About 10 years ago, the GOP was all set to rebrand "Fascism" as "liberal Fascism." Conservatives had been ready to openly embrace Fascism in the 1930s, but by the 1990s they were tired of hearing the word "Fascism" lobbed at them.
So the GOP decided to go for an Orwellian "destruction of words" with a Newspeak version of "Fascism" that would be defined by their PR people. If the word "Fascism" is destroyed, then it becomes almost impossible to protest actual Fascism.
'It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.... Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."
-1984
The GOP plan was to redefine "Fascism" as
anything liberal. Since Hitler himself claimed he was saving Germany from the liberals' genocidal anti-white conspiracy, American conservatives were merely adopting themes directly from Mein Kampf. Overall this little plan was spoiled by the election of mixed race Obama, and it would have been too much a stretch to declare he was the Nazi Schwarzkommando.
But we can see that the GOP has gotten that message out to its base, mostly thanks to the tireless work of Jonah Goldberg and Glenn Beck to redefine "Fascism." Many other republicans suffering from Holocaust envy also rushed to wrap themselves in the memory of Ann Frank.
But if everything is "Fascist," then nothing is really Fascist any more. For that reason, there have always been Nazi apologist and Hitler apologists trying to redefine "Fascism" as narrowly or broadly as possible and rebrand Hitler as an eccentric pushed into war by Churchill and the Nazi generals. If everything is "Fascist," then there is no reason not to have a Fascist Party on the ballot or in Congress, is there?
Jonah offered this nugget of Quisling stupidity and Hitler apology
Dec 06, 2008
Was Hitler Racist?
I'm not sold. Hitler was very inconsistent about lots of things, but he was certainly a consistent anti-Semite....I don't think anti-Semitism is necessarily racist.
I guess Jonah missed the hundreds of pages of virulent racism (specifically about "race") in Mein Kampf.
And of course lets not forget Alan Keyes, the idiots at Freeperville, white supremacist terrorist child killer Ander Breivik, or his white supremacist fans at StormFront (links at the end). They all want to change the meaning of the word "Fascism." Let's not join these idiots on the bus to Crazytown, OK?
Because the real danger for a free country is that if the meaning of the word "Fascism" changes, then far right groups will be able to introduce Fascist policies and nobody will be able to say "Hey, that's Fascism." If we are to "Never forget," the dangers of Fascism and Nazism, we can't redefine the words "Nazi" and "Fascist." If we do, we have not just forgotten, we have effectively erased history.
I wrote a diary on novelist Umberto Eco's ("Name Of The Rose") classic 1995 essay on the definition of Fascism.
Tea Party At Nuremberg: Umberto Eco on UrFascism
Eco know about this first hand, because he grew up under Mussolini.
Here's the condensed wikipedia version of Eco's list. The article has additional definitions of Fascism also.
"The Cult of Tradition", combining cultural syncretism with a rejection of modernism.
"The Cult of Action for Action's Sake", which dictates that action is of value in itself, and should be taken without intellectual reflection. (Obama, stop dithering and invade someone!)
"Fear of Difference", which fascism seeks to exploit racism or an appeal against foreigners and immigrants.
"Appeal to a Frustrated Middle Class", fearing economic pressure from the demands and aspirations of lower social groups.
"Obsession with a Plot" and the hyping-up of an enemy threat. (FEMA camps! Death panels!)
"Pacifism Is Trafficking with the Enemy" because "Life is Permanent Warfare" - there must always be an enemy to fight.
"Contempt for the Weak" - although a fascist society is elitist, everybody in the society is educated to become a hero. (Fuck the people on food stamps!)
"Selective Populism" - the People have a common will, which is not delegated but interpreted by a leader. This may involve doubt being cast upon a democratic institution, because "it no longer represents the Voice of the People". (Fake Tea Party populism!)
"Newspeak" - fascism employs and promotes an impoverished vocabulary in order to limit critical reasoning. (Like redefining "Fascism!")
