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American democracy is in dire peril. Enraged at the establishments cowardly response to external threats, a megalomaniac demagogue rides a wave of popular support, appearing before a series of fervently attended political rallies. He threatens to oust an old, sickly, unpopular president, and seize power. Once in control, he clearly means to rule as a strongman.

Sixty years have passed since movie audiences first got to see this scenario played out in the Hollywood thriller Seven Days in May, which starred Burt Lancaster as a mutinous general, and Kirk Douglas as the officer who thwarts his would-be coup. Today, as fears intensify about what Donald Trump plans to do if he recaptures the presidency, the anniversary is a reminder that the nightmare of American dictatorship did not begin with Trump, or the attack on the Capitol. The fear goes all the way back to the Declaration of Independence, which warned of the absolute Tyranny that George III was supposedly plotting to impose on the colonists. Such spectres have haunted America ever since.

Seven Days in May was based on a novel by two political journalists, written to dramatise the creeping fear of the early 1960s that elements in the military posed a serious threat to American democracy. President Eisenhower left office in 1961, warning of the unwarranted influence of the military-industrial complex: the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power could, he said, endanger our liberties. The generals bitterly resented the new President Kennedys assertion of control over spending, strategy and troop indoctrination.

Liberal public figures denounced senior officers scarily anti-democratic statements. One congressman cried: We want no military czars in this country. We want no men on horseback. President Kennedy himself took the threat seriously enough to encourage the director John Frankenheimer to turn Seven Days in May into a movie, to alert America to the threat.

Burt Lancasters General Scott was inspired partly by a former general, Edwin Walker, who Kennedy forced out of the army for trying to indoctrinate his troops with far-right propaganda. Walker denounced Kennedy as a communist and, for a time, seemed to be the man on horseback that right-wing extremists yearned for. But Scott was also based on the ferocious chief of the air force, General Curtis LeMay, who clashed with Kennedy over the botched covert invasion of Cuba in 1961, and his terrifyingly gung-ho approach to nuclear war.

So why didnt the movies nightmare scenario actually happen? One reason was that, as ever when fact inspires fiction, messy reality becomes overly neat and simple. There was a crucial difference between the two men the movie melded together. One was a general, the other a former general. Walker became a public demagogue, but was not powerful; LeMay was powerful, but did not turn demagogic while in uniform. Eventually, he did take part in a far-right push for power as the presidential running-mate of the segregationist George Wallace. But when they lost, he accepted the result.

So on one level, Seven Days in May was simply a centrist nightmare that did not come to fruition. Its lesson is that you cant watch over democracy by looking for vague spectres; you have to be specific about the nature of the threat. But with that in mind, eternal vigilance remains the price of liberty.

This vigilance has proven to be a price worth paying under a new Trumpian paradigm. Its little surprise that fears of military coups and civil wars have crept back into the cultural landscape: take A24s bluntly titled Civil War slated to release this year. Perhaps, the films trailer leads us to believe, a dystopian future of gun-toting secessionist militias is closer to becoming reality than wed like to think.

If he wins in November, Trump seems prepared to deploy soldiers against protestors. Today, the militarys willingness to disobey the president may yet become a hot political issue once again: this time, not to destroy democracy, but to save it.

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Prepare for the battle between the President and the US Army - Yahoo News

The time has come again for Ohio University to host its annual Baker Peace Conference, which brings speakers from all over the world to speak to students.

The focus of this year's conference is labeled Democracy in Decline? The Politics of Pluralism, Participation, and Populism with keynote speaker Leopoldo Lopez and panels of speakers from Europe, Africa and South America.

Lopez originates from Venezuela and was imprisoned for seven years for leading nonviolent street protests. He escaped the autocratic regime and began working in Spain as the co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, which advocates for human rights and democracy in autocracies.

The issue of democracy is something that we are getting a lot out in our media, Alec Holcombe, director of the Contemporary History Institute and chair of the Baker Peace Conference, said. I think it's useful to have that perspective. It's saying this issue of democracy and how it manifests in other countries as well. What are the challenges that other countries are facing?

Holcombe also mentioned how the issue of democracy is discussed a lot in the U.S., but a new perspective is important for understanding.

This year, the conference will feature high-profile panelists including Filipe Campante speaking about Brazil, Miles Taylor from Britain and Michael Walsh, who will be speaking about democracy in South Africa.

The second set of panelists will include German-Canadian journalist Aaron G. Burnett, Marie Jourdain, who currently works for the French Ministry of Defense, Krisztina Koenen a Hungarian journalist and Zofia Kostrzewa, who works in the Warsaw office at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

The panels give students an opportunity to engage with experts from all around the world about democracy in their countries, the U.S. and the influence of international affairs on democracy. A key idea panelists will be speaking on is the health of democracy around the world and the perspectives of people from different countries and how they see democracy.

One of the things that makes me happiest about these talks is that they bring interesting people from around the world to a part of the country that maybe doesn't often get visitors from backgrounds like these people, he said. I love the opportunity that it poses. You get to interact with people from far away, but I suppose I'm also happy for the people from around the world to get a chance to see this part of the country.

Holcombe elaborated on his excitement for students to attend and learn something new.

I guess I have hoped that it would spark their curiosity about other places in the world and be interested in politics that are going on in other countries, Holcombe said.

