Science. Math. Common sense.

Hey ChatGPT, based on the history of other countries that were taken over by a dictatorship, what are the red flags that I should watch out for that should signal me that it is time to flee the United States? (I am Filipino-American born here in the U.S.)

1. Erosion of Democratic Norms and Institutions

• Packing courts with loyalists or discrediting the judiciary.
• Undermining checks and balances — executive branch assuming more powers unilaterally.
• Refusing to accept election results or claiming fraud without evidence.

Historical Examples:

• Germany (1930s) – Hitler rose through elections but then used the Reichstag Fire to justify the Enabling Act, which gave him dictatorial powers. He dissolved democratic institutions while maintaining a façade of legality.

• Hungary (2010s–present) – Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party systematically rewrote the constitution, captured courts, and gerrymandered elections to consolidate power while keeping democratic branding.

• Turkey (2016–present) – After a failed coup, Erdoğan used emergency powers to purge civil servants, jail judges, and restructure government institutions to centralize authority under the presidency.

2. Demonization of Minorities and Dissenters

• Targeting racial, ethnic, LGBTQ+, immigrant, or religious minorities through laws or rhetoric.
• Encouraging violence or hatred against specific groups.
• Labeling critics as “enemies of the people,” “traitors,” or part of a conspiracy.

Historical Examples:

• Nazi Germany – Jews were scapegoated for Germany’s economic and political problems. The Nuremberg Laws institutionalized anti-Semitism and laid the foundation for genocide.

• Rwanda (1994) – Hutu extremists dehumanized the Tutsi minority through radio broadcasts and propaganda, calling them “cockroaches,” paving the way for a genocide.

• Myanmar (2017–present) – The Rohingya Muslim minority was labeled illegal immigrants and terrorists by both military and government, resulting in mass killings and displacement.

• U.S. (post-9/11 & beyond) – Muslim, Arab, and Sikh communities were surveilled, detained, or harassed. While not a dictatorship, this shows how fear can be used to justify eroding civil liberties.

3. Control or Manipulation of the Media

• Discrediting independent journalism as “fake news.”
• Centralizing media ownership or coercing it through threats, lawsuits, or laws.
• Cutting access to public information or internet services.

Historical Examples:

• Russia (2000s–present) – Putin gradually brought independent TV and newspapers under state control. Investigative journalists like Anna Politkovskaya were murdered; dissenting media are now labeled "foreign agents."

• Philippines (1972–1986) – Marcos declared Martial Law and shut down all independent media, including ABS-CBN, using state-controlled media to spread propaganda.

• China (1949–present) – The Communist Party maintains strict control over media, censors the internet, and punishes unauthorized journalism or social media posts critical of the regime.

4. Use of the Military or Paramilitary Forces Against Civilians

• Military presence in civilian matters or crackdowns on protests.
• Encouraging vigilante groups or militias to enforce order.
• Declaring states of emergency repeatedly.

Historical Examples:

• Chile (1973–1990) – After a U.S.-backed coup, Augusto Pinochet used the military to suppress dissent, torture political opponents, and enforce curfews under a police state.

• Iran (2022–present) – The regime has used the Revolutionary Guard and Basij paramilitary to crack down violently on women-led protests against mandatory hijab laws.

• United States (2020) – While not a dictatorship, the deployment of unmarked federal agents in Portland and military rhetoric during protests raised red flags for civil liberties advocates.

5. Suppression of Civil Liberties

• Restricting the right to protest or assemble.
• Criminalizing dissent, criticism, or opposition through vague “security” laws.
• Policing thought, language, or personal expression.

Historical Examples:

• East Germany (1949–1990) – The Stasi secret police monitored millions of citizens, encouraging neighbors to spy on each other. Travel and expression were heavily restricted.

• Thailand (2014–present) – After a military coup, civil liberties were suspended. Criticism of the monarchy is criminalized under strict lèse majesté laws.

• Egypt (post-2013) – After the ousting of Morsi, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi banned protests, jailed thousands of political dissidents, and restricted speech under anti-terror laws.

6. Legal or Extra-legal Persecution of Political Opponents

• Arrests, harassment, or assassination of journalists, lawyers, or opposition figures.
• Use of courts to ban parties or candidates.

Historical Examples:

• Russia (2000s–present) – Opposition leaders like Boris Nemtsov were murdered; others like Alexei Navalny were imprisoned, poisoned, or barred from running for office.

• Zimbabwe (1980s–2000s) – Robert Mugabe’s regime used police and courts to intimidate and arrest opposition party members, and used election violence to stay in power.

• Turkey (post-2016) – Thousands of academics, teachers, judges, and opposition politicians were jailed or fired under accusations of supporting terrorism or the coup.

7. Normalization of Corruption and Impunity

• High-level corruption without consequences.
• Leaders claiming they alone can "fix" the country while enriching themselves or allies.

