Features

“CRUSH THE EXISTENCE OF VERMIN”

Published

2 years ago

2023/11/19

Thilina Walpola

DONALD TRUMP GOES FULL HITLER ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL

by Vijaya Chandrasoma

Much has been written about Trump’s election to the presidency in 2016; his ignorant, incompetent, criminal administration between 2016 and 2020; his Big Lie about a perfectly fair election being “stolen” from him; his fraudulent, criminal and seditious behavior since his defeat that has seen him convicted on fraud and rape, arrested and on bail on four indictments and 91 felony charges.

More has been written about the debasement of the Republican Party, once the Party of Family Values and the Rule of Law, into the authoritarian Party of Trump, with complete disregard for truth, decency, justice, the constitution and the Rule of Law. It is a party which has amazingly all but nominated a twice-impeached former president and a convicted criminal as its candidate for the 2024 presidency.

The Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), Ronna McDaniel, said that the RNC will back Trump for the 2024 presidency even as a convicted felon! Interestingly, Ronna McDaniel is a niece of Utah Senator and 2012 Republican nominee for the presidency, Mitt Romney. At a recent speech announcing his retirement from the Senate in 2025, Romney condemned Trump as a “Demagogue”, saying, “It is pretty clear that the Party is inclined to a populist demagogue message”. Previous Trump lawyer, Ty Cobb said last Tuesday at an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, “Trump’s behavior diminishes not only himself but also the United States of America”.

What is emerging of the plans of Trump and his allies if he is elected president in 2024 (he is currently leading President Biden 49% to 45% in recent national polls) are truly terrifying. And these plans are not based on reports from the “fake news media”; they are openly, loudly and proudly ranted by Trump himself during his recent campaign tirades, cheered on by his supporters. These plans include:

Revenge against political opponents, with the weaponization of the FBI, the Department of Justice and Law Enforcement. Trump went full Hitler during a Veteran’s Day campaign speech last Monday:

“We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, Fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country, lie, steal and cheat on elections, and will do anything possible, whether legally or illegally, to destroy America and the American Dream.” He added: “The threat from outside forces is far less sinister, dangerous and grave than the threat from within. Despite the hatred and anger of the Radical Left Lunatics who want to destroy our country, we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”.

The particular use of the word “vermin” is most significant. Historian, John Meacham said that “Trump is lifting rhetoric from Hitler and the Third Reich. Because to call your opponents vermin, to dehumanize them, is to not only open the door, but to walk through the door towards the most ghastly kinds of crimes”. And we all saw where that door led to at the Nazi concentration camps.

In his last will and testament, signed shortly before his suicide, Hitler wrote that the true meaning of his prophecy of 1939 was to “exterminate the vermin throughout Europe”.

Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, responded, “Those who try to make these assertions are clearly snowflakes suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, and their entire existence will be crushed when President Trump returns to the White House”.

“Entire existence of vermin” crushed, exterminated, baked, gassed – distinctions without a difference. At least they are honest about their intentions.

President Biden assailed Trump’s disgusting rhetoric. “It echoes language you heard in Nazi Germany in the 1930s”. He also recalled a past comment when Trump said that immigrants “were poisoning the blood of our country”.

Our “Country of Immigrants” has always been proudly awash with the blood, pure and impure, of immigrants. Never forget the words engraved on the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore”. Those huddled masses, that wretched refuse, they were all immigrants, not vermin. As are the teeming masses huddled on our southern border, yearning to breathe free. They are not, as Trump has often derided them, rapists and murderers. They are human beings, immigrants, certainly not vermin.

So when Trump calls immigrants and leftists vermin, he doesn’t mean “them”, he means “you”. When people tell you who they are and what they are going to do, believe them.

White House Staff of a second Trump administration.

Another terrifying prospect of a second Trump term from 2025 would be the fawning devotion, the unquestioning loyalty of the people he will employ in the highest and lowest posts in his administration.

In 2016, most of his top officials were “yes men”, loyalists who were happy to obey his every command, however unconstitutional, even criminal. But there were a few who did push against Trump’s worst instincts. People like former Defense Secretary James Mattis, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, former Chief of Staff John Kelly, to name just three, who were summarily fired because “they were not loyal enough”, or resigned because they were sick of working for a treasonous criminal. Or as former Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, also fired by Trump, said, “a f…ing moron”.

In 2025, however, with the guard-rails removed, the entirety of the Trump administration, including his cabinet and senior diplomats, will be composed of 110% Trump loyalists. A bunch of white supremacist rabble drawn from the radical red, QAnon, Christian, white supremacist politicians of the Party of Trump, backed by the domestic terrorist cults of the KKK, the Proud Boys and the Oathkeepers.

