In his seminal study of the Third Reich, The Last Days of Hitler, British historian H.R. Trevor Roper pulled no punches as he sought to assign responsibility to those who assisted Hitler in carrying out plans for world conquest, mass murder, and purposeful evil. Right at the top of the list, by Hitler’s side, was perhaps his only identified “friend,” Reich Armaments Minister and Chief Architect, Albert Speer. Speer, well-educated, an aristocrat, and a bureaucrat’s bureaucrat, served 20 years in Spandau Prison for his crimes. In his own memoir, Inside the Third Reich, Speer admits to knowing about and willingly assisting  in  Hitler’s attempt to achieve his pernicious designs for Germany and the world.  He understood and knew what he was doing.

Because Albert Speer is the prototypical Enabler, it is important for the reader to understand  my  designation. For that, I turn to Trevor-Roper: “Whatever the errors of judgment and neutrality of conscience, which enabled him to acquire and retain the personal friendship of the most bloodthirsty tyrant in modern history, it is quite clear that in Hitler’s court Albert Speer was morally and intellectually alone. He had the capacity to understand the forces of politics, and the courage to resist the master whom all others have declared irresistible….Nevertheless, in a political sense, Speer is the real criminal of Nazi Germany; for he, more than any other, represented that fatal philosophy which has made havoc of Germany and nearly shipwrecked the world. For ten years he sat at the very centre of political power; his keen intelligence diagnosed the nature and observed the mutations of  Nazi government and policy; he saw and despised the personalities around him; he heard their outrageous orders and understood their fantastic ambitions; but he did nothing.” (Emphasis added)

Obviously, America is not Nazi Germany and its leaders are not promoting Genocide. But,  practices, policies and beliefs of members of the Trump administration and its acolytes bear too many similarities to their precursors for us to  remain silent. If someone knowingly, by commission or omission,  advances an evil idea, action or policy, they are enabling it to succeed. Be it racism towards Muslims or Hispanics, the Disabled, African-Americans, et al, one cannot avoid the pejorative taint of the practitioner if they themselves are in a position of being able to impede or otherwise make a difference in modifying the negative behavior. The goal should be to do no harm. As the Jewish sage Hillel put it, “That which is hateful to you, do not unto others. That is all of the law. The rest is commentary.”

We can wordsmith this to death and accomplish nothing in the process. Most of you who  continue to read my blog posts will know what I mean. For others, ask the question and I will try to satisfactorily reply.

In my next few posts,  I will  review the policies I am concerned about, their promoters and practitioners, targeted audiences,  means of engagement,  repercussions for our country and, finally, how we can and should fight-back.