"...do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

"For the good of the Air Force, for the good of the armed services and for the good of our country, I urge you to reject convention and careerism..."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Maxwell AFB, April 21, 2008

"You will need to challenge conventional wisdom and call things like you see them to subordinates and superiors alike."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, United States Air Force Academy, March 4, 2011

Saturday, April 10, 2021

America is not a free country & "fascism" can no longer be denied

For years I have talked about fascism in America and I've gotten plenty of flack.  Normally from the same kind of people who are fond of "tin foil" insults and memes.  It's not that these people are stupid, it's that they are psychological children.  They don't have the strength to admit the reality they live in, it's too scary, so they lash out against those presenting reality.

But I have been pleasantly surprised to see that people are finally using the fascist label to describe what has happened in America.  Dan Crenshaw is the latest I've seen to use the term and he normally tries to play it as middle of the road as he can.  He's not the only person to accurately use the term to explain what is happening in America.  Thoughtful reformers such as Chris Hedges have long been using the term and even some on a message board of military folks known for defending armed government violations of core liberties are now finally beginning to come to terms with our police abuse crisis and some are even accurately using the f-word.  People are beginning to wake up even though it's late in the game and likely much too late.  But like a one way military mission, we don't peacefully yet passionately fight for the rights of our American countrymen because we think we will win, we fight because it's the right thing to do for our nation and for our families.  And because we have a responsibility to the great Americans who came before us who gave everything to better perfect our union.

Fascism is a troublesome word with many definitions.  When I use the term I mean authoritarianism with the hallmark of using a mob, in concert with government power, to silence others.  I use that definition because that was the key characteristic of Mussolini and his blackshirts, along with Hitler and his brownshirts.  Now, the same people who don't use that word and who love "tin foil" insults will be quick to point out that if you mention Hitler you've lost the argument.  That's not because they are morons (although many of them are and are only repeating what they've been told and parroting the responses of others online) but it's because, again, they can't handle reality.  The world is safe and government can never do that again they would claim.  Because that's how history and human works, obviously.

The mob today doesn't just include Antifa and BLM thugs burning down buildings, murdering people, and terrorizing towns and cities in concert with their fascist allies in government, it also includes corporate America.  The fusion of corporate power and government power to crush dissent.  We see that today with AOC using government thugs to intimidate an innocuous critic, thanks to Twitter supplying that critic's personal information.

There is no more slippery slope argument.  The United States of America is a fascist police state and it has been for some time now.  I have experienced it up close and personal on several occasions and others are increasingly experiencing it as the curtain is being pulled back across our society.  But it will get worse and more overt.  Our economy will collapse, there is no doubt about that.  And China's control over our nation, our corporations, and our government is concerning.  Our nation isn't even in the top five of the most free nations and has a negative trajectory while economics continue to decline.  The economic and social soil of America today is as fertile a place as ever to usher in an era we've only seen in black and white photos from 1940s Europe.  We will continue to see, I fear, this more overtly as time goes by.  AOC is leading the charge on that front but she's not alone and it's not a partisan issue despite political talking heads.  Human nature cares not for a D or R label and fascism loves any and all pretense that allows it the control it desires be it the threat of Islamic terrorists, white supremacist bogeymen, illegal immigrants or drugs.

As bleak as it is, real Americans regardless of their political leanings don't utter "pick your battles" as a justification for cowardly refusing to fight against the odds.  Instead they saddle up and move the ball inches forward so the next actual American can move it a bit further.  They do it because they take responsibility for their nation gifted to them by greater men and women from generations past.  And they do it at great personal sacrifice because that's just what it takes.  Deeds not words.

There is no America to move to if we lose this imperfect and yet once-great nation.  This is it.  So get to work.


2 comments:

  1. I'm afraid your notion of Americans engaging in personal sacrifice out of a sense of duty to nation or principle is naive. It's not what is championed, celebrated, or heralded anymore. We elect self-obsessed politicians. We worship self-obsessed celebrities, athletes, and talk show hosts like Tucker Carlson. We hurl insults at those who actually do stand for principle if we happen to disagree on substance. We're not even willing to reconsider our own ideas or ideologies. We've just survived a fascist movement. But another will come along soon because it's what we want ... for our chosen "side" to hold power and cancel the other. Welcome to a country where no one looks for common ground and we all allow divisive voices to pull us apart.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We "survived" a fascist movement under GWB with his neo-con cronies who invaded Iraq and violated our constitutional rights en masse. We then "survived" a fascist movement under Obama when he used drones to assassinate American citizens without charge or trial and "legalized" using our military to arrest Americans, in America, without charge or trial and imprison them indefinitely as FDR did. We then had Trump and he sucked, was no libertarian, and championed police force but at least seemed to at least try to reign in our military industrial masters. I'm sure the current occupant of the White House will be glad to pick up where he left off as Obama's VP.

      I agree with you about the quality of Americans on the whole, sadly.

      Delete