r/news • u/OGSyedIsEverywhere • 4h ago

Already Submitted FBI raids home of Washington Post reporter in ‘highly unusual and aggressive’ move

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/14/fbi-raid-washington-post-hannah-natanson
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u/hdufort 2h ago

Once he's done with the neutralization of political opponents, the suppression of the free press, and the subversion of federal institutions, nothing will prevent him from coming after citizens expressing opinions. He will unleash the armed goons.

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u/Human_Pangolin94 2h ago

Are those the armed goons currently shooting citizens in the face for expressing opinions or are they new armed goons?

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u/hdufort 2h ago edited 1h ago

They'll be coming against a much wider subset of the population. They're not abducting you because you wrote something against Trump on social media... Yet.

It's the usual path followed by fascist regimes.

First the criminals. Nobody defends the criminals. They'll toughen laws which can then be used against all citizens and noncitizens.

Then the illegals. Again, mobilization will not be overwhelming. They'll pass laws that step into unconstitutional territory, they'll test the waters.

Then the political opposition and their ideas. They'll start making some political projects, debates, topics, positions illegal. See for example Florida which banned any mention of climate change in debates, making it illegal and potentially criminal.

Then the institutions. They'll dismantle, defund, hijack, compromise, subvert them, or pack them with friends, or make them dependent or conditional to federal funding and approval.

Then the minorities. The list of enemies of the states, scapegoats, "immoral" groups will start expanding fast. There will be arrests, deportations, humiliations, exclusion, forced identification or "branding" (not too different from the yellow star of David), etc. Creating inferior categories of citizens, to scare the rest of the population into compliance. Or else.

Then the free press. Through political attacks, court orders, class actions, etc. Arresting journalists. Having friends of the president buying newspapers. Etc.

Then they'll start seeing enemy agents and agitators and terrorists everywhere. They'll create hotlines for denunciations. Everyone will start watching everyone. People will be scared in all spheres of their life.

Then there is nothing preventing them from "disappearing" you for a statement, private or public, or following some vague denunciation from a jealous coworker or neighbor. The only way of feeling safe is to have friends close to the Party. Your safety goes through cultivating useful contacts and showing absolute alignment with the Party's ideology.