Remember Albert Speer, Hitler’s Architect and Armaments Minister? Historians consider him one of the worst of the Nazi leadership. Unlike the Nazi sycophants, at his trial Speer admitted that “he knew better.” Well, Josh Hawley, U.S. Senator, Graduate of Stanford and Yale, sedition leader and enabler of Donald Trump, is our latest disgusting example of those who sell themselves to Satan (i.e. Donald Trump), for the sake of perceived political and career enhancement. There are many others—Ted Cruz, Maryland’s own Congressman Andy Harris, Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Guliani, etc., but Hawley helped lead and instigate the horror and spectacle of the “Insurrection” of January 6th.

It is vital to understand why educated individuals like Hawley are so dangerous. Robert McNamara, the former Secretary of Defense for most of the American involvement in Vietnam, admitted his “guilt” for exactly that reason: he knew what was happening in Vietnam and understood its implications for the United States and the people of Southeast Asia. He publicly observed, on numerous occasions later on in his life, that “war crimes” were being committed by his country in Vietnam.

Hawley, Cruz et al, attached themselves to Donald Trump’s “big lies” for their own ambition(s). They were afraid of alienating Trump supporters as they moved ahead in their political careers. Their ultimate goal: the Presidency. They must be stopped. We know where “over-weaning ambition” (thank you William Shakespeare), can lead. They are smart (unlike Trump), which makes them even more dangerous.

Buffoons like Rudy Giuliani also exist and they must be challenged. But, we must focus on the enablers. Accountability is necessary. For the Nazis, the war crimes trials in Nuremberg following the war provided education for the masses. In turn, those committing capital offenses were executed following their trials. Mercy should never be granted to those not remorseful. Think about it: at least half-a-million Americans will have died from Covid-19. Thousands surely would have been saved if Trump deferred to the scientists. Additionally, there are at least 500 children who remain separated from their families because of Trump’s immigration policies. His Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and policy adviser Stephen Miller, also deserve much of the blame on this one. To separate children from their families is definitively a “crime against humanity.” To date, no-one has been held accountable.

What about all of us? Racism, greed, and stupidity was and remains rampant throughout Trump’s voting base. Everyone acting on those traits is responsible. Too many behaved like the “Good Nazis” of Hitler’s Germany. Here, too, those of you who “knew better,” know who you are. At the minimum, apologies are in order. Public repentance is salutary, but I don’t expect this to happen. Remember, if Trump and his cohorts had succeeded, American democracy would be on life-support, and it would be likely that our futures would have been filled with with Hawley, Cruz, and many other Trump-like creatures filling our highest political offices. Elections would—as the “Big Lies” of 2020 demonstrated, not have been necessary; we would just rely on the Enablers and Insurrectionists amongst us. Remember, Hitler was elected leader of his party democratically. Within months, he became “Chancellor for Life” and freedom for Germany was gone.

Thanks to Trump no one can say “It can’t happen here.” Remember that.