Thursday, April 16, 2009

Could we have a definition of fascist?

I'm certainly not the first to observe that we have become a nation of name-callers. If I disagree with you, you are a (pick one or more):
  1. Fascist
  2. Commie
  3. Terrorist
  4. Socialist
  5. nose picker
Susan Roesgen of CNN interviewed a tea party participant who could only describe our President as a fascist:

Her best course might have been to ask the fellow how he defined fascist. I suspect he doesn't have any idea of the definition.
Thus, I offer a definition from Wikipedia:
Fascism is a radical, authoritarian, and nationalist ideology. Fascists advocate the creation of a single-party state. Fascists believe that nations and races are in perpetual conflict whereby only the strong can survive by being healthy, vital, and by asserting themselves in combat against the weak. Fascist governments forbid and suppress criticism and opposition to the government and the fascist movement. Fascism opposes class conflict and blames capitalist liberal democracies for creating class conflict and in turn blames communists for exploiting class conflict. Many fascist leaders have claimed to support a "Third Way" in economic policy, which is neither capitalism nor communism.

I am greatly tempted to discuss activities conducted by the previous administration in the context of this definition, but I will just say that, as far as I can tell, the only part of this definition that applies to the current administration is capitalist liberal democracy.
Sticks and stones may break my bones...
Can we get come in from recess now?

No comments:

Post a Comment