Will my novel be next because it reveals the misery caused by the corporate takeover of water?
As a member of The Authors Guild, a national writers’ organization, I was alarmed by this week’s newsletter headline: Writers Are Under Attack—Help Us Fight Back. “The freedom to write, research, and publish is the bedrock of our democracy, yet it is under siege. Book bans are silencing writers. AI companies are exploiting authors’ work without consent, threatening their livelihoods. Journalists face intimidation simply for reporting the truth. These are direct assaults on free expression, and we cannot allow them to stand.”
Historically, intellectual migration has been a boon to the United States. During World War II, brilliant minds such as Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann, and Bertolt Brecht sought refuge here, enriching our scientific and cultural landscape. For decades, the U.S. has been a global leader in research, attracting top talent worldwide. But this is changing. Since Donald Trump’s presidency, European nations have sought to capitalize on America’s growing hostility toward intellectuals and researchers. With the government cutting funding for universities and research facilities, many scientists are looking elsewhere. A recent Nature Magazine survey revealed that more than 1,200 U.S.-based scientists out of the 1,600 surveyed are considering relocating to Europe or Canada.
NPR reports that prestigious institutions in France have established financial incentives for American scientists. The engineering school at CentraleSupélec allocated approximately $3.2 million to fund projects that can no longer continue in the United States. Aix-Marseille University, one of France’s oldest and largest universities, has launched a “Safe Place for Science” program, offering $16 million over three years to support up to 15 American scientists. The Netherlands and Canada are also implementing similar initiatives to attract displaced researchers.
Throughout history, intellectuals have been persecuted for challenging authority. Totalitarian regimes often employ anti-intellectualism to suppress dissent. Trump, both during his first administration and now in his second, has popularized “fake news” and “alternative facts,” distorting reality to serve his agenda.
History offers grim lessons on the consequences of such repression. During the White Terror (1936-1945), Spanish dictator Francisco Franco executed 200,000 intellectuals, including teachers, scientists, artists, and writers. Pol Pot’s regime in Cambodia systematically annihilated the country’s educated class. Argentina’s President Juan Carlos Onganía imposed rigid censorship, silencing the press, literature, theater, and cinema.
Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) forced musicians to hide their instruments and writers to bury their work, as intellectualism was deemed counter-revolutionary. Adolf Hitler and the Nazis consolidated power by banning books, persecuting opposition, and using fear to control the populace. They targeted anti-Nazi judges, trade unions, religious leaders, Jewish communities, and Romani people, establishing concentration camps with horrific conditions. By the time the world intervened, Germans within the country had lost the power to get rid of Hitler.
A few days ago, I spoke to a woman who protested Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. Though the U.S. has not declared war on Gaza or Hamas, she fears punishment for expressing her views. Her Egyptian-born son-in-law, despite his legal status, now feels targeted. Columbia, Harvard, and Portland State face threats of losing billions in funding for upholding free speech around the Palestinian issue.
I fear that the president is waiting for Democratic protests to turn violent as an excuse to declare martial law and seize dictatorial power. His recent rhetoric about invading Greenland and Panama is reckless. If he follows through, the only way to remove him might be through international intervention—a scenario too dire to imagine.
We must remain resolute and continue to speak out. Protests must remain nonviolent and follow Martin Luther King Jr.’s example of resisting oppression through peaceful means. Excuses to crack down on intellectuals and free expression will further erode democracy.
Our right to think, write, conduct research, and speak freely must be defended at all costs.
Resources:
BBC website.(2025) Why the Nazis were able to stay in power. Bitesize. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zgtyvcw/revision/3
NPR Website. (2025) Countries boost recruitment of American scientists amid cuts to scientific funding. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2025/03/29/nx-s1-5343966/countries-boost-recruitment-of-american-scientists-amid-cuts-to-scientific-funding
Britannica – Cultural Revolution: Chinese political movement. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/Cultural-Revolution
_______
Access to clean water cuts to the core of democracy. It is being weaponized, pilfered, polluted, traded, and sold at astronomical prices that poor people can’t afford. Water should be considered a human right and not a commodity.
The Water Factor is a Firebird International Award winner for best dystopian novel and a Literary Titan recipient for best thriller. Though fun to read, it carries a severe message about water scarcity. It is available in ebook, paperback, and audio formats. It can be purchased on AMAZON, Barnes and Noble, and as an audiobook on Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. Ask your bookstore to order a copy from Ingram. Please leave a review on Amazon after reading. Purchase while you can, and invite me to Zoom into your book club discussion.
