he is Jewish. Anti semitism is alive and well. We could be brewing another Holocaust 😢

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Martha Ture's avatar

My great- aunt and great-uncle survived the camps. I know that what you say is accurate.

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MikeyLikesIt's avatar

To your point, Michael, the actions of this president and his followers runs parallel to Hitler and HIS followers in the late 1930’s! And then I found this:

“We used to wonder how the German people could let one angry little man lead them to ruin. Now we know.”

Donnie the Douchebag and his MAGAt followers are being true to Project 2025 as they want history to repeat itself. We cannot let this happen!! We know what Hitler convinced his followers to do and I know that we must not let tRump get away with any of this!!

During the J6 Select Committee hearings I will never forget the words of Voltaire which Rep. Jamie Raskin so aptly quoted:

“Anyone who can make you believe absurdities,

Can make you commit atrocities.”

This exactly what this evil president is attempting to do and we cannot / will not ever let this happen again!!

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