Eco wanted to make sure that the meaning of the word "Fascism" did not change, because losing the meaning of the word would be an essential step to the rebirth of a Fascist movement. When he wrote the essay in 1995, he did not see this a likely because the middle class was doing so well. Clearly the risk is much higher now, and changing the definition of the word "Fascism" is midwifing the birth of new Fascist movements.
That's why neonazis and neofascists want to redefine the meaning of the word "Fascism" - to launch Fascism under a new brand name. Don't forget Hitler himself perfected this word game - he said it was the Jews were the real genocidal maniacs, and today the Nazis would call themselves the Love and Free Puppies party, while he would call the Jews the "real Fascists." Nordic white supremacist, terrorist, and mass child killer Anders Breivik agrees, that he's not a Fascist, that liberals are the "real Fascists," which is how he justified stalking and killing 70 children.
Here's where Anders says that because liberals won't create Nordic homelands, they are the real Fascists, not him.
If this is the case for Aborigines in Australia and Native Americans in the US, shouldn’t that be the case for Europeans in Europe as well? The fact that the cultural Marxists, anti-nationalist humanists and globalists outright refuse us the same basic human rights prove without a doubt that THEY are in fact the racists, that they are the fascists and Nazis of our time.
See? Once you change the definition of "Fascism," killing liberals is merely self defense, if not an actual moral imperative. Just like kindly Uncle Adolph said. If you find a wingnut trying to redefine "Fascism," they will almost inevitably start spouting material straight from Mein Kampf,
Above all, remember that fascism is a conspiracy theory which is easily summarized and familiar to all Beck fans and Nazis:
Liberals and their multicultural henchmen are planning to enslave and kill white people
That's why if you check out CT websites, you are never more than two mouse clicks from white supremacist sites. You will also see ads for the book "The Holocaust Hoax." If you want to check out some 9-11 conspiracies, go to the white supremacist site StormFront (spoiler alert - the Jews did it!).
Many people enjoy pseudointellectual wrangling about exact definitions of Fascism, but they are usually trolls who just enjoy conflict. It's easier just to look at the fundamental principles of Fascism and leave it to the reader.
So here is a list of Nazi talking points. Most of you will be able to just connect the dots, because these are generic right wing talking points. Not all Fascist regimes would use every talking point, and in addition they would have other features from Eco's list (which is my personal favorite):
Short Guide To Nazi Propaganda Talking Points
Things The Nazi Were Against:
Trade unions
Communists
"Social justice"
"Liberals"
"The liberal press"
"Socialism"
"Socialists"
"Democrats"
"Social Democrats"
"Civil Rights"
Liberal "envy"
Liberal class warfare ("class struggle")
Empathy
Homosexuals
Pacifists
Atheists
Secularists
Religious tolerance
Mixed marriages
Contraception
Sex education
Immigrants
Elections
Multiculturalism
Bilingual anything
Universal education
Art that does not glorify the state
Darwin and teaching evolution
Einstein and relativity
Elementary teachers who don't teach nationalism
University professors
People who don't support the troops
...and of course Jews
Things The Nazi Were For:
Crushing unions (Enabling Act 1933)
Promising church/state cooperation (Enabling Act announcement)
State take-over of local government (Reich Local Government Law of 1935)
Federal regulation of marriage and sex (Nuremberg Laws)
Pre-emptive war
State religion
"Positive Christianity"
Conspiracy theories
Undermining voter's faith in elections and parliament
Reducing history to broad populist themes of white victimization
Claiming whites are the victims of racist liberals
A "spiritual" movement that creates ruthless, unwavering violence
Values education in the schools
Censorship
Reducing science education
School "reform" using business people
College students ratting out professors for lack of loyalty
Voting restrictions
Torture
Abstinence
Early marriage
High birth rate
State control of the media, arts, and science
Personality cults
Making nationalism part of the school curriculum
Worship of an idealized version of the past
Rebellion against "weak" authority
Blaming minorities and immigrants for everything
Invoking destiny and being judged by history
Pandering to Christians
Promising the cooperation of church and state
Claiming to do "God's will"
Calling liberalism a mental illness ("madness")
Another way to redefine "Fascism" - claim Fascism and Communism were the same thing. Only conservatives make this argument, so they say that since they aren’t Communists, then they aren’t Fascists either. Of course, they believe many Fascist conspiracy theories and the talking points on the previous list, but that doesn't matter because they created a talking point that "proves" they are innocent. So let's debunk that:
The Differences between Fascism and Communism:
Fascism is explicitly racist and focused on racial purity. Communism is not racist, which allowed it to spread to many countries. Fascism attacks immigrants as the "enemy within."
