Rule No. 1 of politics goes like this: Don’t evaluate anything to Nazi Germany. Just don’t.
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the third-rating Democrat within the Home, broke that rule over the weekend in an interview with Fox Daily News.
Within the interview, Clyburn was pressed on feedback he made final week that the US «is on observe to repeat what occurred in Germany.»
«The information are very clear,» Clyburn mentioned on «Fox News Sunday.» «I’ve studied historical past all of my life. I’ve taught history. And I’m telling you, what I see listed below are parallels to what the history was on this world back within the 1930s in Germany, in Italy.»
Clyburn went on to notice that voting for «election deniers» and «lairs» amounts to supporting the identical kind of buildings that led to the rise of fascist states in Germany and Italy.
Clyburn was additionally asked one other recent comment in which he stated that «losing this democracy very nicely could be the tip of the world.»
«Nobody’s saying the world is ending. Democracy can be ended,» added Clyburn of an election where those who denied the 2020 results wind up profitable. «The world would proceed to exist. The world was right here before Hitler, the world was here after Hitler.»
Which is actually saying one thing.
Pressed again on his «end of the world» comment, Clyburn mentioned he «misspoke.»
Earlier than we go any additional, it’s value noting here that evaluating anything to the Nazi regime, which led to the systemic homicide of more than 6 million Jews, is a mistake. It just is. There is nothing in our current second that suggests we’re wherever near that.
That doesn’t mean, nevertheless, that democracy is just not underneath real risk. It’s. There are people who deny that the 2020 election was free and honest working for top positions in states from Arizona to Michigan to Pennsylvania.
Not all of them will win. However some likely will. And it’s onerous to think about that the identical people who denied the fairness of the 2020 election, with none proof, may not do the identical if the 2024 election doesn’t go their approach.
That represents a serious risk to our means of life. After all, if we can’t accept that our leaders were pretty elected and have faith within the system, it’s very onerous to think about how we will expect anyone to successfully govern.
Which is unhealthy! Very bad! However it’s additionally value remembering that democracy held in 2020 — even while it was below energetic assault from Donald Trump and his minions.
We absolutely must be vigilant in regards to the potential rise of authoritarian politicians who would wipe out issues just like the rule of regulation to further their own political ambitions.
However let’s cease making the Nazi Germany comparability. For all of our sakes.