Last night, our local North Bay Media Channel 22, KRCB TV aired an enlightening one-hour special by renowned travel icon, and darling of PBS pledge drives, Rick Steves. You can see it online and I recommend you do so ASAP.

I’ve enjoyed Steves’ talks in person and have read his terrific book, Travel as a Political Act. Here’s why he produced this special:

“The Story of Fascism in Europe” — while chillingly engaging and thrilling to watch — also has a practical purpose: to help us learn from Europe’s experience and to show how, even today, would-be autocrats follow the same playbook in their attempts to derail democracies. It’s a case study in how fear and angry nationalism can be channeled into evil; and how our freedoms and democracies are not indestructible…in fact, they are fragile.

I was a little sketchy on history following World War I. This program educated me about how Mussolini (striking resemblance to POTUS DJT in some of his facial expressions and body postures) rose to power in Italy, and about the factors that contributed to Hitler’s dictatorship and bloody war-making.

Not just food for thought, a whole banquet.

The whole script is online as well.