The article explores the how and why a Nazi style genocide could occur under a Trump administration.

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The idea of a race war occurring in the United States today, much less one that leads to open genocide, is not something that the American people see as a real possibility. Yet the United States was born of genocide. The ethnic cleansing of Indigenous peoples starting in the Eastern United States through events such as the Trail of Tears was a continuation of the mass genocide began by the Conquistadores of Spain. Millions of Indigenous Americans were victims of the expansion of European civilization across the Americas including the ethnic cleansing that was the American-Indian Wars.

Similarly, the slave trade cost millions of Africans their lives during the Middle Passage. Victims of the Middle Passage were packed like sardines in slave ships for months on end. They died of suffocation, disease, malnutrition and violence and then were thrown overboard without any modicum of dignity.

After the civil war--in the face of "freedom and Reconstruction," the rise of the Klu Klux Klan initiated a wave of ethnic cleansing. The Klan not only lynched a myriad of Black individuals and farmer families, they also murdered and burned-down entire towns comprised of African American people. Such events wiped Black lives and places off the map of America forever. Others faced ethnic cleansing as well. During the conquest of the Western territories thousands of Mexicans were brutalized, hung and chased off of lands that their families had lived on for generations. The Chinese also faced lynching and white race riots. Moreover, such violent racial aggression continued well into the Twentieth Century.

Much of the racially based brutality throughout American history occurred at the hands of white commoners (i.e., not government sponsored actions). However, the policies that implicitly supported and sometimes explicitly initiated the ethnic cleansing in America--almost always emanated from the highest levels of society--the moneyed power elite and the governments that they control.

The genocidal underpinnings of America did not stop with the above obvious examples it evolved and continues to this day. The American Indians herded onto reservations and African Americans forced to endure Jim Crow faced such poverty and cultural destruction that the mortality rate and socio-cultural deformity for these communities were crushing and continue to reverberate today. The assault on communities of color, theoretically, evolved from slavery and ethnic cleansing, Jim Crow and American Indian reservations and then through the intellectual inspiration of Eugenics to legislation supportive of abortion as a remedy for poverty. "Family planning" is today emphasized in poor communities of color. Overall society may see these "pro-choice" efforts as benevolent, even so, the result addresses a goal established by the Eugenics movement in that it emphasizes the reduction of people of color in America. From this point of view population control can indeed be described as having an element of ethnic culling--a kinder gentler form of ethnic cleansing. This matters because there is political power in numbers. In the nineteen-nineties new laws on drug offenses (that implicitly targeted people of color) and the three-strikes-you're-out laws (even for the most minor offenses like shop-lifting) led to millions of Black men becoming incarcerated for decades, often for life. This in effect was a powerful birth control imposition that also impeded the growth of the African American community. We cannot confirm that the policies described above have been implemented with an eye on ethnic culling. However, the fact that talking about the consequences of these policies is (almost) a social taboo is telling of the implicit aggression that still exists around race in this country. America is steeped in implicit and explicit racial aggression that could lead to full-blown genocide. Full-blown genocide is apart of America's DNA and it waits, like all DNA, to be activated by the right environment.

The emerging environment for full-blown genocide in America today begins with the will of members of the Elite such as Donald Trump, Rupert Murdoch and so forth. What (in addition to racial hatred) could motivate such an elite to initiate a campaign of full-blown racial genocide in America today? The answer is the same things that motivated the Donald Trumps of American history to commit genocide in the past--a greed and power-lust so perverse as to demand control of all resources whatsoever--be it land and slaves to todays monetary printing, internet, media, crop seeds, even our thoughts and genetics. The Elites motivation for genocide is and has always been fear and greed. Genocide is a tool used to redirect the anxiety and anger of the masses. It allows the Elite to feed their insatiable, narcissistic, psychopathic greed and lust for power while others pay the price for their deeds.

