Thomas Zimmer

We need to trust our eyes.

Nazi salutes, racist purges, an ambush on the Ukrainian president by a far-right regime. If what we see aligns with what we know and is also in line with an established track record, our default assumption should be that what is happening is actually what it looks like.

Mar 3, 2025 at 6:42pmIvory for iOS
Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025

In every single interview I’ve done since Friday, I have been asked some version of: “But couldn’t this perhaps somehow *not* be what it looks like if we stipulate that Trump and Vance are not who they have repeatedly proven they are?”

I really wish we could stop doing this.

Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025
I am not even talking about straight-up rightwing propaganda. I mean the pervasive tendency in the mainstream political discourse and in polite society to look for ways to sanitize what is happening, to come up with ways to make it seem “respectable” or “reasonable” or “normal.”
Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025
But the thing is: When the guy who rose to political prominence as the birther-in-chief took over the GOP as he was raging against the first Black president, and when he was re-elected after the most aggressively racist major-party campaign in modern history, that was mostly what it looked like.
Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025
When a bunch of rightwing extremists marched in Charlottesville yelling “Jews will not replace us,” waving swastika and confederate battle flags, and they all put their hopes in Donald Trump who declared there were actually some “fine people” among them, that was what it looked like.
Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025
When Elon Musk and leading figures on the Trumpist right – people who have a long track record of racist, eugenicist positions, who have been propagating extremist conspiracy theories – repeatedly greet adoring crowds with Nazi salutes, that is exactly what it looks like.
Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025
When the Trumpist regime purges women and people of color from all the major institutions and all positions of influence and power, declaring their presence fundamentally illegitimate, all under the banner of “meritocracy” and fighting back against “DEI,” it’s exactly what it looks like.
Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025
And when Donald Trump, who has very consistently sided with Putin and foreign autocrats, and JD Vance, who channels the broader NatCon, nativist, and ethno-nationalist desire for a new world order, try to publicly humiliate and delegitimize Zelensky, it is pretty much exactly what it looks like.
Show threadThomas ZimmerMar 3, 2025

I am not telling you there is no need for nuance and complex analysis. The above is indeed not the be-all and end-all of our situation.

But too often, the polite discourse isn’t actually looking for nuance, it demands we sanitize and obscure. It’s a big reason why we got here. It needs to stop.

Show threadChrisMar 3, 2025

@tzimmer_history Thank you for this thread and please allow me to emphasize that yes, it is what it looks like. Many of us have been trying for years to bring awareness to #corporate #fascism as well as the alignment between US republicans, Russia, and accelerationist neo-Nazis.

We are way past the time when we should speak any other way than honestly and plainly. Self censorship and apologizing for abusers is how they continue to succeed. Speak truth now while we still can.

Show threadManniCalaveraMar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history
You are right of course.
A minor point, slightly ot:
"elected after the most aggressively racist major-party campaign in modern history" matches exactly the german election, which is horrible given the context of your thread and the future of Germany.
Show threadWye Knotts Landing EarMar 3, 2025

@tzimmer_history Agreed, and well-said. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck...

The correct conclusion doesn't have to be complicated.

Show threadKevinOnEarthMar 4, 2025
@tzimmer_history
My only beef about this is that, yes, it is what it looks like... SO FAR.
If we have got here in just 6 weeks, we have to broaden our minds & push our imagination beyond what we *want* it to look like: it is going to get worse; FAR worse.
Only when enough of us accept that can we begin to conceive of how to curtail it.
Show threadDon ThompsonMar 5, 2025
@tzimmer_history
Too many news ‘analysts’ vying for attention, implicity asking for their view on the situation to be given the audience’s attention. It waters everything down to just another ‘oh dear*’ moment for the public.
Oh Dearism, Adam Curtis.
Show threadLiminal witch 🧙‍♀️ SarahMar 3, 2025

@tzimmer_history @GreenSkyOverMe Romans used to do something similar, it was called decimation. Just Air Force is ~21% women, they would have to do two rounds of it.

That doesn’t sound like an adequate punishment

Show threadRoy #EatTheRich Pardee 🇺🇸Mar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history Denial is so much more comforting right now.
Show threadFitz BushnellMar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history If only "sanitizing" in this context meant killing the contagious pathogen, instead of making things seem sane that are insane.
Show threadJoan's Addiction 😷Mar 4, 2025

@tzimmer_history Honestly, this has been my thinking since before Obama's election, 'tea party' faction, 'birthers,' and others. Recognising things for what they are, _now_? It's too late. Your questioners are worse again.

This is another example in history of failure to listen to queers, people of colour, disabled people, experts, political activists, trade unionists, etc.

It never starts where Pastor Niemöller's poem begins. It didn't then; it didn't now.

