I’m not trying to be provocative, but I do want to be honest.
I’m a U.S. citizen and Navy veteran, and I’ve lived in the United States for more than 40 years. I’m also a German immigrant. And the comparisons I keep seeing online—between modern ICE enforcement and the Gestapo—have stopped me in my tracks. It’s easy to dismiss these comparisons as hyperbole. But before we do that, we need to understand what the Gestapo actually was. The Geheime Staatspolizei—better known as the Gestapo—was the Nazi regime’s secret police. It emerged from the Prussian state police and became the engine of surveillance, intimidation, and state-sponsored fear in Germany during the Third Reich. Despite the “secret” label, everyone knew of their presence. And that was the point. One of my great-grandmothers hid her disabled cousin during the Nazi euthanasia campaign of the early 1940s that targeted the disabled, and later even the elderly. The terror was real and absolute. You didn’t know who might report you. You didn’t know who to trust. And once the Gestapo came for you, there was no appeal. No due process. No help. The question is: Is ICE becoming something similar? 🛑 Similarities and Differences Here is what’s not the same:
But the tactics? The erosion of trust? That’s where things get uncomfortably close.
⚖️ Legal vs. Just Is ICE legal? Yes. But is it operating justly? That’s murkier. The Gestapo cloaked its horrors in laws too—laws that were designed to criminalize dissent, difference, and disability. Legality isn’t the same as justice. We have due process for a reason. But when ICE agents can operate in plainclothes, arrest people at court, and detain families—including children—without clear justification, it’s time to ask: Are we honoring the spirit of our laws, or finding ways to bypass them? 🚨 Are We Powerless? The Gestapo thrived because people were afraid to resist. But in a democracy, we’re not powerless:
📣 Final Thought Comparing ICE to the Gestapo may feel extreme, but ignoring the warning signs would be worse. Authoritarianism doesn’t arrive all at once. It creeps in when we justify fear, silence dissent, and look the other way. Let’s not. Let’s speak up, stay informed, and make sure we never become the country others have fled. Sources & Citations:
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorAxel Newe is a strategic partnerships and GTM leader with a background in healthcare, SaaS, and digital transformation. He’s also a Navy veteran, cyclist, and lifelong problem solver. Lately, he’s been writing not just from the field and the road—but from the gut—on democracy, civic engagement, and current events (minus the rage memes). This blog is where clarity meets commentary, one honest post at a time. ArchivesCategories
All
|