Are we heading toward authoritarianism—or am I just paranoid?
This week, we're examining the early warning signs of democratic erosion: concentration of executive power, exclusionary nationalism, targeting of dissent. We're comparing these patterns across history—Nazi Germany, Saudi Arabia, and America today—not because they're equivalent, but because we can see where this road leads.
Using public records and the "reasonable person test," we ask: Can we acknowledge troubling patterns without tribal thinking? When did independent thought become disloyalty? And more importantly—what are we willing to do while we still can?
Fair warning: this one will make you uncomfortable. It made me uncomfortable too.