Trump has already stated that he plans to purge the government of at least 50,000 employees, “with a particular focus on corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus”. He would institute a massive overhaul of federal workers, replacing them with an installation of loyalists. “With you at my side, we will demolish the Deep State, we will expel the political class that hates our country”.

Demolish, expel, exterminate – again, distinctions without a difference.

Immigration

Trump has pledged to “immediately stop the invasion of our southern border” and end illegal immigration.

Travel Bans

“In my second term, we’re going to expand each and every one of those bans because we have no choice. We aren’t bringing anyone in from Gaza, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, or Libya or anywhere else that threatens our security”.

Tests for anyone trying to enter the United States

“I will implement (the) strong idea of logical screening of all immigrants. If you sympathize with Jihadists, you are not getting in. We don’t want you. You’re fired”. In the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel, he will put in place “ideological screening”, for immigrants to identify those “dangerous lunatics, haters, bigots and maniacs and those who empathize with radical Islamic terrorists and extremists”.

In addition to banning many from entering, Trump is vowing a historic removal of immigrants. “We will begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history”, vowing to implement a “massive deportation blitz”, including rounding up undocumented and legal immigrants and “concentrating” on detaining them in sprawling “camps” while they wait to be “expelled”.

Concentrating, camps, expel – doesn’t take much imagination to work out the meanings of those words, does it?

Family Separations.

Trump is threatening to restart his policy of family separations at the border, taking children away by force from the arms of their parents. Some of the families so separated during Trump’s first term have never been reunited. “When you say to a family that if you come, we’re going to break you up, they don’t come. We did family separations (during his first term), a lot of people didn’t come. It stopped people coming by the hundreds of thousands because when they hear family separation, they say, well, we better not”. Boasting about the benefits of separating children from their parents – that is the epitome of cruelty.

Foreign Policy.

Trump continues to threaten the withdrawal of the United States from NATO, the longest peacetime military alliance in history, unless they pay their fair share for their collective defense.

Trump claims that “even before I am inaugurated, (in January 2025), I will have settled the war between Russia and Ukraine”, including the “endless flow of American treasure to Ukraine”.

Sure, he will. He will simply end the war by encouraging his mentor, Putin, to illegally annex Ukraine, a sovereign, independent nation. And he will support Putin in his future invasions of the old Soviet Union countries, now sovereign nations under the aegis of NATO.

There are many other changes for the worse which can be expected if Trump wins a second term. These changes, basically culture wars, have little to do with issues that affect the American people. Issues like the economy, jobs and income inequality, inflation, healthcare and the social safety net, gun violence, voting rights, LGBTQ and transgender rights, women’s reproductive freedom, climate change and pollution, etc.

Instead, Trump and the Republican Party are more concerned about delaying the cases of 91 felony charges against Trump till after the November 2024 election; pardons for the rioters convicted of federal offenses for their participation in the January 6, 2021 insurrection; self-pardons of Trump, his family and cronies in all past, present and future crimes.

Trump plans to dismantle the Department of Education, with the federal government exerting more power on public schools and colleges, where the main thrust of educational policies would be an emphasis on Christianity, denial of history, banning of “restricted” books and “schools that will teach students to love their country, not to hate their country as they are taught right now”.

Trump’s policy to combat endemic gun violence in schools would be to encourage schools employing veterans, retired police officers and trained gun owners as armed guards, and permit teachers to carry concealed weapons.

According to him, “as everyone knows, having more guns is the only certain answer to reduce gun violence.”

Just last Tuesday, a Republican Senator challenged a witness, during a hearing, for a fist fight on the Senate floor. On the same day, former Speaker McCarthy elbowed a fellow Republican Senator who had voted against him in the election for the Speakership weeks ago, with a clean blow to the kidneys on the hallowed hallways of the Capitol. Encounters inappropriate even in Junior High School yards rather than in the “highest deliberative body in the world”.

The Republican Party, from Trump downwards (or is it upwards?) is out of control, having shed their collective sense of shame faster and with less embarrassment than a stripper sheds her bikini.

Trump would also encourage police officers to use violence to deter crime. In a recent speech, he said he would authorize police officers to shoot suspected shoplifters caught in the act. “Very simply, if you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store”. Especially if you are black, you will be shot solely on suspicion, no arrest, no trial, just capital punishment for stealing a pack of cigarettes. On the other hand, you can make $2 billion on an illegal real estate deal with the Saudis with impunity. Especially if you are white, and the president’s son-in-law.

