How Biden handed trump a win

Hello from Atlanta.

Who's blame for Donald Trump being President again?

One simple answer. Joe Biden

I've interviewed a few US Presidents, a First Lady and been in the Rose Garden at the White House during press conferences.

I watched, I listened and I judged.

And the recent exposes on the coverups over Joe Biden's health tell me one thing... the Biden administration handed Donald Trump a big beautiful second term when they lied about the President's capacity.

Many Americans and people around the world are lamenting Trump's world order - and I just want to tell you all - hold Joe Biden responsible.

Trump is Trumping as Trump said he would, and he's going to 11. 

The Biden health coverup, the lack of a proper primary for a successor and the hijacking of his agenda by ideologues has pivoted voters right for years, maybe decades, to come.

Biden didn't just give Trump the presidency, I think he's all but secured it for JD Vance, or maybe Marco Rubio, in the 8 years after Trump retires.

I'll tell you why in this week's podcast.

Thank you for listening,

Robyn

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Are american jews ok?

Hello from Atlanta

I sent a message to a WhatsApp group of friends recently and asked if they're okay.  They're all Jewish ex-South Africans living here in Atlanta. 

The recent firebombing of a group of Jews in Colorado has me concerned that rising anti-semitism - couched in anti-Zionism or Pro-Palestine rhetoric - has exploded onto Main Street with implications for all of us. 

At some point during the Biden administration it became fashionable to simplify complicated situations into mindblowingly daft paradigms that tried to explain the history of the universe in the language of victimhood; oppressed vs oppressor and colonized vs colonizer

It's the Meghan Markle interpretation of life. 

At some point, the self-identifying victims considered themselves the doctrine-keepers of the orthodoxy ... and Jews are now fair game. 

So what worries me about the recent isolated incidents against American Jews is that, yes, they're isolated but the widespread condemnation is not loud enough. And, yes, we've heard nudge-nudge, wink-wink justifications of 'Oh, they had it coming, after all look at Gaza.'

I think it's entirely possible to hold a number of positions on the issue; we can be outraged at the loss of life in both Gaza and Oct 7. We can agree that both Israel and the Palestinians have a right to exist and a homeland without green-lighting acts of Old Testament eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth violence on random Jews going about their daily lives in America. 

I"m not the first person to say it but the America faces a real threat that radical Islam - made palatable by Free Palestine rhetoric - is becoming mainstream. 

Kill a Jew! Save Palestine! Never has there been such a broad, middle class, progressive permissiveness to this. 

What worries me about the ugliness of antisemitism in America is that it's an opening salvo to justified violence against anyone who's judged to be an oppressor or colonialist by radicalized victims idealized as freedom fighters.  

Thank you for listening,

Robyn

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Leadership Lessons from the CIA

Hello from Atlanta

What can intelligence operatives teach business leaders?

Marc Polymeropolous is one of the CIA's most decorated field officers. This week he spills secrets on how he survived in stressful and dangerous environments and what CEO's can learn from his life in the shadows.

In this bonus episode he tells me about the CIA mistakes at Khost, getting revenge for the death of two colleagues in Afghanistan and how he was trained to get out of sticky situations.

Getting off the "X" is a military term, but consider it like this.

Wherever you are where you're feeling stuck,
a company
a house
a career
a city
... that is your "X."

Moving out of that place gives you a whole new perspective....
and can change your situation.

"Being on the X is when you're going to be subject to attack. But you can translate it into different scenarios. If you're under the gun, literal or not, it's probably good to move."

If you missed his earlier episodes it's worth catching up on his perspective on life, dive bars and the Russians. Marc wrote a book called Clarity in Crisis: Lessons from the CIA.

BTW It's been a busy week.

I was a guest on various BBC shows after the showdown in the USA vs SA Oval Office between Trump and Ramaphosa. 

Have a listen to my take on the BBC's Americast podcast with Justin Webb.

Robyn on the BBC

Order Marks Book on Amazon

MARC'S EARLIER EPISODES
EPISODE: Russian Attack on CIA
EPISODE: Dive Bars-Happy Places

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An Mba from the vatican

Hello from Atlanta,

Business schools across America should run an MBA course on corporate succession and the Catholic Church.

