The new "loyalty test" from the White House

[kentuck]

It is whether or not you choose to wear a mask?

Everybody knows that Donald Trump does not support the wearing of masks as a preventative for the coronavirus. He has publicly stated so.

When he sees the protestors in the street huddled together, without masks, he knows those are "his" people. When he sees VP Pence go into the Mayo Clinic and not wear a mask, he knows why he is not wearing one? When he gathers groups around him in the White House, he knows they don't wear masks because they support him.

When he calls over 20 Congressmen for a meeting and none of them wear a mask, he knows they are loyal to him.

These people are willing to put their health, perhaps their lives, at risk to stay on the good side of their Leader.

Is it really that different from the oath that Hitler required of his Reichswehr in 1934: “I swear to God this holy oath, that I will offer unconditional obedience to the Führer of the German Reich and People, Adolf Hitler, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and that I am prepared as a brave soldier, to lay down my life at any time for this oath.”

[CincyDem]

1. He's finally found his version of hitler's yellow star. n/t

[machoneman]

22. Not exactly true. The blood oath example given is this thread...

...is spot-on, as the Brits woudl say.

It was a Hitlerite sworn statement his followers had to verbally give to swear fealty to him. One could also say the the swastika symbol on the brassard worn on the upper arm sleeve was the visibile reminder, like Republiscums not wearing a mask, of fealty Third Reich and Hitler.

The yellow and other colored stars marked one for, ultimately, execution.

[keithbvadu2]

27. Yep

Oath of Allegiance - Pre and post 1934
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-fuehrer-oath

(before August 2, 1934)
"I swear by almighty God this sacred oath:
I will at all times loyally and honestly
serve my people and country
and, as a brave soldier,
I will be ready at any time
to stake my life for this oath."

The Fuehrer Oath
(effective August 2, 1934)
"I swear by almighty God this sacred oath:
I will render unconditional obedience
to the Fuehrer of the German Reich and people, Adolf Hitler,
Supreme Commander of the Wehrmacht,
and, as a brave soldier,
I will be ready at any time
to stake my life for this oath."

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

2. Are you willing to die for me?...nt.

[LastDemocratInSC]

3. Right wingers are "the ones they always warned us about."

Always so vocal about tyrants, and ready to rise up to save the nation if a tyrant emerges. And now that we have one who is doing genuine harm to our citizens and laws they are stumbling over each other to kiss his ring and adore him.

So, to answer your question, it's no different from what happened in 1934.

[2naSalit]

6. +1

[rickyhall]

20. Same for Christians who support him.

They've always talked about "the Anti-Christ" then swear allegiance to one.

[CaptYossarian]

23. What Christians?

Actions speak louder than words. These goobers are anything but Christlike.

I could say I'm from Mars. That doesn't make me a Martian through mere words.

[Evolve Dammit]

4. Domestic terrorists at this point.

[UpInArms]

5. Showing or having intelligence is disloyal

to an emperor without clothes.

[2naSalit]

7. +1

[lagomorph777]

14. Truth is the enemy.

[AirmensMom]

8. I don't think it's that.

Well, maybe some of it is. My daughter, who is not a Trumper, said yesterday that the whole coronavirus is "survival of the fittest," much ado about nothing, etc. They all apparently think they're too fit to die from it. The irony is that most of the people who spout that lie are about as far from fit as one can be.

Oh, and I'm feeling a bit sick this morning even though I haven't been anywhere. Cold, flu, or COVID-19, it was a gift from a family member.

[yardwork]

17. There is a left-wing version of COVID misinformation.

There is a subculture of anti-vax, anti-science, left-wing, conspiracy-theory fueled "don't tell me what to do" woo-woo thinking that is making the rounds among young people and lefties on the internet.

It's basically the same message, but the propaganda has been tweaked to appeal to the left.

[AirmensMom]

25. That's horrifying.

I'm wondering if any of this will change when more people lose friends and relatives.

I told my daughter that we are handling it worse than any other country and have 1/3 of the cases in the world. She told me to move somewhere else then. I give up.

[yardwork]

29. There is a lot of disinformation being promoted.

The overall goal is to influence enough people to keep Trump in the White House.

I hope you feel better.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Friendly Fascism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_Fascism_(book)

Prophetic. Heard a lecture by Prof. Gross once. But in 1980s the book was a yawn.

[Timmygoat]

10. As much as I cannot stand Trump

You have to agree that VP Pence is a big lump of NOTHING, he sickens me every time he talks saying how great Trump is and how he agrees with him. I think he keeps his job by licking Trump's shoes every day.

Also, for someone who pretends to be so goody goody and respectful of his wife, how do you think he feels about Trump's womanizing and hanging out with women and then keeping them quiet by giving them money.

[Chainfire]

28. A man hears what he wants to hear and he disregards the rest.

Pence is a religious fanatic so he is not bound by the same standards as the rest of us. To accept religion is to surrender you logic at the alter. Pence is apparently very good at the concept.

Of course, I could be wrong, and Pence is just willing to sacrifice his dignity to remain in the public spotlight.

[kacekwl]

11. I'm still befuddled that other than the most spineless,

ignorant person with absolutely no self esteem would fear, respect or whatever it is to follow this clown over a cliff. What causes a person to sink so low ?

[FakeNoose]

12. Masks have been missing on the Dem Governors as well

Andrew Cuomo, Tom Wolf, JB Pritzger and others have appeared on television and internet news interviews without masks. Also most of the Congressional and Senate members (with a few notable exceptions) have been interviewed without facemasks. I think this is more vanity than anything else.

As for the loyalty of Chump's White House and administration officials, the willful blindness is always there whether the masks are on or off. He has face-to-face meetings with unmasked people because he probably doesn't recognize them with their masks on.

[lagomorph777]

16. I don't know about the others, but Cuomo appears to be distancing.

[Cosmocat]

18. IDK

IMO, in controlled settings meant for public consumption, specifically the press conferences, you set them them up to have ample space and allow the people speaking to not wear masks while speaking on camera.

Just way too off putting to have someone speaking to a camera with a mask on.

The issue is how are they are behaving off camera, specifically in their work settings and even more so when they go into public.

[Trueblue Texan]

13. Oh...that can only be a good thing for the nation!

I hope they are ALL loyalists! Especially the Covid positive ones! Delightful!

[gordianot]

15. They will have to pry my mask from my cold dead face.

[vlyons]

19. Divine consciousness in man can be asleep

nt

[Laura PourMeADrink]

21. So sad and so true Kentuck. What amazes me is that in all

The staff, all the advisors, all the agency workers, there aren't dozens upon dozens speaking out. They should organize sub-rosa and meet on the same day with McConnell, Pelosi, Schumer, and John Roberts.

[randr]

24. Best thing in all is that

when I go to the grocery stores the majority of people are protected/protecting. The people without masks look naked.

[D23MIURG23]

26. Excellent.

This is exactly as it should be. If they don't believe in covid let them put their money where their mouths are and get it.