What will it take for Trump supporters to admit they were duped like Obama supporters before them?
(AP) — One of the most surprising (and disappointing) effects of the Trump presidency has been the shift of certain “independent” and ” alternative” media outlets from truth seekers to establishment supporters.
We have seen several once great outlets become part of the divide and conquer put forth by the powers-that-wish-they-were. It’s been one year of the Trump administration and I think it’s quite clear that any perceived benefits are vastly outweighed by the negative actions of the administration. Some indy and alt outlets saw that Trump was a deceiver from the get go, but others somehow fell prey to the deception. Some have since abandoned the Trump train, picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, and rejoined the fight for liberty.
Now, of course, there are the diehards who will inevitably stick with Trump through his entire presidential career no matter what policy he takes, even when in contradiction with not only his own words, but with the principles previously espoused by these die hard followers. Just as with Obama (and Bush, Clinton, etc. before him) some of the supporters have such a level of cognitive dissonance that they are literally incapable of having a rational discussion without a flood of emotion and panic which shuts down all reason and critical thinking. It’s best to walk away when you recognize this stage.
However, if you are a Trump supporter and you’re still reading this, I’d like to offer four pieces of evidence showing where Trump has displayed authoritarian behavior. Let me preface this by stating that attempts at defending Trump by claiming “he is only carrying on what Obama did”, or, “it’s not his fault”, etc. will be dismissed outright. However, if you have something substantial – a legitimate reason you can put forth for supporting him – I will consider it. I won’t support him by any means (he needs some serious help), but perhaps I’ll have a more full understanding of my fellow human. So here you go…
The Border is Turning Into a Surveillance and Police State
Under the guise of “border security” and “fighting illegal immigration” the Trump administration has granted the Customs and Border Patrol and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement wide ranging powers which violate constitutionally guaranteed protections (and rights that all people should have). The expansion is not about catching illegal immigrants, but establishing a “biometric wall” with facial and retinal scanning for ALL people leaving and entering, armed surveillance towers, automatic license plate readers, and other forms of surveillance.
The Trump administration is already facing lawsuits over their use of secretive handheld devices which gather biometric data from immigrants. In addition, the authorities have already been stealing people’s phones and laptops. This is only going to increase under the rest of Trump’s presidency and it will expand further and further into the mainland United States. Activist Post has previously reported on efforts to monitor social media and establish a “threat assessment” for all visa applicants.
Trump Administration Supports the Deep State
For all the raving about Trump “draining the swamp” and removing the “Deep State” elements from the CIA, FBI, and federal government at large, the Trump administration is actually fighting to save these elements.
For one, Trump was never an anti-establishment candidate. That’s the same BS the media sells every four years. Second, Trump is fighting to save the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts and controversial section 702. According the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Section 702 of FISA “allows the NSA to collect emails, browser history and chat logs of Americans. Section 702 also allows other agencies, like the FBI, to search through that data without a warrant. Those searches are called ‘backdoor searches.’”
Check this article for full details, but suffice to say, the FISA Court is a glaring example of The Deep State. A secret court run by secret judges who interpret the law behind closed doors and who refuse to publicly release their findings or their interpretation. The court is only one of many tools at the hands of The Deep State and the Trump administration is doing its best to allow the program to continue.
Detaining an American Citizen Without Trial/Lawyer for Over 3 Months
For the last three months the Trump administration has been holding an American citizen who is “suspected” of fighting with ISIS in a secret prison in Iraq. Now, I know many Trump supporters will have no sympathy for this man, but that’s my point. He is an American citizen and he has only been accused of fighting with ISIS, not charged because there is a lack of evidence.
Despite the Trump admin’s best efforts, a federal judge recently ruled that the man must be given access to a lawyer. If we let them do this to this man it is only a matter of time before it spreads to other Americans in different situations that might be even less black and white. If we truly value liberty for all people, we must be consistent when standing up for rights of all people or you are a hypocrite.
Trump Administration is Continuing and Expanding Drone Kill List
This is an area where Trump is actually extending a secret program started by the Obama administration. Specifically, the secret kill list and rules which allow for the assassination of American citizens. It may sound like fantasy or “fake news”, but the Obama administration created a secret list of potential targets, including American citizens.
Recent reports allude to the fact that the Trump administration is loosening the already flimsy protections established by the Obama admin. These protections were reportedly put in place to minimize injury and deaths of civilians. Not to mention that Trump has increased the amount of airstrikes in his first year, leading to more civilian deaths than during the Obama administration. I am no fan of Obama, but Trump is definitely the new Drone King.
If you made it this far, please ask yourself what differentiates this man from the last warmonger? Surveillance, police state, war, loss of civil liberties, divisive rhetoric, friends with Goldman Sachs and other banksters, and a defender of the Deep State.
Is this the Trump you voted for? It’s time for the free hearts and critically thinking minds of the world to reject the “independent” and “alternative” media who continue to support the Trump administration. Remember, the enemy of my enemy (or in this case, the perceived enemy of my enemy) is not always a friend. We can defeat the new world order, the deep state, the elite, the ruling class, etc., but we will not do it by believing narratives pushed by the deadstream corporate media and the co-opted alt-media.
We must continue to seek truth and accountability while remaining consistent with our principles and values.
By Derrick Broze / Republished with permission / Activist Post / Report a typo
This article was chosen for republication based on the interest of our readers. Anti-Media republishes stories from a number of other independent news sources. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect Anti-Media editorial policy.