The ease of transition from one leader to another is smooth and seamless. And it's a key part of the enduring nature of the Vatican's well-oiled machine.

Pope Francis to Pope Leo, and the others that came before them for hundreds of years, are chosen by their peers (or the Holy Spirit, if you so wish) to lead the church (corporation) and to keep it profitable and with a steady supply of customers (parishioners and the faithful.)

As the new Pope shook hands with world leaders this past weekend, I thought; why do Popes matter in an increasingly secular world?

In times of change... what stays the same? The Catholic Church.

In time of change... what offers leadership continuity? The Catholic Church

That stability is is both the church's strength, and weakness.

The tension is always there. A push for innovation and modernity ... with the pull to preserve the thousands of years of ritual and dogma.

One part of the leadership continuity is the choosing of a new papal name... a name that harkens back to the past while supposedly giving us a clue as to the future. 

Listen to this week's episode about Leo the new papal lion, the meaning of his name and the time I named a cheetah after a pope (we like big cats on the show.)

Best,
Robyn

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Everything but the House

Hello from Atlanta,

I've been thinking a lot about American buying habits. 

The estate of one of our late neighbors has been up for sale - in their home. Antique bargain hunters and second-hand vultures have been 'shopping' the contents of the couple's house over a three-day estate sale.

It was a weird thing to see everything they owned, loved and collected for decades sold off for a few dollars to hoards of strangers. Tupperware, silver, mattresses were all just carried out of their front door. Thank goodness they're no longer around to see their life's possessions distributed to the lowest bidder. 

The odd-couple relationship between American and China is basically founded on Chinese production and American consumerism. There are deals, or not, on the table over realigning Washington and Beijing's trade. 

Watching the garage sale next door got me thinking about the personal impact of tariffs, trade balances, the ease of consumerism in America and the transient nature of our possessions. 

What do you think about Trump's trade wars? How do they impact our lives?

This week I couldn't help but wonder about quantity versus quality... and the things we leave behind.

Best,
Robyn

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The long Goodbye

Hello from Atlanta,

We're in the middle of graduation season. 

Americans love a party, a theme and an excuse to put signs in their front yards announcing the party of the moment. Sometimes it's an election, other times it's July 4th and for these few weeks of spring.... it's graduation. 

There is a constant rotation of goodbye parties. Graduation is not just a ceremony, it's a never-ending marathon of emotional and expensive moments. 

Nowhere else in the world goes so BIG when school is finished. I'm embracing it because my eldest daughter deserves to be celebrated with trumpets, bagpipes and an endless supply of monogramed college cakes. She's fabulous. 

She started school in the USA in Obama's America and is now ending it in Trump's America. She has navigated a revolving set of strange cultural oddities and constant change. 

Americans might not agree on everything but they do agree on these things:

- Supersized graduation celebrations
- Yard signs
- The long goodbye for your 18 year old

Hope you enjoy, and congratulations to the Class of 2025!

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Dead pope’s Society

Hello from Atlanta,

Once, a long time ago, I went to the Pope's funeral.

Along with four kings, five queens and at least 70 presidents and prime ministers.

It was the first time an American President had attended a pope's funeral - in a sign of international politics more than Catholic piety.

The dead pope in question ... was John Paul II.

I remember the day of the funeral well because it was also my husband's birthday. He was there too (helping to run CNN's coverage ) and I can still hear him in telling me in St Peter's Square surrounded by the global great and good - and a few mullahs - that all the world leaders were in town to wish him Happy Birthday.

Of course, delusional thinking by one's spouse aside, the death of a pope is a made-for-TV spectacle. This week's exit was slightly different because Pope Francis was a Jesuit so some of the pomp and circumstance had been toned down.

Who will the cardinals chose as the next occupant of the Throne of St Peter? Will the next conclave swing from like a pendulum from left to right like it does in American elections?

Take a listen to this week's episode for more memories from John Paul's funeral and what the the Trump presidency (and Catholic convert J.D. Vance) are hoping for in the upcoming conclave. 

