 |
| "The citizens have good taste" |
In this series we are discussing various facets of the concept of official immunity (Follow The Immunity, 2, 3, 4, 5).
The notion of official immunity was at first only embryonic in ancient times, but when it became well fed it grew up to destroy 26 civilizations:
"In the Study Toynbee examined the rise and fall of 26 civilizations in the course of human history, and he concluded that they rose by responding successfully to challenges under the leadership of creative minorities composed of elite leaders. Civilizations declined when their leaders stopped responding creatively, and the civilizations then sank owing to the sins of nationalism, militarism, and the tyranny of a despotic minority."(Encyclopedia Britannica, emphasis added). In our time the statement that gives meaning to the concept is "the king can do no wrong" (Follow The Immunity - 3).
The basic "DNA" or essence of the process is for leaders to cultivate nationalism and militarism until it sickens a portion of the populace (Etiology of Social Dementia, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18).
The sickening continues until they become a despotic minority (the majority be damned).
That minority is brought forth by an authoritarian source which renders the despotic minority into authoritarian followers, who in the nomenclature of psychology are called "sychophants" (Beware of the Sycophant Epidemic - 2).
II. Here And Now
The feasting on the minds of the despotic minority over the weekend contained statements from The Don that he absolutely could pardon himself of any crime (President Trump Tweets That He Has the 'Absolute Right' to Pardon Himself).
His chief T.V. sychophant clearly implied that The Don could even assassinate an FBI director without being indicted, because The Don is now the president:
"President Trump’s lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani reportedly said Sunday that Trump could shoot former FBI director James B. Comey in the Oval Office and still not be indicted for it while still serving as president.(Giuliani: Trump could shoot Comey). The Don knows the nature of the sychophants he is feasting on, once bragging that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and his despotic minority would still follow him (Trump Declaration).
The HuffPost reported that Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor, made the assertion on a day when he conducted a series of interviews in which he discussed the expansive powers granted to the president in the Constitution.
'In no case can he be subpoenaed or indicted,' Giuliani said, according to the HuffPost. 'I don’t know how you can indict while he’s in office. No matter what it is.'
Giuliani said that impeachment would be the remedy for a president’s illegal behavior, offering as an example the hypothetical case of Trump shooting Comey rather than firing him, the HuffPost reported."
III. Conclusion
It would seem that the Dredd Blog series that might have at first seemed cartoonish really wasn't and isn't (The Shapeshifters of Bullshitistan, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).
It all comes down to choices (Choose Your Trances Carefully, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
The previous post in this series is here.