Friday, February 06, 2004
The F Word
*"No, they are not Fascists, look up the word. Stalin was a fascist, Hitler was a fascist, Bush is not a fascist." *
"fas-cism (fash'iz'em) n. A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism."
Political systems like Fascism can have many flavors. Hitler was different than Mussolini for example. Soviet Communism was not Marxism and was different than Chinese and Cuban style Coummunism. British Socialism is different from Swedish Socialism. American Democracy is different than ancient Greek Democracy. In fact, we don't have a Democracy at all but rather a representitive Federal Republic of States.
We are heading towards Fascism at an alarming rate, and to think it can't or isn't happening displays a total lack of understanding of political science, the subtle nuances of current events and the infinite corruptability of human nature. Freedom is something that we have to constantly fight for and protect, and that doesn't mean war with other countries, that means keeping an eye on the ones we elect into power. War, by the way, especially perpetual war such as the one we are committed to now, is an important tool of Fascism. It helps to control the population through fear so that the leaders can be seen as powerful protective father figures who ask their people to temporarily sacrifce some freedom in the name of security. Sound familiar? Read 1984 and you will get more of what that means.
We essentially have ONE party in this country. Sure they differ on some issues but the difference is more like Coke versus Pepsi than say Coke versus Milk. The Republicans, through seemingly "legal" processes have aggressively consolidated power over the last few years. Questionable voting practices, questionable electronic voting machines, constant gerrymandering throughout state legislatures and creating a situation to knock out the Democratic governor of California are just some examples.
The point is, sometimes real politics don't match the official definitions. However, just because it doesn't perfectly fit a definition, doesn't mean it doesn't fit the term. Bush is a fascist, but he's an AMERICAN Fascist, which is a new and different form of Fascism. If it smells like Fascism, sounds like Fascism and looks like Fascism, it's most likely Fascism. That is an ugly and abused word to be sure. However, in the current American political climate, it is the only appropiate word to describe just what the fuck is happening in this country.
*Maybe we're a bit imperialistic, but even that's a tough argument because invading Iraq didn't really give the US any more power than it already had unless you make the point that it probably scared straight a few of the other local dictators.*
Actually it gives us powerful leverage against the economies of Europe and Asia. It gives us a military presence in the most valuble region of the world. It in fact gives the US quite a lot of power. It's not about getting oil into the US, we don't get that much from the Middle East, it's about controlling and setting the prices on the oil sold to other nations. Get it? Economic power.
* If you want to talk about sacrificing a little freedom talk to the Japanese-American citizens who were incarcerated during WWII by Roosevelt, and then please explain to me why the Patriot Act is worse than that, other than because it was enacted by an administration that you don't like. If you don't like it don't vote for them, I didn't vote them in and I won't vote for them the second time around, but I'm not going to cry fascism until I feel the immenent threat of physical violence unless I adhere to the ideology of the ruling party and I hate to burst your bubble but that's not going to happen. If you think it is then you're free to leave, but you better leave now because once the fascists take over you won't be able to leave without getting shot.*
First of all don't give me the love it or leave it bullshit. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't be so passionate about what is going on. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't be trying to shake you by the collar and scream "do you realize what the fuck is going on!?!". If I didn't love it I wouldn't be trying to protect it from the most corrupt administration since Hoover by expressing my views and taking political action. So fuck off with that line.
FDR has nothing to do with what is going on now nor do the Japanese internment camps discredit or have any relevence to my opinion.
You are missing the point. Bush is not the dictator, the group he represents is, and the Fascism we are experiencing is a NEW BREED of Fascism. One protected by public relations and perception management and good old American apathy and short attention spans. Look at the actions, don't listen to the rhetoric, because the action is where the reality is revealed. Words mean nothing, actions everything.
As far as the Patriot Act goes read Silencing Political Dissent by Nancy Chang. She breaks the act down section by section to explain how and why the PA corrupts our civil liberties. Peaceful political protesters have been arrested as "terrorists" brandishing "weapons" by holding homemade signs. The act provides law enforcement with a lot of leniency in the way they conduct their work. They can now go into your house without presenting you a warrant until 30 days AFTER the fact. That's just one example. Declaring American citizens "enemy combatants" in order to hold them indefinitely without legal counsel is another.
As far as definitions go, the Fascism definition holds up except for, as you pointed out, the "dictatorship" aspect. What I presented to you was that it is not a single dictatorship but a GROUP dictatorship, which is, as I said, the new American Fascism.