Best,
Robyn

PS Please forward this email to anyone you think would be interested in signing up for this newsletter! They can go to www.searchingforamericapod.com 

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Strip Malls & the cheers bar

Hello from Atlanta,

What do you think of when you read the words... STRIP MALL?

Firstly, there's no stripping. No pole dancing. No one dollar bills. 

Secondly, they're everywhere and form the backbone of Main Street - the small mom-and-pop businesses that underpin American capitalism.

The rows of grubby one-story shops occupy a slice of real estate along side main roads and intersections. We have a bunch littered around us. Odd places, but filled with fascinating slices of Americana. 

In just about every strip mall, even if they're near each other, there is nail salon run by a phalanx of Vietnamese, an eyelash extension shop run by an African-American woman in sequins and a Chinese dry cleaner. Fast food chains are hard to avoid but but if you trust the locals you'll find some of the best places for Ho Chin Minh City pho, Mexican burritos or Korean hotpot. 

Stores and restaurants in strip malls are not fancy. Mostly rundown. Often near a Dollar Store or charity shop. 

You have got to know where the gems are. 

Hiding in plain sight, in a nondescript plaza near us, is a legendary drinking hole.

It's modeled after Cheers, the bar in the TV series, where everybody knows your name. 

Listen to this week's episode about the variety of life and characters that exist within American strip malls - and some of the characters that I've met.

Enjoy!

Robyn

PS Have a listen on our YouTube channel too at Searching for America Podcast

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100 Year View

Hello from Atlanta,

When things get crazy who do you listen to? Your financial advisor who’s watching the stock market? Your most educated friend who works in supply chain logistics or government? My answer may shock you.

One of my favorite advisors is a 5 foot 2 octogenarian who is never short of an opinion, especially if it’s accompanied by a cup of tea and a shortbread biscuit. 

My grandmother, a formidable matriarch and astute purveyor of world events, recently turned 101 and her century-wide perspective is really helpful in complicated times. 

She's has lived through world wars that redrew the map, economic depressions that shattered lives, technological revolutions that have fundamentally altered how we connect and communicate. She’s seen empires rise and fall, social norms transform, and scientific breakthroughs once relegated to science fiction become everyday realities.

What has she taught me?

Not every fleeting headline demands our constant attention. 
Some storms will pass. 
History is littered with bad leaders, and stupid people. 
Our time is no different.

Plus...

Listen to this week's episode to hear what my grandmother's secret is to a long life. 

Thanks for supporting Searching for America. 

Robyn

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Elvis and graceland |

Hello from Atlanta,

I’m back in beautiful spring-time America after a trip to France and Monaco, where I hosted an event with His Serene Highness Prince Albert for his Foundation. You can listen to my reflections on that journey in last week's podcast - link below.

This week I have been thinking about the first trip we made as a family when we moved to America. 

We didn't go to Washington, or New York or Disney.

We went to Graceland.

Graceland, Memphis Tennessee. Elvis Presley's house.

I had been imagining traveling along the Mississippi, like Paul Simon sings in his Grammy award-winning album Graceland, since I was a little girl listening to the song on the tape deck in my dad's car. 

When we arrived at Elvis's home it was both the beginning and the end of journey. The lyrics and the music, and Elvis overlapped - and still do - to provide a soundtrack to the complexities of America, and South Africa. 

Thanks for joining me as I am Searching for America. 

Best,
Robyn

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OOh la la France |

I’m back in beautiful spring-time America after a trip to France and Monaco, where I hosted an event with His Serene Highness Prince Albert for his Foundation. You can listen to my reflections on that journey as I travelled on my new American passport for the first time.

What did the Custom’s official ask when I landed in Paris?

Have a listen as I am Searching for America.

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Fishin' with Jesus, Hell and losing religion | Drew McCoy

Hello from Atlanta,

When I moved to the American South, the thing that struck me the most as an outsider was the personification of Jesus in a way I had never quite seen anywhere else in the world. 

When I go back to South Africa, 

I often go to Catholic mass with my 100-year-old grandmother. 

The conversations are about God...

about heaven in a way that's intangible. 

