Fascism Now, Wake Up Sheeple
The American Heritage Dictionary defines fascism as
A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.
A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.
Oppressive, dictatorial control, hmm. Dont yell at me or call me an alarmist for showing you what is happening. If you dont like, go bury your head in the sand and watch Survivor. But dont forget to go fill up your car with some of that $3 a gallon gas before it hits $100 a barrel. How's the dollar doing on the world stage this morning? oh yes, all time weaknesses all over the planet. Go be a 'Good German" and do what you are told by the people that own you.
We have all heard of The 14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism by Dr Lawrence Britt:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism- Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are everywhere.
Does this sound familiar? From the onslaught of yellow ribbon and "Support Our Troops" magnets from China that adorn the bumpers of sport utility vehicles to the continued use of "God Bless America" during the 7th Inning Stretch of baseball games to include the now concluded World Series.
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.
Um, do I need to mention Abu Ghraib, Gitmo, Water-boarding, or Enhanced Interrogation Techniques?
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.
Two Words: Al Qaeda
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.
It's not like we are seeing the military in our airports or in border cities. I believe that there is a specific effort in place to get us used to seeing uniformed troops on a daily basis so that we will not react when they are used to police us in our cities in towns.
5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
Oh come on, are you going to tell me that we have been preaching hate towards women or homosexuality. It's not like we have had republican politicians introducing "Marriage Protection Acts" or any such thing.
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.
Fox News news anyone? War is good-thought is bad…..
7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
Homeland Security Agency??? Be sure to take your shoes off at the airport…..
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.
Oh come on this is like shooting christian fish in a barrel.
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.
Cough (Enron) cough
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.
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.
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.
"You are doin a heck of a job, Brownie"........GWB
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.
Can you say Karl Rove? Do you remember Al Gore, the guy won the popular vote back in 2000?
Dr. Britt wrote of this in 2004 after studying the regimes of "Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Franco's Spain, Salazar's Portugal, Papadopoulos's Greece, Pinochet's Chile, and Suharto's Indonesia". How well are we falling in to this familiar pattern?
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Have you tried to do anything lately without the taxation, approval, or consent of the government?
I got a haircut last week and my barber had his little government license taped to the windshield. I too have been under the thumb of the government for just trying to run a business. I'm a private investigator and have been jumping through flaming hoops for more than a year so that I can open my own business. Free market, I dont think so. A competitor has been filing phony complaints with the state board and has delayed me. If this were a true free market capitalist society, wouldnt we both try to fight it out in the market and allow our customers to determine who makes money and who sits home?
I dare you to try to live one day without the intervention from the totalitarian government. You cant do it unless you live in a shack in the hills and eat possum.
