Any reasonable analysis of those factors must lead to the conclusion that this country is not fascist nor is Bush or his followers fascist:

1. The first factor, "The first feature of Ur-Fascism is the cult of tradition" does not characterize our society. New age music, Art Bell, and discussions on the Sci Fi Channel of Stone Henge and Machu Pichu are not indicia of fascism. For a cult of tradition, go look at Osama bin Laden and the cult of IslamoFascists who want to restore the good old days of the Caliphates.

2. Neither the Republican Party, Bush nor the dominant ethos representing the broad part of the bell curve embrace a "traditionalism" which rejects "modernism." Our society is the embodiment of modernism. IslamoFascism, on the other hand, is the clear embodiment of the rejection of modernism, it is the center piece of their world view! No music, no science, burn the library of Alexandria because everything worth knowing is in the Q'ran!
In modern culture the scientific community praises disagreement as a way to improve knowledge. "For Ur-Fascism, disagreement is treason." Doesn't that characterize IslamoFascism where the penalty for conversion from Islam is death?

3. Irrationalism also depends on the cult of action for action's sake. This does not characterize US policy under Bush - Bush acted as a reaction to an attack on the US by non-governmental, but cultural forces. Action for action's sake is strapping explosives under your children's clothing and sending them off to blow up Jews in a pizza parlor, or attacking the symbols of US culture, the twin towers, Pentagon ... and murdering thousands of human beings, for what?!? For action's sake!

4. The critical spirit makes distinctions, and to distinguish is a sign of modernism. Our culture distinguishes everything! We debate morality, ethics, politics, science, art ... IslamoFascists hang 16 year old girls for demonstrating a "sharp tongue."

5. "Besides, disagreement is a sign of diversity. Ur-Fascism grows up and seeks consensus by exploiting and exacerbating the natural fear of difference. The first appeal of a fascist or prematurely fascist movement is an appeal against the intruders. Thus Ur-Fascism is racist by definition." You live in a pluralistic democratic society here in the US. Ask the blacks of Darfur, or the Coptic Christians of Egypt, or the Assyrian Christians of Iraq, which society is racist. Where are the venerable Jewish communities of Baghdad, Damascus, Alexandria? Jews lived there for 2500 years, and now Islamic nations are Judenrein, free of Jews. PMB, really, you have a nerve to suggest that our society is fascist and intolerant.

6. "Ur-Fascism derives from individual or social frustration. That is why one of the most typical features of the historical fascism was the appeal to a frustrated middle class, a class suffering from an economic crisis or feelings of political humiliation, and frightened by the pressure of lower social groups." PMB, we enjoy a vibrant and secure middle class, one which characterizes the broadest part of our society.

7. "To people who feel deprived of a clear social identity, Ur-Fascism says that their only privilege is the most common one, to be born in the same country. This is the origin of nationalism. Besides, the only ones who can provide an identity to the nation are its enemies. Thus at the root of the Ur-Fascist psychology there is the obsession with a plot, possibly an international one. The followers must feel besieged. The easiest way to solve the plot is the appeal to xenophobia. But the plot must also come from the inside: Jews are usually the best target because they have the advantage of being at the same time inside and outside."

Doesn't this factor characterize normative beliefs of every Arab country? You can't seriously suggest this factor applies to the USA.

8. "The followers must feel humiliated by the ostentatious wealth and force of their enemies. When I was a boy I was taught to think of Englishmen as the five-meal people. They ate more frequently than the poor but sober Italians. Jews are rich and help each other through a secret web of mutual assistance."

Again, this sense of envy, jealousy, paranoia, an irrational conspiratorial "understanding" of the real world order characterizes IslamoFascism, not any part of mainstream USA.

9. "For Ur-Fascism there is no struggle for life but, rather, life is lived for struggle."

The dominant values of our nation endorse a love of life, music, home, family, cars, audio equipment, good food ... this is a love of life. If you want to consider the obvious obverse, think of the homicide bomber and the culture which names streets after mass murderers.

10. " Elitism is a typical aspect of any reactionary ideology, insofar as it is fundamentally aristocratic, and aristocratic and militaristic elitism cruelly implies contempt for the weak."

King Fahd, King Hussein, King Hassan, Strong Man Hosni Mubarek, Tyrant Saddam Hussein, Ba'athist Fuehrer Bashar al-Assad. Bush was elected, we have elections here PMB. You must have missed the memo.

I'm not going to analyse the rest of the factors because I'm out of time, but PMB, you really hate the US don't you?



Last edited by 2x6spds; 10/12/04 11:06 PM.
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