This week, we watched as the world economy and the lives of countless civilians were threatened by the mobster in the White House. And what was most striking is the unwillingness of so many with the power to do the right thing to stand up against the nightmare unfolding. I write this on the 81st anniversary of the execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the 109th anniversary of the Canadians fighting, for the first time as their own national force, at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. In that time, we have seen heroic resistance from ordinary people — like the resisters in Minneapolis. But we continue to witness the absolute failure of the political, legal and media class to hold this predator to account. And so this morning I would like to share with you my reflections from one year ago. “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, executed by the Nazis, April 9, 1945 Confronting the Contagion of Cowardice: On Bonhoeffer and VimyThe most striking thing about the re-election of Donald Trump is how quickly the leaders of business, politics, universities, and law capitulated. They didn’t just throw in the towel — they publicly bent the knee and kissed the gangster's ring. John F. Harris, writing in Politico, calls it the "great grovel." Alan Rusbridger says that "cowardice is contagious" in 2025 America. There is simply no way students could be kidnapped off the streets or entire federal departments like health, education, and national security could be so thoroughly ransacked without this widespread complicity and cowardice. The blame for this absolute betrayal of democracy and the rule of law goes way beyond the narcissist-in-chief. And even as the economy burns through the actions of America's Nero, the silence and complicity continue. Rusbridger writes:
History teaches us that when people are forced to put their beliefs on the line, those with the most power and prestige rarely step up. This point was made in a Guardian article by Alex Bronzini-Vender, which stated that it is useless to hope that business leaders or university trustees will stand up to Trump. At best, there will be some attempts at quiet lobbying, hoping the megalomaniac in charge will shift. Don't count on it. Resistance has always been led by the ordinary people who have the most to lose, even when the odds against them were so enormous. On a recent trip to Berlin, I visited the courtyard of the notorious Bendler Block, where the resisters who tried to kill Hitler in 1944 were executed. Along the walls outside the Block are murals of the very ordinary Germans who stood up knowing that they faced the threat of death and torture. What’s striking is how ordinary they were. They resisted when those with money, credentials, and power went along with the contagion of cowardice. I write this on the anniversary of the execution of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I have been thinking of this German pastor a great deal lately. While others thought it best to try and get along with the Hitler regime or to work "from the inside," Bonhoeffer saw the situation for what it was. In the face of evil, he was determined to resist. Bonhoeffer came from a conservative brand of the Protestant church. Political activism was not considered proper. But during a 1930 trip to the United States, he witnessed the oppression of Black Americans and was inspired by Black church leaders. This experience opened his eyes to the importance of the role of a pastor in speaking up against injustice.
In 1933, when Hitler took power, Bonhoeffer began to speak out:
This act of resistance made him a marked man. And then came the edicts calling on churches to denounce the Jewish people, even those who had converted. Bonhoeffer refused to go along. He became more isolated but more determined. He knew he faced death. He didn't waver. Bonhoeffer has much to teach us in the age of Trump. He warned that:
And that once people see evil for what it is, they can organize and fight against it. However, stupidity and the slogans aimed at the stupid aren't taken as seriously. When stupidity is channelled to support evil, then society is in serious trouble. In the age of Trump, we see a terrible triumvirate at work: evil, stupidity and moral cowardice. In watching the dismal contagion of cowardice among the elites, we need to give shout-outs and encouragement to those stepping up. I put my faith in the ordinary folk who are organizing, resisting, and now marching in the streets. Today is also the anniversary of the storming of Vimy Ridge by the all-Canadian Corps. Vimy was considered an impregnable German position that had defeated the other allied powers. On April 9, 1917, the Canadians were sent to storm the unstormable. The Canadians didn't apply the top-down strategic control that had led to so many British and French disasters. The Canadians didn't do spit-and-polish hierarchical military command. The "colonials" trained their units so that every man knew his job. And they did it. My Great Uncle Gordon MacNeil was at Vimy. He was awarded the Military Cross. He did what had to be done, and he came home.
I recently came across footage of Uncle Gordon. It was taken the morning after war had been declared on Hitler. Uncle Gordon put on his highland uniform and went door to door in the village of Iona, Cape Breton. He told the young men: “The time has come to fight tyranny.” He didn't wait for orders from Ottawa. There was a job to do, and it needed getting done. Those men packed their bags, kissed their loved ones and went. Many of those young men still lie in the fields of Italy and Northern Europe.  In this age of moral cowardice and complicity, we have two very different but powerful role models – Bonhoeffer's steadfast commitment to resistance and the Canadian commitment to getting the job done. On April 9, I think of how important it is to combine both traditions. See you on the ridge. If any photos or images on this site are under copyright please let us know and we will give appropriate credit. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting.Thank you for reading Charlie Angus / The Resistance. If you’d like to upgrade to a paid subscription your support will help keep this project independent and sustainable. I’m grateful to have you here - thank you for your support.
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