East Haddam is a community built on shared values—honesty, hard work, and looking out for our neighbors. But recent national events demand our attention because their implications reach far beyond Washington. What’s happening at the intersection of politics and Big Tech isn’t just concerning; it’s a warning sign.

For years, tech leaders like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg claimed to stand for diversity, privacy, and human decency. Now, those same CEOs are sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a government that is openly vilifying dissent and threatening democratic norms. Their donations and visible support of President Trump’s administration reveal a dangerous pivot. The question is: why, and at what cost?

The Hypocrisy of Big Tech

Let’s start with the facts:

• Who’s in Trump’s Corner? At President Trump’s inauguration, tech leaders like Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, and Tim Cook were front and center. Tim Cook alone donated $1 million to the inaugural fund. (The Verge)

• What Changed? These are the same CEOs who once criticized government overreach and championed user privacy. Their sudden coziness with an administration promising to “hunt down political rivals” reveals a blatant prioritization of profits and influence over principles. (Business Insider)

For years, Big Tech claimed to protect individual freedoms. Now they’re leveraging their power to align with a government pushing authoritarian tendencies. It’s a betrayal of the values they claimed to hold.

Parallels to the Past

This isn’t just about tech hypocrisy—it’s about the dangerous rhetoric coming from the highest levels of government. When President Trump refers to political opponents as “vermin,” the echoes of history are impossible to ignore. Adolf Hitler famously used similar dehumanizing language to justify targeting groups in Nazi Germany. (Encyclopedia of Genocide)

Let’s be clear: Trump isn’t Hitler, but the playbook of vilifying a population, consolidating power, and leveraging propaganda is disturbingly familiar. When tech giants stand behind this, they become complicit in the erosion of democratic norms.

Why This Matters to East Haddam

You might ask, “What does this have to do with us?” The answer is simple: everything.

East Haddam is a community where people care about each other, where we value fairness and accountability. If these trends continue, the surveillance tools Big Tech develops could trickle down into local law enforcement and government. It’s not hard to imagine a world where speaking out—whether about national issues or local concerns—becomes risky.

The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been. The choices made at the national level affect us all, from the policies we live under to the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.

What Can We Do?

1. Stay Informed: Don’t let the noise distract you from what’s important. Read critically, question motives, and demand transparency.

2. Hold Leaders Accountable: Both corporate and political leaders need to know we’re watching. They serve us, not the other way around.

3. Protect Local Democracy: Advocate for policies that prioritize privacy, transparency, and fairness in our town.

4. Speak Out: Don’t let fear silence you. Our community is strongest when we stand together.

Start the Conversation

This is bigger than politics—this is about who we are as a community and as a country. Let’s talk about it. How do you see these shifts affecting us here in East Haddam? Do you think tech’s role in government is as dangerous as it seems? What can we do, as a small town, to protect our values and ensure our voices are heard?

Share your thoughts in the comments, or better yet, let’s start a local discussion group. Our strength is in our shared voices and ideas. Let’s use them.

Final Thoughts

The alliance between Big Tech and Trump’s administration isn’t just business as usual—it’s a dangerous precedent. As a small town that values its voice, East Haddam must remain vigilant. Our strength lies in our ability to question, challenge, and demand better—for ourselves and for the generations to come.

Let’s keep our eyes open and our voices loud. The future of our democracy depends on it.