Signs of Facism....

[Tamiati]

I can't remember if I posted this already or not.....
Apologies if I did:

Dr. Lawrence Britt, who studied the fascist regimes of Germany, Italy, Spain, Indonesia and Chile. In this article he points out fourteen "identifying characteristics" of fascism. They are:

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."

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. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

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

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 SuppressedBecause 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.

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.

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

Freedom is when the people can speak, democracy is when the government listens.-- Alastair Farrugia

[keithyboy]

1. Well, we Americans are armed to the teeth! It ought to be interesting if

they try the same shit they tried in Germany. And I know just as many Dems who are gun owners as I do Republicans.

[seemslikeadream]

2. Song of Choice

Early every year the seeds are growing
Unseen, unheard they lie beneath the ground
Would you know before their leaves are showing
That with weeds all your garden will abound?

If you close your eyes, stop your ears
Shut your mouth then how can you know ?
For seeds you cannot hear may not be there
Seeds you cannot see may never grow

In January you've still got the choice
You can cut the weeds before they start to bud
If you leave them to grow high they'll silence your voice
And in December you may pay with your blood

So close your eyes, stop your ears,
Shut your mouth and take it slow
Let others take the lead and you bring up the rear
And later you can say you didn't know

Every day another vulture takes flight
There's another danger born every morning
In the darkness of your blindness the beast will learn to bite
How can you fight if you can't recognise a warning?

Today you may earn a living wage
Tomorrow you may be on the dole
Though there's millions going hungry you needn't disengage
For it's them, not you, that's fallen in the hole

It's alright for you if you run with the pack
It's alright if you agree with all they do
IF FASCISM IS SLOWLY CLIMBING BACK
It's not here yet so what's it got to do with you?

The weeds are all around us and they're growing
It'll soon be too late for the knife
If you leave them on the wind that around the world is blowing
You may pay for your silence with your life

So close your eyes, stop your ears,
Shut your mouth and never dare
And if it happens here they'll never come for you
Because they'll know you really didn't care

Peggy Seeger


Wild Irish Girl
Huntress drew the sketch while on the Ann Parry in 1842. (Courtesy of Portsmouth Athenaeum)

[OneBlueSky]

3. um . . . 'scuse me . . . but has anyone noticed . . .

that we are 14 FOR 14!!! . . . and not just diddling around the edges, either . . . the US is exhibiting each and every one of these signs blatantly and in full view of us, the "consumers" . . .

which means either that they THINK we're too stupid to notice . . .

or that even if we do notice, we're too stupid to care . . .

or, most frighteningly, we actually ARE too stupid to notice . . . at least the majority of us . . .

whatever the case . . .

HELP!!!! . . . :scared:

[taquinas101]

4. The 2004 Election Is A Referendum On Facism

I'm not sure I buy into the public is being mislead theory. Heck, I can easily find the stories and memos showing the rampant corruption and lies spread by the Bush administration. Sadly, I am starting to think that many Americans simply agree and embrace facism, though they refer to it as "patriotism."

Let me put it this way, remember Alabama and the Ten Commandments judge? If I remember correctly, a majority of Alabama citizens supported the judge in his fight to keep a granite sculpture of the ten commandments within the Alabama Supreme Court despite the face that his actions violated the order of a federal court.

Sorry folks, but rule of law, like the protections of the Geneva convention, are about to become a quaint memory.

[Cronus Protagonist]

5. Here's a linkable fascism link with supporting images

We report, you decide...

http://cronus.com/fascism

[FlemingsGhost]

6. The supreme irony regarding fascism:

... is that one is usually required to use some of the same methods in order to get rid of it. Fascism is a disease--a disease of the mind--and quite often an innoculation is a small amount of the disease itself.

Ponder that for a while, kiddies.