The truth is, I might actually call myself among that 60% who's scared for my life of what could happen of what Trump comes to power again. I don't expect that I'll lose my life at his direct order, but I firmly think that he's not morally above the murder and imprisonment of dissenters and he's said as much in his rallies. Right now I feel that my personal obligation in these conversations is to do what I can to get you to recognize those commonalities between Trump and Hitler. As I said in my article, the alarmism on that point can sometimes be a little frustrating, but on the other hand, I believe it's no coincidence at all the way that Trump echoes Hitler's rhetoric and tells "big lies." His rallies feature fist in the air, "Fight! Fight Fight!" chants that are the same we saw in 1930s Germany.

I'm a strong believer in having these conversations with people I disagree with, but I do also believe that each vote cast in favor of Trump is a vote against my very right to vote. Trump will fight the result of any election that he doesn't win and is unbothered by the civilian casualties that result. He's promised violence if he doesn't win. I don't think he's the same tyrant as Hitler, but I think he's his own monster and that as Jews it's incumbent upon us to see the ways he parallels leaders like Hitler. In the debate when called out for his standing in the world, his immediate response was to boast the endorsement of a democracy-ending dictator. And he's repeatedly expressed admiration for the world's most dangerous despots.

I do always need to acknowledge the faults I see in Kamala, but to me, as a Jew and a US citizen, I can't help but see all of the ills she can claim as only a drop in the bucket by comparison. Trump may be the better leader for the Netanyahu administration, but I think it's his administration that's led to so much of the world's current streak of anti-semitism. I don't think he's the better leader for the future of Jewish people, for the country as a whole, or for the world.

I always try to speak as objectively as I can on these issues because I know that the Left isn't faultless. But I don't think the fears coming from them are overblown. So much of their paranoia rooted in literal things that Trump has done in the past and said on video. The danger he poses is one that transcends personal politics and he needs to be kept away from that high office again at all costs. I believe the story that people want to read, and the one that I want to write, is the one where I can get you to walk away from the belief that Trump represents the best path forward for our country and recognize the incipient tyrant inside of him.

My grandfather fought in WWII and even at 97 years old he considers the peril that Trump poses to be the greatest domestic threat that our country has faced from within his lifetime. As much as I like the idea of writing an article about the agreements that can occur across disparate ends of the political spectrum, as a Jew it would feel like a betrayal of all that I am to do anything that could be even vaguely construed as downplaying what a danger Trump is.

I do really like where you're coming from with the idea, and in another election season--where you were supporting Romney and myself Obama--that sort of piece would work in my eyes. Right now, I consider Trump an existential threat to our nation's future and I think there are objective measures by which that's almost impossible to deny. I'd highly recommend reading Heather Cox Richardson on Substack if you haven't come across her yet. She's a historian that takes a very grounded approach to exploring our political moment.

Thanks so much for the suggestion! Sorry I couldn't be a little more open to it. I'll be curious to hear if your thoughts change at all as the election continues to near!