"Prevent Tragedy Before It's Too Late": Read the Statement 1,200 Scholars Just Released About Trump

[mfcorey1]

Concerned by the hateful rhetoric that has accompanied President-elect Donald Trump's transition to the White House, a group of 1,200 historians and other scholars have put out a powerful statement urging Americans to stand guard against civil rights abuses.

"Looking back to history provides copious lessons on what is at stake when we allow hysteria and untruths to trample people's rights," the scholars wrote. "We know the consequences, and it is possible, with vigilance and a clear eye on history, to prevent tragedy before it is too late."

The statement was first created by three associate professors at Northwestern University, Oberlin College, and the University of Kansas who were alarmed about parallels between the current political climate and instances throughout history when Americans' rights have been suspended, like during World War II. They originally planned to collect signatures from a small group of scholars and then publish a letter or an op-ed, says Shana Bernstein of Northwestern, one of the organizers, but interest spread quickly as they reached out to their networks.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/12/1200-historians-statement-civil-rights-under-donald-trump

[SamKnause]

1. Republicans hate scholars and historians.

They like to write their own 'history'.

[PJMcK]

2. Republicans hate

Sorry, SamKnause, but I had to fix the title. (wink)

[SamKnause]

5. ...

[CousinIT]

4. They like to write their own "facts" too. n/t

[Nonhlanhla]

3. Oh, scholars...

Who needs them? After all, they just, you know, like, KNOW stuff...

[BSdetect]

6. Will book burning become a Republican pasttime?

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. Oh you just reminded me of an excellent quote...

that I can only half remember, cannot recall who said it, and can't find it online with what little I remember. But basically it said something to the effect that a generation not reading books at all is an even greater tragedy than book burning. Having a president elect who prides himself on not reading shows us just how true that is!

[bdamomma]

13. well we know that this

stupid man tRump does not read books.

[world wide wally]

8. We (they) can make all the excuses we want for why people voted for Trump, but sooner or later,

we have to just admit that a good half of all Americans are just stupid, bigoted assholes that don't deserve what we have. Americans have been extremely vindictive against each other for the past 30 years and probably longer. We begrudge a poor family getting free food but don't bat an eye at corruption on the scale of Haliburton/Cheney ,or Putin/Trump as they literally steal the planet for their own enrichment.
We vote for the "businessman" who is just a fraudulent salesman over a talented woman who claimed "We are great because we are good", because we are vindictive.
This is one thing Hillary was wrong about.
Don't ever forget what they (we) have done, and yes, don't ever forgive.

[etherealtruth]

9. "They" speicifically voted FOR civil rights abuses ... of "others"

[duffyduff]

10. If this is directed at the Electoral College, they should save their breath.

The more I think of it, the more I believe the WORST IDEA POSSIBLE is the notion of the "Hamilton Electors." They are arrogant little shits who think they have a duty to invalidate the votes of 130 MILLION voters. They have no right to do this.

The people who started this were anti-Clinton assholes. Forget them.

Actually, it is most beneficial from a Democratic Party perspective for the EC to put Trump in. The inevitable will happen. Trump will disintegrate, the GOP will be torn apart, and this will benefit the Democratic Party in future elections.

That is why, folks, the Democrats are being relatively silent about this. The party regulars know way more than we do about strategy.

ETA: I have let the Hamilton Electors website know EXACTLY how I feel about their bullshit organization and their bullshit scheme but in nicer language.

[radical noodle]

12. I do believe the EC changing who they vote for

would lead to that possibility every time. Not to mention the backlash from angry Trump voters who would be out to kill every "libtard" (their word, not mine) in sight.

[gordianot]

11. No prevention tragedy has happened.

[Cha]

14. KICK