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Fascism: Can It Happen Here?

brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038
in A Moving Train
Great article here by Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan. Obviously this article focuses on DT but we don't need another DT thread. Let's talk about the bigger picture, the potential for the rise of fascism in America. Is this possible? Will it get worse or go away or stay the same. There is a large number of Americans who support the idea that the answer to dissension to your beliefs is a punch in the face and this idea is supported by a particular presidential candidate so we know this isn't simply a tiny fraction of militia types holed up in the back woods. Where will this lead us?

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/3/17/fascism_can_it_happen_here
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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Comments

  • BentleyspopBentleyspop Posts: 10,767
    Could it happen? Maybe but not likely
    Will it happen? No

    Remember that the rise of fascism in the 1930s happened in a vacuum.
    No tv
    No internet
    No 24 hr. News cycle
    No freedom of the press
    No open borders

    To easy for evidence, facts, truth, and common sense to defend against lies, myths, and conspiracy theories.

    My 2 cents
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038
    I hope you're right, Bp, but it really is alarming how many people are fanatically driven in that direction. Will they change or grow in numbers? I don't know. 40 years ago, I would never have believed we've gotten this close to such far right fanaticism.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    If WWIII occurred and the US had massive casualties and collapse of government, perhaps a chance.
  • JimmyVJimmyV Posts: 19,171
    edited March 2016
    What would we call one political faction barging into the rally of a rival faction, shutting it down, and calling for the scheduled speaker to be arrested? Because that happened a week ago.
    Post edited by JimmyV on
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
  • Drowned OutDrowned Out Posts: 6,056
    Bentleyspop said:

    Could it happen? Maybe but not likely
    Will it happen? No

    Remember that the rise of fascism in the 1930s happened in a vacuum.
    No tv
    No internet
    No 24 hr. News cycle
    No freedom of the press
    No open borders

    To easy for evidence, facts, truth, and common sense to defend against lies, myths, and conspiracy theories.

    My 2 cents

    On the flipside, these mediums have opened the door for disinformation and information overload. Confirmation bias is a thing. Any time a person presents facts, truth, and common sense, the person to whom that info is provided can easily do a google search finding another angle presented as truth....at which time they double down and insist that they're right. When we can't convince people of scientific consensus, how the fuck are we supposed to convince them on matters of ideological approach?
    I sometimes wonder if we're really that much more informed in this era, esp when you take into consideration the consolidation of mainstream media. People think they're informed but it is demonstrated time and again that it is not hard to falsify or twist fact to suit an agenda, or even to control both sides of an argument in order to create the parameters of the debate - no one has any reason to revise their belief system when there is always someone there to feed the previous ones.... Tribal allegiance and herd behaviour is at the core of our beings.
  • Drowned OutDrowned Out Posts: 6,056
    edited March 2016
    Naomi Wolf wrote a book and did a series of lectures on this topic in 2007....before becoming a darling of the Tea Party. Haven't watched this in 8 years, but I remember there being some interesting parallels drawn...and I'm pretty sure things have not gotten any better.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjALf12PAWc
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    Bentleyspop said:

    Could it happen? Maybe but not likely
    Will it happen? No

    Remember that the rise of fascism in the 1930s happened in a vacuum.
    No tv
    No internet
    No 24 hr. News cycle
    No freedom of the press
    No open borders

    To easy for evidence, facts, truth, and common sense to defend against lies, myths, and conspiracy theories.

    My 2 cents

    except ... even with all the things you listed - most people are in the dark on every issue ...

    as for the initial question ... we are moving to a more fascist state but it's purposefully manipulated under the guise of a democratic principle ...
  • BentleyspopBentleyspop Posts: 10,767
    polaris_x said:

    Bentleyspop said:

    Could it happen? Maybe but not likely
    Will it happen? No

    Remember that the rise of fascism in the 1930s happened in a vacuum.
    No tv
    No internet
    No 24 hr. News cycle
    No freedom of the press
    No open borders

    To easy for evidence, facts, truth, and common sense to defend against lies, myths, and conspiracy theories.

