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Fear defines the worst leaders

What is interesting about tyrannical leaders is that they share certain qualities. In essence, they live under a tremendous fear of being overthrown. Through their actions, almost without exception, they inadvertently make this fear a reality.
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What is interesting about tyrannical leaders is that they share certain qualities. In essence, they live under a tremendous fear of being overthrown. Through their actions, almost without exception, they inadvertently make this fear a reality.

I know how fortunate I am to live in a free country. I will never forget my first experience of no longer having the freedom to question the government under which I was living. As a university student, I lived in the Philippines toward the end of the Marcos era. The fear the majority of his citizens was palpable, as was the defiance lying just below the surface.

It is important to note that dictators do not think like other people. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain is often criticized for giving in to concessions with Adolf Hitler, claiming "we have achieved peace for our time." Give and take is normal in international diplomacy. Chamberlain was clearly not dealing with someone who was normal. Had he known this, perhaps he wouldn't have signed a deal with the man who started the Second World War only one year later.

As a result of the rise of Nazism, in 1948 the Declaration of Geneva mandated health professionals to speak up when they recognize the rise of a destructive regime. This does not mean that they diagnose public figures, as one cannot diagnose someone who is not a patient. An informed and honest warning from an impartial professional, however, is far different from a diagnosis.

Though we do not know the mind of Donald Trump, his actions have raised many red flags among mental health professionals. It is not normal for a leader to call their political opponents silly names, like "Crooked Hillary", or to incite crowds to chant, "send her back," when discussing an elected member of the U.S. Congress. It is not normal for a democratically elected leader to publicly admit that he would like to have dictatorial powers.

What is interesting is that shortly after Trump's inauguration as the President of the United States, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) put strict restraints on what their members could say about a public figure. A forensic psychologist on the faculty of Yale Medical School, Dr. Bandy Lee, points out that this puts people in her field in a precarious ethical position, having to either violate the directives of their professional association or the ethics of the Declaration of Geneva.

Regardless of the restrictions of the APA, Doctor Lee and others compiled The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. It is interesting to note as well that Lee has received many invitations to speak about this book on well-known American news programs, only to have them cancel 100 per cent of the time, possibly because those in high offices do not want the topic discussed on their networks.

I will readily admit that I do not have the capacity to determine who could be dangerous if they were placed in a position of authority. I also do not know how to effectively respond to these people when they are in power. Mental health professionals offer a great public service in helping us to recognize the danger signs, the risks of having a tyrant in office and the most effective means to disarm them.

Donald Trump may be as wonderful and brilliant as he claims to be. The point is that when we question the truth of his claims, we are not doing anything wrong.

Academic freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and professional ethics are vital to the proper functioning of a democratic society. In fact, they are our safeguards from tyranny.

- Gerry Chidiac is a champion for social enlightenment, inspiring others to find their greatness in making the world a better place. For more of his writings, go to www.gerrychidiac.com