This article reflects the author’s personal viewpoints and is intended as interpretive commentary on policy trends using a fictional allegory. It should not be considered a factual report.
The author does not identify with or endorse any specific political ideology, including, but not limited to: libertarian, conservative, liberal, socialist, or MAGA, and does not intend to imply any partisan affiliation.
🛰️ Ghorman Isn't all Fiction — It Might Be America's Emerging Reality
How a fictional allegory exposes real-world authoritarian drift
🌌 Introduction: Andor, Rebellion, and the Symbolism of Ghorman
The acclaimed Star Wars series Andor chronicles the compelling transformation of Cassian Andor from reluctant outsider to dedicated rebel operative in the years before the original trilogy. Set against a backdrop of increasing Imperial authoritarianism, the series explores the quiet and insidious mechanisms through which power consolidates and dissent is crushed. Central to its powerful narrative is the planet Ghorman, a world whose inhabitants suffer an infamous massacre at the hands of Imperial forces, a brutal event highlighting how bureaucratic oppression and disregard for rights fuel rebellion. Ghorman thus emerges as a potent symbol of resistance against authoritarian drift, resonating profoundly with contemporary concerns about democratic erosion and executive overreach.
As you explore this article, keep Ghorman’s lessons in mind, and reflect on how fictional allegories can illuminate troubling trends in our own reality.
▶️ What You’ll See in the Ghorman Short
In this brief, Star Wars–inspired clip, a lone wanderer discovers faded “SICE” posters in a deserted alley. SICE—Sith Immigration Control Enforcement—is the Sith version of the U.S. ICE agency (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Instead of threats of violence, the posters warn of non-conformity, independent thinking, and “Force sensitivity.” The voiceover reminds us: “It’s no longer about legal status. It’s about obedience.” Watch now and keep those themes in mind as you read on.
📜 Executive Orders: The Blueprint for Autocracy?
After watching, consider how this fictional warning parallels recent real-world policy moves. In 2025 alone, the White House has issued four major executive orders whose language and effects reach far beyond routine governance:
- EO 14173: Branded as “ending illegal discrimination,” it revokes or revises federal DEI mandates and re-emphasizes purely merit-based hiring—critics warn this could scale back targeted support for under-represented groups.
- EO 14149: Marketed as “free-speech protection,” it bars federal agencies from coordinating with tech platforms on content moderation, potentially limiting government-led misinformation counter-measures.
- EO 14215: Extends the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs’ centralized review to historically independent agencies, bringing virtually all significant rules under direct presidential oversight.
- EO 14288: Framed as “strengthening and unleashing law enforcement,” it directs the Attorney General to defend officers facing civil or criminal liability, review and roll back federal consent decrees, funnel surplus military equipment to police, and pursue legal action against local officials who hinder enforcement or impose DEI-based limits.
Taken together, these directives form an interlocking infrastructure of oversight and increased executive control—echoing the bureaucratic authoritarianism SICE wields in Ghorman.
🧠 Lessons from Ghorman: Compliance as Currency
In Ghorman, disobedient thinkers aren’t arrested for crimes—they’re detained for refusing to conform. Some policies may pursue a similar end: reshaping institutions so that loyalty and silence are rewarded, while dissenters could face professional or social consequences. EO 14288 could accelerate that trend by shielding officers from accountability and targeting officials who question aggressive policing.
Just as SICE posters mark “Force sensitivity” as illegal, modern edicts may risk stigmatizing intellectual independence. When conformity becomes the highest virtue, true freedom could erode.
👁️ Reflecting Reality Through Fiction
Ghorman’s dystopia raises urgent questions for our own context:
- Who is being labeled a threat simply for thinking differently?
- Which loyalties does the system now reward?
- At what point does lawful governance slip into excessive control?
Answering these helps us spot when our democracy drifts toward autocracy—quietly, incrementally, and under the guise of order.
⚠️ Historical Warning: From the Weimar Republic to WWII
The Weimar Republic (1919–1933) was Germany’s first democracy after World War I. Plagued by hyper-inflation, political fragmentation, and the Great Depression, it relied on Article 48—emergency decrees that repeatedly bypassed parliament. President Hindenburg and his successors misused these powers to rule unilaterally, setting a precedent Adolf Hitler later exploited to dismantle democracy and establish a totalitarian state in 1933.
The Nazi dictatorship’s aggressive expansionism plunged the world into World War II, which claimed an estimated 70–85 million lives through battle, genocide, famine, and disease (World Population Review).
🗣️ The Danger of Obedience Without Conscience
Real autocracy rarely arrives with overt force. Instead, it seeps in through laws and regulations that valorize silence and obedience. Ghorman’s chilling reminder—“It’s about obedience.”—reflects a potential shift, as seen in EO 14288’s call for “high-impact policing.”
The task before us: recognize these patterns, question policies that may reward conformity, and defend the conscience of our democracy before it’s too late.
🔗 Further Reading & Resources
- Brookings Institution – Executive Order Explainers : In-depth articles by Brookings scholars unpacking the legal, historical, and policy implications of major executive orders.
- Cato Institute – Handbook on Executive Orders : A principled framework and case studies evaluating the constitutionality and governance impact of presidential directives.
- Brennan Center for Justice – Emergency Powers Hub : Comprehensive tracking and analysis of emergency authorities and how they can expand—or overstep—executive reach.
- The Regulatory Review – “When Is an Independent Agency Independent?” : Examines the administrative-law questions around EO 14215 and whether it undermines real agency autonomy.
- Akin Gump – Executive Order Tracker : A running catalog of recent executive orders with expert commentary on key provisions, compliance risks, and legal challenges.
- Project On Government Oversight (POGO) – EO Analyses : Non-partisan watchdog reports using open-records research to expose transparency issues and power consolidation in specific orders.