And you come out of the service just feeling light and hopeful.

But here in America?? 

Jesus is in your music.

You're in the car driving together.

He's going fishing with you.

The idea is much more tangible than I had experienced before.

And I was so curious --why??

This week on Searching for America,

I dive into the religious culture of America with self-described "ex-vangelical" Drew McCoy.

Drew was home schooled in highly religious household. In his early twenties he realised that he didn't believe in God and has wrestled with his decision and the impact it made on his parents and community ever since. 

You should follow Drew on his successful You Tube channel where he's known as the Genetically Modified Skeptic. 

We talk about;

Creationism and taking the bible literally
Why evangelicals threw their support behind President Trump

Why his parents would probably think I'm going to be damned in Hell for all eternity.

The uniquely American relationship between religion and television.

Searching for America is a journey, thank for joining me as a try to understand this place that I now call home. 

Best,
Robyn

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Standup comedy, politics, and being Reasonably Happy

Hi from Atlanta,

Do you joke about American politics? Or is it all too serious to not be funny anymore?

Some comedians don't like President Trump --

John Mulaney says he's like a horse, loose in a hospital.

Some comedians love him --

Tony Hinchcliffe famously called Puerto Rico an "island of floating garbage" at Trump's rally.

No matter which side you stand on,

Politics in divided times can be lightened by jokes.   

Or not. 

Stand-up comedian Paul Ollinger thinks politics turns off audiences.

This week on Searching for America, the New Yorker explains why he prefer to joke about himself, his marriage and how his wife packs the dishwasher rather than politicians.

I watched Paul do a stand-up set at the Laughing Skull comedy club in Atlanta a few weeks ago.

He talked about that and;

Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg (he was one of Facebook's original employees)
'Retiring' in his forties to be a comic
His searching for meaning via his Reasonably Happy podcast. 

So, what is funny, and what isn't in America right now?

Enjoy this week's episode

Best,
Robyn

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Hamas tunnels, Ukraine and city warfare

Hello from Atlanta,

If your city were attacked by military force, would you know how to protect it? If the answer is no, you've got to listen to John Spencer's story on the podcast this week. John is the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point. He's also a combat veteran. 

When Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, John started a thread on X/Twitter which was
“what my advice would be to civilian resistors in Ukraine, especially Kyiv. Someone with no military training but wanting to resist. Here are a few things…”

He covered
→ casualty and fighter care
→ protecting civilians
→ attacking aircraft and drones
... and it went viral with over 20 million views and over 23,000 retweets.

It's now been organized into a manual and published in 17 languages. His basic military advice for civilians trying to defend their street or block saved lives and slowed the Russian advance. 

Now he's turned his attention to Hamas tunnels. Since the October 7 massacre John has been into Gaza four times with the Israeli Defence Force. He's gone into the tunnels and watched how the IDF changed it's tactics and strategy towards Hamas.

It's a fascinating conversation about war in modern times and what he's seen in Ukraine and Gaza. 

Oh, and we chat a bit about DOGE and why Elon Musk's chainsaw economics might actually see the budget for the Department of Defence increase. 

Listen in. John is a world expert in urban warfare and he's teaching the next generation of US soldiers and officers how to confront the enemy in cities, villages and towns. 

Enjoy,

Robyn

P.S. Sign up friends or family to the newsletter on www.searchingforamericapod.com

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No DiggIty, Michael Jackson and I

Hello from Atlanta,

What was it like working with Michael Jackson? 

“Remember the Time” writer and producer Teddy Riley tells me that working with Michael was like working with your best friend.

He said, ‘you're sleeping at the studio? 

I'm sleeping at the studio.’ 

I said, ‘but you don't sleep at studios….

you can go home.’ 

He said, ‘no, you're on this project 24 —

I’m on it 24.’” 

Teddy Riley has worked with some of the greatest American musicians in history.  

Michael Jackson

Patti LaBelle

New Kids on the Block

MC Hammer

Whitney Houston

Blackstreet 
Pharrell Williams and so many more.

'Michael Jackson will work on a song until we got it down to a science. And, he always say, the more time you spend on a song, the longer it will last.'

