America 2004. Looking back at the rise of fascism.

[Postman]

Looking back on history, one may have had a hard time understanding how the good German people allowed such a harmful political regime to take power in 1933.

Since the arrival of the Bush administration in 2001 courtesy of SCOTUS, the ability of fascism to raise its ugly head in Germany has become crystal clear.

[Stop_the_War]

1. It's getting very scary, isn't it?

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[Chico Man]

2. Yes, this week fascism reached a milestone in America (nt)

[whistle]

3. Fascism has been on the rise in America since the 1920's

<snip>

Setting the Stage for Fascism in America

The beginning of the story of American fascism starts with the conclusion of the Civil War and the start of Reconstruction. This is a complicated story in itself and one that I am not going to go into in detail. A very interesting thing about American fascism is the way in which American society has been reflected by the evolution of Pledge of Allegiance itself.

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy. The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Bellamy for a national Columbus Day celebration ceremony, the program of which was published in The Youth's Companion magazine. It reflected his idea of a united America after the Civil War. At the time the country was still very much divided because of the conflict between North and South. The Pledge reinforced the idea of ONE NATION, something important to many after the Civil War and the attempts of the South to secede.

Francis Bellamy was vice president of the Society of Christian Socialists. This was an organization that promoted the view that society should be organized on the teachings of Jesus Christ and was critical of capitalism and individualism as corrupting forces in society. Francis Bellamy was actually the cousin of another influential Christian Socialist activist of the time, Edward Bellamy. Both Francis and Edward were involved in the Nationalist movement as well. Some 167 Nationalist Clubs sprang up around the United States after Edward Bellamy published his best selling book, Looking Backward.

Both men were involved in these clubs, though Edward was the better known at the time. Looking Backward was essentially Edward's "answer to" the recently written Communist Manifesto. It was a book that attacked the positions of Communism, declared that any good society had to be founded on God's word, and basically took up some of the positions of the Socialist movement, but from a Christian perspective.

<much more>

<link> http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/rise_of_american_fascism.htm

[chrisbur]

5. The Pledge.

My wife is the art teacher at our elementary school here in our town. The other day I went in to see my daughter(a fourth grader) get a surprise award. It was the beginning of the school day and the principal was going to announce the award over the loudspeaker after the usual morning "rituals". As we entered the office my wife warned me that we were just in time for the pledge. We never do the pledge. It doesn't feel right. WTF is that? Pledge allegiance. Come on. Anyway my daughter did it without even thinking about it. My wife just stands there respectfully with her hands at her sides and the school secretary looks up at here with this look of absolute horror on her face. I buckled and put my hand on my heart and kind of muttered. I don't know, that look just sent chills up my spine. I'm such a wuss. I never do the pledge. My wife on the other hand has brass ones.

I went to this same school as a kid and we did(or did not do) the pledge as individual classrooms. Not over the loudspeaker!

I have to say that I have been quite active lately in protesting the Bush Administration. I write letters, phone calls etc. I even went to DC on the 20th. But faced with that little Hitler of a principal and that big scary secretary I just buckled. It was weird. I'm really starting to doubt myself. Like I just want to hide and not make waves.

[LibDemAlways]

6. Coercing people into group acts of

"patriotism" like reciting the pledge is so routine that few question it. And failure to go along with the program can create big problems. Sounds like that secretary would have had you arrested if she could figure out a crime you had committed.

Anyhow, I know the feeling. Last year at my daughter's school her class put on a program that included the singing of that horrendous freeper anthem "God Bless the USA." I told her to stand there with her mouth shut but noticed that she moved her lips sort of half-heartedly. Hard to be the odd man out.

[chrisbur]

7. It's just so obvious that we are ...

different. They all click around in their high heel shoes, done up with too much makeup. My wife only gets away with looking the way she does because she's the "art" teacher.
We fully expect her job to be the first one cut. Who needs the arts ya know?

Interestingly though... most of the teachers seemed to support Kerry in solidarity against the NCLB act and in defense of their union. This war thing has got them off their rockers though. The patriotism is maddening.

[jdots]

4. was Scotus once called Scrotum ?

The names have been changed but it's still that old time facism.
Why alot of people won't admit it is one of the reasons it happened.