Siegfried Ramler, a German gentleman we should all take note of.

As you know I make no significant difference or distinction between the political culture and events occurring in the USA and in the UK. The only difference is of degree and intensity. We have the same basic mentality prevailing in both countries amongst the ruling elites, and I am afraid, too many of the electorate. With respect to the scandal of the children being separated from their parents, the UK has been doing similar things for many years now, so we are in no position to adopt a moral superiority. Recent events with respect to the conduct of both the White House and the British government, enthusiastically aided and abetted by the appalling personnel that compose the upper reaches of the British civil service, led me to recall the thoughts of  a gentleman called Siegfried Ramler, who was an Interpreter at the Nuremberg War Trials. He noted that the legacy and lessons of that momentous year were “extremely important”, personally and globally, and he wrote that, "Over the decades a question recurs. How it is possible that these things happened in a country that produced musicians, a Goethe, a Schiller, how was it possible that a culture like this could sink into the abyss into which they had fallen under the Nazis?” and he concluded that “I attempt a response, that when you live in a society with no checks on behaviour, no acceptance of any rule of law, no respect for rules of procedure, then those things can happen in any country. It’s not only a German problem, it’s a human problem.”

I have been watching numerous programmes from American networks and a continuous theme from many different commentators is that the the American system of government, namely both Houses of Congress, are doing absolutely nothing to check the Know Nothings behaviour, no one is holding his language to account and indeed significant sections of the American political system, including influential news and media outlets are actively encouraging him. Numerous political commentators have noted that there is no longer a party called the Republicans, it has been replaced by the Know Nothings Party (as you know I refuse to use his name as I am afraid it may pollute my laptop so badly that it will simply cease to function). Another commonality American commentators frequently point to is Know Nothing's refusal to respect the rule of law or the rules of procedure that govern the American political system. Again, we have the same problem is the UK and the only difference is with respect to degree and intensity. The Tories are much more subtle, but no less sinister. That is their Eton and Oxbridge training. Since Know Nothing's inauguration the Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has claimed ignorance of events and situations ninety-nine times as of last Wednesday when questioned about the behaviour and language of the Know Nothing and his inner circle, according to CNN. This is the same Paul Ryan who forced the American Catholic Church to issue a letter denouncing him in 2012.

We in this country get the same kind of response from Tories all the time. Lies and refusal to answer questions are their trademark. Inhumanity and cruelty are becoming common public policy with a disregard for law, rules of procedure, decency and human dignity. So, all of the benchmarks for a slide into fascism identified by Siegfried Ramler are alive and well on both sides of the Atlantic. You have been warned

Your Servant
Doktor Kommirat