They say that “the winners write history”. I think it’s less that they write history and more that they have the power to erase those parts that don’t fit into their worldview. Donald Trump’s recent attempt to purge people who believe in climate change from government agencies is likely just the beginning. Scientists across the world are desperately trying to save US climate data on private servers for fear that Trump could order it all destroyed.
And he could do it.
How long before we have more direct censorship? God help us, something like the Sedition Act could make it literally illegal to criticize the government. Even without something so draconian, “loosening up” the libel laws (something Trump has threatened to do) would be sufficient to see to it that those with money and power have the means to attack those who criticize them. Controlling access to the media, punishing those who speak truth to power, this is the way the truth of the next four years will be lost.
So save your history.
History goes in cycles and eventually this madness will be over. Maybe in four years. Maybe four decades. Regimes change, but if we don’t want the Trumps of this world to determine what is said about the next few years/decades, then we have to have the truth squirreled away. Speak out if you can, but keep a journal. Fill it with accounts of what happened, and what didn’t. Fill it with pictures of things you saw, but couldn’t speak up about. Fill it with whatever crosses your mind about living under the Trump administration.
One day it will have to bring those truths to light again.