The Familiar Playbook of Power: A Global Pattern of Suppression
In a world where democracy is often touted as a beacon of freedom and equality, it's astonishing to see how easily power can be exercised without accountability. The recent events in Venezuela have sent shockwaves around the globe, but what's even more striking is the eerie familiarity of this playbook. It's a pattern that has been repeated time and again, not just abroad, but also at home.The Venezuelan Connection
The removal of a sitting president through U.S. action, without the consent or vote of the people, is a stark reminder of the ways in which power can be exercised without accountability. This echoes the same methods used at home for generations, where systems have been put in place to reshape lives without consent, while maintaining a veneer of legality.
Redlining and Gerrymandering: A Familiar Pattern
The article highlights two key examples of this pattern: redlining and gerrymandering. Redlining, where banks and governments drew lines on maps to decide where Black families could live, borrow, or build wealth, is a clear example of how power can be exercised without consent. Gerrymandering, the manipulation of political districts to weaken Black voting power, is another instance of this pattern.
The Extension of a Familiar Playbook
What's striking about these examples is that they mirror the same methods used in Venezuela. Power identifies resistance, applies pressure, removes obstacles, and explains later. Sometimes this pressure comes through military force, other times it comes through courts, laws, or economic levers. The method changes, but the structure remains the same.
Removed Leaders Abroad Echo Silenced Voices at Home
The article also highlights how removed leaders abroad echo silenced voices at home. When Black communities have challenged unfair systems, leaders have been targeted, movements disrupted, and progress delayed. COINTELPRO, voter suppression, and surveillance were not accidents; they were tools used to maintain control while preserving a public image of order.
A Consistent System
The lesson from these examples is not that every situation is identical, but rather that the system is consistent. Democracy weakens when power operates without accountability, and rights erode when decisions are made without consent. It's a stark reminder of the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions.
The events in Venezuela serve as a stark reminder of the global pattern of suppression that has been repeated time and again. By recognizing this pattern, we can begin to understand how power operates without accountability and how it erodes democracy. It's time to hold those in power accountable for their actions and to demand true equality and justice for all.
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