The rise of Trump represents one group of elites challenging another group for top dog status. There methods differ but not their goals. If the likes of the Clintons and Obamas could make tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of dollars as an indirect result of their presidencies (for themselves, not to mention the billions reaped by their Elite controllers)--what could a man like Trump garner for himself and the Rupert Murdochs of the world? The masses, of course, potentially stand in the way of all these Elite acquisitions. The solution posed by the problem of the masses is dividing and conquering. A prime mechanisms for implementing the divide and conquer strategy is use of us against them memes that blame the victim and thereby establish scapegoats whom the Elite can deflect their sins onto. These memes prepare the minds to be manipulated into carrying out all kinds of acts on behalf of the Elite including genocide through war, slavery or ethnic cleansing. The minds of those needed to implement the genocide must first be inundated with the emotions of fear, anger, envy, and greed in order to assimilate the us-against-them-memes into their worldview and energize them for activation. The convenient rise of Obama (and the white anger that followed), the success of the Black athlete, immigrant workers, Black Lives Matter, Latinos ("fastest growing population in America"), Affirmative Action, China's economic challenge to America and let's not forget Middle Eastern inspired terrorism--fill much of white America with all the above emotions. How these images are framed makes all the difference in the world and they have too often been framed by media coverage in a manner that divides Americans along racial lines. The argument that is used to justify this reporting style is that it's done for ratings. However, it cannot be creditably argued that the media is unaware of the social consequences of this approach.

The act of genocide requires that the in-group have power over the out-group--the group to be exterminated. Initiators of genocide target the defenseless. They target the mentally ill, the sick, the old and the poor--the voiceless. They also target the defamed, those that the institutions of the society deem "evil." For example, the popular saying of the Ninetieth Century "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" (promoted in the literature of the day) illustrates the tactic, as does the accusation that problems facing post WWI Germany were the fault of "evil thieving Jews and Gypsies" (also promoted in the literature of the day). Genocidal gateway memes (i.e., cultural ideas that open the door to genocide) continue in America through the decades, e.g., the "super-predator" (black youth) that emerged in the 1990s, and today the "rapist, murderous, drug importing Mexican" (the undocumented Hispanic worker). The idea that terrorism is some how synonymous with all Middle Eastern looking people is another example. These memes are part of a dehumanization process that grants society permission to harass, oppress, incarcerate and ultimately target entire groups for murder and ethnic cleansing. Those in-group individuals that challenge this system legally, and all that protest against it of course risks being targets as well.

The American population has been undergoing a battle against oppressive rule by the Economic Elite since it was a colony of the British Empire. The resistance includes the movement to unionize, the women's right to vote movement, the Civil Rights Movement and most recently the Occupy, Tea Party and Black Lives Matter movements. These awakenings can be of course the greatest threat to the Elite whom hold economic power over the masses as their core value and prime objective. The Elite also can use awakenings of the masses as means to further their desired end. In defense of their power no guile is too diabolical to employ including co-opting/instigating social movements and using them like sheep's clothing to conceal their wolf-like predatory intentions (e.g., the Tea Party movement).

In the 1980s, members of America's Elite launched an offensive against the progress achieved by many of the awakenings described above and the middle class in general. During this effort the CIA's introduction of drugs and illegal guns (possible gang organizational structure and values as well) into ghettos, laid the foundation for gang culture and activities and ultimately the new Jim Crow and prison industrial slave complex that followed as a result. The CIA's efforts ultimately worked in concert with the Clinton administration's policies on crime. But this was just part of the Elite's strategy--globalization and trade agreements created a smaller and smaller economic pie that the American masses had to share (while Elites like Trump grew richer). To manage the growing resentment there would have to be scapegoats. Right wing radio talk shows and Fox News walked point on creating--through dog whistle racist reporting and editorials--white anger and fear directed toward Blacks, Mexicans, Muslims and the Chinese. Yet the media has all but ignored the fact it was the policies of the Economic Elite that instigated the above sources of white fear. It was CIA activities, trade agreements, militaristic foreign policy that lead to the rise of Isis, drug gangs and jobs leaving and immigrants entering our country. That is until very recently--when such information could be used to create a new illusion capable of co-opting the white working class--a billionaire populist, aka Donald Trump. Meanwhile Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims and Chinese have been successfully blamed for these problems and, as far as many white Americans are concerned, should pay the price! This shifting of responsibility was easily achieved--it played on deeply rooted cultural orientations of the white masses (fear and rejection of people of color and historic scapegoating of these communities). This practice of scapegoating people of color is an institution of the American media owned by the Economic Elite. It is the Elite whom stand to benefit most from racial division because it weakens the working class that the Elite fear could challenge their rule.

The media is the primary apparatus for disseminating the genocidal-gateway memes that target communities of color for imprisonment and death. Media sources from The Economist (see "Under Attack" June 4^th-10^th, 2016) to numerous Fox News sources and Real Time with Bill Maher are calling to normalize "politically incorrect" language and consequently provide the likes of Donald Trump with cover. The cameras of the American genocide apparatus already focus on any little action that support the notion that the races are a threat to each other as opposed to our economic or policing systems being threats to the American worker. For example, there have been numerous police shootings of unarmed white Americans (e.g., Zach Hammond), but instead of following these cases with the same elevated status as police shootings of racial minorities, the media buries them. The result is reality is distorted in a manner that encourages racial divide.