If you don't agree, fine. You're still allowed to disagree in this country as long as it's the "liberals" you disagree with. Critisize the president as Joeseph Wilson did over the summer or O'Neil recently did, and you're in for trouble.
*There you go, a dictatorship that meets absolutely none of the criteria for being a dictatorship....
Why don't you just come on out and admit that the only criteria you have for labeling bush a fascist is that you don't like him...
I notice that you don't repeat endlessly that any *other* politicians are liars... During clintons reign, did you do that to him too? Hmmm, I thought not...*
Read the definition of Fascism, acknowledge that politics and business in this country are already intermixed and have been for a long time, in fact are the foundation of American government, and go after someone else. I label Bush a Fascist because that is what I think he is and what he represents. Was the Soviet Union a single dictatorship, or was it a group dictatorship?
Clinton was a liar and I was no fan of his nor was I a member of this site back then so no, I didn't go around these message boards labeling him a liar, but he was a liar just the same. Why do all the Bush supporters always bring up Clinton? As if I identify with a slick snake oil salesman from Arkansas. Puh lease. Most politicians are liars but that doesn't make it ok. True patriots defend the Constitution and are critical of government no matter who holds office.
I already stated there is barely any difference between the two parties in this country and will expand it further to say that their only real function is to serve big business. Because, as I said, business is what America's laws were created for. To be able to pursue business without the interference of the government.
So again, the defintion of Fascism, it is a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, characterized by belligerent nationalism. Using that what I interpret going on right now is a road to Fascism. I didn't say it was here, or that it holds total power, what I said was we are heading that way. So watch out.
"fas-cism (fash'iz'em) n. A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism."
Political systems like Fascism can have many flavors. Hitler was different than Mussolini for example. Soviet Communism was not Marxism and was different than Chinese and Cuban style Coummunism. British Socialism is different from Swedish Socialism. American Democracy is different than ancient Greek Democracy. In fact, we don't have a Democracy at all but rather a representitive Federal Republic of States.
We are heading towards Fascism at an alarming rate, and to think it can't or isn't happening displays a total lack of understanding of political science, the subtle nuances of current events and the infinite corruptability of human nature. Freedom is something that we have to constantly fight for and protect, and that doesn't mean war with other countries, that means keeping an eye on the ones we elect into power. War, by the way, especially perpetual war such as the one we are committed to now, is an important tool of Fascism. It helps to control the population through fear so that the leaders can be seen as powerful protective father figures who ask their people to temporarily sacrifce some freedom in the name of security. Sound familiar? Read 1984 and you will get more of what that means.
We essentially have ONE party in this country. Sure they differ on some issues but the difference is more like Coke versus Pepsi than say Coke versus Milk. The Republicans, through seemingly "legal" processes have aggressively consolidated power over the last few years. Questionable voting practices, questionable electronic voting machines, constant gerrymandering throughout state legislatures and creating a situation to knock out the Democratic governor of California are just some examples.
The point is, sometimes real politics don't match the official definitions. However, just because it doesn't perfectly fit a definition, doesn't mean it doesn't fit the term. Bush is a fascist, but he's an AMERICAN Fascist, which is a new and different form of Fascism. If it smells like Fascism, sounds like Fascism and looks like Fascism, it's most likely Fascism. That is an ugly and abused word to be sure. However, in the current American political climate, it is the only appropiate word to describe just what the fuck is happening in this country.
*Maybe we're a bit imperialistic, but even that's a tough argument because invading Iraq didn't really give the US any more power than it already had unless you make the point that it probably scared straight a few of the other local dictators.*
Actually it gives us powerful leverage against the economies of Europe and Asia. It gives us a military presence in the most valuble region of the world. It in fact gives the US quite a lot of power. It's not about getting oil into the US, we don't get that much from the Middle East, it's about controlling and setting the prices on the oil sold to other nations. Get it? Economic power.
* If you want to talk about sacrificing a little freedom talk to the Japanese-American citizens who were incarcerated during WWII by Roosevelt, and then please explain to me why the Patriot Act is worse than that, other than because it was enacted by an administration that you don't like. If you don't like it don't vote for them, I didn't vote them in and I won't vote for them the second time around, but I'm not going to cry fascism until I feel the immenent threat of physical violence unless I adhere to the ideology of the ruling party and I hate to burst your bubble but that's not going to happen. If you think it is then you're free to leave, but you better leave now because once the fascists take over you won't be able to leave without getting shot.*
First of all don't give me the love it or leave it bullshit. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't be so passionate about what is going on. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't be trying to shake you by the collar and scream "do you realize what the fuck is going on!?!". If I didn't love it I wouldn't be trying to protect it from the most corrupt administration since Hoover by expressing my views and taking political action. So fuck off with that line.