Trump Justice, in a nutshell

These are a few reasons that will gladden the hearts of Trump supporters and Make America Great Again, AGAIN. There are more, too lengthy to add to this already prolix essay.

Fortunately, I’ll be long dead, having shuffled off this mortal coil, grieving the tragedy that, for the first time in the history of the greatest democracy in the world, we will be leaving our children and our grandchildren with a future fraught with danger: If Trump wins the White House in 2024.

All News Advertisement

Features

Acid test emerges for US-EU ties

Published

20 hours ago

2026/01/22

Sahan Weerasooriya

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday put forward the EU’s viewpoint on current questions in international politics with a clarity, coherence and eloquence that was noteworthy. Essentially, she aimed to leave no one in doubt that a ‘new form of European independence’ had emerged and that European solidarity was at a peak.

These comments emerge against the backdrop of speculation in some international quarters that the Post-World War Two global political and economic order is unraveling. For example, if there was a general tacit presumption that US- Western European ties in particular were more or less rock-solid, that proposition apparently could no longer be taken for granted.

For instance, while US President Donald Trump is on record that he would bring Greenland under US administrative control even by using force against any opposition, if necessary, the EU Commission President was forthright that the EU stood for Greenland’s continued sovereignty and independence.

In fact at the time of writing, small military contingents from France, Germany, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands are reportedly already in Greenland’s capital of Nook for what are described as limited reconnaissance operations. Such moves acquire added importance in view of a further comment by von der Leyen to the effect that the EU would be acting ‘in full solidarity with Greenland and Denmark’; the latter being the current governing entity of Greenland.

It is also of note that the EU Commission President went on to say that the ‘EU has an unwavering commitment to UK’s independence.’ The immediate backdrop to this observation was a UK decision to hand over administrative control over the strategically important Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia to Mauritius in the face of opposition by the Trump administration. That is, European unity in the face of present controversial moves by the US with regard to Greenland and other matters of contention is an unshakable ‘given’.

It is probably the fact that some prominent EU members, who also hold membership of NATO, are firmly behind the EU in its current stand-offs with the US that is prompting the view that the Post-World War Two order is beginning to unravel. This is, however, a matter for the future. It will be in the interests of the contending quarters concerned and probably the world to ensure that the present tensions do not degenerate into an armed confrontation which would have implications for world peace.

However, it is quite some time since the Post-World War Two order began to face challenges. Observers need to take their minds back to the Balkan crisis and the subsequent US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq in the immediate Post-Cold War years, for example, to trace the basic historic contours of how the challenges emerged. In the above developments the seeds of global ‘disorder’ were sown.

Such ‘disorder’ was further aggravated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine four years ago. Now it may seem that the world is reaping the proverbial whirlwind. It is relevant to also note that the EU Commission President was on record as pledging to extend material and financial support to Ukraine in its travails.

Currently, the international law and order situation is such that sections of the world cannot be faulted for seeing the Post World War Two international order as relentlessly unraveling, as it were. It will be in the interests of all concerned for negotiated solutions to be found to these global tangles. In fact von der Leyen has committed the EU to finding diplomatic solutions to the issues at hand, including the US-inspired tariff-related squabbles.

Given the apparent helplessness of the UN system, a pre-World War Two situation seems to be unfolding, with those states wielding the most armed might trying to mould international power relations in their favour. In the lead-up to the Second World War, the Hitlerian regime in Germany invaded unopposed one Eastern European country after another as the League of Nations stood idly by. World War Two was the result of the Allied Powers finally jerking themselves out of their complacency and taking on Germany and its allies in a full-blown world war.

However, unlike in the late thirties of the last century, the seeming number one aggressor, which is the US this time around, is not going unchallenged. The EU which has within its fold the foremost of Western democracies has done well to indicate to the US that its power games in Europe are not going unmonitored and unchecked. If the US’ designs to take control of Greenland and Denmark, for instance, are not defeated the world could very well be having on its hands, sooner rather than later, a pre-World War Two type situation.

Ironically, it is the ‘World’s Mightiest Democracy’ which is today allowing itself to be seen as the prime aggressor in the present round of global tensions. In the current confrontations, democratic opinion the world over is obliged to back the EU, since it has emerged as the principal opponent of the US, which is allowing itself to be seen as a fascist power.

