The Dreyfus Affair. Alfred Dreyfus was a French military officer convicted of treason in 1894 for allegedly passing military secrets to the German embassy in Paris. Dreyfus was sentenced to life imprisonment and transported to Devil’s Island in French Guiana. Dreyfus was Jewish and antisemitism was a significant factor in his conviction. When it was proved that a different officer, Walsin-Esterhazy, was responsible for the espionage, Dreyfus was brought back to France for a second trail, but despite exonerating facts, Dreyfus was convicted again.
In January 1899 French novelist, Emile Zola, published J’Accuse…! in the newspaper L’Aurore. Zola accused the army and those in power of covering up the fallacious conviction of Dreyfus. Zola was at the forefront of the Dreyfusards, a political movement opposed to the unjust power of the state. For his efforts, Zola was accused of libeling the military, and in turn convicted and sentenced to a year in jail. Zola’s trail was marked by antisemitic riots and violence in support of the state. Loosing on appeal, Zola was forced to flee to England.
In 1899 to avoid further social conflict, President Emile Laubet pardoned Dreyfus, but France remained a tortured society. Antisemitism continued and Dreyfus’s innocence was never fully proclaimed until 1995!
The Dreyfus affair had lasting, historical consequences for France. It marked the beginning of a new phase in the history of the 3rd Republic, coalescing the Dreyfusards into a united front of state opposition. The Dreyfus Affair tarnished the reputation of France, and paradoxically, due to the antisemitic nature of Dreyfus’s persecution, it led to Theodor Herzl and the organized movement of Jews back to the Middle East. Beyond France, the Dreyfus Affair is historically significant, for it underscores the plight of the individual verses a powerful, merciless state.
The Trump Affair. Donald Trump is not Jewish, has never severed in the military, although he was commander-in-chief the Armed forces of the United States. As yet, he has not been sent to Riker’s Island, the Devil’s Island of New York, although James Comey, former FBI chief, recently championed this outcome. Trump’s recent felony convictions, essentially cite book keeping improprieties to quelch an alleged sexual blackmailer, which, hypothetically, according to DA Alvin Bragg, may have caused Donald Trump to win the election of 2016. Complicated and fanciful, but a conviction nonetheless.
As to specifics, there’s no comparison between Alfred Dreyfus and Donald Trump aside from one essential point—both men were and are targets of a powerful, unjust state. Dreyfus was targeted by the military and those in power in France. Trump has been targeted by those in power in behalf of our commander-in-chief, and specifically: the Democrat DA of New York city, judge Arthur Engoron, registered Democrat, and Jaun Merchan, small-change donor to President Biden, the Progressive Trust Project, and a group called Stop Republicans. Democrat Jack Smith in the classified documents trial, and Fani Willis in the voter fraud Georgia trial, may or may not, follow. So many trials, so many Democrats. No coincidence there.
On July 11th Donald Trump will face his Dryfus moment when he stands before Judge Merchan for sentencing. I believe Donald Trump will be sentenced to jail. As with the Dreyfusards of long ago, it will further inflame opponents of our current state of governance. Plato said it first with his metaphor ship of state, likening governing to the command of a ship. On our current ship of state, the captain may be unsteady at the helm, but he’s the captain none-the-less commanding strict obedience from his crew. Deck hand and registered Democrat, New York Judge Arthur Engoron, has already done his part in Trump’s initial New York trial fining Donald Trump an irrational, astronomical sum. To please the captain once more, why would Judge Merchan fail to follow in a similar vein? Orwell said it best: ignorance and prejudice are the ballast of our ship of state…
Donald Trump is not Alfred Dryfus, but is history repeating itself when it comes to one individual vs those in power? We may not realize it now, but Donald Trump’s most recent trial and conviction may have lasting, historical consequences when it comes to targeted state persecutions. In the meantime, where do we sail next–the reef of national chaos or safe harbor in a different state of command where justice reigns once more?
(Mike Koepf is a former commercial fisherman. Author: The Fisherman’s Son, Shelter Cove, Icarus, Save The Whale.)
The comparison between Dreyfus and Trump is valid only if Trump is as innocent of crime as Dreyfus was.
I’d say Trump’s 34 felonies conjured out of thin air made a martyr out of the Big Bazoo, but he’ll never be in the same class as Dreyfus, an officer and a gentleman, and a true martyr.
Never wrote he was in the same class. That distention was stated, but the state has acted similarly to Trump in his case as it did to Dreyfus.
“…conjured out of thin air”, Really? So apparently you do not believe in the American justice system. I read the charges and the law in New York state and so did all the jurors. It only took them part of two days to find him guilty on all charges. If you read the documents that was supplied to that jury you will understand why they had no other choice than a guilty verdict. Have you read New York law and the charges? Apparently not, you are just talking.
What is the crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means?
New York law Section 17-152 – Conspiracy to promote or prevent election. Any two or more persons who conspire to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means.” This can rise to a felony if it can be connected to the furtherance of another crime.
Hardly …”conjured out of thin air.”
Thus, in this case, a candidate allegedly getting laid was the reason Hillary Clinton lost the election. Brilliant, makes sense to me, but, gee, where was Bill on the night she lost? Kimberlin misses the point. Whether the state is right or left, when they place their fist on the scales of justice, something bad will prevail.
I have no idea why you bring up Hillary. The crime was spelled out to 12 jurors and they found him guilty on all counts. No one said anything about, “a candidate being laid or losing the election.” What does that have to do with the evidence I have seen and the jury saw? The jury was polled and they confirmed Trump was guilty on all 34 counts and you want to deny that they listened to the evidence and found him guilty. Your view seems really weird to me and seems formed on some other basis than logic.