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pangaia

(24,324 posts)
68. one no more saw it developing from day to day than a farmer in his field sees the corn growing.
Sat Apr 20, 2019, 04:18 PM
Apr 2019
.................... "The dictatorship, and the whole process of its coming into being, was above all diverting. It provided an excuse not to think for people who did not want to think anyway. I do not speak of your ‘little men,’ your baker and so on; I speak of my colleagues and myself, learned men, mind you. Most of us did not want to think about fundamental things and never had. There was no need to. Nazism gave us some dreadful, fundamental things to think about—we were decent people—and kept us so busy with continuous changes and ‘crises’ and so fascinated, yes, fascinated, by the machinations of the ‘national enemies,’ without and within, that we had no time to think about these dreadful things that were growing, little by little, all around us. Unconsciously, I suppose, we were grateful. Who wants to think?


"To live in this process is absolutely not to be able to notice it—please try to believe me—unless one has a much greater degree of political awareness, acuity, than most of us had ever had occasion to develop. Each step was so small, so inconsequential, so well explained or, on occasion, ‘regretted,’ that, unless one were detached from the whole process from the beginning, unless one understood what the whole thing was in principle, what all these ‘little measures’ that no ‘patriotic German’ could resent must some day lead to, one no more saw it developing from day to day than a farmer in his field sees the corn growing. One day it is over his head.
‘Resist the beginnings’ and ‘Consider the end.’ But one must foresee the end in order to resist, or even see, the beginnings. One must foresee the end clearly and certainly and how is this to be done, by ordinary men or even by extraordinary men? Things might have. And everyone counts on that might.


"You see," my colleague went on, "one doesn’t see exactly where or how to move. Believe me, this is true. Each act, each occasion, is worse than the last, but only a little worse. You wait for the next and the next. You wait for one great shocking occasion, thinking that others, when such a shock comes, will join with you in resisting somehow. You don’t want to act, or even talk, alone; you don’t want to ‘go out of your way to make trouble.’ Why not?—Well, you are not in the habit of doing it. And it is not just fear, fear of standing alone, that restrains you; it is also genuine uncertainty.


"Uncertainty is a very important factor, and, instead of decreasing as time goes on, it grows. Outside, in the streets, in the general community, ‘everyone’ is happy. One hears no protest, and certainly sees none. You know, in France or Italy there would be slogans against the government painted on walls and fences; in Germany, outside the great cities, perhaps, there is not even this. In the university community, in your own community, you speak privately to your colleagues, some of whom certainly feel as you do; but what do they say? They say, ‘It’s not so bad’ or ‘You’re seeing things’ or ‘You’re an alarmist.’


