I’ve been reading Margaret Attwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and her follow-up The Testaments (now of course, a four-part series on Hulu), largely to understand both the conditions and the thinking that need to occur for a totalitarian government to take hold of a liberal democracy.
The most interesting thing about the Handmaid’s far-right Old Testament-thumping Sons of Jacob, who stage a coup, assassinate the entire US government, and transform most of America into Gilead, Attwood’s imagined puritanical country, is that they are infused with a moral imperative to ‘protect’ America, essentially to save it from what it has become.
They want to deliver us from our moral degeneracy, from a dangerously plummeting birth rate, from the detritus of modern society: toxic chemicals, nuclear fall-out, toxic waste.
You could even argue that their system of creating a hierarchy of enslaved women was carried out, bizarrely enough, ostensibly to ‘protect’ women – from the lascivious dangers of men and even more, to the Sons’ collective mind, from the polluting dangers of ideas.
So the bottom line is that the justifying principle behind their entire fascistic structure was, to their minds, the perfectly laudable desire to keep the population safe.
And that’s true of virtually all fascist organizations. Create a bogey man and then impose the restrictive structures, all in the name of protecting the population.
Hitler rose to power on this promise, to restore the greatness of Germany, to save it from poverty and what he fervently believed was the cause of its downfall: Jews, Catholics, homosexuals and other ‘deviants.’
It could never happen here, you say.
And it’s true – all-out coup d’etats that kill democracy in a stroke are pretty rare these days. In 1973, you had Augusto Pinochet’s coup in Chile, where the takeover (purportedly aided by the US) was overt: tanks parade the streets, the presidential palace is bombed and burnt, President Salvador Allende dies, the constitution is suspended, any dissenters eliminated.
Boom, job done.
Today, the process is much more insidious: a democracy dies a leisurely death, carried out by elected officials, all in the name of our best interests, some imagined democratic ideal. We still vote, our constitution and democratic structures remain intact, but one by one, the freedoms we have taken for granted subtly disappear.
It could never happen here.
Just ponder what most Western governments are doing in the name of keeping us ‘safe’ from our current bogey man: Covid.
I live here in the UK, so I can be most specific about examples here. But it is happening everywhere in the West, including America.
- Severe and indefinite suspension of free movement.
Most Western countries carried out lockdowns, shutting businesses for months, causing economic calamity and prohibiting free movement of people. The UK has only been fully opened five of the last 16 months.
- Suspension of democratic government
During the first wave of Covid, the UK Parliament voted in a Coronavirus Act, and then relied on other legislation (the Civil Contingencies Act 2004), giving the current UK government powers usually reserved for time of war: the right to create regulations without Parliamentary debate or assent and without complying with statutory duties that it would normally have to comply with and enabling it to take actions that it would not normally be allowed to take, such as restricting or prohibiting events or gatherings and closing businesses, schools and universities.
The UK government has a free rein, essentially, to do what it likes in the name of Covid.
- Suspension of dissent and free speech
In the UK, Ofcom, short for the Office of Communications, is a government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries.
Ofcom’s job is to ensure that the Broadcasting Code is upheld, so that, for instance, content inappropriate for children should not be broadcast between certain hours. It is not supposed to censor content that does not agree with government policy.
Nevertheless, when Covid struck, Ofcom sent an advisory to all broadcasting stations about Covid, informing all broadcasters of the ‘significant potential harm that can be caused by material relating to the Coronavirus,’ including health claims related to the virus which may be harmful; medical advice which may be harmful; or ‘accuracy or material misleadingness in programs in relation to the virus or public policy regarding it.’
It goes on: ‘Ofcom will consider any breach arising from harmful Coronavirus-related programming to be potentially serious and will consider taking appropriate regulatory action, which could include the imposition of a statutory sanction.’
This means that a government agency is determining what is true and what is not true about what that same government is saying about Covid and threatening to apply sanctions to any broadcaster not toeing the party line.
For the public, Ofcom has taken upon itself to offer a separate page on its website for the public where it focuses on ‘debunking common misconceptions or harmful claims about the coronavirus’ so that we can all ‘share’ information responsibly.
