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In the Spring of 2016 an 8th grade student in my English class showed me a Venn diagram she’d made ON HER OWN showing the intersection of not-yet-45 and Hitler. A 13 year old could see it even then! How so many refuse to see it constantly baffles me!

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Ha! I know, brother. I hesitated but then I thought what would Santa do?

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I HIGHLY recommend Rachel's podcast, "Ultra". PREQUEL fills in lots of information she couldn't include, and together they present an enlightening window on American history. No one on television connects history dots as well as she does, and then expounds upon the news.

https://www.rachelmaddow.com/rachel-maddow-presents-ultra/

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So true. She’s a reliable impressive compelling storyteller.

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Thank you for using your voice and platform to shout what’s happening!

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The truth! Just in time for the holidays!

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David ... your precise views are so correct! And yes, please! Everyone! DO pay attention to Rachel Maddow. She is my hero journalist ... 'been there and done that, so I do understand! Her research is meticulous and absolute, her mission to find and compare truth is incomparable, and her dedication to the foundations of a free press is beyond all others. --- George Washington's belief in a free press "for the information and protection" of citizens ... then citizens of a new country ... has never been more important than it is today ... right NOW! If you don't read anything else, read "Washington's Farewell" (John Avlon), written by a contemporary journalist to explain that Washington "knew whereof he spoke" and who actually faced similar problems of our "today" as the first president of this, our 'Self-Governing Republic.' Don't just 'preach to the choir.' Get up on your feet and act.

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I'm grateful for your persistent ringing of the alarm warning anyone who can hear of the reemerging of American fascism. Thanks David.

Hitler, hating himself, eventually killed himself. But in the meantime he took his hatred out on the Jewish people calling them vermin, carriers of disease and people who need to be exterminated or removed. He blamed Jews for all that was wrong.

America's first fascist president, Donald J. Trump, from the day he cruised down his escalator to the applause of paid actors June, 2015, has referred to people from Mexico, Central and South America in virtually identical terms. He referred to Haiti and African nations as "shithole" countries. And we should not forget that he wondered outloud where the migrants from Norway were.

Bigotry of any kind must be confronted and seen as anti-democratic. Thanks again for ringing the alarm of bigotry and it's brother: fascism.

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Also want to note that Hitler also was inspired by the Deportation of Bisbee, aka using cattle cars to transport undesirables, and the genocide of the Manifest Destiny. His whole reason for attacking Poland and then the USSR was to wipe out the entire population - not just the Jews - for Germans to expand their nation into a "frontier" of Lebensraum =living space).

We have been a horrible example as well as a beacon. Let's choose the light more often in the future.

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Thanks for that insight I was unaware of! Makes dreadful sense.

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Thank you!

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Prequel is such an excellent book, and a reminder of how one or more persons stood against the fascists in our midsts at great peril to themselves. Fitzsimmons, thanks so much for being an alarmists with humor!

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Your courage and clarity are so appreciated. This opinion piece is really important!

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Sinclair Lewis, “It Can’t Happen Here”. written in 1935. It follows an American politician, Buzz Windrip, who rises to power to become our country’s first outright dictator. Very scary.

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I recently read “It Can’t Happen Here” by Lewis and I was frightened by the very thought of it happening here and now. Say it’s not true!

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I love you, David Fitzsimmons! You and Rachel are so important right now. The more of you two the better chance we have of ridding ourselves of the MAGA poison infiltrating our society.

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Can I suggest you also subscribe to robertreich@substack.com

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Robert Reich is anothe excellent writer and supporter of democracy for all of us.

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Thank you, Fitz, as always! It’s just a damn shame you even have to write this! I never thought I would see this in America. Growing up in the east coast, we all regarded DJT as a criminal. This and that, always in the news for stiffing contractors, stepping out on wives, among so many other things and YET, he became Pres. I awoke here in the lovely desert at 1am that after-election morning, turned on the news and was honestly, nauseated when I heard. How could this happen?

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Perfectly said! I have been saying this for years as well and have been called an alarmist. Maddow is a genius. How can we be hopeful? I fight the darkness daily.

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