Deference, I agree with you. We, as a nation, have embarked down the very slippery slope of fascism. It starts rather insidiously, then WHAM!!!! it's done. The surveilance, manipulation of the press, the country being run by corporate interests, investigations of library cards and book check-outs, censorship of the media, etc...... etc........etc....... This country also has its collective head up its ass, which is indicative of how good a job the dubya dummies are doing.
The jingoists really cannot see past the benevolent hype that this administratiion is spewing to see the insidiousness of its malevolent reality. Surveilence of public places is a prime example. The excuse that it's to protect citizens from the criminal element of society may be one potential consequence of this activity, but in reality, we're all being watched by those cameras. I agree that maybe some cameras placed in strategic locations would be helpful to not necessarily protect someone, but identify him/her after a crime is committed. See how cameras are used at bodegas and small all-night stores or banks. But, in large malls where thousands of people are located? Along city streets during daylight hours? No, it's just to monitor our activities. Of that, I'm convinced.
It's funny how the Patriot Act, which set up all these intrusions, has really only been used to harass civilians who had nothing to do with terrorism. Has anyone been charged for terrorism under the provisions of the Patriot Act? No, people have just been rounded up and are now languishing in "holding" places, ie Guantanamo, or being sent to other countries to be tortured. All without any charges against them. But, has anyone actually been convicted of terrorist activities? Nah, just using the provisions to spy and harass citizens.
The worst is the manipulation of the press. As long as they can get away with spoon feeding propaganda to news stations, packaged as real news, wherein the news producers use the spin as real news and get away with it, we're in deep, deep shit. Close minded individuals who want so badly to believe it's all real WILL believe it's all real, relying on peoples' sense of patriotism and jingoist attitudes to carry the message, and the fascism has taken hold.
Of all the 200 or more federal judges approved by congress, only ten or so have been balked at by the democratic minority. Only a few. But, the dubya dummies portray it as if the dems are boloxing up everything and not allowing anyone to get appointed. That is so misrepresentational. It's only the few truly worst of the extremeist and those with questionable credetials that the democrats are fighting. As long as the dubya dummies spin it that way, it serves to demonize the opposition, rather than just explain it as merely different viewpoints. And that's what they do. Demonize their opposition. The Nazis did it in Germany, but took it to the extreme. Is that where we are going?
I don't hate all conservatives. I really don't. I understand how some conservatives really do want to see fiscal responsibility, how they are looking at corporate interests as being the backbone of society. I don't agree, but I understand it. But, what I hate is those who take it upon themselves to carry the dubya dummies' message of demonizing the opposition, portraying us as the demise of this country, and how some buy into this shit. Those are the assholes that are really at the core of what is allowing this fascism to occur. It's just small minded, close minded, and stupid. You know who you are. And I do fear you.
I fear that what you're doing and allowing to happen is so close to what occurred in Nazi Germany (sans genocide here, of course) that it's scary. In fact, the dubya dummies playbook, spelled out in the Patriot Act, is fashioned after the Nazi playbook. Ahhhhhhhh, patriotism........... how insidiously malevolent it can be.............