Since the Elite benefit from racial divide, it is possible that elite entities purposely help inspire the emergence of even social movements like Black Lives Matter. Police lynching (i.e., police shootings, beatings or choking to death of unarmed Black Americans) have been going on in this country since slavery. But through the use of the media, awareness of these state sanctioned killings has been elevated just in time to inspire a movement that helps to frame the 2016 election in racial conflict. The billions of dollars of free media lavished on Donald Trump's suspicious rise not only empowers a figure head for hate, but serves as the gasoline on the fire of the kind of racial conflict needed to turn this country into an open police state! Under a Trump Administration the riots will be bloody and the crackdowns brutal. When the conflict spills over into white communities the stage will be set for the coming race war that of course communities of color can not possible win. Not only do communities of color lack the population, economics, organization and mass media to defend themselves effectively in a race war but preparations supplied by the Elite policies and programs described above have assured that such a war would be a slaughter of the bloodiest kind. The CIA inspired drug (gang) wars (and Clinton policy) not only helped further the political disenfranchisement of Black and Latino communities, they helped minimize legal gun ownership in communities of color, while encouraging white America to legally arm themselves and "stand their ground." The millions of Black felons, for example, not only lost their right to vote for life, they also lost the right to legally bare arms. The violence in African American and Latino communities created by drug wars (with illegal guns) helped to fuel the Democratic Party mantra for making legal purchases of guns more difficult. The anti-gun meme reproduced widely among Democrats of which a very large majority of Black and Latinos consider themselves to be. This has resulted in less legally armed communities of color. This also means that a smaller percent of people of color will be legally concealing and carry during any race war that may emerge. Consequently, this also means that they will be less trained in using firearms and less able to "stand their ground" legally in the event that they are attacked by Trump followers. Of course an argument can be made that a Black man with a gun is a target for police with or without a permit to carry. But certainly, the illegal use of guns in self-defense by people of color would summon the full weight of our militarized police apparatus and heavily biased judiciary against these communities.

The anti-gun lobby became a mainstay cause of the Democratic Party, but it didn't win-over the Donald Trump crowd. Instead, it encourages them to load up on arms and ammunition before Obama or some other Democrat can take their guns and ammunition away. More and more white Americans continue to arm themselves as encouraged by rightwing media personalities that have mastered the dog-whistle-racist-call-to-arms such as Glen Beck. Moreover, the message to whites, if you listen carefully to media celebrated "stand your ground" legal cases--is that in the case of shooting a Black man in the name of "self-defense," you will likely not be charged and certainly not jailed (e.g., George Zimmerman). Why is this the case? The "super-predator" meme is why. This is even more so the case with respect to police killings of unarmed Black men and women. In fact, police lynching of people of color is becoming normalized in America. We see them prominently on the news, and we see that the Black community is enraged. We also see time and time again the police go free. The message is clear--it's perfectly legal for police to kill unarmed Blacks. The consequences of this message is either 1) a retaliation where police are gun down by unstable and unaffiliated Black shooters. This provides the illusion that the Black community is a highly militarized threat to white America, justifies further crack downs on the Black community, and plays perfectly into the hands of white supremacist seeking a race war or, 2) nothing changes and whites become one step closer to being accustom to the "infotainment" news of police modern day lynching of Black men and women. Blacks become hopeless. "It is what it is," becomes the norm. Through the media, the lynching of Blacks as a community event becomes institutionalized in America once again. The difference between a race war and genocide is that in a war it is a contest between more or less equally armed opponents. In genocide the victim (contrary to propaganda) is essentially unarmed. There can be no race war in America. There can only be ethnic cleansing and full-blown genocide. People of color are no more prepared to defend themselves from an American system bent on their imprisonment and death than the Jews of Nazi Germany were against Hitler.

The election is set. With (essentially) the end of the Voting Rights Act, the purging of voters of color from voter registration lists going largely unchallenged, the hacking of electronic voting booths and the disappearing of early votes, are we assured the rise of Trump? His election could mean racism in American would become legalized. With a corporate sponsored Supreme Court appointed by Trump that confirms the assertion that "racism is pretty much over in America," the removal of the remaining laws protecting communities of color could easily follow. When Trump exercises his "right to change his mind" with respect to his pro-worker rhetoric, and the Trump that has always stabbed American workers in the back shows his true self (i.e., a man of Elitism, by Elitism and for Elitism)--he will have to sacrifice a scapegoat or two to appease the angry masses. In fact, when the American people are betrayed this time, after all his rhetoric, he will have to sacrifice a lot of scapegoats and this is when the race war comes into play.

