America’s Authoritarians Next Door
The acquittal today of J20 protesters and journalists is a major win. But civil liberties and press freedoms are still under threat in the US.
Police stand as firefighters put out a limousine fire after the vehicle was smashed by anti-Trump protesters on K Street on January 20, 2017 in Washington DC.Mario Tama / Getty
A reporter convicted for filming a political rally. A journalist arrested for asking a politician a question. Journalists facing decades in prison for being in proximity to an event they were reporting on.
No, it’s not Egypt, Russia, Turkey, or another authoritarian state. It’s the United States in 2017.
Since the election of Trump, there’s been much ink spilled and hair pulled out at the legitimate concern over whether an authoritarian, censorious figure like Trump could silence free speech and the free press as part of a dictatorial power grab. But if fascist authoritarianism ever comes to the United States, it won’t be due to the seizure of power by a single individual. It’ll be through the many small, little-noticed, and incremental actions taken by obscure and relatively unremarkable figures in positions of authority who would never consider themselves enablers of tyranny.
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.