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The re-election of Donald Trump was a gut punch for many, myself included. On election night, sleep eluded me as I clung to the hope that voters would reject the chaos that marked his first term. I was wrong. His presidency from 2017 to 2021 prioritized spectacle over substance, sowed division and undermined democratic norms, especially after the Jan. 6, 2021 raid of the Capitol. Now, as Trump begins a second term, the implications of his previous actions resonate more than ever. We face increased polarization, a culture of intolerance and discriminatory policies targeting vulnerable communities. My disillusionment reflects a broader national pain, as many Americans are grappling with the fear and anxiety that the next four years will entail. In the first few weeks, Trump has initiated administrative policies that have undermined the rights of so many individuals, including people of color, undocumented people, the LGBTQ+ community and disabled people. Unfortunately, the election has opened my eyes to the reality of our nation and something that I have been denying. President Trump is leading this nation into fascism. If you don’t believe me, just refer to the Nazi salute that Elon Musk did at Trump’s inauguration (and no, it was not just an awkward gesture).
Trump’s trajectory is leading us towards a right-wing society that resonates with the darkest chapters of history — one that nourishes the roots of white supremacy and intolerance. Comparing modern political figures to historical dictators is a fraught endeavor, often met with skepticism. However, when examining Donald Trump’s recent initiatives, the echoes of an alarming chapter in history cannot be ignored. His administration’s actions are creating a framework that resembles the oppressive tactics of Adolf Hitler’s regime in Nazi Germany. This may sound extreme, but the implications of his policies align disturbingly with a movement that fosters division and white supremacy.
Consider the alarming rollback of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which aimed to foster a more inclusive society. By dismantling these initiatives, Trump is not just attacking specific policies; he is promoting a homogenous narrative that discards the rich diversity that forms the bedrock of our nation. This effort to erase DEI extends to the stark redefinition of gender, as his administration endorses a rigid binary view that invalidates the existence and rights of countless individuals. Hitler, too, created laws under the Nazi government that took away the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, physically and mentally disabled individuals, people of color and so many more.
Furthermore, so many healthcare initiatives are being taken away from transgender individuals as well as women’s healthcare. The assault on trans rights further encapsulates this troubling trend. By targeting transgender individuals through legislation and rhetoric that dehumanizes and marginalizes them, we are witnessing an erosion of fundamental human rights reminiscent of past regimes that systematically disenfranchised entire populations. In declaring that there are only two genders, Trump is simplifying a complex and evolving understanding of gender identity into a rigid binary framework. This stance fails to recognize the experiences and identities of non-binary and transgender individuals and reflects a broader tendency to impose authoritarian control over personal identities, reminiscent of oppressive regimes. This declaration is parallel to Hitler, who enforced a narrow view of identity and sought to marginalize those who did not fit into his ideologically defined categories, often a traditionally conservative narrative.
Donald Trump’s policies have significantly impacted women’s healthcare in general, particularly concerning reproductive rights, access to abortion, contraceptives and maternal care. His administration is seeking to defund Planned Parenthood, which offers critical reproductive services, and has appointed judges with anti-abortion inclinations. This push to restrict access not only threatens safe and legal abortion but also fosters a culture that stigmatizes women seeking such services. Moreover, rules allowing employers to deny contraceptive coverage based on religious beliefs further undermine women’s autonomy over their reproductive health. Trump’s efforts to cut programs supporting maternal health disproportionately affect low-income women and communities of color, exacerbating existing healthcare disparities.
When compared to Hitler’s regime, there are alarming parallels regarding the control over women’s reproductive rights. The Nazis promoted policies aimed at increasing the Aryan birthrate while suppressing rights for those deemed “undesirable,” using reproduction as a tool for ideological ends. Both Trump’s strategies and Nazi policies reflect a broader agenda to exert control over women’s bodies and autonomy, emphasizing the importance of fighting for comprehensive women’s healthcare as a matter of individual rights and societal health.
In education, initiatives that seek to censor discussions around race, gender and history are undermining critical thought and promoting a skewed narrative of our past. Such educational policies echo oppressive regimes that manipulated history to advance their ideologies, leaving future generations ill-equipped to understand and address systemic injustices. The parallels to Hitler’s regime are striking; when the Nazis rose to power, they implemented a systematic campaign to revise history and enforce a singular, sanitized version of German identity. They sought to eliminate any discourse that contradicted their narrative, emphasizing a distorted view that justified their totalitarian rule and inspired widespread acceptance of their ideologies.
The Nazis infamously implemented the “Nazification” of education, controlling the curriculum to align with their extremist views, sanitizing uncomfortable truths and promoting a version of history that glorified Aryan supremacy while vilifying Jewish people and other marginalized groups. Similarly, Trump’s efforts to ban critical race theory or to shy away from discussions about systemic racism and inequity in schools are designed to produce a populace that lacks a comprehensive understanding of our nation’s full history. By promoting a narrow vision of American identity, these educational initiatives do not merely erase the struggles of marginalized communities; they risk repeating the mistakes of the past. They enable a society that is less informed and less empathetic, making it vulnerable to echoes of authoritarianism and bigotry that history has all too often demonstrated lead to devastating consequences.
It’s sad to see our country fall into the hands of fascism under Trump’s authoritarian rule. I could write forever on the issues of Trump’s administration, but things will only change if we continue engaging in meaningful conversations and work together to stand up against oppression. To the Lawrence community, the LGBTQ+ community, communities of color, the undocumented community and all those impacted by the policies of the Trump Administration: I see you, I recognize you and I stand in solidarity with you.