In his work, published in several volumes in 1905/1906, George Santayana, the Spanish born American philosopher/historian, famously proclaimed, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.

            These words have been used since then to emphasize the importance of knowing history and applying the lessons learned to events as they transpire today.  But many in positions of power and influence in our 21st century show much ignorance of what happened in the past, therefore making sure that mistakes made are repeated in our national life and in our political discourse.

            Since Donald Trump became President in 2017, those determined to oust him from office have leveled many accusations against him.  Especially recently, many on the far left (and some not so far) have attacked the Trump as “Hitler” or his policies as “Nazi” policies.  It seems that to demonize the President, this attempt to equate him with one of the most despised figures in all history, and his policies as repugnant as was the Nazi Party stances in the 1930s and 1940s. 

            Of course, no true reading of history can make a case for Trump and his followers being the equivalent of the most reviled person and party.  But by so accusing them of this, the opposition party seems to think it will help them in the November election.

            But Chris Talgo, an editor with the Heartland Institute, in an article he wrote which was posted on the website Townhall, makes the argument that in at least seven instances the left, and increasingly the Democrat Party, are mirroring the history of the rise of Nazism.  This article makes for a fascinating read, and I will not try to flesh out his entire argument here.  But I will give a short synopsis of what he wrote and hope you will access the entire post to read for yourselves.  

            Jesus said, in His sermon on the mount, “2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”  (Matthew 7:2)  Perhaps the left and the Dems condemn themselves as they have forgotten the past and not applied it to their own policies and actions.

            Mr. Talgo had these historical comparisons.  1)  Nazis used the ‘Brown shirts’ to foment civil discontent through riots and destruction.  What are the Antifa thugs and BLM doing today?

2)  The Nazis used their form of  “cancel culture” to denigrate art by book burnings and destroying what they called degenerate art.  Pulling down statues of historical figures and claiming those who built our nation are to be “canceled” for perceived social sins has been going on for some time now.  3)  Class envy was also a part of Nazi culture, aimed at the “Junker” class of the Prussians.  This is eerily similar to those who take the evil “1 percent” of today’s economy and blaming them for the economical inequality that pervades America.

            4)  Racial division was a tactic used by the Nazis.  All know this; the Jews, gypsies and blacks were demonized (see the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin).  Hasn’t this happened here as groups like Black Lives Matters made racial relations worse?  

            Identity politics and attacks on the morals and actions of their opponents were part of the Nazi game plan, and the far Left and Democrat politicians play the same game today.  Rounding out Talgo’s argument is the “big lie”, from Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels’ claim that “If you repeat a lie often enough it becomes accepted as truth”.  One example of that today is the often debunked lie about Trump’s statement about the Charlottesville rally and what he said and today’s refuted claim about what he said about our military dead in WW1.

            Just a cursory look at history shows how, instead of Trump and supporters being like Hitler and the Nazis, the Far Left and the Democrats are much closer to mirroring what happened in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s.  Remember Jesus’ words the next time some wild accusation is made against the President and his supporters:  what you charge may well be what you are.