Is Our Children Learning?
As I mentioned earlier, I have been reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I finally finished it last night while slugging down an entire pitcher of sangria at Rioja. The only practical knowledge of the Third Reich that one need possess can, of course, be described thusly:
Hitler's most pernicious impact on everyday life (aside from providing an endless supply of source material for the History Channel) has been in the domain of rhetoric. His fiery brand of speechmaking has all but disappeared, but his name is invoked in arguments all the time as a form of litmus test. In any debate, Hitler's opinion on the subject is automatically the evil one, so it had better be contrary to the side you're arguing.
For the sake of argument, I felt I needed to understand Nazism and Hitler a little better. After all, I wouldn't want to inadvertently espouse one of Hitler's opinions. But it was Goodwin's rule of Nazi analogies that finally convinced me to buy the book:
As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.
Accusations of Nazism are conversation-killers, unsustainable and outrageous. This from MyDD
…I for one despise Nazi comparisons. I am not amused when Janine Garafalo mentions the 43rd Reich, I cringe when I see Nazi spew in the comments here, I say 'Ecch' to all of it. Such comparisons are the stuff of college dorm door decoration, not reasoned debate.
Not at all an uncommon sentiment. Now, I'm a really stupid person. I didn't understand why people would be so prone to accuse their enemies of Nazism, or why people were so outraged by such accusations. I had a basic knowledge of WWII, but never really felt I knew enough about Hitler or Nazism to be able to distinguish whether a particular insult or association regarding their reference was apt or not; the Third Reich, after all, spanned 12 years and involved millions of people and countless protean policies. Furthermore, for something so prosaic in its horribleness, wasn't it undercutting the cautionary nature of its character to ascribe its rhetorical use to mere reductionism?
After finishing the history of the Reich, I naturally understand it more than I did. I feel slightly more qualified to say something like "George Bush is not entirely unlike a Nazi". But it doesn't matter. Whether it's true or not is irrelevant to most people; the association itself will immediately be dismissed as intellectually corrupt. Which is too bad... because it's true.
3 Comments:
My Parents were young children during WWII. Recently, they saw my show Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Afterwards, they asked me to define fascist (as they were confused on the definition*). I said George Bush. They said, Ah. (the following argument is one sided and open for rebutal)
By Definition:
1. Fascism is commonly defined as an open terror-based dictatorship which is:
Reactionary: makes policy based upon current circumstances rather than creating policies to prevent problems; piles lies and misnomers on top of more lies until the truth becomes indistinguishable, revised or forgotten. (See Homeland Security Act)
Chauvinistic: Two or more tiered legal systems, varying rights based upon superficial characteristics such as race, creed and origin. (See Gay Marriage Issue)
Imperialist elements of finance capital: Extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political domination of one state over its allies. (See Iraq)
3. Fascism dovetails business & government sectors into a single economic unit, while concurrently increasing in-fighting and distrust between the units fostering advancement towards war. (See IRAQ Contracts)
4. a) Fascism promotes chauvinist demagogy, (appealing to the prejudices and emotions of the populace) by fostering selective persecution and accepted public vilification of the target group. It then promotes this a "patriotic", "supportive" or "the party line" and disagreement with such as "anti-government", "anti-faith" or "anti-nation". (See Terry the Veggie)
b) Fascism creates confusion through "facts". It relies on junk science, revisionism, the elimination of cultural records/treasures and obfuscations to create its case and gain acceptance. Fascism can also combine Marxist critiques of capitalism or faith based critics of the same to re-define middle class perceptions of democracy and to force its issues, confuse logic and create majority consensus between targeted groups. This is also referred to as creating a state of Cognitive Dissonance (Kelly talked about this this month), the mental state most human beings are easily manipulated within.
Of the 14 Characteristics, these are true of the Bush Administation:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism -
Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays. TOP
2. Disdain for
the Recognition of Human Rights -
Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc. TOP
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats
as a Unifying Cause -
The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc. TOP
4. Supremacy of the Military -
Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized. TOP
6. Controlled Mass Media -
Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common. TOP
7. Obsession with National Security -
Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses. TOP
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined -
Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions. TOP
9. Corporate Power is Protected -
The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite. TOP
10. Labor Power is Suppressed -
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed. TOP
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts -
Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked. TOP
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment -
Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption -
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders. TOP
14. Fraudulent Elections -
Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections
Man. We are fucked.
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fock is totally correct. The Bush Administration, until it details a overt plot to oust a particular religious, political, or associative group, even to the point of genocide (which Hitler did in "Mein Kampf"), is more appropriate to associate with Fascism than Nazism. It's more accurate and fair, or, if you will, Fair and Balanced.
Surely, the fascist tendencies of the Bush Administration could, unchecked, lead to a dictatorship and/or genocide. But, it is much more important to say they are rigid, fascist, and overall, reckless.
I personally have sworn to never refer to the Republican party of the US without attaching the label "Reckless" to "Republican." People say "Right Wing" or "radical" and those terms are too obtuse. "Reckless" is both accurate and visceral. "Liberal" implies a reckless disregard for order for the sake of liberty. But Reckless Republicans disregard rules for organizations at the risk of personal liberty.
Today's Reckless Republicans are the offspring of Gladstonian Liberals of the late 19th century. The ones who condemned Darwin but were first in line to eat a full helping of Social Darwinism. The same guys who thought letting poor mothers and their children die was a form of thinning the herd.
Today, individual liberty is sacrificed for the sake of corporate liberty. Bad water, bad air, excessive use of resources, limited liability and responsibility for consumers and workers are all the hallmarks of the Reckless Republican game plan and are remnants of the economic Liberals of bygone eras.
There is a reason there are checks and balances in the American government. Concentration of power and authority is dangerous. Power corrupts, etc., etc.
Our current American political structure is a major impediment that halts the Bush Administration's tendency to fascism from becoming true fascism. I hope some of the voters in this country eventually realize that or, at least, some of the Democratic Senators do.
Nazism developed from 1925 to 1945, for the people of Germany, the same way a frog can be boiled in water if the water starts cold. The increments from bad to worse are harder to notice than if you walk into worse from good and are shocked by the differences. It is hard but necessary to open people's eyes to those analogous fascist developments in the US before it's too late.
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