    My 2 cents

    except ... even with all the things you listed - most people are in the dark on every issue ...

    as for the initial question ... we are moving to a more fascist state but it's purposefully manipulated under the guise of a democratic principle ...
    Care to share some viable and believable evidence of this?
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,303
    i think anything can happen to a country when the public goes to sleep and becomes unable to think critically.

    the republicans are about to nominate donald fucking trump. this should be proof enough that anything can happen.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    Fascism can happen anywhere. No country is immune. A crucial early step though is disarming a populace through executive orders.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    Fascism also requires the arresting of political opponents. Maybe you arrest them for "hate speech" or for being a general threat to the republic.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    Fascism also occurs with the general erasure of the checks and balances that govern a country. A large federal government slowly usurps the powers of the state and local levels of government. Federal bureaucrats begin taking free choices away from the people.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    Today's fascim will also require a government backdoor into everyone's iphone.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    You will see fascism when people who want to debate science are called "deniers" and when the justice department meets to discuss how these deniers can be charged under existing laws.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    Fascism always require a vocal youth to enforce speech and behaviour on college campuses. Those who don't tow the party line will be persecuted.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    Fascism today will also need to control the internet. This will be done under the concept of "net neutrality".
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    For facism to become ascendent religion will have to be removed completely from the public square.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    Fascism will become evident when respected military generals are charged with sharing classified information while political allies are given a pass by the DOJ for the same crime.
  • BS44325BS44325 Posts: 6,124
    In a fascist state party leaders will do everything in their power to prevent a leader being chosen by the people. They might meet in backrooms to plot a brokered convention or they might use superdelegates to counter balance elected delegates.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038
    Is that all, BS. :lol:
    gimmesometruth27 said:

    i think anything can happen to a country when the public goes to sleep and becomes unable to think critically.

    the republicans are about to nominate donald fucking trump. this should be proof enough that anything can happen.

    Truth!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,303
    BS44325 said:

    For facism to become ascendent religion will have to be removed completely from the public square.

    it should be, and it should not be in our political discourse.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    BS44325 said:

    Fascism today will also need to control the internet. This will be done under the concept of "net neutrality".

    Hahaha what a crock
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    BS44325 said:

    You will see fascism when people who want to debate science are called "deniers" and when the justice department meets to discuss how these deniers can be charged under existing laws.

    Hahaha what an even bigger crock!
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,038
    rgambs said:

    BS44325 said:

    You will see fascism when people who want to debate science are called "deniers" and when the justice department meets to discuss how these deniers can be charged under existing laws.

    Hahaha what an even bigger crock!
    We're not talking about global warming here, right? Naaaaahh. Didn't think so. :lol:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,303
    rgambs said:

    BS44325 said:

    You will see fascism when people who want to debate science are called "deniers" and when the justice department meets to discuss how these deniers can be charged under existing laws.

    Hahaha what an even bigger crock!
    science, by definition, is truth. it can't be debated. if someone wants to refute 99.8% of scientists on climate change, they are disingenuous at best, in denial. or lying at worst.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • FreeFree Posts: 3,562
    edited March 2016
    From The Great Dictator:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo
    Post edited by Free on
  • FreeFree Posts: 3,562
    gimmesometruth27 said:

    i think anything can happen to a country when the public goes to sleep and becomes unable to think critically.

    the republicans are about to nominate donald fucking trump. this should be proof enough that anything can happen.

    I think this has everything to do with it. almost everyone I know is asleep at the wheel and don't care what happens. That's what we have to worry about.
  • blueandwhiteblueandwhite Posts: 662
    Fascism? How democratic is the US anyways? You have a two-party system that is dominated by lobbyists, a senate that literally refuses to act because they oppose the sitting president and an upcoming election which offers little in the way of meaningful choices. I find it more surprising that so many Americans actually believe that they live in a democratic state. The US like most western democracies is democratic in name only.
  • ldent42ldent42 Posts: 7,859
    Lol of course it could happen.
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  • riotgrlriotgrl Posts: 1,895
    Have any of you read this article on the rise of American authoritarianism? http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism

    I think this is an interesting analysis about the rise of Trump, and others like him, that transcend education levels, socioeconomic status, and even political leanings. The gist of the article is that people who espouse an authoritarian style resist change and struggle with chaos. They value political and economic leaders who will institute order. Its long but a really interesting read.
    Are we getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?

    Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...

    I AM MINE
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