Historical Examples:

• Philippines (Marcos Era) – The Marcos family amassed billions in stolen wealth while basic services collapsed. Crony capitalism flourished under Martial Law.

• Mexico (PRI rule, 1929–2000) – One-party rule enabled deep systemic corruption; elections were often rigged, and dissent bought off or crushed.

• Brazil (20th century, various military juntas) – The military government enriched elites and corporations while using repression to control the public.

8. Undermining or Cancelling Future Elections

• Delaying elections under dubious pretexts (e.g., "security" or "fraud").
• Changing rules to eliminate term limits or disqualify opponents.
• Claiming power must be “protected” from “subversive” elements.

Historical Examples:

• Venezuela (1999–present) – Chávez and then Maduro used courts and electoral councils to change rules, disqualify opposition candidates, delay elections, and hold sham votes.

• Nazi Germany (1933–1934) – Hitler used emergency powers to eliminate elections, outlaw opposition parties, and become Führer after Hindenburg’s death.

• Uganda (1986–present) – Yoweri Museveni changed the constitution multiple times to remove term limits and age caps, using security forces to suppress opposition.

When to Seriously Consider Leaving

It’s time to consider fleeing when:

• Civil rights are disappearing and opposition figures are jailed or disappearing.
• You or your community are being targeted by laws, violence, or rhetoric — especially if scapegoating intensifies.
• International watchdogs (like Freedom House or Amnesty International) start sounding serious alarms and foreign embassies issue alerts.
• You are no longer able to speak, work, move, or travel freely without fear.
• You notice borders tightening — it becomes harder to emigrate or to send money or documents abroad.

Additional Resources:

Books:

• "On Tyranny" by Timothy Snyder
• "How Democracies Die" by Levitsky & Ziblatt

Trackers to watch:

• Freedom House: freedomhouse.org
• Democracy Index by The Economist
• Reporters Without Borders (for press freedom)

If you're concerned about these developments, it's not paranoid — it’s prudent. Many people who have fled authoritarian regimes wish they'd acted sooner. Just having a contingency plan, passport, and an international support network is wise.

I take all information — especially in this political climate — with a grain of salt. So when people are hyping up or advocating against something like keto, the only thing you can do is try it for yourself and see what works for you.

With keto, not only did I lose 58 lbs, but I reversed my fatty liver and lowered my triglycerides from 169 to 69.

Sorry Jillian, I trust my blood test results — keto works.

So I'm a sentimentalist and a digital hoarder who is particularly OCD about original photos & videos.

Last year, I wrote an email to Apple's SVP of Software to point out a common, real-world problem that comes up every time a group of friends get together:

Hey Craig [Federighi],

The iPhone is the best and most popular camera on the planet…yet sharing photos & videos in full quality with friends & family is so hard! I wish sharing full-quality photos/videos was as easy as sending stickers to a group chat in iMessage.

I was recently on a trip to Hawaii with a dozen of my childhood friends. 10 of us had iPhones and 2 had Samsungs. We’re all taking photos, with plenty of candid shots, great group shots, and just living the moment. But when we wanted to share each other's best photos on Facebook, we were faced with several options that all have downsides:

• Send over iMessage — but then everyone receives a downscaled version of each photo and video.

• Send via AirDrop — (my Samsung friends were getting a jealous about this, lol) but AirDrop assumes all phones are unlocked and within bluetooth range, which isn't always the case. It forces us to take ourselves out of the moment just to make sure all our iPhones are unlocked and ready to accept the AirDrop.

• Share folders via Dropbox or Google Photos — but not everyone has an account on either of those.

• Use iCloud Photo Sharing — but not everyone has that enabled. And even if I send them a link to the album, photos/videos are downscaled to lower quality.

I take pride in the quality of photos I take with my iPhone! It’s a shame though that with all these priceless group photos on our phones, we either have to take ourselves out of the moment to coordinate an AirDrop with everyone, or we have to settle with downscaled versions of photos that are meant to last a lifetime.

I feel that of all the companies in the world, Apple is the only company that could solve this elegantly. Hope you take this into consideration!

-Mel

He read my email that day, but he never emailed me back…

Fast forward eight months later.

On Monday, at Apple's annual developer conference, Craig Federighi announced an awesome new photo sharing feature for the upcoming iOS 12 (skip to 0:30:21):

I'd like to think this feature was created 100% because of me — that way I can justify the celebratory chocolate chip cookie dough cinnamon bun I ate before bed — but even it wasn't, I'm just glad all you guys will be able to use this feature coming this fall.

So buy the best smartphone camera you can afford, take lots and lots of photos, and always, always, always keep the full-quality originals. Because the reality is, you can NEVER go back in time to take better photos of your loved ones.