https://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/511928.html
"If we don't impeach, it's like saying we admit that Trump is above the law." TwilightZone Apr 2019 #1
Hearings are not enough. honest.abe Apr 2019 #9
What do you think impeachment is? TwilightZone Apr 2019 #14
Exactly ... so what is your point. You seem to KPN Apr 2019 #20
Hearings on steroids. honest.abe Apr 2019 #27
Impeachment is hearings where people go to jail if they lie to Congress. uponit7771 Apr 2019 #51
You keep making this claim, but it's false. TwilightZone Apr 2019 #65
Yup. It's time for action across the board. Magoo48 Apr 2019 #62
I changed my mind after the report was released TheRealNorth Apr 2019 #2
I agree that when we impeach, we choose the best time possible to begin the impeachment proceedings mtnsnake Apr 2019 #5
Everybody was tired of hearing about Watergate KPN Apr 2019 #21
Hear hear uponit7771 Apr 2019 #52
Correct. Impeachment has purpose and meaning irrespective of the chance of conviction. (n/t) FreepFryer Apr 2019 #3
Well said in just a few words. mtnsnake Apr 2019 #6
We must impeach. It is Congress' duty. Just follow Mueller's roadmap. SunSeeker Apr 2019 #4
nt bdamomma Apr 2019 #30
Well, my thoughts are this Dan Apr 2019 #7
Power of the Presidency Buffalo Soldier Apr 2019 #12
Well there bdamomma Apr 2019 #31
He will do this regardless of impeachment uponit7771 Apr 2019 #54
-this- durablend Apr 2019 #28
But If We Impeach, We'll Have to Run Against Mikey Pants and Mother--a Formidable Pair! LOL DoctorJoJo Apr 2019 #8
Impeach him as well. pangaia Apr 2019 #69
Consider one more thing. world wide wally Apr 2019 #10
Nice! babylonsister Apr 2019 #11
It should be a straightforward decision. procon Apr 2019 #13
Well, there's another pesky word in the very same sentence: Conviction. TwilightZone Apr 2019 #15
Thank goodness the great majority of Democrats aren't scared to impeach out of fear of no conviction mtnsnake Apr 2019 #16
There's little evidence that impeachment will produce "a ton of good" anymore than... TwilightZone Apr 2019 #17
Conviction might be unlikely...today...but the fact that you are so adamant mtnsnake Apr 2019 #23
"great majority" TwilightZone Apr 2019 #18
Yes the great majority. Even after the midterms it was 77%. mtnsnake Apr 2019 #26
Conviction isn't required or guaranteed. procon Apr 2019 #43
I agree with this post. He has repeatedly flaunted the law; his whole life. But now, as President Evolve Dammit Apr 2019 #66
can you IMAGINE how trump will control the narrative - what he will do or say EveHammond13 Apr 2019 #19
Amen to that, Eve. I would hate to even think about it. mtnsnake Apr 2019 #24
Just ask yourself if "Clinton was impeached for lying to congress" CTAtheist Apr 2019 #22
He was impeached but the people were not behind it. Are you hearing people call for UniteFightBack Apr 2019 #25
Clinton's bdamomma Apr 2019 #33
Elizabeth Warren on Rachel tonight convinced me that impeachment is necessary. Pepsidog Apr 2019 #29
Just watched that. Great segment. If you've read the report, you'll know impeachment is required. SunSeeker Apr 2019 #32
Does anyone think bdamomma Apr 2019 #34
The process needs to start now patphil Apr 2019 #35
Even if there are negative? consequences IMPEACH MasonDreams Apr 2019 #36
I still say our #1 priority is winning the White House & Senate in 2020. CaptainTruth Apr 2019 #37
No one can garantee you won't come out of a procon Apr 2019 #46
Have can that be done if Russia is still backing their whore Benedict Donald Trump? uponit7771 Apr 2019 #55
Your logic suffers two major flaws. better Apr 2019 #59
*We* are not doing anything - Congress is Steven Maurer Apr 2019 #38
We have had a steady barrage of Trump's lies and it's time to set the record straight. democrank Apr 2019 #39
+1000. We're dealing with Trump now because we sat on our asses in 2000 and 2008. meadowlander Apr 2019 #40
Earlier Tonight I was Thinking Along The Same Lines DallasNE Apr 2019 #41
If we don't impeach Trump it gives license to future presidents and presidential triron Apr 2019 #42
Haven't come to a decision yet, but I tend to lean toward this reasoning. coti Apr 2019 #44
Well written rufus dog Apr 2019 #45
Wow, your post is a very interesting account of the reactions of some of your family members mtnsnake Apr 2019 #47
"no fight" I'm noticing this too uponit7771 Apr 2019 #50
Good analysis uponit7771 Apr 2019 #48
********** Russia will back thier whore again in 2020******** uponit7771 Apr 2019 #49
Excuse my Latin, but. . ."GOPus Delendus Est" DinahMoeHum Apr 2019 #53
People are leaving out one important consideration, watoos Apr 2019 #56
Don't forget that statute of limitations time-frame is in play now. VOX Apr 2019 #57
I think you are absolutely right if.... kentuck Apr 2019 #58
Message auto-removed Name removed Apr 2019 #60
There'll Be Trouble Either Way FrankTC Apr 2019 #61
well said proud patriot Apr 2019 #63
He will just keep a rampaging until he's dictator Mr Tibbs Apr 2019 #64
Where were the "impeach'' war drums during the Bush administration? YOHABLO Apr 2019 #67
one no more saw it developing from day to day than a farmer in his field sees the corn growing. pangaia Apr 2019 #68
""In the body politic as in the body personal, nonresistance to the milder indulgences paves the way pangaia Apr 2019 #70
Here Here! Proudly second jimlup Apr 2019 #71
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