“In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” — Desiderius Erasmus

“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire

Some eighty-odd years ago, a man named Joseph Goebbels proved to the entire world that a lie shouted long enough and loud enough becomes the truth.

Recently, we witnessed the latest of the “No Kings” demonstrations. These protests numbered in the thousands, affected every American state, encompassed millions of people, and have even spread overseas. Cities such as Amsterdam, Berlin, Sydney, and London, among others, have been affected. These protests appear well-planned and well-coordinated. The purpose of the demonstrations is to call attention to Donald Trump’s monarchical aspirations. Protesters claim that Trump is a “King” in all but name only.

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The protests in European cities are most interesting, as around 10 countries in Europe have monarchies, including the Netherlands, where King Willem-Alexander rules, and, of course, the United Kingdom, where King Charles III reigns. Other European countries that still possess monarchies include Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Monaco. These are constitutional monarchies with limited powers. Most, if not all, are quite popular with their populations.

So, why Trump?

The demonstrators claim that Donald Trump is a king with absolute power. If this claim is correct, why doesn’t Trump simply order the current government shutdown to end, and the government to open again?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a monarch as “a hereditary sovereign such as a king or queen.” A modern-day example of a true hereditary monarchy is North Korea, where the current ruler, Kim Jong Un, is both the son and grandson of the first two rulers, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. This is a first among Communist countries: a Marxist dictatorship with a hereditary line of rulers.

Trump’s use of the National Guard to restore law and order in cities currently experiencing chaos and anarchy, where the crime rate is extremely high, is within his constitutional authority. The president has an obligation to protect American citizens. His use of the National Guard in Washington, DC, has been praised by its Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser. The “peaceful” protesters in the U.S. and other countries have only succeeded in proving that “Trump Derangement Syndrome” has expanded here and has metastasized overseas.

The same can be said of the current hysteria by the mainstream media and the left on “Ballroom Gate.” They seem unaware that the White House has been reconstructed by previous presidents a number of times, including Harry Truman, and even Barack Obama, who spent untold millions changing the White House tennis court into a basketball court. Critics also seem to ignore the fact that the renovations are being paid for by private contributions and by Trump himself.

Perhaps it is best to leave the last word at this point to the English writer William Ralph Inge, who wrote, “The enemies of freedom do not argue; they shout and they shoot.”

Caren Besner is a retired teacher who has written articles published by American Thinker, Sun-Sentinel, The Algemeiner, Jerusalem Post, Jewish Journal, IsraPost, The Jewish Voice, Independent Sentinel, San Diego Jewish World, Arutz Sheva, Jewish Press, The Front Page, The Florida Veteran, Jootube, The Moderate Voice, and Israel National News.