I am interested in what all Americans have to say about politics and the presidency. 

No judgement. 

Just curiosity. 

So listening to Teddy explain why he doesn't vote is fascinating. He is grateful to Donald Trump for pardoning his brother from prison. But is suspicious of all the parties and politicians in Washington, which he calls a "S**& show." 

As always, I am Searching for America with my outsider perspective. 

Robyn

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The USA Chaos Myth and Second Acts

Hello from Atlanta,

I’ve had friends from abroad reach out to say they’re worried about “the chaos” in America right now, and I tell each of them the same thing. 

Let's not get one's knickers in a knot. Don't fall into a hand-wringing state of terror or depression. Pour yourself a whisky and watch. I’m patiently waiting to see what happens. 

Between 

→ The firing of federal employees. 

→ The slashing of government funding. 

→ The constant signing of executive orders. 

…it’s easy to see how it looks like absolute chaos. 

But when it comes to everyday life?

The waters are calmer than they appear. 

Justin Farmer is a former news anchor turned CEO of a private investment firm. 

He has decades of experience covering news and following money. 

And he joins me this week on Searching for America. 

How does he feel about the “chaos” in the U.S.?

"Robyn, I take my kid to baseball. I have a job with my wealth advisory firm. I'm around all walks of life. Every day, you know, from a Publix to a baseball game to going down to the UPS store to ship something or whatever it is. I don't think America is in disarray. I don't. There's 2% of the country or 5%, whatever it is, that's enraged and furious, it's sort of like a screaming toddler. I'm gonna ignore that."

Also, on the pod. Second acts. Perhaps you can spot a trend here?

Justin Farmer is like some of my other guests who left their successful careers to start something new. 

It's what I did when I left CNN and started this podcast. Perhaps, maybe... I might just be using Searching for America to indulge in some group therapy? 

I know what's it's like to take a leap after doing the same thing for 20 years. That's why I really enjoy talking to the brave, audacious Americans who've done the same thing. 

Take a listen to Justin explain why he left as the face of WSBTV to chase a new passion in finance and wealth management. 

I was so excited to have this conversation with Justin. 

And now, I’m excited to share it with you. 

All my best,

Robyn

P.S. 

Leave a comment or a rating on the podcast after you've listened to it. 
OR

Tell me in the comments section of Linkedin, 

have you gone through a career pivot? 

And how did you handle it?

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Deviants and true crime

Hello from Atlanta,

Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy, The Zodiac Killer. Whether or not you know what their crimes, most Americans know their names. I want to know… why?

Why is it that America loves true crime stories so much?

Perhaps people are just drawn to stories of other people who stray from the path of “normalcy.”

In this week's podcast I speak to Andrew Iden who hosts a podcast called Deviant. We chat about the crime stories we have both covered and why so many people are obsessed with the True Crime genre.

I think it's because Americans just don’t realize how safe they are in this country. Try living in South Africa, where I'm from originally, where True Crime is a daily reality. 

Andrew has made a career covering true crime stories. So I wanted to know, out of all of the crazy stories — which one stayed with him? He quickly said…

BTK. The nickname given to the murderer who would Bind. Torture. Kill. 

BTK. 

“He was a killer in the 70s and 80s and went dark for a long time. 

He came back in the early 2000s. 

He taunted the media. 

He taunted the victims' families. 

And he was living a very normal life as a postman and a guy in the community that everybody knew…

but he was literally living two separate lives.”

What else makes True Crime such a fan favorite?

I was a correspondent in England and South Africa for many years. And I can confidently say the court system in America is unlike any other I’ve seen because of the drama that surrounds big cases. 

We live in a world where a lot of stuff gets leaked. 

→ National security

→ Entertainment 

→ Business

You name the industry, there’s probably something big that’s been leaked at one point or another. But not in the courtroom. 

Interestingly Andrew Iden says the jury decision is one of just a few processes where the result remains a mystery until the moment it’s announced. 

And that’s what keeps people hooked. 

Thanks for listening,

Robyn

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Sick care, Dr America?