The Baker Peace Conference has been around since 1988, in conjunction with the Contemporary History Institute, which hosts other events throughout the year including the Elizabeth Evans Baker speaker series.

The conference is also sponsored by the Baker Peace Studies Program, which provides educational opportunities to learn about peace and democracy around the world.

I thought it would be a really stimulating and fun experience, Holcombe said. It's an opportunity to get to know some interesting people from around the world, and also I enjoy the challenge of it.

Previous conference topics have included communism, the Vietnam War and its legacy, the shaping of the Middle East and the effect other historical events have had on various countries.

This years conference began Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with the keynote speaker at Galbreath Chapel and will continue with the two panels on Friday in Alden Library from 10 a.m. to noon and 3-5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

mg977922@ohio.edu

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Baker Peace Conference to discuss 'Democracy in Decline?' - The Post

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard warned American democracy is under attack, criticizing the Department of Justices prosecution of former President Donald Trump in a speech at this years Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday, days after Trump admitted the former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate is on a list of potential vice presidential contenders.

The Democratic beat and the swamp creatures of Washington, who are doing all they possibly can to keep us, the American people, from a very simple thing, having the freedom to choose who we want to be our next president, Gabbard said to applause, receiving the first standing ovation of the conservative conference.

[Democrats] are using our criminal justice system to prosecute and distract the Republican presidential candidate in the midst of his campaign, Gabbard said, referring to the 91 charges across four criminal cases Trump is facing. Its so egregious that even people who are not fans of Donald Trump are standing up and saying this is crazy.

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The former Hawaii congresswomans message isnt necessarily new. She has become a fixture on Fox News since she left Congress and the Democratic Party as a result of what she said was growing wokeness, racism and intolerance. She has regularly accused the FBI and the Justice Department of targeting political opponents of President Joe Biden.

Trump on Tuesday confirmed Gabbard is on a short list of contenders to join his campaign as his running mate, and he has recently met with her to talk about foreign policy and how the Pentagon should be run during a second Trump term. A woman of color and a veteran, Gabbard has staked out a role as an outspoken critic of U.S. military interventions overseas and a critic of aid to Ukraine.

The former 2020 presidential candidate, who endorsed Biden in 2020, has ultimately moved from the Democratic Party to the Right and is expected to headline a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago for Trump on March 7.

Gabbard took a moment on Thursday to defend the GOP front-runner for president against an attack from former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the only other Republican remaining in the GOP presidential primary.

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Now, if you listen to what Nikki Haley has been saying, she claims that President Trump only cares about himself, Gabbard said as the crowd booed at the mention of Haleys name.

Ive had the chance to meet with him and speak with him at length, and Ive seen firsthand his heartfelt interactions with friends of mine, Gabbard said. I have seen how he has touched their hearts and moved them to tears as he expresses appreciation for their service, their sacrifice, no cameras, no crowds, just that heartfelt conveyance of appreciation.

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CPAC 2024: Gabbard warns of assault on US democracy by Democrats in tryout to become Trumps VP - Washington Examiner

The power of information in shaping our understanding of the world cannot be overstated. In todays digital age, the rapid spread of information, and more concerningly, disinformation, is a critical issue that continues to plague societies worldwide. Disinformation, defined as deliberately misleading or biased information, has become a significant threat to democratic societies, particularly in the United States. Its spread has not only become a partisan and politicized issue but has also proven difficult to counter due to the political nature of the subject.

Disinformation has become a considerable threat to U.S. democracy, and the failure of U.S. lawmakers to agree on reforms to address this issue is alarming. The spread of untruths, whether from foreign or domestic sources, creates a corrosive environment where the truth becomes elusive, and trust in institutions diminishes. This situation is exacerbated by the political polarization in the U.S., which has made it increasingly difficult to address and counter the spread of disinformation.

There have been attempts to legislate solutions, such as the Honest Ads Act, which sought to close loopholes in existing laws that allowed foreign states to influence U.S. voters through online ads. However, these efforts have largely been unsuccessful due to the failure of bipartisan agreement.

One of the challenges in addressing disinformation is its politicization. Those who benefit from the spread of disinformation have successfully thwarted countermeasures. This situation is further complicated by the lack of transparency from social media companies, which play a significant role in the dissemination of information today.

Moreover, allegations of government censorship often follow efforts to mitigate the spread of false information. These allegations further fuel the spread of disinformation, creating a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.

Addressing the issue of disinformation is crucial to safeguarding democracy. It requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including lawmakers, social media platforms, and the public. Transparency from social media companies regarding their policies and algorithms is crucial. Equally important is media literacy among the public to discern credible information from disinformation.

Moreover, lawmakers need to rise above partisan politics to address this critical issue. The spread of disinformation is not just a domestic issue but also a matter of national security, as foreign states can weaponize information to influence public opinion and destabilize democracies.

In conclusion, the spread of disinformation has become a pressing issue that needs immediate attention. As digital citizens, we all share the responsibility to curb the spread of disinformation and protect our democratic societies.

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The Threat of Disinformation to U.S. Democracy: A Growing Concern - Medriva

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In one of this years largest votes, Indonesia will elect a new president in one weeks time; this time the sanctity and future of its democracy are at stake. In Germany prominent peopleeven Jewswho question Israels war in Gaza are being cancelled (10:45). And how many books are you likely to read in what is left of your life (17:25)?Runtime: 22 min

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Who might lead Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy? - The Economist