Silicon Bites #154 - Manufactured Provocation to Accelerate Authoritarian Slide in Trump's America

Edition No155 | 08-06-2025 - Let’s forget for a moment there are such things as Republicans and Democrats, one side and the other. Let’s simply look at the authoritarian timelines of regime such as those in Russia, Georgia, Hungary and Germany in the 1930s and others. At some point, regimes looking to consolidate their power, and limit democratic expression move from muzzling or coopting the press to tackling the people. They manufacture crises and provocations to crack down hard on liberties. For those who have studies the process of democratic slide such a moment if inflection in the US was completely expected, just not the time nor the place. But if we take the most pessimistic forecasts, then unfortunately, Trump’s regime is bang on schedule with this.----------Links: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/06/los-angeles-dress-rehearsal-trump/683078/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jun/08/trump-national-guard-la-protests-immigration-ice-us-politics-live-newshttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/los-angeles-ice-protests-latest-trump-b2765843.htmlhttps://www.latimes.com/california/live/national-guard-troops-la-immigration-ice-clashes-paramount----------SUMMER FUNDRAISERSNAFO & Silicon Curtain community - Let’s help help 5th SAB together https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-communityWe are teaming up with NAFO 69th Sniffing Brigade to provide 2nd Assault Battalion of 5th SAB with a pickup truck that they need for their missions. With your donation, you're not just sending a truck — you’re standing with Ukraine.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-communityWhy NAFO Trucks Matter:Ukrainian soldiers know the immense value of our NAFO trucks and buses. These vehicles are carefully selected, produced between 2010 and 2017, ensuring reliability for harsh frontline terrain. Each truck is capable of driving at least 20,000 km (12,500 miles) without major technical issues, making them a lifeline for soldiers in combat zones.In total we are looking to raise an initial 19 500 EUR in order to buy 1 x NAFO truck 2.0 Who is getting the aid? 5 SAB, 2 Assault Battalion, UAV operators‍.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-community----------Car for Ukraine has once again joined forces with a group of influencers, creators, and news observers during this summer. Sunshine here serves as a metaphor, the trucks are a sunshine for our warriors to bring them to where they need to be and out from the place they don't.https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtainThis time, we focus on the 6th Detachment of HUR, 93rd Alcatraz, 3rd Assault Brigade, MLRS systems and more. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/summer-sunshine-silicon-curtain- bring soldiers to the positions- protect them with armor- deploy troops with drones to the positions----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/-----------