Re: The Fourteen Characteristics of Fascism

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> 1. Powerful an continuing expressions of nationalism

  We've always been a patriotic people. What's new?


> 2. Disdain for the importance of human rights

  Yeah... but not by my side of the aisle. Dems are the one pushing for things 
like euthenasia. Other than that, I'd say both sides are pretty good... the 
U.S. has very few human rights problems.

> 3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause

  Isn't this normal? We've been identifying enemies for at least 170 or so 
years. And certainly, Iraq was not a unifying cause.

> 4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism

  Not really. Our military is understaffed, underpaid... We've had a strong 
military for over fifty years, I might add.

> 5. Rampant sexism

  Huh? Where? Are we talking about the same country? 

> 6. A controlled mass media

  Hmm... when the paper the media reads, that is, the New York Times, 
generally disagrees with the administration, nuh huh. This isn't a controlled 
media. As Rob pointed out Michael Moore's faired pretty well too.

  And, also as Rob pointed out, we are hardly a nation with censored internet. 

> 7. Obsession with national security

  That happens at different times... in the late 1910's and 20's, 50's... 
again, what's new? And, certainly, I might add, we were far to lax before. We 
must be careful not to do anything too stupid (like the DSEA), but we are 
hardly doing anything we haven't done before.

> 8. Religion and ruling elite tied together

  Well, again, what country are we talking about? The U.S. has ALWAYS been a 
Christian country. Religion has ALWAYS been tied into government, much more 
than it is now. These days it is becoming less and less comfortable for 
Christian politicians.

  If someone can show me a time in history when the U.S. government was very 
secular, I'd concede the point. This has never been the case,.

> 9. Power of corporations protected

  I guess the U.S. became facist back in the 1800's then.

> 10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated

Rob said:
> I don't see how organized labor is suppressed in the US.

  Me either.

> 11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts

  Hmm... I'm looking... but I don't see anything.

> 12. Obsession with crime and punishment

  Not really.

> 13. Rampant cronyism and corruption

  Always... from day one of the government -- and any other government.

> 14. Fraudulent elections

  Nope, nothing unusual here. It's much better than it use to be when the 
southern states had more registered voters than there were live people (that 
still may be the case, but to less of an extent).


Rob said:
> Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman, Gerhardt, Dean.. do *any* of these meet
> your approval? Or how about the Libertarian Party?

  No, no, no... not Gephardt, at least. :-)

  -Tim

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Timothy R. Butler       Universal Networks      www.uninet.info
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