How people perceive the crocodile of a totalitarian state not as really being a crocodile simply because it’s sleeping quietly.
James Lyman BSAE, BSEE, MSSM
It’s an amazing phenomena, the way people and modern governments perceive a totalitarian state as safe and harmless, much as if they think a crocodile laying out in the water, peacefully sleeping, its eyes, nostrils and a few bumps along its spine protruding just above the still water . . . that it’s somehow safe. People actually come to think that the crocodile isn’t really a crocodile! As long as it isn’t attacking, it isn’t biting, sinking those numerous sharp teeth into flesh, isn’t trashing about trying to drag a helpless victim underwater to eat . . . then it really isn’t a crocodile at all! As long as it lays quietly in the water, then the crocodile isn’t a threat, simply because it isn’t a crocodile. People consider it’s safe to play and bath in the water with no concern for the ‘non-crocodile’ laying quietly out in the water.
Now just how do people come to such a childish simplistic notion?
Sooner or later, of course . . . the non-crocodile stirs, silently pushing it’s way through the water with only the smallest ripples to betray its movement, and of course, the people ignore the warning signs of those ripples. And before you know it, the harmless, not to worry about crocodile is among the people, snapping and biting, crunching down on flesh and bone, dragging off its new meal to enjoy a nice crocodile dinner. And the people are stunned at what happened! Completely baffled over how a crocodile could suddenly, unexpectedly appear out of nowhere to attack them! After all, there wasn’t any crocodiles around, right?
You’re left standing there asking, ‘Now just what was going through their minds!’
As silly as all this sounds, people and governments . . . especially modern governments, do this all the time. But the crocodile isn’t some large horrific reptile living in the water, they are totalitarian states. Countries controlled by repressive totalitarian governments, who are a curse to their people, and often other peoples about the world. It’s phenomenal how nations forget what totalitarian states really are and what they do. Just like that crocodile sleeping peacefully out in the water, its evil looks largely hidden from view, people and nations come to think of it as being harmless and non-threatening. To think of those nations as being just like themselves, only a little more coarse and unsophisticated in manner.
These last few years, this phenomena has become readily apparent with China . . . Red China- Communist China. For years now, the western nations have looked upon China as an emerging nation, advancing rapidly and becoming a modern nation like themselves, putting behind them the millions of their own citizens they murdered with millions more dying from neglect under Moa Zedong and his revolution. There were those warning ripples in the water, stories about secret police, frequent executions and re-education camps. And, of course, Tiananmen Square. But everyone thought that China was past that, and therefore on her way to becoming a modern nation, but without changing over to a modern government. Everything seemed to be going fine, relations with China and the free world becoming closer and closer, but then China began to change, first by seizing some rocks, the island chains of Paracel and Spratly, in the shallows of the South China Sea and claiming the territory as their own. Then they began building up those rocks into small islands to station troops, guns, missiles and warplanes. Then they started demanding that other nations, including the United States, keep their distance, even in international waters, harassing any ships or airplanes who ventured too close, to the point of actually collision with a Chinese fighterjet.
Despite rulings by the international courts that China does not own the islands, China continues it’s belligerent behavior towards any and all who challenges their ownership. This isn’t the only incident of the crocodile awakening. There’s the Uighor or Muslim suppression, China’s extensive expansion into the Third world using massive loans to gain control of small undeveloped nations’ natural resources . . . and now Hong Kong with naked suppression to subjugate the free people of Hong Kong.
And surprise, surprise . . . everyone is shocked that a crocodile is eating people!
Everyone forgot that the totalitarian government of China was still there and unchanged from when they earlier snuffed out millions of lives. Assumed that because the crocodile was peaceful and sleeping, it was no longer a totalitarian state frothed with all the dangers and horrors associated with an outlaw archaean government. No respect or consideration for the individual in or out of China, so like any other outlaw, the government takes and does whatever it wants, for them there is no law . . . they respect no law.
But the crocodile hasn’t bitten yet. Instead they are building the crocodile’s teeth, a massive blue water navy to challenge America plus expanding and modernize both their army and air force. China has publicly stated they intend to dominate the world by 2050, making ripples in the water as the crocodile slips in to enjoy a feast. History continually repeats itself such as Hitler and Chamberlain (peace in our time) while Churchill warned any and all who wouldn’t listen. Not until Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 did anyone see the crocodile as it bit deeply into the unprotected flesh of the democracies.
We just never learn our lesson, we always have to learn the hard way.