Authoritarianism in the 2020s

[pErvinalia]

Hamas is definitely a problem. But Islam isn't necessarily. There's plenty of Muslims who live in peace.

[L'Emmerdeur]

Some giddy Trumpist dweeb in the Department of Homeland Security public relations crew has come up with a 'clever' taunt. It's directed at anybody who objects to their jackbooted fun and games with the life of Albrego Garcia (latest is that they want to deport him to Uganda). The Trumpists have long expressed disgust at the media trope of describing him as a 'Maryland man.'

Uganda Man.

Non-X link to tweet.

[L'Emmerdeur]

No doubt I've mentioned it before and I don't think I'm the only one to say this, but when they first created the 'Department of Homeland Security' in 2002 shortly after the USA PATRIOT (we have to just trust the government to protect us from terrorists even if it means infringing on rights and liberties) Act, the name struck me as having an authoritarian resonance. Homeland echoes Fatherland, surely a coincidence. As a governmental department it's really coming into its own with this administration.

[Brian Peacock]

[Tero]

Tik Tok sold to US fat cats. GOP owners now ban mention of Epstein.

[Brian Peacock]

...and criticism of, or unfavourable content about ICE.

If the Trump Cartel is providing you with #OUTRAGE you can share, then I fear there's far far more shareable #OUTRAGE to come.

The current US administration is clearly building a narrative around an enemy, and by this they're creating the enemy they need. The political function of that enemy is to be something that can be defeated -- rendering the administration relevant, righteous, and powerful, at least in its own mind -- thus the existence of the enemy will act as justification for its own destruction.

The question everyone in the US needs to think about is: "When will the administration decide if I'm their friend or their enemy?" And if people don't want to be assigned to the box marked 'enemy of the state' what are they going to do about it? Keep quiet and play along, or stand up for their communities and themselves?

In other words, by its actions the Trump Cartel is making everyone in the US decide if you're their friend or foe, and the tool they're using to force that decision from the public is govt violence against its own citizens.

[Svartalf]

which is funny, because such contents is perfectly legal, unlike vids showing AI versions of various influencers, made without their knowledge or consent, and used to shill verious snake oil products... but those "are not contrary to tik tok terms", or so the influencers who protested were told.