Timothy Snyder's decision to move to Canada has worried me more than anything else. When someone who teaches and is an authority on fascism jumps ship, you know we're in serious trouble.
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It may be merely self preservation. It's beyond dispute that we have been taken over by fascists. His staying or going will not change the outcome now. At least up there he can continue to safely write and publish vs being imprisoned. They will for sure start coming for political "dissidents" soon.
When you've been teaching at one of the most prestigious Ivy League universities for 24 years, you quit not because you want to but because you have to ⬇️
He is protecting himself in advance.
He can continue to work for democracy while in Canada.
People like Snyder are huge targets for Trump/Musk's cultural revolution purges.
Plus the one who agreed in advance was not him, but Yele. They probably don't see the possibility of keeping teaching how they always done here under the risk of being fired for not comply with the university.
You can move anywhere you like; under a Trump regime, there isn't a square inch of this planet that can be considered safe. He fully intends to either rule it all or end it all.
My same take. When experts on fascism clear out, you bet I’m paying even more attention. Especially put together w/ the felon’s musings about making a 3rd term possible.
his wife marci shore also a historian, and jason stanley author of "How Fascism Works" have also moved to toronto. the fascist "brain drain" was real in hitler's germany and it's real in trump's fascist usa.
There are lots of people who consider Snyder's decision cowardly, but I wonder if they would have advised Jews to remain in Germany or told Anne Frank to come out of hiding. Snyder's death or incarceration simply for doing his job would be of no benefit to anyone - ESPECIALLY HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
He knows because history confirms this, that the roundup of intellectuals, artists, innovators is next. Free thinking is a threat to fascism. They'll disguise it as a domestic terrorism prevention, but it's really a threat to their authoritarianism.
He warned us so many times. Wrote books about it, went on news shows, wrote articles, taught students. Who can blame him if he does not want to live amongst stupid.
Sorry, I posted that too early. I agree but I have a slightly different take. I'm disappointed in Tim jumping ship. Those in senior academic positions need to stay and fight. Although I didn't have anything like Tim's status, I stayed and fought in Hong Kong until I got fired.
I agree with you but I have a slightly different take. I'm disappointed in jumping ship. Those in senior academic positions need to stay and fight. Although I didn't have anything like Tim's status, I stayed and fought in Hong Kong until I got fired.
Here's the thing. He would be a high value target of this regime so he has to move for his safety. They would use him as an example bc so many of us know of him and he speaks out against the FOTUS regime.
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https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2025/03/27/three-prominent-yale-professors-depart-for-canadian-university-citing-trump-fears/
He can continue to work for democracy while in Canada.
People like Snyder are huge targets for Trump/Musk's cultural revolution purges.
It was from before Signalgate (or whatever we're calling it).
Huuuuge gulp moment.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/yale-professor-moving-to-university-of-toronto-trump-administration-1.7494704
One person can’t do the job of the whole.
Any saving of what we have is going to take all.
But it turned out they didn't flee far enough from the reach of the Third Reich.
Yet.
orange hitler says he wants 3 terms
the republicans on their knees sucking the fascist dictator off every day
I’m in the same boat.
It’s been haunting me for the last day.
Something that I can't shake.
And I think it's a really smart decision on Snyder's part to do it now. And very concerning.