As we look at what is transpiring in Washington today, we wonder if DC will ever be the same.

Maggie is a DC native and we met each other in DC. We love the city but hope that it can recover from the current abuse and infighting. We do have hope that it will recover and shine and be that special city on the hill again. When Maggie grew up, Dems and Repubs lived, worked and played together. It was a special city that was a blend of colors from white to brown to purple. We were free to be and to accept that others may be different but that was ok, and it was encouraged. We were DC.

Today, much of what we see from the current administration are rapid changes to our laws and actions such as: allowing white immigrants with money and shutting out others,  arrests of hard working laborers but not company owners, allowing and encouraging environmental abuse to our air and water, the opening of the flood gates for hunting endangered species, and many more.

The current White House playbook is to bring in agitators, produce propaganda, act like good “Christians”, gain youthful followers, push out immigrants, suckle the rich and shave down the middle class. This is the new reality. It is not too late to open our eyes and hearts and recognize the early signs of Fascism. If we fail to recognize and deal with this, this form of localized Fascism will not go away on its own. Hoping that it will do so will not work. We must recognize what it is, take it seriously and heed the warnings. This is not the old DC and it will not be again if we do not act to defend Social Justice and restore Peace to this nation.

Stefan Zweig wrote in 1941, “Hitler elevated lying to a matter of course.” This is the new reality in Washington and beyond and if we do not act, there will be no more time left to do so. The rise of Hitler was synchronized and steadily gained power as many were coerced into believing or grew tired of resisting.

We have seen rapist, racist and a sadist rise to power. Let’s not be blind to the beginnings of Fascism. Rather, let’s ask ourselves how do we defeat this form of Fascism before it defeats us? We must continue to organize and win back our Democracy before we lose the opportunity. Do not tire of the struggle and the hard work. Keep up our efforts to take back DC for it should not be owned by just a chosen few. United we can win and will win.