14 CHARACTERISTICS OF FASCISM / WE HAVE THEM ALL
America has all of the 14
defining characteristics of Fascism and, like sheep, we passively
endure our fleecing : Allen L Roland
With the four horseman of
hubris ( Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and Bush ) in full gallop, shouting
their war cry of 'Islamic fascism' and systematically misquoting and
demonizing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ~ it's time for
America to review the 14 characteristics of fascism and, in the
process, face our own growing neocon fascist state.
Dr. Lawrence
Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini
(Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American
regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each ~ and
America has all of them.
Allen L Roland
1. Powerful
and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use
of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia.
Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in
public displays.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
- Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in
fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in
certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way
or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long
incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of
Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a
unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common
threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals;
communists; socialists, terrorists, Islamic fascists, etc.
4.
Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic
problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government
funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military
service are glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of
fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under
fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce,
abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented
as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
6.
Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by
the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled
by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and
executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool
by the government over the masses.
8.
Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist
nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to
manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common
from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are
diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.
9.
Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy
of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders
into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government
relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed -
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a
fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are
severely suppressed.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
- Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher
education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other
academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts
and letters is openly attacked.
12. Obsession with Crime and
Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost
limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to
overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of
patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually
unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and
Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of
friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions
and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from
accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national
resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen
by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes
elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections
are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of
opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or
political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist
nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control
elections.
From Liberty Forum