In the US and Israel, a form of state terror is rearing its head. It's not masked men or arbitrary detention cells, but rather, the insidious creep of fear into every aspect of society.
I've witnessed this pattern before, in countries like Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, where authoritarian regimes use violence and intimidation to silence dissenters and maintain power. But now, I'm seeing it unfold in democracies that claim to value freedom and human rights. It's a subtle yet devastating shift.
Governments begin by invoking security and order as excuses for their actions, often framing them as necessary measures to protect citizens. But this is just a facade. In reality, they're using fear to control and silence those who dare to speak out against the status quo. They're exploiting the language of order to justify policies that are anything but orderly.
Academic deans are threatened with punitive funding cuts if they impose requirements that constrain academic freedom. Journalists are disciplined for speaking truth to power, while activists are labeled enemies of the state. ICE agents are breaking car windows and shooting unarmed citizens, all under the guise of enforcing immigration laws.
But what's most chilling is how this creeping terror affects individuals. Fear becomes internalized, and we begin to censor our own thoughts. We wonder if the law will actually protect us if they come for us one day. The true irony is that state terror doesn't make a state safer; it makes them weaker. They sacrifice their global credibility and legitimacy, eroding the very foundations of democracy.
We need to listen urgently to those who have lived through this terror. Their testimonies are an early warning signal we cannot afford to ignore. We must recognize the signs of state terror when we see them – in the arbitrary detention of migrants, the militarization of borders, and the silencing of dissenting voices.
The US and Israel are not immune to this form of state terror. They're adopting the same tactics as authoritarian regimes, masquerading them as necessary measures for security and order. We must stand against this creeping terror, even if it means confronting our own leaders and institutions. The future of democracy depends on it.
I've witnessed this pattern before, in countries like Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, where authoritarian regimes use violence and intimidation to silence dissenters and maintain power. But now, I'm seeing it unfold in democracies that claim to value freedom and human rights. It's a subtle yet devastating shift.
Governments begin by invoking security and order as excuses for their actions, often framing them as necessary measures to protect citizens. But this is just a facade. In reality, they're using fear to control and silence those who dare to speak out against the status quo. They're exploiting the language of order to justify policies that are anything but orderly.
Academic deans are threatened with punitive funding cuts if they impose requirements that constrain academic freedom. Journalists are disciplined for speaking truth to power, while activists are labeled enemies of the state. ICE agents are breaking car windows and shooting unarmed citizens, all under the guise of enforcing immigration laws.
But what's most chilling is how this creeping terror affects individuals. Fear becomes internalized, and we begin to censor our own thoughts. We wonder if the law will actually protect us if they come for us one day. The true irony is that state terror doesn't make a state safer; it makes them weaker. They sacrifice their global credibility and legitimacy, eroding the very foundations of democracy.
We need to listen urgently to those who have lived through this terror. Their testimonies are an early warning signal we cannot afford to ignore. We must recognize the signs of state terror when we see them – in the arbitrary detention of migrants, the militarization of borders, and the silencing of dissenting voices.
The US and Israel are not immune to this form of state terror. They're adopting the same tactics as authoritarian regimes, masquerading them as necessary measures for security and order. We must stand against this creeping terror, even if it means confronting our own leaders and institutions. The future of democracy depends on it.
I'm seeing a really worrying trend here, folks! The way these governments are using "security" as an excuse to suppress dissent is super concerning. It's like they're trying to create this atmosphere of fear where people are too scared to speak up against the status quo.
. In the US, 40% of people are living with anxiety due to fear of law enforcement 
. That's 130 million citizens who are already experiencing the effects of this creeping terror. 
71% of immigrants from Latin America have experienced at least one form of harassment or intimidation while trying to navigate the immigration system 
. 85% of journalists in Israel believe that they're facing increased pressure and censorship under current laws 
.
, with a failure rate of 60% after taking power 
. The US and Israel are just the latest examples of this flawed approach 
.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around how quickly things can go downhill in a country like the US. It's like they're using fear as a tool to control people's thoughts & actions. 
How is this allowed to happen? It's like they're exploiting the whole "national security" excuse to silence anyone who speaks out against them. 
Newsflash: state terror doesn't make a country safer, it just makes everyone more scared & paranoid 
What can we do about it? I think we need to listen to people who have lived through this kind of thing & take action before it's too late. 
I'm not buying it. Where's the evidence? These countries have been demonizing 'terrorists' and immigrants for years. This is just another case of gaslighting the public into accepting more and more restrictions on their rights. We need concrete data, not emotional appeals to justify these drastic measures. Can we at least get a fact-check on how many people are actually being silenced or detained without trial? Or are these numbers conveniently dropped in favor of alarmist rhetoric? 
this is state terror in plain sight 
and we gotta wake up ASAP because if we dont, we're gonna lose our democracy 
. And what really gets me is how they justify it by saying it's for security and order - that's just a nice way of saying "we want to silence dissenters" 
. I've seen academic deans get threatened over teaching certain topics, journalists get hounded for telling the truth, and activists get labeled as enemies of the state 
#StateTerror #DemocracyAtRisk #FearIsNotFreedom
. They're just trying 2 silence critics & dissenters & making excuses with "security" & "order"... like that's gonna save us from their own policies 
. Anyway, gotta keep an eye out for those "arbitrary detention" cases & the militarization of borders... not exactly what I call "protecting" citizens 
. Like I'm watching this US politician saying that we need to "lock up" asylum seekers and no one bats an eye...
. I've heard stories from friends who've been to Syria and Iraq, it's like a nightmare come true 
. We need to listen to those who've been affected by state terror, their stories are so important 
.
. She's not afraid to challenge the status quo and fight for what's right 
. State terror can happen anywhere, even in democracies 
. We can't let it win, we have to keep fighting for a better future 
.