My LTTE published.

[trof]

And frankly, I'm surprised and a bit apprehensive.
I'm waiting for the phone calls.
:scared:

Could it happen here?
Hermann Goering was Commander-in-Chief of Hitler's air force, the Luftwaffe.
He was also officially designated as Hitler's successor, should anything happen to the fuehrer.

In April of 1946, Herr Goering was cooling his heels in an allied military prison in Nuremberg, Germany.
He had been found guilty of conspiracy to wage war, crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Later sentenced to hang, he escaped the noose by taking a cyanide pill he'd somehow smuggled in.

He was interviewed by Gustave Gilbert, a German speaking U. S. intelligence officer.
Gilbert recorded Goering's observations that the common people can always be manipulated into supporting and fighting wars by their political leaders:

"We got around to the subject of war again, and I said that, contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and destruction."
"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

What do you think? Could it happen here? Has it?

XXXXX XXXXXXXX
Foley, AL

[NMDemDist2]

1. wow! well done! in a local Alabama paper? good job! n/t

[trof]

10. The Foley Onlooker. Bi-weekly.

They actually have a fairly liberal editorial page, at least for a mostly repug county.

[Straight Shooter]

21. I noticed your name by the post title and thought, "This should be good!"

I was not disappointed. People know so little of history and its players, and, as always, a little knowledge is such a dangerous thing.

Great letter. Let the people make their own conclusions, if they dare.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[trof]

25. "Let the people make their own conclusions": That was kind of my thought.

I mean I didn't come right out and call dumbya a nazi.
I just kind of floated the interview out there and asked a couple of questions at the end.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
;-)
No phone calls yet.
I am pleasantly surprised.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. Regarding the highlighted quote, it already has, obviously. The propaganda

buildup to get us into Iraq followed exactly the Goehring blueprint: tell them they are being/were attacked, denounce pacifists for lack of patriotistm and exposing the country for danger. The last part they are ramping up again as there are more pacifists now.

[gristy]

3. Wow.

Congrats on getting this published as a LTTE. I am very pleasantly surprised that you were successful.

[flamingyouth]

4. Excellent work!

:thumbsup:

[Qanisqineq]

5. That is chilling

If anyone gives you trouble about it, I think it has just hit too close to home with them and they don't want to think of their beloved president in such a way.

[Hubert Flottz]

6. It is a keeper man!

Anyone who has a problem with that, is numb from the neck up. Herman the German was a lot like Bush. He loved to play dress up in fancy militaty uniforms, do drugs, kill people and live the high life...

[John Q. Citizen]

7. Great LTTE. ! n/t

[oneighty]

8. Good luck Trof

caught up between the twin twisting winds of war and hurrying hurricanes.

180

[trof]

12. Thanks 180. May have dodged this one.

Doesn't look good for N.O.
:-(

[Generic Other]

9. Great letter Trof

Right on target!

[havocmom]

11. Great LTTE trof!

We need to get this a bigger audience. Recommend for Greatest page AND suggest we brainstorm about where else to get it before the public. Do you blog at all? This is a gem, needs to get into the minds of LOTS of people.

[trof]

15. No blog. I've seen the quote all around the web.

Snopes even has a page on it. "True".
Please feel free to use it over your signature if you like.

[Spazito]

13. Wow, awesome letter!

Congrats on getting it published. It is very chilling and accurate.

[ArthurRuger]

14. When we put away the trivial and open our mouths ....

American courage and wisdom becomes evident.

It's folks like you who help restore the real "values" (as in "America's Core Values) and bring them back to the front burner.

Far more than obsessing on the next Survivor winner or whether viagra would be significant in our lives, we talk the talk that empowers and awakens everyone else.

Well done trof

[trof]

16. Aw shucks. Thanks, and welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Daphne08]

17. It has already happened here!

Part of the American population still believe that pacifists are unAmerican.

Hit "See it"

http://www.sharedvoice.org/unamerican/

[IndyOp]

18. trof --

:yourock:

[BrotherBuzz]

19. And Herr Goering's blueprint was lifted by Leo Strauss...

and his philsophy thrives in the Bush administration's foreign policy which is entirely Straussian inspired. We would do well to learn more about it, and I hope your letter is just the opening salvo in this much needed debate. Undoubtedly you will hear from people who will object to comparing our administration to the Nazi's, but truth be told, there really are many similarities. A study of Leo Strauss and his followers in the Bush* administration will shed some light on this huge deception perpetuated on this nation and the world.

