To the editor: I learn with deep disappointment the article by Jackie Calmes reflecting on the writings of Hannah Arendt (“What Hannah Arendt saw in Hitler’s Germany, we can see in Trump’s America,” April 10). As a former instructor of American Historical past, I taught my college students in regards to the Structure and the rule of regulation.
My college students had been instructed on what occurs when the steadiness of energy is uncontrolled. My eighth-graders realized about Nazi Germany and what led to the rise of Hitler. My courses usually would ask how folks simply stood by and watched because the ugliness of genocide unfolded.
By no means may I’ve imagined the potential of that taking place in our nation. However we live in occasions that recommend that we worth one-man rule as an alternative of democracy. We should be a part of the answer of saving our valued establishments or we too shall be held chargeable for our democracy’s demise.
Micki Wooden, Fullerton
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To the editor: In Calmes’ glorious column about Arendt, she doesn’t explicitly point out Arendt’s necessary idea of the “banality of evil,” which observes that evil could be perpetrated and assented to by odd folks, not simply monsters, via thoughtlessness, ignorance, disinterest or lack of vital considering. It may also be allowed to take maintain due to the unquestioning obedience to a frontrunner of bureaucrats who will not be inherently evil however produce other egocentric pursuits that trigger them to miss or disregard the harmful intents of the individual they serve. We should all change into extra conscious of the warning indicators.
Lewis T. Rosenthal, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Studying the column on Arendt’s writings about Hitler’s rise to authoritarian energy, I used to be reminded of the saying by thinker George Santayana: “Those that can not keep in mind the previous are condemned to repeat it.” We could also be right here once more, solely 9 a long time later.
Evelyn Goodman, Culver Metropolis
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To the editor: I’d prefer to congratulate Calmes on her article. She nailed it! Every little thing that President Trump is doing is the beginning of a dictatorship. Everybody ought to learn this column. It’s incredible. Hopefully, I’ll watch the PBS documentary on Arendt on June 27.
Lolita Coffey, Torrance
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To the editor: Arendt’s “The Origins of Totalitarianism” is a much more encompassing evaluation of authoritarian, freedom-denying regimes than Hitler’s Germany. Upon studying, it’s simple — if no more doubtless — to conclude that Arendt’s a lot higher concern could be of right this moment’s Democrats and it’s Marxist wing (progressives), each culturally and economically, and supported by academia, the leisure business and far of the media.
Kip Dellinger, Santa Monica
