We formed America to get rid of kings
- Melissa Herrera: Not Waiting for Friday
- July 14, 2024
- 1816
It’s July, and we’re several months out from Election Day. I’m going to need all the boxed wine I have left from the wedding to get me through the next several months. I’d like to play dumb and pretend I can ignore it, but that wouldn’t make me a good citizen, would it?
Several news sources have given me insight into changes in England. It seems the prime minister there can simply step down if the people call for it in a snap election. Mind you, after a snap election the people voted in — not because talking heads are calling for it.
“Heading over to the king to turn in my notice,” some prime ministers say.
And a new prime minister moves in to 10 Downing Street the next day. Maybe they realize government titles mean less than what they’re doing for the people of their country.
This always makes my head spin because imagine if we could do that in the United States. I mean we technically could, but it’s a much harder convoluted thing. Political parties in the U.S. think very highly of themselves. It sounds wild yet exciting at the same time. A clean slate.
I’m not for the stepping down of folks who do an excellent job, and even then most presidents have their faults, some far worse and harmful than others. Some should sit themselves in a corner.
Macron, France’s president, called for sudden new elections as well. I don’t understand the French government, but I do know there is a president and a prime minister and the president can call for sweeping elections at any time. What I know is the public in France voted to make sure what they considered fascists were not elected.
After the World Wars and all they entailed, we shouldn’t be afraid to say the word fascist. There are many who have family that fought against fascism in WWII.
Anti-fascists if you will.
Think Hitler.
But the word has somehow taken on a new meaning because of its repetitive misuse. It seems to have squirreled into our brains and flipped a switch.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines fascism as “a political philosophy, movement or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.”
I don’t know about you, but exalting one race — technically there is only the human race — is a no-go for me. I’d much rather have a melting pot. Anyone that tells you immigrants — other races — make our country more dangerous is feeding you morphine from a baby spoon. They’re feeding you fear along with the lies.
While the upcoming U.S. presidential race looks very familiar, taking it seriously and actually looking at what’s getting done in our republic is imperative. We cannot just take our emotions and vote with them.
When someone sways you with lies, feeding you drip by drip, you somehow wake up thinking fascism is the way. And despite reading what it means, we’re so far off from WWII that the younger gens have to read about Hitler to see how evil he was. And for those of us who are old enough to know but still entertain like-minded ideas of him, well, shame on you.
We cannot find ourselves rallying along with the white supremacists and rigid conspiracy theorists who believe a king is coming. There is no king in America.
Melissa Herrera is a published author and opinion columnist. She is a curator of vintage mugs and all things spooky, and her book, “TOÑO LIVES,” can be found at www.tinyurl.com/Tonolives. For inquiries, to purchase her book or anything else on your mind, email her at junkbabe68@gmail.com or find her in the thrift aisles.