Show threadSchafstelze 🎗🖤Mar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history "Ok, it looks like shit, it smells like shit, there are flies around it. But could it be that we get it all wrong and this is actually a delicious mousse au chocolat? We should at least give it a try!"
Show threadProScience 🇪🇺Mar 3, 2025

@tzimmer_history

As a German, it's even more grotesque seeing this from the ancestors of men and women who died for liberating Europe from Hitler and ever since I understood it as a kid asked me who's two generations younger than German Nazis "how could this have happened? Why hadn't anybody spoken up?"

Look at the Fascistic States of America *now* and you get a pretty good idea.

Show threadAnne OminousMar 3, 2025

@proscience @tzimmer_history

my grandfather, a native Pole, fought in WWII as an American.

it's horrible what is happening here in the US but insanely, i think that same grandfather, who was also racist, might be on trump's side.

regardless, i've said that if I have to make killing Nazis a family tradition, i'll do it.

Show threadTrumtins Electro Shark 325ppmMar 3, 2025

@rustoleumlove

Count me in.
And I hope finally more people start to spread awareness.

Wake up, the fascists are here.

@proscience @tzimmer_history

Show threadCourt Cantrell won't conformMar 3, 2025
@proscience @tzimmer_history (*descendants, not ancestors. 😊🖖💜)
Show threadPersonneMar 3, 2025

@tzimmer_history

Can we please get this message through to the media and journalists?
I don't think they got the memo.

Show threadNecheshMar 3, 2025
@per_sonne @tzimmer_history I think it's fair to say they aren't interested.
Show threadJADe (he, him)Mar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history deep down they know they are privileged and dont want to accept it is coming to an end. It boils down to that.
Show threadMichael FliegnerMar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history Chapeau! Exactly what is needed now: let's face it!
Show threadLucia_MoonlitMar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history Trump and Musk plays russian playbook of desinformation, propaganda, lies and censorship. Europe knows, remembers, but it seems Americans are or very sad or very sorry there was no real war on US territory... And believe that it won't happen. Mexico, angry on south, Canada angry on the north... Europe outraged, but they still believe war will not come to them... sad, very sad. witnessing acts, yet believe lies...
Show threadHerr LurchMar 4, 2025
@Lucia_Moonlit @tzimmer_history Do not underestimate the EU. There is a lot going on regarding military defense.
But no one wants to have U.S. equipment nowadays, since everybody is afraid U.S. could shorten/stop exports in that field or could have "technical influence" on the equipment during operation (like Musk on starlink).
There are alternatives within the EU, some are way better than american Equipment, but production capacities are limited although there is a notable expansion.
Show thread🍻 Alexander 🇪🇺Mar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history waddle waddle. Quack.
Show threadTrumtins Electro Shark 325ppmMar 3, 2025

@MostlyHarmless
mmhh? You were saying?

@tzimmer_history

Show threadDopes The FrogmanMar 3, 2025

@tzimmer_history if it walks like a prick, hates like a racist, salutes like a fascist, and is ignorant like a thug, it must be a duck.

Ha, kidding, it's a fucking nazi.

Show threadCourt Cantrell won't conformMar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history DUCKS. Ducks EVERYWHERE, walking, quacking.... Not all of us are Duck Deniers!
Show threadVetinariMar 3, 2025
@tzimmer_history if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck & quacks like a duck, it’s a duck!
More people need to be unafraid to call out what they see with their own eyes!
Show threadStarravenMar 3, 2025

@tzimmer_history

Too bad it's being cheered by the people who voted for it.

Just like 92 years ago.

Show threadJeffandthekidMar 4, 2025
@tzimmer_history RIP - USA
Show threadJed MarsonMar 4, 2025
@tzimmer_history sometimes the truth hits you between the eyes. Not this one. Trump's been blatant, crowing he would be vindictive, but he's clearly lost the plot and can't hold the damage to Wall Street day after day. He is like a braggard version of Rees-Mogg saying things would be better after Brexit... Until they weren't and he had to say it may take 50 years. This clown has been in office just six weeks and we need to keep the Western world together, together.
Show threadTabby Schaf🇺🇦❤️🖤Mar 4, 2025
@tzimmer_history my assumption is that Trump/Musk cut off starlink of Ukraine, and then makes his rare mineral deal with Russia and pays with weapons. Since he is an asset
Show thread873Mar 4, 2025
@tzimmer_history Yes, we must trust our eyes. Words are being used as weapons used to create doubt and distort the truth. Dear Mr Trump saying something does not make it true. #uniteagainsttrump
Show threadNick Silkey 📻 N5ILK 🪓🪵 🪣💧Mar 4, 2025

@tzimmer_history I tend to think many Americans when confronted with the reality of what's coming to bear are understandably rationalizationing continued inaction through deferral. Seeking any other possible explanation instead of what's happening. This allows escape from confronting the situation and deciding what to do based on their values.

Don't fret tho! This is hard. And it's our job to help everyone through this. Hold the ladder. ✌️💙

Show threadDr. Christopher KunzMar 4, 2025
@tzimmer_history Also, placing a journalist on leave because their reporting was perceived as un-american or somesuch. And claiming that reports about change in cyber security stance are "undermining national security". This is textbook curtailing of free press.