Noam Chomsky believes Trump is "the Worst Criminal in Human History"

[samplegirl]

https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/noam-chomsky-believes-trump-is-the-worst-criminal-in-human-history

By Isaac Chotiner
October 30, 2020

excerpt:

You mention a bunch of dictators that the United States has cozied up to—and not respecting arms-control treaties—but those are things you’ve written about in the past. I’m interested that you say that you think the Trump Administration is a break with the past. How do you think it’s different in some way?

Well, having an arms-control regime is different than not having one. That’s a break, and it’s a break on one of the two most significant issues in human history. We’ve been living for seventy-five years under the shadow of possible nuclear destruction. The arms-control regime that’s been slowly built up over the years—Eisenhower’s Open Skies proposal, the Reagan-Gorbachev I.N.F. treaty, and other pieces—has mitigated the dangers. Trump has been tearing every piece of it to shreds. The only thing that’s left is New start. It has to be ratified by next February. If Trump wins the election or refuses to leave office, it will be gone by February.

The other major threat to human survival in any recognizable form is environmental catastrophe, and, there, Trump is alone in the world. Most countries are doing at least something about it—not as much as they should be, but some of them rather significant, some less so. The United States has pulled out of the Paris Agreement; is refusing to do any of the actions that might help poorer countries deal with the problem; is racing toward maximizing the use of fossil fuels; and, at the same time, just opened the last major nature reserve in the United States for drilling. He has to make sure that we maximize the use of fossil fuels, race to the precipice as quickly as possible, and eliminate the regulations, which not only limit the dangerous effects but also protect Americans.

Step by step, eliminate everything that might protect Americans or that will preserve the possibility of overcoming the very serious threat of environmental catastrophe. There is nothing like this in history. It’s not breaking with the American tradition. Can you think of anyone in human history who has dedicated his efforts to undermining the prospects for survival of organized human life on earth? In fact, some of the productions of the Trump Administration are just mind-boggling.

. . . more

[Trumpocalypse]

1. Hitler and Stalin might disagree

[PCIntern]

2. I was going to say...

And Ghengis Khan is in the running as are a couple hundred others including Pol Pot.

Typical rhetoric from this celebrity, however.

[Polybius]

23. Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) and Nero are far worse too

Throw in Charles Manson too.

[JonLP24]

24. Not sure how Charles Manson is worse

He didn't directly participate but prosecutors argued his ideology lead to the murders. Well Trump's ideology influences a lot more people with dog whistles to white supremacists and he is inciting millions across the nation.

As far as the rest the US has stronger independent institutions than those examples so Trump is limited in how much he can get away which is still a lot.

[sarcasmo]

25. Trump is deadlier than Manson.

[triron]

26. More evil too.

[bdamomma]

28. Idi Amin too

tRump is going to added to that long list. He so wants to belong in the dictators club. Fucking murderer!!!

[mucifer]

3. Chomsky is arguing about the destruction of humanity through climate change

Hitler and Stalin might do the same. But, they didn't have that choice.

[samplegirl]

4. The needless deaths

Just from trump rallies!

[Blue Owl]

5. K&R

[triron]

6. He's certainly in the running for worst. Shows how utterly stupid the media and the deplorables are

[spanone]

7. He's certainly a genocidal maniac

[triron]

8. knr

[dalton99a]

9. And the most prolific mass murderer in U.S. history

[brooklynite]

10. Never understood why people care about what Chomsky thinks.

[triron]

11. Maybe it's because:

Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy, and is one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. Wikipedia

And a professor at MIT.

[phylny]

13. He's an accomplished man with wisdom borne by 92 years of life

and has been an activist during his lifetime.

[brooklynite]

15. So is Burt Bacharach (a Biden supporter) but I don't see great value in his personal opinions...

[phylny]

17. Now do Morgan Freeman!

Just search for the thread.

[triron]

18. Like this?

[brooklynite]

20. I don't care what he personally thinks either...

...however:

1. People here don't hype Freeman the way they do Chomsky.

2. Freeman has an ability to deliver a message to regular voters that Chomsky definitely does not.

[brooklynite]

14. Very little of that background speaks to election or criminal justice wisdom.

[leftofthestorm]

16. Yes he is great.....

but he is a gate keeper.

[Dem2]

29. Agreed - he's generally so far over the top

That it's difficult to take him seriously.

[triron]

12. kick again

[Hermit-The-Prog]

19. Thanks, I might have missed this! k&r

[triron]

22. You're very welcome.

[Polybius]

21. Sorry, but he's wrong

Hiter and Stalin have him crushed. Pol Pol too. Vlad the Impaler, Genghis Khan, Nero and many, many others do as well.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

30. Those you named killed millions. Trump and the death cult are a threat to kill billions.

[Polybius]

31. But they haven't

If and when Trump kills a billion and becomes dictator perhaps I'll update my list.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

32. How many deaths, how much misery from actions and policies already?

How long will everyone on the planet suffer from the callous acts of the Trump + GOP government?

You can't calculate the deaths of people and animals that will result from these 4 years. The effects are real, but insidious. We haven't just lost 4 years in the battle against the climate catastrophe in the making; we've gone backwards.

De-regulation to enable more pollution for profit adds to that misery and death. Much of that will take years to evaluate and mitigate. Long after Trump and McConnell are rotted, the effects will still be sickening and killing people, other animals, and plants.

Shredded treaties could overwhelm all of these long-term effects if we're subjected to a nuclear holocaust.

The effects of the crimes by Trump and the GOP are not as immediate as the mass murders by dictators, but they are much more profound, far-reaching, and difficult to end.

[Polybius]

33. Try all you want, but you'll never convince me that Trump is worse than Hitler

As much as I can’t stand Trump, I’ll take him in a landslide over Hitler or Stalin.

[bdamomma]

27. tRump

is committing "Genocide" on Americans, he is in denial. LOCK HIM UP.

I think the ICC needs to make an exception and get this guy. CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

[Brainfodder]

34. If he means, the worst at being one? OK

5 Casino bankruptcies is all I needed to hear about the man?

[BainsBane]

35. His response to COVID alone

constitutes a crime against humanity.

[UCmeNdc]

36. If Trump was given the chance, he would kill thousands to hold on to power

Do not underestimate Trump's ego, greed, and lust for power over people.

He will kill if he could.

[greyl]

37. K & R, nt

[jmowreader]

38. One little problem, Mr. Chomsky...

If Trump looks like he might "refuse to leave office," there'll be 500 liberals carrying baseball bats with nails in them standing at the door to the White House on the morning of January 20 just to make sure he gets the hell out of Joe Biden's house one way or the other.

[triron]

39. kick again