Captain America and Donald Trump: 1/?

Like many of you, I have been trying to get through a pretty spectacular (for me) depressive episode. Not suicidal, but sometimes, wouldn't it be nice to never have been born? I'm kind of beginning to cope, although I've certainly spontaneously started crying more often than I did before the election. Two things have helped: Keepin' it 1600 (love you, Favs), and (please hear me out) Captain America. Let me defend that a little bit. On one level, it's nice to have a coping mechanism to help manage the stress of potentially living in a totalitarian state. I didn't sleep at all on election night, but I did manage not to cry the whole night because a kind soul on Tumblr posted a bunch of happy fan fictions that took my mind off things temporarily. It was hard, though, to think about how the characters lived in a country that wasn't run by a fascist. In the weeks since the election, I've been delving into some of the more, let's say, emotionally challenging fics, and it has occurred to me that, in a lot of these stories, the entire United States government had, in fact, been infiltrated by Nazis. It seems I have actually stumbled into a fandom that can offer some guidance regarding how to behave in an approximation of the political context we find ourselves in. (Although I'm not in a position to engage in any vigilante activities.)

I reluctantly gave up hope that we would have a canonical relationship between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes (even though there could not be a better time for that relationship than right now) after I saw that the CEO of Marvel is a big Trump supporter. Still, I really think there's something to be gained from thinking about this universe, and some insight to be gained through official Captain America materials (I've been rethinking my position on Captain America: Civil War), and more importantly, through fan works. I won't dwell too much on this at the moment (gotta give it some more thought), but I would like to offer one example. I just finished my second read of a great fic (maybe the best I've read), that emphasized the Nazi corruption of the US government, and pitted the characters against a short-sighted American public that was eager to find a scapegoat without engaging in critical reflection. Importantly, it drew heavily on Thomas Paine's The American Crisis (fun fact: the name Winter Soldier comes from The American Crisis). I read The American Crisis in its entirety while working through the fic, and it really could not be more relevant. I'll leave you with some excerpts tonight, and if I think of anything else smart to say on this subject I'll certainly share it with you.

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.

I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at state. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works," that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it? What signifies it to me, whether he who does it is a king or a common man; my countryman or not my countryman; whether it be done by an individual villain, or an army of them? If we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be assigned why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other. Let them call me rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of a sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man. I conceive likewise a horrid idea in receiving mercy from a being, who at the last day shall be shrieking to the rocks and mountains to cover him, and fleeing with terror from the orphan, the widow, and the slain of America.

There are cases which cannot be overdone by language, and this is one. There are persons, too, who see not the full extent of the evil which threatens them; they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if he succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf, and we ought to guard equally against both.