- Force private companies to censor dissenting voices
President Joe Biden has prevailed upon social media companies to determine what is true and what is fake news about Covid and police it accordingly. Alphabet Inc.’s Google has now announced that its YouTube video service henceforth label health videos with information on how authoritative the source is. Twitter promises to ‘take enforcement action on content that violates our Covid-19 misleading information policy.’
Sounds like a good thing to do, right? Get rid of fake news? However, in every instance, the US government is essentially determining what is true or fake news and strong-arming Big Tech to eliminate any dissenting content that dissents from the government program on Covid.
- Governmental control over and knowledge of an individual’s everyday activities
Many governments have begun to enforce vaccine passports for travel or even for free movement to restaurants, bars/pubs, theaters and large events. New York, that bastion of liberalism, is trialing vaccine passports.
As the Spectator wrote: ‘Once an electronic ID is established as part of everyday life, there will be no getting rid of it. These products will be pushed relentlessly, obliging us to prove our health (perhaps flu jab) status, creditworthiness, our lack (or otherwise) of criminal convictions and many things besides.”
I am NOT arguing that Covid isn’t a nasty and dangerous virus and the vulnerable should not be protected. I am not anti-vaxx. What I’m arguing is that, ostensibly in the name of keeping people safe, we are demolishing every last pillar of liberal democracy.
As Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, professors of government at Harvard University, wrote in their book How Democracies Die, “This is how elected autocrats subvert democracy – packing and ‘weaponizing’ the courts and other neutral agencies, buying off the media and the private sector (or bullying them into silence) and rewriting the rules of politics to tilt the playing field against opponents. The tragic paradox of the electoral route to authoritarianism is that democracy’s assassins use the very institutions of democracy – gradually, subtly, and even legally – to kill it.”
It could never happen here.
To an alarming degree, it already has.
I am not afraid of Covid. I am afraid of what, in the name of Covid, we are doing to ourselves.
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when one understands the " global agenda" being orchestrated ( and having been planned for decades.. do the research!~) , one begins to see how this has all come about , using "covid" and the "vaccine" ( which is not a vaccine and is a trial genetic experiment. again, do the research~!). this is indeed planned genocide by the global elite. the next few years will determine our future and we are the only ones who can change the course of human events... by saying no to the jab and to the control that is being placed on the global population. the mortality rate of "covid" is less than 1% and under no circumstances is the "vaccine" necessary or acceptable. statistics and testing have been altered to support the "vaccine" and the mainstream media is indeed a willing participant in the lies and deception that is rampant across the globe. we are being lied to~!
it requires an open mind and the willingness to do the homework... to research the data and facts documented by hundreds of scientists, virologists, doctors, epidemiologists and accredited researchers to support the "real truth" ..... yes, we are being lied to~!
prayers, love and light to all who are brave enough to go up against the narrative and stand strong in what we know as the truth~
Thank you Lynne for this important blog. Thank you for your work.
Yes, everything you said is true. Joe Biden allowed over 800,000 illegals into America whom many had covid and then covertly flew them in the night all over America.
Now he has a door to door vaccine project that started in North Carolina giving shots and soliciting votes. But he has threatened Cubans if they dare come into the U. S. They will be arrested.
Very satanic thinking.
BUT we have the power through group Intention to eradicate all Coronaviruses and the fear generated by our governments around Covid19. Let’s Do It!
Yes, Lynn, I see and agree with what you are saying here. Those that live via MSM television cannot wrap their heads around anything other than what the government tells them. It's like it's their loving and caring daddy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The hypnosis is working. So many jabbed twice and still scared to leave their homes without masks and afraid to be near others. Wearing masks in cars. Pam Popper reported that the pediatricians are strongly recommending masks for all children, as young as 2 years old. The criminal behaviour is rampant on this side of the border too. So many provinces just coming out of lock down. Provincial health officials on film showing they are just well paid puppets of the state. The Chief Medical Officer, T.Tam, in contempt of parliament, along with the prime minister, for not revealing the Winnipeg lab documents. Prime Minister greatly admires China. Training Chinese military on Canadian soil. It's a horrid mess. Thanks for this platform. Took myself off FB as it was becoming very censorious. Found out that they decide whatever you post goes on your page to share with 'friends' or not. Big tech, big daddy. When they start punishing us for speaking our minds in private emails and platforms like this we will be deep in their clutches. If only more folk had the eyes to see and the ears to hear , it would pull us out of this dystopian nightmare
Thank you, Lynne, for this most important article. It needs to be widely read.