'Vilify the enemy' and 'The noble lie' (WMD) are the two leading Straussian tenets that were used to get us into this damn war and the sooner we educate the public and make the connection between the Straussians, the PNACers, and the Fascists, the better.

Here are a few of of Strauss's tenets that illustrate how we are being manipulated:

•Strauss asserted "the natural right of the stronger" to prevail. But he was skeptical of triumphalism, and conscious of the dangers of foreign occupation. "Even the lowliest men prefer being subjects to men of their own people rather than to any aliens."

•Like Plato, Strauss taught that within societies, "some are fit to lead, and others to be led. But, unlike Plato, who believed that leaders had to be people with such high oral standards that they could resist the temptations of power, Strauss thought that "those who are fit to rule are those who realize there is no morality and that there is only one natural right, the right of the superior to rule over the inferior".

•For Strauss, "religion is the glue that holds society together”. Irving Kristol, among other neo-conservatives, had argued that separating church and state was the biggest mistake made by the founders of the US republic. "Secular society in their view is the worst possible thing," because it leads to individualism, liberalism and relativism –– precisely those traits that might encourage dissent, which in turn could dangerously weaken society's ability to cope with external threats. "You want a crowd that you can manipulate like putty".

•He believed that "to make the world safe for the Western democracies, one must make the whole globe democratic, each country in itself as well as the society of nations."

•"Isolated liberal democracies live in constant danger from hostile elements abroad", and where policy advisers may have to deceive their own publics and even their ulers in order to protect their countries.

•"Perpetual deception of the citizens by those in power is critical because they need to be led, and they need strong rulers to tell them what's good for them”.

•Defending Western democracy against barbarous enemies was a natural right, but it was a right that entailed responsibility. The victor had the obligation to teach and transmit its values, not to impose them.

•As long ago as 1964, he recognized the tension that had accumulated "during the centuries in which Christianity and Islam each raised its universal claim but had to be satisfied with uneasily coexisting with its antagonist." Four decades later, nations at the heart of the two civilizations are engaging in a violent clash and — for the moment — the Westerners have won. (Huttington’s “Clash of Civilizations!)

•The fundamental aggressiveness of human nature could be restrained only through a powerful state based on nationalism. "Because mankind is intrinsically wicked, it has to be governed. Such governance can only be established, however, when men are united –– and they can only be united against other people."

•Strauss thought that a political order could be stable only if it was united by an external threat. If no external threat existed, then one had to be manufactured.

[BlueJac]

34. Good work.

[trof]

35. Holy Moley. The blueprint. Hadn't seen that. Thanks. n/t

[StudentOfDarrow]

20. Awesome.

:yourock:

[Alamom]

22. Great work.

Hopefully, more to come across the entire South. :applause:

[trof]

23. Do I perceive a fellow Alabamian? Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Alamom]

27. HI

North Central....& Thanks.
I've been around a while.

I have in-laws near Foley. Sadly, they support the "other" side. I hope they read your letter, everything else that is going on and it helps them to WAKE UP !

[trof]

30. Most everybody down here is "other side", but we're working on it.

Go take a look at the Alabama forum in states and sign in.

[mwb970]

24. Wow, great letter.

It could hardly be more timely, given what is going on down in Crawford.

[trof]

26. On the Greatest page now. Thanks guys.

Who says a prophet is without honor in his own country?
;-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

28. You won't get calls or visits. This is hurricane week.

Perfect time to have that letter published without recompense

[trof]

29. Bingo! Is my timing perfect, or what?

Hadn't thought of that.
I sent the leter Tuesday.
Fortuitous serendipity.
How was your evening?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

31. It was wonderful

we met another couple in the bar...she is a high school counselor..he is a longshoreman...went out to have our dinner then had more beers with them. We usually are there for about two hours...ended up staying til 1 am...I got a wee hangover this day ...but had a great time

[trof]

32. Worth the hangover if you had a good time.

Small price.
Thanks for the call & Helen says Hi.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

33. glad I called yesterday...can't get through to Nola today

[katinmn]

36. The parallels are frightening indeed.

Thanks for pointing it out so clearly in your LTTE!

Best to screen your calls for a few days.:)

[NewJeffCT]

37. great letter

I'm surprised they printed one so long!

Good job

[Syrinx]

38. way to go trof!

I'm afraid you are on the mark.

I got a post locked that was saying essentially the same thing, in different words. (Not dirty words.)

I wish you the best if Katrina should decide to turn north.

Hoping we're wrong, fearing we're correct.