FDR has nothing to do with what is going on now nor do the Japanese internment camps discredit or have any relevence to my opinion.
You are missing the point. Bush is not the dictator, the group he represents is, and the Fascism we are experiencing is a NEW BREED of Fascism. One protected by public relations and perception management and good old American apathy and short attention spans. Look at the actions, don't listen to the rhetoric, because the action is where the reality is revealed. Words mean nothing, actions everything.
As far as the Patriot Act goes read Silencing Political Dissent by Nancy Chang. She breaks the act down section by section to explain how and why the PA corrupts our civil liberties. Peaceful political protesters have been arrested as "terrorists" brandishing "weapons" by holding homemade signs. The act provides law enforcement with a lot of leniency in the way they conduct their work. They can now go into your house without presenting you a warrant until 30 days AFTER the fact. That's just one example. Declaring American citizens "enemy combatants" in order to hold them indefinitely without legal counsel is another.
As far as definitions go, the Fascism definition holds up except for, as you pointed out, the "dictatorship" aspect. What I presented to you was that it is not a single dictatorship but a GROUP dictatorship, which is, as I said, the new American Fascism.
If you don't agree, fine. You're still allowed to disagree in this country as long as it's the "liberals" you disagree with. Critisize the president as Joeseph Wilson did over the summer or O'Neil recently did, and you're in for trouble.
*There you go, a dictatorship that meets absolutely none of the criteria for being a dictatorship....
Why don't you just come on out and admit that the only criteria you have for labeling bush a fascist is that you don't like him...
I notice that you don't repeat endlessly that any *other* politicians are liars... During clintons reign, did you do that to him too? Hmmm, I thought not...*
Read the definition of Fascism, acknowledge that politics and business in this country are already intermixed and have been for a long time, in fact are the foundation of American government, and go after someone else. I label Bush a Fascist because that is what I think he is and what he represents. Was the Soviet Union a single dictatorship, or was it a group dictatorship?
Clinton was a liar and I was no fan of his nor was I a member of this site back then so no, I didn't go around these message boards labeling him a liar, but he was a liar just the same. Why do all the Bush supporters always bring up Clinton? As if I identify with a slick snake oil salesman from Arkansas. Puh lease. Most politicians are liars but that doesn't make it ok. True patriots defend the Constitution and are critical of government no matter who holds office.
I already stated there is barely any difference between the two parties in this country and will expand it further to say that their only real function is to serve big business. Because, as I said, business is what America's laws were created for. To be able to pursue business without the interference of the government.
So again, the defintion of Fascism, it is a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, characterized by belligerent nationalism. Using that what I interpret going on right now is a road to Fascism. I didn't say it was here, or that it holds total power, what I said was we are heading that way. So watch out.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
A joke
A man and a woman were sitting beside each other in the first class section of the plane. The woman sneezed, took out a tissue, gently wiped her nose and then shuddered quite violently for 10 or 15 seconds.
The man went back to his reading. A few minutes later, the woman sneezed again, took a tissue, gently wiped her nose and shuddered quite violently as before.
The man was becoming more and more curious about the shuddering. A few more minutes passed and the woman sneezed one more time. Again she took a tissue, gently wiped her nose and shuddered violently. The man couldn't restrain his curiosity.
He turned to the woman and said, "You've sneezed three times, wiped your nose with a tissue, then shuddered violently! Are you all right?"
"I'm sorry if I disturbed you," the woman replied, "I have a rare condition; when I sneeze, I have an orgasm."
The man was a little embarrassed but even more curious and said, "I've never heard of that before. What are you taking for it?"
The woman looked at him and said, "Pepper."
The man went back to his reading. A few minutes later, the woman sneezed again, took a tissue, gently wiped her nose and shuddered quite violently as before.
The man was becoming more and more curious about the shuddering. A few more minutes passed and the woman sneezed one more time. Again she took a tissue, gently wiped her nose and shuddered violently. The man couldn't restrain his curiosity.
He turned to the woman and said, "You've sneezed three times, wiped your nose with a tissue, then shuddered violently! Are you all right?"
"I'm sorry if I disturbed you," the woman replied, "I have a rare condition; when I sneeze, I have an orgasm."
The man was a little embarrassed but even more curious and said, "I've never heard of that before. What are you taking for it?"
The woman looked at him and said, "Pepper."
