"Refugee Blues" and the Unwritten Rule of Political Discourse Timothy Sexton College

Since the end of World War II there has been an unwritten rule in the discourse of American politics. Though unwritten and mostly unspoken, this rule has been for the most part so widely respected and adhered to that over the decades has arisen a predictable response to its violation: unfounded outrage and accusations of ignorance. This response arrives regardless of the context or consequences. This unwritten rule states that regardless of what side of the political spectrum you inhabit and regardless of which political party to which you are registered and no matter how much your outrage is triggered, you do not compare the President of the United States to Hitler.

The rationale behind this unwritten rule is, of course, the fact that Hitler is the star attraction of the multi-leveled atrocity exhibition of 20th century totalitarian despots. Penetrating further, this unwritten rule carried the implicit warning that regardless of the level of corruption or lack of compassion or expression of depraved indifference to the suffering of others as a result of policy or actions, it is distinctly unfair to compare anyone to the man who ordered the construction ovens to kill millions. And in that, of course, this rule is absolutely...