It’s Friday and the end of another week. It’s also the end of another year. I hope it’s not the end of democracy too. I listen to family members, friends, and complete strangers say untrue things. They are not being malicious or two-faced or trying to overthrow our government. Yet, if we follow their lead, it will lead to the end of democracy. Let’s use the example of Italy’s World War II leader, Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini. He started out as a journalist, and he saw the ills of Italian life. At first, he thought socialism was the answer to Italy’s problems. He was frustrated as he looked at what was happening in his country and knew his ideas would bring prosperity and good things in life. Still, he was frustrated by the political system. The only solution Mussolini could imagine was a strong leader, himself, at the leadership of Italy. In many ways, he succeeded. Often when you read about him, they will say something like this, “He got the trains to run on time.”
How did he do that? The train drivers were always striking for better wages and better safety systems. Mussolini gave them better wages in return for reducing unions to nothing more than yes-men Mussolini’s government. At first, each of these actions seemed innocent enough. However, Mussolini was in charge of everything. If you disagreed with him, you went to jail. Fascism, not Mussolini, ruled Italy from 1925 to 1945 when Mussolini was killed by partisans.
Here at the very end of 2021, many people are willing to commit the same error as Italy did in the middle 1920s. Worse, they are doing it believing in their hearts of heart they are saving America. How can we convince them not to commit this error?
