She finds the whole idea absurd. To Prof Marci Shore, the notion that the Guardian, or anyone else, should want to interview her about the future of the US is ridiculous. She’s an academic specialising in the history and culture of eastern Europe and describes herself as a “Slavicist”, yet here she is, suddenly besieged by international journalists keen to ask about the country in which she insists she has no expertise: her own. “It’s kind of baffling,” she says.
In fact, the explanation is simple enough. Last month, Shore, together with her husband and fellow scholar of European history, Timothy Snyder, and the academic Jason Stanley, made news around the world when they announced that they were moving from Yale University in the US to the University of Toronto in Canada. It was not the move itself so much as their motive that garnered attention. As the headline of a short video op-ed the trio made for the New York Times put it, “We Study Fascism, and We’re Leaving the US”.
Starkly, Shore invoked the ultimate warning from history. “The lesson of 1933 is: you get out sooner rather than later.” She seemed to be saying that what had happened then, in Germany, could happen now, in Donald Trump’s America – and that anyone tempted to accuse her of hyperbole or alarmism was making a mistake. “My colleagues and friends, they were walking around and saying, ‘We have checks and balances. So let’s inhale, checks and balances, exhale, checks and balances.’ I thought, my God, we’re like people on the Titanic saying, ‘Our ship can’t sink. We’ve got the best ship. We’ve got the strongest ship. We’ve got the biggest ship.’ And what you know as a historian is that there is no such thing as a ship that can’t sink.”
Lol, you think this is going to end with just calmly standing in a crowd?
Probably not, but that’s the most that’s been asked of this lady so far and she couldn’t even muster the courage to do that. Running away before you make any attempt to fight for all the people who made you who you are is some weak shit.
You sound naive. She studies dictators and she grew up in a neighbourhood of holocaust survivors. Teachers and their students are already being taken by ICE and it may become harder for targeted groups to find safety. This is not a question of “standing in a crowd”.
Again, being aware of your own limitations and doing what you can is preferable to faking it, and falling apart when it counts.
Not everyone can be a super tough guy like you surely are.
Eh, my 78 year old aunt who uses two canes to get around because she refuses to use a walker has been to a few different protests this year in the deep red state of West Virginia. I get what you’re saying about limitations and maybe we’ll reach that point sooner or later but I don’t think we’re at the run away to save yourself part yet unless you’re an immigrant or trans.
I also understand wanting to get out before shit goes sideways but again, I don’t think we’re there yet. Maybe I’m wrong but I hope not.
It’s not about being tough physically it’s about deciding not to run away. I’ve seen pictures of 100 year old men, blind people, and folks in wheelchairs at these protests. If they can do it then an able bodied middle aged woman can too. She’s choosing not to because she’s afraid and that is the definition of cowardice whether you like it or not.
She has children. It’s interesting that if you thought a full on dictators/ death camp regime was coming (as she does) you would either abandon your children or put them in harm’s way, but judging other people for making a different choice does not make you seem all that righteous.
With her particular specialty and the attacks on education, I would put her in the grouping of likely to be targeted. Once that happens, it is probably too late to leave.
As far as going to protests, I’ve seen those pics too and they are truly inspiring to see! I have imagined that all have a support system, though I could be wrong. I’m currently unable to stand or walk for long periods and hoping I am able to fully recover. Until then, Im in a state we moved to as adults, haven’t made any real local friends, don’t have kids or other family in the area, work different hours in a different city than my S.O. We are also in a red county in a red state that posts in our neighborhood sites freely, about being violent to any non-magas. I.e., running into the protesters with lifted trucks, doing drive-bys of their 2a rights, and get cheered on from the others on there. I had to go far from home to one of our big cities to attempt to protest for a little bit just so I could feel safer with a crowd. Luckily I am still able to drive or even that wouldn’t have been possible.
She is speaking up and bringing her expertise to those who can put the information to more strategic use. I will take all the help we can get.