Facism and the GOP

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Permalink Reply by matthew greenberg on August 30, 2012 at 10:45am

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Permalink Reply by Chris Dodds on September 2, 2012 at 7:22pm

Did Sarah Palin really

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on September 6, 2012 at 5:06pm

I no longer believe any images I see on the net.  I look at it as being like an editorial cartoon.  I suppose it's possible, but I recall seeing this image in the past, and I think (I don't know) that it's photoshopped.  There should be a disclaimer on all photoshopped images, or a computer program that helps determine whether they are real.

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on August 30, 2012 at 11:41am

They want conformity, they want their way, they claim they're saving the country, they're willing to bully others in order to achieve a supposedly united front, and they're taking extreme positions which many find more than disturbing.

Now ... am I talking about 1933 in Berlin or 2012 in Tampa?

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Permalink Reply by matthew greenberg on August 30, 2012 at 11:59am

it's getting hard to deny the parallels. 

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Permalink Reply by Pat on August 30, 2012 at 12:16pm

It's hard to deny the parallels, because they exist. Here's an interesting read. It's by the author, philosopher and linguist, Umberto Eco (The Name of the Rose, Focault's Pendulum, The Prague Cememtery). Eco, head of the Humanities Department at the University of Bologna and Fellow at Oxford Univesrity, grew up in Mussolini's Italy, and studied fascism extensively as an adult. Here are 14 points that he identifies as fascist. And, he mentions no country or political party in doing so. He identifies it as Ur-Fascism, or Universal Fascism. Try to identify anyone of the 14 points that don't fit the current Republican Party.

http://www.themodernword.com/eco/eco_blackshirt.html

“When men stop believing in God, it isn't that they then believe in nothing: they believe in everything." Umberto Eco.

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on August 30, 2012 at 12:39pm

Thanks for posting that piece, Pat.  Frankly, that isn't just scary; it's terrifying ... and doubtless, none in the GOP are aware of what they are emulating or are willing to speak out about it.

Those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
-- George Santayana

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on September 4, 2012 at 9:02pm

Loren, the Santayana quote is appropriate.

For some reason, the conservatives prefer to ignore history, and probably much of education, as somehow elitist, liberal, or subversive.  Liberals tend to ignore history as being of old white men.  Forgetting the worldwide history of people, most of whom never saw old age, half of whom were women, and many of whom were not white.  And therefore, all make the tragic error of youth, assuming themselves to be of a newer, better generation not vulnerable to past abuses, crimes, errors, tragedies, committed by flawed people of the past.

And therefore damn us all, and our descendants, to "Ground-Day" (or Memento) -style repetition of age old human scripts.  Pathetic.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Sarbeck on September 6, 2012 at 2:02pm

Some of those who learn from history are condemned to say, "Those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it."

Methinks America became fascist long before fundamentalist xianity gave us today's GOP.

In the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Alexander Hamilton (on June 18) said Give therefore to the rich and well-born a distinct and permanent share in the government." James Madison (on June 26) said "[The government] ought to be formed as to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority."

Add the considerable influence of corporations and we have fascism.

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Permalink Reply by matthew greenberg on August 30, 2012 at 12:49pm

"If American democracy ceases to move forward as a living force, seeking day and night by peaceful means to better the lot of our citizens, fascism will grow in strength in our land."

is this why Obama picked "Forward" for his campaign theme. 

also, does the Romney campaign even have a slogan?  i feel like it changes by the day. 

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on August 30, 2012 at 1:00pm

Of course it changes by the day.  It reflects Romney, and in that regard, is very little different from the weather in Cleveland: "Don't like the weather?  Wait 10 minutes!"

Don't like his position?  Wait four years!

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Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on August 30, 2012 at 1:06pm

I'm not sure you even have to wait 4 years.

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