Reader opinion: Trump’s day of reckoning is coming

Trump. The very name sounds martial and victorious. Probably why it was changed from Drumph, its not-long-ago immigrant origin. By all accounts father Fred’s apple didn’t fall far; both despicable men who rule by edict and self-delusion. And all such men have followers.

I don’t believe though that the U.S. is akin to or will fall prey to the rise of Nazism, as did Germany in the 1930s and has been posited. Sure, this country has its Nazi-types, hate-mongers, homegrown bigots and bullies, borderline and sometimes over-the-line psychopaths and this is nothing new. If they could have their way, as did Hitler’s followers, they’d carry out mayhem and murder, as did Germany on a massive scale.

But I don’t think the U.S. is ripe for that. We are not Nazi Germany circa 1930 and our history and form of government are quite different.

However I think we’re at a crossroad in this country where the form of government – a democratic republic – is being more seriously challenged that ever in its history (including the Nixon downfall). Anyone who has been awake for the last two years is aware of what I’m talking about.

In that respect I believe there’s a good deal to be worried about. I see the press and other media awakening to this. I see letters and commentary from ordinary people like me expressing similar concerns on social media and just regular conversation. I think more and more people are aware of how slippery is the slope we’re on and that we cannot just be spectators to what may or may not be our fate.

This country has responded to the lures of fascism and the Putins of this world before, and we are not the sheep the con men would have you believe. We are made of sterner stuff. The challenge to thwart this current wannabe dictator is laid before us, but I don’t think he’ll prevail. Too many died in WW II to let that happen here.

The people are wising up and truth like a river is rolling in. But it’s definitely all hands on deck. None of us has the luxury or the option not to get involved. We must all in our way stand up to the bully in his pulpit who would shut us up and shut us down, and like all bullies this one is riddled with fear inside. The truth is his enemy and what he fears the most, and I do believe there will be a day of reckoning.

Will Shonbrun, Boyes Hot Springs