It’s time to start saying the quiet part out loud
BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD
It has been a strenuous last week, with news that sounds like it’s straight out of a dystopian novel. On Jan. 18, TikTok was briefly banned following a Supreme Court decision, only to be abruptly brought back the next day with a message thanking President Donald Trump. Not two days later, the United States withdrew from the World Health Organization and Trump signed a wave of dangerous executive orders. Trump’s inauguration is starting what feels like a new period of oligarchy in the U.S.
The Editorial Board condemns this new presidential administration and hopes that you remain vigilant in these trying times. As more developments happen day by day, it’s important to remind yourself that what is happening in our country is not normal — there is no need to water down the severity of this far-right extremism. Even former President Joe Biden used the language of “oligarchy” in his farewell address, warning of the upcoming centralization of powers in the U.S.
On one of the days preceding the inauguration, TikTok was temporarily shut down. Many have suggested that this feels politically calculated and may have been an intentional ploy to manipulate American users. Ironically, Trump signed an executive order in August 2020 to ban TikTok, claiming the app was a danger to national security. It is unsettling that anyone would give Trump praise for taking credit for solving a problem he started.
“These risks are real,” the 2020 executive order reads. “This data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information.”
Without shock to anyone, Trump lied and changed his mind, now championing TikTok’s return for millions of Americans.
“Frankly, there are a lot of people on TikTok that love it,” Trump said in an interview with CNBC. “There are a lot of young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it. There are a lot of users, a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok.”
Time and time again, Trump has proven himself to be a conman full of contradictions. His credibility can’t be trusted and, with a list of unconstitutional executive orders that violate basic rights, his presidency is off to a dangerous start.
One of the first executive orders Trump passed on his first day back in office was a long-time campaign promise — effectively ending birthright citizenship. While this constitutional right is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, this executive order is set to take effect on Feb. 19. This unconstitutional move further vilifies undocumented Americans and completely deconstructs the conception of the so-called “American Dream.”
There’s no beating around what these policies are actually about — racism and the dehumanization of Latinos and immigrants. In response, 18 states, the District of Columbia and San Francisco have filed a lawsuit against Trump for this action. It remains to be seen what the future of birthright citizenship will be, how extensive this executive order will reach and how this policy will be enforced. What is certain is that life has become even more dangerous for immigrants in an already-dangerous country.
Beyond this, the White House’s Spanish website has been taken down and Trump has even declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. This could potentially allow Trump to access federal funding and the ability to use the military and National Guard at the border, according to The New York Times.
The government website https://reproductiverights.gov/, which was used to provide essential information about reproductive rights and access, has gone offline following Trump’s inauguration. Although it remains unconfirmed if this was an intentional move by the Trump Administration, it signals the administration’s ongoing efforts to restrict women’s bodies and reproductive healthcare.
Another bizarre action taken on Trump’s first day back in office was passing an executive order titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,” which calls for the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America.” While these comments are sometimes written off as so ridiculous they must be satire or said in jest (like Trump suggesting the U.S. annex Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal), this rhetoric must be taken seriously. This spirit of American manifest destiny is a danger to other nations and to us, so we must call it like it is — authoritarian.
Not only do these executive orders signal a dangerous precedent for the country, but the inauguration itself symbolized the U.S.’ leaning toward being outwardly oligarchical. Standing in front of the incoming presidential cabinet at the inauguration were the wealthiest people in the world: Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Chief Executive Officer of Google Sundar Pichai. Together, they are worth nearly a trillion dollars.
Musk, the now administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency, sparked controversy during a speech at a post-inauguration rally where he gave a one-armed salute that appeared similar to a Nazi salute twice.
“My heart goes out to you,” Musk said as he gave the salute. “It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured.”
While Musk avoided fully denying this was his intention, it’s clear this salute along with the political extremism of the administration echoes far-right movements from history. This gesture also has been embraced by many white supremacists and other hate groups. Some examples of this gesture being accepted include: a White Lives Matter group celebrating the post on Telegram, conservative commentator Evan Kilgore saying “we are so back” and more, according to AP News.
“He’s still blowing it off as though it wasn’t something serious,” Kurt Braddock, a professor from American University, told AP News. “I know what I saw, I know what the response to it was among elements of the extreme right including neo-Nazis, and I see what the reaction is now. And none of it is a laughing matter.”
It’s clear that we are living in unprecedented times full of dangerous propaganda and executive action. The Editorial Board urges you to be aware of the new administration and the changes it brings — be vigilant, take care of yourself and do not accept any of this as the new normal. Any way that you are feeling right now is not an overreaction.
Written by: The Editorial Board