Fair Warning about Silence in the face of 'Soft Tyranny' & 'Totalitariansism'

April 8, 2021: As most people may be noticing (but not fully appreciating), there are strong forces of 'soft tyranny' taking hold of free societies around the world. As Extremely American continues to advance and encourage the awareness of 'soft' and 'hard' forms of tyranny disguised as 'compassionate socialism', many quotes from intellectual legends of history cross my mind.

One such quote was the prescient and piercing statement made by Thomas Jefferson centuries ago: "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent". Another thought provoking quote came from Alexis de Tocqueville: "One of the most ordinary weaknesses of the human intellect is to seek to reconcile contrary principles, and to purchase peace at the expense of logic." A final quote was cited by a Soviet dissident (in the 1970's) who gave America this sobering warning: "You will know you are entering soft totalitarianism when you are at the point that you don't know if your actions today can mean the end of your career, your lifestyle, or your life tomorrow."

Whether we draw from the writings of Thomas Jefferson or notes taken from Alexis de Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America', one thing is abundantly clear. In the face of any form of tyranny and totalitarianism, the worse response possible is a response of silent, delicate, and 'polite' capitulation. The quotes provided in this short article are intended to remind every patriot to be vocal, visible and active in response to everything and everyone threatening our freedom and God-given rights today. It is hopeful that the quotes offered are a creative reminder of what history and its intellectual giants have taught us. By: Extremely American Colin Wright