Monticello

To the editor:

Professor Paulson’s commentary reminds us we are a free people, not subject to tyrannical powers of a despot. He opens Putin’s playbook for our examination of tactics. However, I have seen that playbook before, many times.

Put out false information, align yourself with popular causes, have a group intimidate and cheat, blame others, get inside. That is how Putin got into power and gets away doing his will. You know it happened in history. Heck, Hitler’s Mein Kampf is a manual on how to do this.

The scary part of this historical manual is that it works! Bullies get into power because they are elected in.

They stay in power as influence and control are expanded; soon the crowds love and live the lie.

We remember Hitler’s charisma, but we have historical references on every continent.

The January 6th hearings exemplified how the playbook worked here. Done correctly, news sources can ​be ‘closed’ by labelling them fake, facts can be countered with false data. There is no need to shoot the experts when they can be wrongly discredited. Protesters are labelled. I am so angry our former President did this to me.

The ancient Greek philosophers feared that with time, in a democracy, eventually the populace will vote it down.

Beware the extremists (on both sides).