Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

[LG]

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps


From Hitler to Pinochet and beyond, history shows there are certain steps that any would-be dictator must take to destroy constitutional freedoms. And, argues Naomi Wolf, George Bush and his administration seem to be taking them all.

Last autumn, there was a military coup in Thailand. The leaders of the coup took a number of steps, rather systematically, as if they had a shopping list. In a sense, they did. Within a matter of days, democracy had been closed down: the coup leaders declared martial law, sent armed soldiers into residential areas, took over radio and TV stations, issued restrictions on the press, tightened some limits on travel, and took certain activists into custody.

They were not figuring these things out as they went along. If you look at history, you can see that there is essentially a blueprint for turning an open society into a dictatorship. That blueprint has been used again and again in more and less bloody, more and less terrifying ways. But it is always effective. It is very difficult and arduous to create and sustain a democracy - but history shows that closing one down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10 steps.

As difficult as this is to contemplate, it is clear, if you are willing to look, that each of these 10 steps has already been initiated today in the United States by the Bush administration.

Because Americans like me were born in freedom, we have a hard time even considering that it is possible for us to become as unfree - domestically - as many other nations. Because we no longer learn much about our rights or our system of government - the task of being aware of the constitution has been outsourced from citizens' ownership to being the domain of professionals such as lawyers and professors - we scarcely recognise the checks and balances that the founders put in place, even as they are being systematically dismantled. Because we don't learn much about European history, the setting up of a department of "homeland" security - remember who else was keen on the word "homeland" - didn't raise the alarm bells it might have.

It is my argument that, beneath our very noses, George Bush and his administration are using time-tested tactics to close down an open society. It is time for us to be willing to think the unthinkable - as the author and political journalist Joe Conason, has put it, that it can happen here. And that we are further along than we realise.

Conason eloquently warned of the danger of American authoritarianism. I am arguing that we need also to look at the lessons of European and other kinds of fascism to understand the potential seriousness of the events we see unfolding in the US.

View the whole article here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2063979,00.html

I'm not saying I entirely agree with her, but it does make you think. Food for thought I'd say- Bush's government has already begun taking the "land of the free" to a direction many Americans would rather not go.

I have visited the US several times and liked the country and most of the people I have met. As a kid, I thought America was a real dream land where everyone could be themselves or find themselves, where everyone -provided they worked hard- could succeed- and where everyone could be free to behave and act the way they chose as long as they did not harm others. I think that things have changed. I am not sure if I would want to live in the US now.

[chefmike]

Despite Bush Inc.'s attempts at shutting freedom and democracy down, I'm confident that freedom will prevail in the US. Just look at the last congressional elections.

Our emperor-chimp has no clothes, and the whole world sees it.

[Kriss]

ha ha , thats some funny shit that i posted exactly the same link with excatly the same (copy and pasted) topic title..

great minds think alike eh LG? or maybe they just read the guardian..............
just goes to show that maybe i should occaisionalkly peek into the dreaded politics and religion board.

[LG]

ha ha , thats some funny shit that i posted exactly the same link with excatly the same (copy and pasted) topic title..

great minds think alike eh LG?

Yup.

just goes to show that maybe i should occaisionalkly peek into the dreaded politics and religion board.

You should. We have a laugh now and again. Especially when WMC pipes in. The guy's a hoot! Unfortunately for him, he's not actually trying to be funny.

[Pacman]

lol. You guys aren't seriously buying this are you.

[Kriss]

lol. You guys aren't seriously buying this are you.

dunno, haven't got round to reading tha article yet, sure it would be a good one tho

[tsafficianado]

kriss, please correct me if i misunderstand.
you created a topic regarding the alleged abuses bush may have perpetrated in an attempt to sew the seeds of fascism in america, you posted a link to the referenced article but did not bother to read the article? well, it's comforting to know in advance of reading it that you are sure it would be a good one....nothing more useful than an open mind.
uh.....

[Coroner]

lol. You guys aren't seriously buying this are you.

buying.... this word tells the American historyof the 20th century

[qeuqheeg222]

exactly.they want us to perceive certain freedoms while spending a certain amount of out incomes to help the stock market.....america is nice place for a few families to do alot of business......