Doug's Darkworld

In a follow up to yesterday’s post about Election 2020 Truthers, I read a great article on a similar historical event, where the majority of the German people came to believe Germany didn’t lose World War One! Oh no, a secret cabal of German Jews and leftists sold out Germany!  And I’m sure some still believe it. No, Germany soundly lost World War One, Germany was starving, her allies had surrendered, the fortified German Hindenburg Line had been broken, and countless ships full of American troops and supplies were making the Allies stronger every day. It was an utterly hopeless situation, continuing the war would have just wreaked terrible destruction on the German people and Germany itself.

And as I learned, when the Allies presented the Treaty of Versailles to the Germans, it was so horribly unfair to Germany that Germany’s government contacted the head of the army and asked if there was any way Germany could continue the war? It really was a bad treaty, many at the time said the Treaty of Versailles would cause the next war. “No, no there wasn’t” was the answer. In any event the sad result of all this was a Germany believing horrible nonsense, and along came a man to exploit it to the hilt. As the article does point out, Trump isn’t Hitler, that’s not the point. Anyhow, good read: 1918 Germany Has a Warning for America.

I have no idea what the result of Republicans en masse believing the election was stolen will be. Usually these mass crazinesses fade out without much long term damage. Still, thinking about it, a lot of them in recent decades have eroded people’s trust in government, science, and public institutions. Trutherism reduced faith in government for sure, imagine thinking your government would murder thousands of Americans. Birtherism obviously eroded faith in government. The anti-vaxxers, yeah, good job folks, erode trust in modern medical science, one of civilization’s greatest accomplishments. There are more. And now Trump has destroyed faith in the electoral system. Granted the Dems didn’t help with their widely believed fantasy about Russia somehow getting Trump elected. Not really the same thing though.

On Sunday Trump on Fox News repeated his whole list of voter fraud, minus any evidence. Today, Monday, the last two of the six states Trump contested, Wisconsin and Arizona, certified Biden’s win. Trump’s flood of legal challenges all have come to naught, often with Republican, even Trump appointed, officials ruling against him. Trump now claims the Justice Department and the FBI are in on the conspiracy. OK then. 2020’s last gift, Trump has unmoored his flock from reality. And the social contract as well:

“At a minimum, for half the population, Trump has successfully redefined liberty and freedom as doing whatever the fuck YOU want to do with no regard for the consequences to others.  Or as the Trumpies like to sloganize: Fuck Your Feelings.”    — Coop Scoop Nov 30:  Our Own American Perón Edition

Pretty much. I still think fun times are ahead. Yes I was being facetious, there’s going to be little fun this winter. Covid-19 continues to explode, and it’s safe to say this winter will be the worst mass death winter in US history. Our hongerwinter is upon us. Pestwinter in our case. That might have some impact on unfolding events, nu? Thank you Mr Trump for that as well. Stay safe and sane everyone. #StaytheFHome #WearaDamnMask #Dolchstosslegende

Copyright © 2020 Doug Stych. All rights reserved

(Image: A field, public domain from Snappygoat. Dunno where the trail goes from here, who knows what’s around the next bend?)