It’s been quite the summer and too many changes to keep up with the ever growing reality of the Authoritarian playbook being played out in front of our very eyes. The most recent is Kim Reynolds activating the Iowa National Guard to help with the processing of immigrants rounded up and contained by ICE. I don’t know about you, but this is a federal issue not a state issue and the continued used of National military commands to enforce laws in a sovereign state seems to be another power grab. Not to mention in DC having the military get involved with domestic law enforcement. When is it enough for citizens to wake up and see that the immigrants are only the first layer. Why is a 14 year old considered an adult, why do residents of the USA continue to have their rights taken away, and why is due process is a thing of the past? This will affect each and every one of us in the future and then some will be saying, “but I didn’t think it applied to ME!”. Step one in how fascism takes hold of a country.
We’re watching maps get redrawn on a regular basis to fit someone’s narrative. We watch power grabs to continue to get worse. The recent new on the Iowa Regents approval of changes to the academic freedom and treatments of the syllabi on “controversial subjects” left a major piece out of its policy change. The definition of what is “controversial” is missing from their policy change. As part of the article first published on Aug 12 in the Daily Nonpareil, it quoted Regent Robert Cramer as saying “My personal belief is that we don’t want, I wouldn’t – I don’t want any of the DEI, CRT, Woke left stuff, you know, being taught in our classes”. And this is who is making policy changes for our education in Iowa. I have no problem making the facts and alternatives to those facts being policy but what is “controversial” in one person’s eyes, is not in another’s. While this is going on in Iowa, Trump is moving toward getting rid of “controversial” history in the Smithsonian in an effort to get ready for the 250’th anniversary of the United States. I guess nothing says celebration like wiping out the history of a country that someone doesn’t like.
The list of atrocities we witness or read about every day is making us numb to everything but don’t let that happen. We need to stay awake, alert, and land on our feet every single day. Get out there, read, speak up, disobey, resist, and keep active because YOU are next!