I've reported on war for years. I'm more afraid now than I've ever been.

[turbinetree]

Carmen Gentile

Angry and armed protesters shout down authorities and call for the imprisonment of a democratically elected leader.

In a neighboring state, another irate gathering is marching on a capitol and demanding change, or else.

I’ve seen episodes like these while reporting on conflict and unrest in Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, and elsewhere.

But I never expect to see it in Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky, like we have in recent days. Protesters furious with the shutdown orders and social distancing, some waving Trump flags and others bearing swastikas.

For years I kept one eye on the hysteria and extremism that’s been brewing in America while I covered atrocities half a world away.

https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2020/04/20/ive-reported-on-war-for-years-im-more-afraid-now-than-ive-ever-been/

-snip-

Nowadays, I’m afraid that America's demise, (not to mention my own), will be slow, agonizing and too much to bear.

The last four-plus years of U.S. happenings have been fraught with the kind of anti-intellectualism and hatred of “outsiders” I’ve seen peddled by inept, tinpot dictators the world over and those with cruel acumen to sustain their tyrannical rules.


Carmen Gentile is a longtime conflict reporter and author of “Blindsided by the Taliban,” the story of his injury in Afghanistan, recovery and return to front line reporting.

[Solly Mack]

1. The disease is scary enough. Factor in Trump and his

followers - terrifying. A triple threat, with each able to feed off the others.

The very fact that Trump is at the helm increases my fears tenfold.

[roamer65]

2. Time for the National Guards to enforce the stay at home orders.

[Amishman]

9. would they do it? Police are refusing to enforce in many areas

and military (even if it is National Guard) seem to lean even further right.

[roamer65]

10. They will follow orders.

Break up the illegal “protests”.

These are illegal gatherings. What they are doing in MI is punishable by a $1000 fine.

https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2020/04/03/violating-michigans-stay-at-home-order-is-now-a-1000-fine

[redstatebluegirl]

3. The two responses to it at the bottom of the article are pretty bad, both are former military

officers or so their facebook pages say. I will never understand how military people can love this moron.

[pwb]

4. Not scared.

Fake tough beer belly hot doggers.

[njhoneybadger]

5. +1

[Chainfire]

7. If you are not scared

You are not paying sufficient attention to the power behind the actors.

[pwb]

17. You go ahead and be scared.

But don't try and push your fears on others.

[Chainfire]

6. November may seal the fate

of a once great nation. A more accurate name for our country would be the Divided States of America.

Four more years of Fascism may stretch into decades. Even If we win the elections by a small majority the conservatives will not accept the outcome, if they can not win in the courts, which have been stacked, they will take the battle to the streets.

We may be witnessing the beginning of a second civil war triggered by a pandemic. Progressives, intellectuals, and professionals, and minorities, may be in a fight for their very lives. Are you prepared to take on the by Nazis financed by the modern day Krupps? The part of the earth that the meek inherit is 6' x 2'. What will you do when they come for you?


If we continue on our path our nation will be one of the short passages in future history books. We only became a world player after the First World War, and a real powerhouse during the Second World War, so roughly a hundred years. We came to be a world force based on industrial capacity. Now, we have outsourced our production capacity to the point that we can't supply damn paper face masks to doctors without help from the Chinese....Since WWII, we have sat by, fat, lazy, and well entertained, and watched the slow motion destruction of a thriving Representative Democracy. We have sold a great nation on the alter of unfettered greed for the benefit of 2% of the population, and we have been taught to accept it as the way things should be.

Answers to our problems are to be found in the study of history. Perhaps the old saying is correct, "A nation gets the government it deserves."

[volstork]

11. Brilliant.

Thank you.

[ElementaryPenguin]

8. We CANNOT simply ACCEPT another hacked election - if that happens this time!

It will truly be time to hit the streets if Trump has another "miraculous, unforeseen, miracle" of a victory!!!!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Actually ... tRump IS an inept tinpot dictator (wannabe). He's got the inept tinpot part mastered.nt

[bucolic_frolic]

13. MAGAts are ripe for parody

Give them a stadium to congregate, let them breathe. Problem solved.

[hadEnuf]

14. So why are we worried about a bunch of brainwashed morons who are the scum of the earth?

Because they have lots of guns and we don't.

Just sayin'.

[Chakaconcarne]

16. Let all of these fools spread it among themselves

Can't say they weren't warned...

Everyone else looks upon them as the fools they are.

CBS is reporting these rallies are being organized by the gun lobby.

[Mr.Bill]

18. I live in Northern California.

I've lived her since 1961. Most people I know are liberals. Everyone I know has at least one gun, usually several. What we don't own are 50 guns and 100,000 of ammo in our garages. No one will ever have the chance to use more than one or two guns and about 50 rounds of ammo in the average gunfight. Wingnuts who think liberals are unarmed and not willing to fight do so at their own peril.

[Martin Eden]

15. "America's demise"

That is Putin's plan, and Trump is his tool.