This ^^^^ right here is exactly what terrifies me for my, and most especially my children's, future.We will always be able to find people who, given the authority of the State, are willing to commit atrocities if the State tells them it’s right. That is a history that has repeated so often that it should be expected, not a surprise.
Those who have not learned from history, think that it will all happen in one big event that they can resist. It rarely happens like that, it’s a death by 1000 cuts. By the time the Stasi are kicking in the door, there are not enough people who are willing to resist, because they think better them than me.
Equally, there will always be people who, given the absence of the rule of law will also be willing to commit atrocity. Mob rule will happen when the mob feels insulated from being held accountable.
I fear the ideologues on both right and left equally as much.
The communists and their allies are already at the mob rule stage on occasion (summer of love). Both sides going to the mob rule behavior will be catastrophic, and the USA will likely not survive it.