Hello from Atlanta,

I’ve heard so many doctors in America voice the same complaint — the medical system doesn’t focus on healthcare, it focuses on sick care. 

Dr. LaSonya Lopez, host of the ShyftU podcast, is one of them. 

She says the human part of medicine is fading away 

as processes become more automated… 

and it’s becoming harder to look at a patient in a holistic way. 

And it’s contributing to a problem where people just stay sick.

LaSonya and I have known each other since I moved to America ten years ago. Our daughters were in the same class in Pre-Kindergarten and are now together in Ninth Grade. LaSonya and I both realised we were burnt out and unhappy in our careers at the same time. We had long conversations about where we were going, being stuck and what to do. 

Well, we both landed up leaving our professions (she no longer practices as a doctor, and I no longer work in main stream media) but we've both started podcasts and found our second acts. 

LaSonya has also helped me navigate the complexities of the last election. She didn't vote for Donald Trump but she does support some of the questions his nominee for Health Secretary RFK is asking about America's Sick Care Model. 

The latest episode of “Searching for America” is out now  — it's worth listening to LaSonya's perspective on leaving medicine, resilience and being a black woman in America. 

And you can find Dr LaSonya Lopez on her podcast ShyftU and her facebook group called Syp Tea. 

Best,
Robyn

PS. Please leave a comment on the podcast or follow us on instagram and X at @searchingforamericapod

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Dive bars, happy places and bad dudes with a CIA legend

It's Holocaust Remembrance week. 6 million Jews were murdered. Their descendants still carry the trauma.

Recently there's a been a barrage of accusations that various leaders or people in America are 'Nazis,' or 'Hitler' or 'Fascists.'

It's such a weak, misguided argument to label political opponents as 'Hitler' because it's been used by both Democrats and Republicans are various times. Remember when Obama was called Fuhrer for taking on gun control? Chose a different history, or better yet, label opponents with current-day names.

In this week's podcast I lament this false equivalency.

American business leaders are not capitulating like in Vichy France. It's not 1939. Trump is a flawed character, but he's not a 'king,' or 'autocrat' and nor is his presidency 'imperial.' Wrong labels, wrong time, wrong analogies. 

Whether you like Donald Trump or not, or agree with his policies, he has a mandate from a majority after massive democratic election. Cherrypicking Holocaust history to pigeonhole this moment in American history is foolish, short-sighted and a hugely disrespectful to the memory of the Jews who died at the hands of the real Nazis in a systematic genocide. 

The Use and Abuse of History was a pamphlet written by Nietzsche and it's so relevant now. Use history to understand trends and critically assess the moment. Don't use history to specifically re-engineer, revision the arguments of now.

Let's be smart about politics and discourse, and keep the Holocaust out of it. 

May their memories be a blessing.
Robyn

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Use and abuse of the words Nazi and Hitler

It's Holocaust Remembrance week. 6 million Jews were murdered. Their descendants still carry the trauma.

Recently there's a been a barrage of accusations that various leaders or people in America are 'Nazis,' or 'Hitler' or 'Fascists.'

It's such a weak, misguided argument to label political opponents as 'Hitler' because it's been used by both Democrats and Republicans are various times. Remember when Obama was called Fuhrer for taking on gun control? Chose a different history, or better yet, label opponents with current-day names.

In this week's podcast I lament this false equivalency.

American business leaders are not capitulating like in Vichy France. It's not 1939. Trump is a flawed character, but he's not a 'king,' or 'autocrat' and nor is his presidency 'imperial.' Wrong labels, wrong time, wrong analogies. 

Whether you like Donald Trump or not, or agree with his policies, he has a mandate from a majority after massive democratic election. Cherrypicking Holocaust history to pigeonhole this moment in American history is foolish, short-sighted and a hugely disrespectful to the memory of the Jews who died at the hands of the real Nazis in a systematic genocide. 

The Use and Abuse of History was a pamphlet written by Nietzsche and it's so relevant now. Use history to understand trends and critically assess the moment. Don't use history to specifically re-engineer, revision the arguments of now.

Let's be smart about politics and discourse, and keep the Holocaust out of it. 

May their memories be a blessing.
Robyn

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