Fascism condemns "class warfare" and creates new classes that may reduce certain people to slaves. Communism is all about "class struggle"
Fascism protects private property and factory owners. Communism promises that the workers will control the "means of production."
Fascism is a "spiritual" movement and condemns Communism's "materialism" (pseudo scientific rules). Marx used "dialectic materialism."
Fascism is almost never atheist. It may embrace organized religion, but it will usually use "syncretism" - a mixture of beliefs. Fascist countries may have an official state religion, and Hitler came to power by pandering to Christians. Communist societies are often officially atheist.
Fascism will destroy society to return to the Utopian past. Communism will destroy society to create the Utopian future.
Fascism believes human nature is cemented by their racial identity - people don't change. Communism believes that man and nature are plastic and can be molded by society. People in China and Russia starved because their crop scientists were forced to reject genetics.
Finally, let's just recap with a review of the people who have been working hard to redefine "Fascism." Yes, I wrote all this material, so look upon my works:
"Liberals Persecuting Christians" is recycled antisemitic propaganda from the 1920s. Thank you Henry Ford!
Saving the fatherland from "Envy" and "Class Warfare" are classic Nazi themes now being recycled by the GOP.
Tea Party At Nuremberg: Umberto Eco on UrFascism summarizes the Eco's definition of Fascsim, based on the famous authors experiences growing up under Mussolini, and how it compares to the Tea Party.
Oslo Shooter Manifesto: Exterminate The "Liberal Fascists"
Glenn Beck's relentless use of Nazi themes is discussed in Achtung Glenn Beck! Beck's Nazi Roots Revealed
Unions Are Like Nazis? Erick Erickson Is Rebranding Hitler
Pat Buchannan gets all weepy for Hitler's birthday (again!) in Pat Buchanan and Tea Party Going "White Power"
March 23 - Christian Nation Day (Moments In Fascism) How Hitler became a dictator with the votes of a Christian coalition.
Mein Kamp chronicles - Hitlers Words Live On Adolph knows about people like you.
A look back at Jonah Goldberg's "Liberal Fascsim" blog.
Nazism in 3 Words: "Liberals Plan Genocide" -Hitler & Beck
Why Glenn Beck and Jonah Goldberg should literally treat Hitler as religious prophet.
Democrats Equal Nazis? The Madness Of Alan Keyes including a look at the party platform of the National Socialists.
Democrats Equal Nazis? Sad Freeperville Circlejerka more detailed look at the party platform of the National Socialists.
There are plenty of good books on the subject of Fascism and nazism by people who saw it first hand, including Karl Popper, Erich Fromm, Wilhelm Reich, William Shirer, Milton Meyer, and Paul Linebarger.
On the other hand there are also a lot of books that have been written by neonazis and Nazi apologists and Hitler apologists. And writing a diary on this topic will frequently attract concern trolls that the things I saw aren't nice, or that it violates Godwin's Law to talk about actual Nazis (which is of course just nonsense). Looking at one of my old diaries, I saw where I had simply told someone to fuck off, and I felt like that was a bit harsh, but I saw that he later got banned. So that happened.