At this point the scenario for full-blown genocide could unfold. Little by little every positive media image of Black and Latin Americans could be replaced by a negative image. There are already virtually no positive images of Middle Easterners in our media today. Under such conditions violence, possibly false-flags, could continue to emerge and serve as justification for further erosion of what little is left of the American Constitution. Moreover, these false flags could serve as excuses for Gestapo tactics that lead to an overt police state. The drums for war against people of color populations could begin to beat louder and louder on our news programs--e.g., "the lawless, rogue/radical Black Lives Matter" drum beat accusation of Fox News (that insinuates that all of these protesters belong in prison or worst) will eventually become simply "Black lives are radical rogues that belong in prison or worst." The so-called mainstream media will echo the same sentiments as the right wing radio talk shows and Fox News, but couch them in a more balanced tone--often echoed by Black and Brown anchors and reporters. Those journalists that resist would be replaced.

The problems that will erupt in efforts to round up millions of illegal immigrants from Mexico/Latin America and detain them will become the justification to use a "special police force" and the FEMA housing concentration camps that have long awaited these populations. Anyone else who dares to resist the Elitist Trump that would dwell in the White House in the guise of a "populist" would meet the same fate.

When the American mind is returned to full marginalization along racial lines the genocide will be openly celebrated. Modeled first after Apartheid South Africa and then later, the occupied Palestinian Territories of Gaza, the full marginalization (geographically as well as psychologically and politically) of communities of color will have been realized in America. Slowly the boarders of these communities will be constricted by skirmish, after skirmish (clashes with militarized police) until the population inside the communities will be cleansed nearly out of existence. Whites that stand in solidarity with communities of color will face the full weight of the Trump regime--costing them their livelihood, their freedom and even their lives. They will be labeled terrorists and, as such under a Trump administration, even their family members will not be safe.

Is this all fantasy or a real possibility? Genocide has happened before not only in other countries--it has happened here in the United States. Victims and those that carry out genocide for the Elite have been in denial until it was too late before. Should we do the same now? Should we refuse to name this possibility today in its gory details? What is the alternative to a Trump Administration? Is the answer the election of Hilary Clinton? Is Clinton the savior of communities of color? An examination of policies that she has supported in the past would strongly suggest the contrary. People of color (actually all working class Americans) will likely continue to be under attack from the Elite no matter who wins the election. There are, however, differences in the approaches amongst the Elite in their managing the "racial question" in America. If the Trump brand of the Elite (overt racist approach) wanted another shot in four years they could still instigate violent racial conflict with a Clinton victory, particularly if a Clinton win was perceived to be illegitimate. All of the irregularities of the American election process could be called to blame for "Crooked Hilary's" victory. But it would be more difficult by far to achieve a race war based on the rhetoric of Clinton or a rejected Trump. Many minorities will be, at least for a while, lulled to sleep under the illusion that Clinton cares anything whatsoever about them. The unrest would have to come from the Trump crowd--which is of course largely white males. Since America is not about to cleanse the country of this demographic any time soon, any crackdown to follow would mean the end of the uprising as opposed to the beginning of the end of the demographic. Clinton would likely use the unrest to help disarm the population overall and crack down on festering Neo-Nazi type organizations that, in addition to hate for racial and religious minorities, also despise much of the current Elite. This could be good for racial minorities in America, at least for the short run, while at the same time useful to the Economic Elite that feel the overt ethnic cleansing methodology being forwarded by Trump challenges the order they've imposed. It would, however, not likely stop us from losing more Constitutional rights.

Clinton is not the long-term answer of course. She and the Elite that back her are no doubt a core part of the problem. A Clinton presidency, however, could buy us time to build on the work of Bernie Sanders or some alternative movement that better accepts diversity and finds better balance between the left and right wings of populism. It could allow us time to bring into our collective consciousness the fact that racism is a organizing principle of the United States and within our society there awaits the potential of a new American genocide. The added time could help us awaken the general population to the fact that the Elite are using hate to confuse the issues, because without this confusion populism would reign instead of them.

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Authors Bio:

John G. Mentzos earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development from the Union Institute. For more than 25 years he has consulted with leaders in nonprofit management, government, foundations, business, education, human services and religion. His work has focused on grassroots efforts to build community, develop youth, address social injustice and advocate for the arts at the local, state and national levels.