A #PoliceState doesn’t happen overnight or b/c feds suddenly decide to brutally violate moms pushing baby carriages or old men doing tai chi in the park. Of course the public would find that outrageous and would never stand for it. (1/6)

A #PoliceState emerges b/c a leader with authoritarian tendencies carefully picks a moment to test his limits. He uses the cover of protests that may have involved some violence, and labels the victims—no one cares what happens to an arsonist, right? (2/6)

He claims some vague threat against a government facility, or a risk of terrorism. And b/c the targets are “them” and not is, we’re okay with that. Authoritarians depend on citizens’ desire for #LawAndOrder. But then that leader tests his limits a bit further.. (3/6)

..and turns on his political opposition, picking up dissidents off the street and disappearing them outside of all normal/legal police procedures. And people accept it, b/c again, the gov’t convinces is that those people aren’t part of “us...” (4/6)

...that that views make them different and unworthy of constitutional protections. And then suddenly the #constitution is suspended, either formally or just in practice, and constitutional rights are gone. Not just for “them,” but for us too. (5/6)

Freedom is gone. Democracy is gone. America is...gone.

This is how more countries than I care to count have lost their freedom. Don’t let it happen here. (6/6)

#RejectTrumpsAmerica
#Biden2020
#TheSteadyState