***

First it begins with condemning the “others” be they liberals, conservatives or caravan migrants.

Then it moves to protecting us from “the others” with armed guards. We rename the others as “invaders.”

Then it becomes necessary to declare a state of emergency with military rule until the “invaders” are caught and imprisoned and deported.

Because there are so many armed guards we are afraid and do not speak out. And those who do are rounded up and imprisoned for the sake of the safety of “The Nation” that we once were.

We put the armed guards at schools and places of worship and shopping malls and everywhere. And we are afraid and do not speak out.

Then the armed guards become the security police for the dictatorship that replaced the democratic government that we elected.

And we thought “The Handmaid’s Tale” was fiction?

Not the way I see it.

***

Skid Crease