Fascist America, in 10 easy steps...

[kimchi]

For those of us living outside of America it is very frightening to see what the US is doing both at home and abroad.

It's also just as frightening to witness Americans' apparent ingnorance regaring the effects of their politicians' foreign policies, how their country is changing and the acceptance of the eroding of their freedoms in the name of an over-rated threat touted by Bush.

Here's a link to an interesting article written by an American journalist for a UK quality broadsheet:

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

It's pretty long but worth reading. I've listed the 10 points below:

[ QUOTE ]
It is very difficult and arduous to create and sustain a democracy - but history shows that closing one down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10 steps.

As difficult as this is to contemplate, it is clear, if you are willing to look, that each of these 10 steps has already been initiated today in the United States by the Bush administration.

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law



[/ QUOTE ]

The Bush administration shouts down and ridicules anyone who tries to challange them and accuses them of being "unpatriotic"

I've spoken to many US soldiers abroad (they're everywhere) and GWB is basically untouchable and it's illegal for them to criticise him (so they say).

I've spoken to refugees from North Korea and they see similarities between GWB's propaganda and KIS's in North Korea.

My question is how is this man still in power and why are the American people not challenging his increasingly dictator-esque tactics? Are the American people just going to roll over and let their freedoms disappear?

How many times are you reminded that you live in "the land of the free" and "the greatest country on Earth"? I bet North Koreans hear the same thing from their government every day too.

[govman6767]

[ QUOTE ]
For those of us living outside of America it is very frightening to see what the US is doing both at home and abroad.

It's also just as frightening to witness Americans' apparent ingnorance regaring the effects of their politicians' foreign policies, how their country is changing and the acceptance of the eroding of their freedoms in the name of an over-rated threat touted by Bush.

Here's a link to an interesting article written by an American journalist for a UK quality broadsheet:

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

It's pretty long but worth reading. I've listed the 10 points below:

[ QUOTE ]
It is very difficult and arduous to create and sustain a democracy - but history shows that closing one down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10 steps.

As difficult as this is to contemplate, it is clear, if you are willing to look, that each of these 10 steps has already been initiated today in the United States by the Bush administration.

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law



[/ QUOTE ]

The Bush administration shouts down and ridicules anyone who tries to challange them and accuses them of being "unpatriotic"

I've spoken to many US soldiers abroad (they're everywhere) and GWB is basically untouchable and it's illegal for them to criticise him (so they say).

I've spoken to refugees from North Korea and they see similarities between GWB's propaganda and KIS's in North Korea.

My question is how is this man still in power and why are the American people not challenging his increasingly dictator-esque tactics? Are the American people just going to roll over and let their freedoms disappear?

How many times are you reminded that you live in "the land of the free" and "the greatest country on Earth"? I bet North Koreans hear the same thing from their government every day too.

[/ QUOTE ]

No matter how bad a president is he's gone in 8 years. Problem partially solved.

When is Kim's election term up ????????

[govman6767]

OMG that article is the biggest bunch of hogwash I've ever read.

[Misfire]

What does any of this have to do with fascism?

[whiskeytown]

[ QUOTE ]
OMG that article is the biggest bunch of hogwash I've ever read.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's the worst rebuttal I've ever seen.

I read the article two months ago - thought about commenting on it but the right wing police shout troll every time I post a link from outside Fox News Corp.

some people are completely ignorant of the fact that history repeats itself, and by examining past regimes and how they went from a republic to a totaliarian state, we can learn something and catch parallels to our own society. It's very well written by a respected journalist and is definately worthy of some study and discussion by those not limited to 5 second soundbytes and personal attacks.

regarding why haven't we done anything, I think most of the US is content to run out the clock, but I don't think it's an accident that the chatter leading up to the 2008 presidental election has started 6-12 months earlier then usual for both parties -

Both sides want this cancer of the simple-minded removed ASAP, with Democrats suggesting a ficus tree as an improvement, and Republicans resorting to cheerleading the Ronald Reagan years as their promised land. GWB got less face time then Osama in the first Republican Debate - LOL

I'm actually waiting for the declaration of Martial Law and the suspension of elections - another 9/11 and you'd probably have it.

rb

[kimchi]

[ QUOTE ]
OMG that article is the biggest bunch of hogwash I've ever read.