Hopefully sane counsel would prevail among the chief antagonists in the present standoff growing, once again, out of uncontainable territorial ambitions. The EU is obliged to lead from the front in resolving the current crisis by diplomatic means since a region-wide armed conflict, for instance, could lead to unbearable ill-consequences for the world.

It does not follow that the UN has no role to play currently. Given the existing power realities within the UN Security Council, the UN cannot be faulted for coming to be seen as helpless in the face of the present tensions. However, it will need to continue with and build on its worldwide development activities since the global South in particular needs them very badly.

The UN needs to strive in the latter directions more than ever before since multi-billionaires are now in the seats of power in the principle state of the global North, the US. As the charity Oxfam has pointed out, such financially all-powerful persons and allied institutions are multiplying virtually incalculably. It follows from these realities that the poor of the world would suffer continuous neglect. The UN would need to redouble its efforts to help these needy sections before widespread poverty leads to hemispheric discontent.

Features

Brighten up your skin …

Published

20 hours ago

2026/01/22

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hi! This week I’ve come up with tips to brighten up your skin.

* Turmeric and Yoghurt Face Pack:

You will need 01 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 02 tablespoons of fresh yoghurt.

Mix the turmeric and yoghurt into a smooth paste and apply evenly on clean skin. Leave it for 15–20 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water

Benefits:

Reduces pigmentation, brightens dull skin and fights acne-causing bacteria.

* Lemon and Honey Glow Pack:

Mix 01teaspoon lemon juice and 01 tablespoon honey and apply it gently to the face. Leave for 10–15 minutes and then wash off with cool water.

Benefits:

Lightens dark spots, improves skin tone and deeply moisturises. By the way, use only 01–02 times a week and avoid sun exposure after use.

* Aloe Vera Gel Treatment:

All you need is fresh aloe vera gel which you can extract from an aloe leaf. Apply a thin layer, before bedtime, leave it overnight, and then wash face in the morning.

Benefits:

Repairs damaged skin, lightens pigmentation and adds natural glow.

* Rice Flour and Milk Scrub:

You will need 01 tablespoon rice flour and 02 tablespoons fresh milk.

Mix the rice flour and milk into a thick paste and then massage gently in circular motions. Leave for 10 minutes and then rinse with water.

Benefits:

Removes dead skin cells, improves complexion, and smoothens skin.

* Tomato Pulp Mask:

Apply the tomato pulp directly, leave for 15 minutes, and then rinse with cool water

Benefits:

Controls excess oil, reduces tan, and brightens skin naturally.

Features

Shooting for the stars …

Published

20 hours ago

2026/01/22

Sahan Weerasooriya

That’s precisely what 25-year-old Hansana Balasuriya has in mind – shooting for the stars – when she was selected to represent Sri Lanka on the international stage at Miss Intercontinental 2025, in Sahl Hasheesh, Egypt.

The grand finale is next Thursday, 29th January, and Hansana is all geared up to make her presence felt in a big way.

Her journey is a testament to her fearless spirit and multifaceted talents … yes, her life is a whirlwind of passion, purpose, and pageantry.

Raised in a family of water babies (Director of The Deep End and Glory Swim Shop), Hansana’s love affair with swimming began in childhood and then she branched out to master the “art of 8 limbs” as a Muay Thai fighter, nailed Karate and Kickboxing (3-time black belt holder), and even threw herself into athletics (literally!), especially throwing events, and netball, as well.

A proud Bishop’s College alumna, Hansana’s leadership skills also shone bright as Senior Choir Leader.

She earned a BA (Hons) in Business Administration from Esoft Metropolitan University, and then the world became her playground.

Before long, modelling and pageantry also came into her scene.

She says she took to part-time modelling, as a hobby, and that led to pageants, grabbing 2nd Runner-up titles at Miss Nature Queen and Miss World Sri Lanka 2025.

When she’s not ruling the stage, or pool, Hansana’s belting tunes with Soul Sounds, Sri Lanka’s largest female ensemble.

What’s more, her artistry extends to drawing, and she loves hitting the open road for long drives, she says.

This water warrior is also on a mission – as Founder of Wave of Safety,

Hansana happens to be the youngest Executive Committee Member of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) and, as founder of Wave of Safety, she’s spreading water safety awareness and saving lives.

Today is Hansana’s ninth day in Egypt and the itinerary for today, says National Director for Sri Lanka, Brian Kerkoven, is ‘Jeep Safari and Sunset at the Desert.’

And … the all-important day at Miss Intercontinental 2025 is next Thursday, 29th January.

Well, good luck to Hansana.