Absolutely! Likewise I’m no anti vaxxer and am watching with horror as our Government gradually erodes our freedom as you say ‘in the name of covid’. We need truth, facts, and healthy debate, not fear driven censorship and propaganda. Covid is indeed a nasty virus there’s no denying but the sheer incompetence of our Government and their lack of connection with the natural world I find shocking. Thankfully many are are waking up. Many who are not conspiracy theorists, anti vaxxers or ‘weirdos’ as portrayed in the media. I’m as of yet unvaccinated. Wondering if Lynne is…
Thank you for this blog post. I am deeply disturbed by the many restrictions in the US right now on the unvaccinated, as well as the demonization of those who value alternative/natural medicine and don't want the vaccine. The government and media lump everyone who doesn't want the vaccine into the "far right extremist" category, even those who have voted Democratic for most of their lives!
Thank you for this excellent article. I appreciate you.
Great great article. So many are sheep that follow what the media & government tell them. Those who speak up are banned from their jobs, the media, social events & even family & friends. I was just uninvited to a wedding since I’m not vaccinated. It’s getting scary. George Orwell!
I believe we are all Children of God, made in God's own image and likeness.
When I'm trying to speak of God I mean: my Higher Power. Devine Love and Light. Omnipotence, Omnipresence and Omniscience.
All that is. God is all there is etc.. I believe: we are only here for God
and the whole universe or / and all the "Heavenly Hosts" are here for me. (And each and every one).
I feel that " God's got my back" ... so to speak. I feel connected to my true Identity. I feel aligned with my father mother God, so to speak. So, it is from this safe and personally empowered perspective that I choose to go about my daily life joyfully peacefully, responsibly; taking the steps I need to seek/ maintain my health and well-being , that of my loved ones as
well as those around me.
Also, I choose to look at the perpetration of those, what I
choose to call, 'egotistical tantrums' as the flailing of a chicken with it's cut off .
I know, I know that flailing chicken seems to be like the energizer bunny; that people, programs, life in general is adversely affected by it's bloody splashing and dirty scratching.
I am humbly seeking:
To learn to control my thoughts.
To remain objective, don't engage in intense debate,
To check out reliable sources for information rather than following the news on radio on TV.
To improve my relationship with electronics.
To
According to the 80/20 rule you only need 20% of the people to provide 80% of the action so we do not need to wake up everybody which we clearly can't but it may be possible to utilize the power of intention with positive visualization to swing things back and eradicate the fear. We see corruption everywhere but we still outnumber the bad guys and the potential must exist to tip things up and create a better world somehow without violence. Wouldn't that be great?
If we are to believe that we have the power to create our future it must be time that we got on with it!
Any other ideas out there?
Thankyou for speaking truth Lynne. The truth is so dark that most people cannot bear to see what is happening, but prefer to believe all the lies we are being fed, and to receive toxic injections.
Sadly, many people innocently trust others to think for them. We have all been trained this way. Thankfully you have the presence of mind to retain your mental sovereignty. Also, the media and other influencers continue to drive dissection among all their followers. I believe it is up to those of us who work to keep our minds under our own control, beyond these harmful influences, to support a quality of life and community instead of destroy it. Continue keeping your mind clear and offer compassion instead. It sounds to me that you have the inner power to do this.
Sad that you weren’t able to attend the wedding. The real loss is that of the bride and groom.
unfortunately most people are living in fear because of the lies they have been told by main stream media. people cannot think properly when they live in fear it is the mind killer I am surprised how many intelligent people have not done any research for them selves believing in this propaganda.