[/ QUOTE ]

tl;dr

[Metric]

The sad part is that the next President will get elected partially by distancing himself/herself from Bush and his policies, and then enact his/her own pet collection of freedom-limiting measures (for our own good, naturally).

[AlexM]

You act like this wasn't all going on long before Bush.

[Jeffiner99]

[ QUOTE ]
For those of us living outside of America it is very frightening to see what the US is doing both at home and abroad.

It's also just as frightening to witness Americans' apparent ingnorance regaring the effects of their politicians' foreign policies, how their country is changing and the acceptance of the eroding of their freedoms in the name of an over-rated threat touted by Bush.

Here's a link to an interesting article written by an American journalist for a UK quality broadsheet:

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

It's pretty long but worth reading. I've listed the 10 points below:

[ QUOTE ]
It is very difficult and arduous to create and sustain a democracy - but history shows that closing one down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10 steps.

As difficult as this is to contemplate, it is clear, if you are willing to look, that each of these 10 steps has already been initiated today in the United States by the Bush administration.

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law



[/ QUOTE ]

The Bush administration shouts down and ridicules anyone who tries to challange them and accuses them of being "unpatriotic"

I've spoken to many US soldiers abroad (they're everywhere) and GWB is basically untouchable and it's illegal for them to criticise him (so they say).

I've spoken to refugees from North Korea and they see similarities between GWB's propaganda and KIS's in North Korea.

My question is how is this man still in power and why are the American people not challenging his increasingly dictator-esque tactics? Are the American people just going to roll over and let their freedoms disappear?

How many times are you reminded that you live in "the land of the free" and "the greatest country on Earth"? I bet North Koreans hear the same thing from their government every day too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Public education. That is your answer. The public in this country are by and large taught by the government. You don't think they are taught to distrust the government do you? If the gov't tried to take over the press people might squawk and see something wrong with that, even though through press releases and refusal to interact with combative reporters they have done just that. The people remember that for some reason the gov't taking over the press is bad... but they don't know why. So they clamor for public education. They know that education is good, but they don't know why... so they ask the gov't to teach the children how to think, what to think, what questions to ask, and what not to ask.

I grew up in the 60s when the US had a healthier dose of skepticism for power. Then the 80s came along and with the drug war. The druggies became the bad guys and the cops the good guys. Then all of a sudden the gov't was trusted again. I went to college in the 80s (a bit late) and the girls in the class actually thought feminism was bad for them. How did that happen? Everyone had total trust in the police and reliance on the gov't grew.

Then came 9/11 and the people got scared and the gov't saw an opportunity like no other. They had a population that had been reared on gov't teachings for more than one generation and no one to even know that the gov't taking power is dangerous. So they took some. And saw how easy it was. Then they took more. Hell, they are getting really brazen about it now. Even during the last election they floated the idea that voting was bad because it could help the terrorists.

Look at some of the posters on this site. Furious that you would even bring up this topic. That astounds me. Someone is warning us, rightfully so that we are in grave danger, and they are flamed for doing so. Wow. I guess that either you are with us or are with the terrorists argument worked for a lot of people. I thought the argument hogwash and not to be feared. Was I wrong.

We are in grave danger. I can't even post about the dangers of the new supposed "repeal" bill from Barney Frank without getting flamed. It is a bill that purports to make online gambling legal for us all while actually taking control of the industry and giving the gov't unlimited power over all online gaming operators. But I am attacked for mentioning that this bill is dangerous to us. I am called non-supportive. I am a traitor.

When an issue this important is dismissed and the poster subjected to ad hominem attacks we really are in trouble.

But then, you should see what happens to me when I suggest that public education is very bad and we would all be safer without it. Ah, the horror. I must hate kids. I must want our country filled with ignorant trash. I must be an elitist who thinks education is only for the rich.

Try to explain that I am only trying to save us, and well, then I am called holier than thou for supposing to know what will help.

I think I may go the way of John Galt. I am not sure there is much left to save here. It may be better to just wait for the hyper inflation and ruination of society. Then there might be someone who sees the danger. But it will take a while.

Know of any country to wait it out? Seriously. Any suggestions?

[Andy Ross]

[ QUOTE ]
... for a UK quality broadsheet

[/ QUOTE ]

Only one of those adjectives is spot on. Guess which.