posted on November 18, 2004 09:06:29 PM new
Hi, all. Our son sent this to us, and I found it chilling because so much of the description fits our country currently. Comments? (And I'm sure some of you will have comments!)
Fourteen Defining
Characteristics Of Fascism
By Dr. Lawrence Britt
Source Free Inquiry.co
5-28-3
Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
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.
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.
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.
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.
posted on November 18, 2004 11:23:59 PM new
And here's something to back up the list above, from Frank Rich's latest column:
In
a memorable passage in Ron Suskind's pre-election article
on the president in The New York Times Magazine, a senior
White House adviser tells Mr. Suskind that there's no
longer any need for the "reality-based community"
epitomized by journalists. "That's not the way the world
really works anymore," the adviser says. "We're an empire
now, and when we act, we create our own reality." A test
run of this approach dates at least as far back as May
2003, a week after the president declared the end of major
combat operations. When a reporter told Donald Rumsfeld in
a Pentagon press briefing that "journalists in Iraq report
that a sense of public order is still lacking," the
secretary of defense ridiculed journalists for showing only
"slices of truth." The reconstruction effort, couldn't
anyone see, was right on track.
posted on November 18, 2004 11:49:05 PM new
Oh Roadsmith, you've just called linda, bear, twelve, parklane, classicrock, and the bush administration fascists!!!!.......They will be so proud!
posted on November 19, 2004 02:15:32 AM new
Crowfarm! you've come outta the woodwork...
I've missed you sweetie- heres a big wet kiss for ya.....UMMMMMMWAAAAHHH
posted on November 19, 2004 07:44:26 AM newJust one person's opinion... sour grapes from the the election... can expect no less from the left.
Roadapple was a staunch lying traitor supporter...
One persons opinion and that makes them a lying traitor?? If that is the case then the country is in deep trouble. Best to round them all up and send them to a "reeducation camp."
posted on November 19, 2004 07:50:39 AM new
Take a look at what Hitler did to capture the attention of the German people. first of all, you have to make somebody the enemy. In this case it was the Jews. He convinced the general population of Germany they were the complete problem for the economic problems of the day.
Then is was to make them register with the government. Name, address, occupation, age, educational background, relatives names and anything that could be used to control them. Then it was to make them be identifiable in public with the yellow armbands. Then it was to take their businesses away from them to reduce their economic power. Then burn anything they owned, including their books, homes and shops. Of course, long before this, it would have been unwise to practice your faith if you were a Jew. And don't be seen in public with one either.
Now that the German people were brain washed in hating a group of people that "caused" so many problems, why not get rid of them. It was a proud characteristic to be a member of the German SS. Parents would even boast if they had kids enlisted. Of course any involvement with the German military was adored.
I speak German and have German friends that up to 80 years old. Most of the Germans that I know, hate what Hitler did to their country and to the people. But at the time, it was a glorious thing to be a German.
Bigots are miserable people. Prevent Bigotry through Education.
posted on November 19, 2004 08:07:35 AM new
Twelvepole and others: The definition of fascism is NOT "just one person's opinion . . . sour grapes"! I respectfully suggest you look up a definition of fascism in a textbook--or just look at Hitler, Mussolini, etc. THIS IS THE WAY LEADERS MAKE FASCISM WORK!
You may not agree that our country is headed this way, but keep the list in mind in the next year or two and compare what's happening here with the items on the list.
posted on November 19, 2004 08:09:12 AM newJust one person's opinion... sour grapes from the the election... can expect no less from the left.
Typical statement from the right. Trying to make this seem like a post election issue instead of looking a reality.
Q. What's the difference between the Vietnam War and the Iraq War?
A. George W. Bush had a plan to get out of the Vietnam War.
--------------------------------------
There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —George W. Bush, Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002
---------------------------------- "Give it up for George W. Bush, the best friend international jihad ever had."
posted on November 19, 2004 10:07:53 AM new
trai - One persons opinion and that makes them a lying traitor?? If that is the case then the country is in deep trouble. Best to round them all up and send them to a "reeducation camp."
I believe you read that in a way other than it was meant.
There is a difference between calling someone [say a poster] a lying traitor....and referring to them as 'a lying traitor supporter..ie: a kerry supporter.
No need to round anyone up yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on November 19, 2004 10:15:20 AM new
And on the thread topic.....America is not becoming a fascist nation. It's over-reacting minds that think that way. And they can't figure out why their man lost this election. I don't believe even kerry would condone this list as representing where our country is headed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on November 19, 2004 10:57:48 AM newIt's over-reacting minds that think that way.
You might be right linda. Sometimes over-reacting minds run wild. I think it happened on the issue of Gay Marriage when the christian community thought that Gay Marriage would ruin marriage for everyone. Now we can just sit back and watch the people who get married in these holy buildings called churches, get divorced in the rate of 50 percent. What a farce!
Bigots are miserable people. Prevent Bigotry through Education.
posted on November 19, 2004 11:37:23 AM new
The states have spoken....yeager. Bringing traditional marriage into the discussion of fascism isn't going to change that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Four More Years....YES!!!
posted on November 19, 2004 12:03:15 PM new
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.
posted on November 19, 2004 01:23:03 PM new
"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."
posted on November 19, 2004 01:31:32 PM new
More moaning & groaning from the losing leftists. You had you chance, you lost, get over it.
Americans again prove Pres Bush is the best man for the job
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." --John Stuart Mill
posted on November 19, 2004 06:49:04 PM new
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.
posted on November 20, 2004 02:03:08 AM new
linda,
It's a simple fact that sometimes minds run wild, especially on issues that create fear for the "victims". Fear is a great motivator for the weak minded.
Bigots are miserable people. Prevent Bigotry through Education.
Prevent Bigotry through Education.