I suspect mass intention may be the only way, we cannot fight them (they have the guns etc) and its useless to petition them our politicians as they have been bought, corrupted or coerced. we live in a world wide Kakistocracy ( a system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens. The word was coined as early as the seventeenth century.) live in love not fear, we must all join together as one. it is very late in the day so we must do something as one. I know I probably sound like conspiracy theorist to you all. we have been told to reject these kinds of thoughts as being crazy. please do some searching for yourselves, seek out he alternate voices. we really do need to have a unity of intention
This is so disappointing to me. It's very disturbing, because it just put you in the position of being a political figure. Unfortunately, a right-wing political figure. While I understand what you may be trying to say, it's simplistic and gives life to a dangerous viewpoint based on extremely partisan positions. At least in the United States, there is a large minority of people who have bought into the fear-mongering victimhood being pushed by the extreme right - a REAL threat that tried to take over the government during an attack on our Capitol in January.
You speak of rights being taken away because of vaccines being encouraged, and shutdowns occurring. Nowhere in this country are vaccines being forcibly given. And how selfish must we be to see wearing masks as unreasonable during a pandemic? The lack of concern for those most vulnerable is jaw-dropping. People actually compare being asked to wear a mask to being a Jew during the Holocaust being forced to wear a yellow star. It's out of control, and you're giving these twisted views new life, and validating extreme far-right beliefs. You're encouraging and perpetuating the very authoritarianism you say you're concerned about.
In the U.S. some people are furious about wearing masks. But they have no problem severely restricting the voting rights of citizens. Some scream about vaccines and "It's my body!", but then support laws which would force a woman to have a baby against her will. We are seeing textbooks and school curriculum being whitewashed to keep our children from learning true history, and only teach them what the local government approves of. Some are horrified that an individual's rights are being taken away, but those same people had no problem when thousands of children, even infants, were taken from their parents at the border, with no plan for reuniting them. The hypocrisy is staggering. I don't know what is happening in England, but times are very divided and heated in the U.S. right now. We finally rejected the wannabe dictator who actually made it to the presidency of this country. And in four years a lot of damage was done. Now those supporting that form of authoritarianism are determined to take back power. It's a frightening time. Even the comments here display false, paranoid information. It's amazing what people will believe. And your writing only encourages it.
Dear Lynne,
Isn't it a gross exaggeration to equate measures to stop corona with the breakdown of democracy?
Where that really happens are countries like Poland and Hungary.
And another question: how should governments have handled the covid pandemic, if you don't agree with the average approach in European countries and the US?
It is truly amazing what some people will believe. "Nowhere in this country are vaccines being forcibly given," you state referring to the US. Well, I live in the US and what would you call it when people are told they will lose their job or will not be allowed to return to college or school unless they get vaccinated? And what would you call denying entry to a restaurant, gym, hair salon, etc., to the unvaccinated? I would call it coercion (a form of force) and segregation, something that should be abhorrent to anyone who values human and civil rights. And on this I can speak (regarding segregation) as my parents and grandparents lived through it as black people in the South. I grew up hearing the stories of how they were denied services at diners or hotels, even at hospitals because of their skin color. Yet, here we again, only this time it's happening to those who are choosing not to be vaccinated (many of whom by the way are black, and not because we don't have access, but because we'd rather wait and see what the long-term ramifications/side effects are of these new drugs. To think there are none is naïve.) And so-called, free-minded people are advocating for it in the name of public health. By the way, you note that the comparison to the Hitler and the Jews is inappropriate, but it isn't really, if you do a bit of research. The way he and his minions were so easily able to convince other Germans to target the Jewish people was by blaming them for the Typhus outbreak that had occurred during that time. German physicians published essays calling for the isolation of Jews as a matter of public health.
And as for the divide that seems to be ever growing in the US, have you even considered the possibility that it is manufactured by a media, politicians, and wealthy elitists who profit from keeping people divided--right vs. left, black vs. white, gay vs. straight, etc.--to keep our attention off their corrupt and subversive deeds?
I think Lynne's article is much needed to help awaken those who want to and choose to be awakened to the truth of what is really happening around the world, that there is a small group of people who want to abolish democracy in all forms because they want to seize control over the masses to create their idea of utopia and are willing to use whatever means or crisis available to achieve their aims--individual rights and sovereignty, which belong to us by nature, be damned. Sadly, there are far too many who will choose to remain asleep.
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