General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs genocide an overstatement for what's happening in America under Trump?
Hyperbole or reality? How far along are we, based on the steps below?
Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)But, if we don't nip what's happening in the bud now, then one day in the not-too-distant future it might not be.
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Words have meaning, and hyperbole accomplishes nothing but robbing them of those meanings.
Grow up.
Legal definition of genocide
Genocide is defined in Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948) as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."
Source:
[link:http://www.un.org/ar/preventgenocide/adviser/pdf/osapg_analysis_framework.pdf|]
yardwork
(61,416 posts)I'd be careful about dismissing what's happening and telling people to "grow up."
Some pretty smart people are worried. Read Tim Snyder's books.
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Over the top alarmist rhetoric and willful mis-statement of legally-defined terminology is what demagogues do, not clear-eyed realists and patriots.
In other words, don't try to out-trump the Trumpists.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)for what it is, which would serves only potential monsters and their dreadful followers.
Please note the last item. Language is extremely powerful societal defense, not just something to be corrupted by self serving minds, including to be weaponized by those of evil intent.
DinahMoeHum
(21,737 posts)violetpastille
(1,483 posts)As for number 2:
Every time I see one of those 23andme commercials I mutter to myself.
"Anybody who knows for sure they have Mexican ancestry needs to stay far, far away from that shit."
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Someone with ancestors from Mexico will (likely) have a mix of European, Native American, African, and/or Asian ancestry, same as almost everyone in the Western Hemisphere.
violetpastille
(1,483 posts)We don't disagree.
But if the worst case scenario comes to pass and there was a flag on "especially high percentage of Native American" yeah.
Maybe later. Not now. That money can go a lot of other places.
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Okay ... not trying to be argumentative, but we (Democrats) are supposed to be the reality-based community.
violetpastille
(1,483 posts)I'm not trying to argue with you either. I'm just typing.
I am a registered Democrat. I vote a straight ticket.
And I also don't trust the Trump administration as far as I can throw them. I'm also eyeing those big jars of peanut butter.
I'm not all CT, but why take an unforced risk?
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Fair enough.
yardwork
(61,416 posts)We're not at genocide yet but this is absolutely how it begins.
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Rhetoric, however bigoted, is not genocide; genocide is a crime defined by international law.
yardwork
(61,416 posts)Thousands of these children, some as young as infants, have been flown secretly to other cities where they are being "fostered" by evangelical Christian adoption agencies contracted by our government.
Read the final line in your post above where you quote the definition.
True Dough
(17,091 posts)Just because the poster above you wants to shut the conversation down doesn't mean he will succeed. I don't believe we're witnessing genocide today, but we could be on that road. Gotta keep our eyes open and keep speaking out against the hate-fueled actions of the reich-wing.
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Shutting down debate? Hardly. Advocating for truthful and accurate use of language?
Always.
If that offends you, too bad.
You want to use legal language? Use it accurately.
True Dough
(17,091 posts)You'll notice my OP was a question. You've stated your opinion, repeatedly. Move on.
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)Your own source holds the same opinion; go here:
[link:http://genocidewatch.net/genocide-2/what-is-genocide/|]
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)As brutal as the current administration's policies regarding families that apply for refugee status at the US-Mexico border are, they are not genocide by any stretch of the imagination, and to state such is foolish.
Application for asylum in the United States is an overt act by the asylum seeker; there is no coercion.
Words have meanings; abandoning those meanings does nothing to further rational debate.
regnaD kciN
(26,035 posts)Right now, we could be in the earliest stages of what could become genocide. Or it might be that the signs that concern us may peter out to nothing. One thjngs for sure: the chances of it becoming genocide are far greater if the current crop of Republicans remain in power after this November (and 2020).
Takket
(21,424 posts)McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)Trump did not start the genocide. He is just bringing it back.
meadowlander
(4,358 posts)but we should all be concerned that we're on stage 7.
milestogo
(16,829 posts)Genocide is currently happening in several countries. Not the US>
RHMerriman
(1,376 posts)True that...
First world problems, indeed.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)But extremely offensive to those who have been victims of a genocide.
Turin_C3PO
(13,649 posts)For now Id say were at stage 4.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)But we are at #7 at this point.
dewsgirl
(14,961 posts)like this. That being said we have no idea what is actually happening in those camps, only what they want us to see for the most part. I am not saying they are committing genocide at this time. I can't help but fear, there are those amongst ICE, CBP, etc. that wouldn't hesitate to follow orders directing them to do just that. I also think if this administration thought they could get away with it, they would do it in a heartbeat.
True Dough
(17,091 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,440 posts)Those numbers are staggaring, without any politics....
LuckyCharms
(17,287 posts)Genocide involves more that the actual killing, as your OP states. If you view genocide as a series of steps, then we are indeed experiencing genocide.
True Dough
(17,091 posts)It is alarming how we seem to be moving steadily in that direction. We must remain vigilant.