![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Food for Thought
Just got this in an email from a friend. As our recent adventures overseas start turning into what looks suspiciously like Orwell's Endless War, this little missive makes some rather chilling points, I'd say.
To the Editor -- The Santa Barbara News Press:
Only 60 years ago the United States fought in World War II to free the world from fascism. Is America now becoming a fascist country? If so, we should all be very concerned, Republicans and Democrats alike.
What's fascism? The dictionary says: "Fascism (noun) - A philosophy or system of government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with an ideology of belligerent nationalism." American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Houghton Mifflin Co. (1969), page 477.
Recent historical research by Laurence Britt* examined many fascist regimes, including those of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy) and Franco (Spain). They had 14 things in common, the identifying characteristics of fascism. Here is his list. Review the actions of Mr. Bush's Washington administration, compare them with this list, and then decide for yourself if America is becoming too much like Hitler's Germany.
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism -- patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, flag symbols in public displays.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights -- human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need".
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
4. Supremacy of the Military -- despite domestic problems
5. Rampant Sexism -- Government almost exclusively male-dominated.
6. Controlled Mass Media.
7. Obsession with National Security -- Fear is used as a motivational tool by government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are intertwined
9. Corporate Power is Protected -- a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption -- groups of friends and
associates appoint each other to government positions,
14. Fraudulent Elections -- including use of judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
* Laurence Britt "Fascism Anyone?", Free Inquiry Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 2, Spring 2003, page 20.
Check it out yourself. We're concerned about our country. We hope you >are too.
John and Hanne Sonquist
Sigh.
To the Editor -- The Santa Barbara News Press:
Only 60 years ago the United States fought in World War II to free the world from fascism. Is America now becoming a fascist country? If so, we should all be very concerned, Republicans and Democrats alike.
What's fascism? The dictionary says: "Fascism (noun) - A philosophy or system of government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with an ideology of belligerent nationalism." American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Houghton Mifflin Co. (1969), page 477.
Recent historical research by Laurence Britt* examined many fascist regimes, including those of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy) and Franco (Spain). They had 14 things in common, the identifying characteristics of fascism. Here is his list. Review the actions of Mr. Bush's Washington administration, compare them with this list, and then decide for yourself if America is becoming too much like Hitler's Germany.
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism -- patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, flag symbols in public displays.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights -- human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need".
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
4. Supremacy of the Military -- despite domestic problems
5. Rampant Sexism -- Government almost exclusively male-dominated.
6. Controlled Mass Media.
7. Obsession with National Security -- Fear is used as a motivational tool by government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are intertwined
9. Corporate Power is Protected -- a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption -- groups of friends and
associates appoint each other to government positions,
14. Fraudulent Elections -- including use of judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
* Laurence Britt "Fascism Anyone?", Free Inquiry Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 2, Spring 2003, page 20.
Check it out yourself. We're concerned about our country. We hope you >are too.
John and Hanne Sonquist
Sigh.