In Maryscott OConners diary here she makes a number of references to Nazi Germany and that no one there attempted to stop the Nazis. Her position is that we are headed in the same direction, and that no one here has the balls to start a revolution against the American fascists. I have some observations and comments on that theme, why it hasn't happened, what should happen, and where we need to begin to change things.
In her Essay one of Maryscott's main themes is that the Germans did nothing to prevent Hitler from coming to power and committing his crimes. This is subject to great argument.Hitler was elected to power NOT by a majority but rather a plurality (43.9 % of the vote in the second election of 1932). At that time the SA, the street fighters of the Nazi party numbered at least 400,000 members, and were used to enforcing Nazi policy thru violence.Resist or speak out against them and you could expect some serious violence in return. In fact for all intents and purposes the Weimar government had ceased to function as a governing entity in the country, due to inflation, and depression. the country was in a state of total collapse at this point. The Nazis were NOT elected to rid Germany of the Jews but rather
Germans voted for Hitler primarily because of his promises to revive the economy (by unspecified means), to restore German greatness and overturn the Treaty of Versailles, and to save Germany from communism
This does not absolve the German people of what happened, but its important to note that it was not as simple as its sometimes glossed over by people who don't want to take a long hard look at the history.The rise of the Nazis was a complex issue, and was fueled by a number of unusual events occurring in rapid succession ( inflation, depression, collapse of the standing government, economic sanctions imposed by the winners of WW1 as punishment on Germany etc.)What transpired in the period from 1922 to 1945 was horror beyond belief, but it was NOT the monolithic desire of Germans create this monstrosity. Yes, there were many who bought the Nazi party line completely, but there were many that only desired to live their lives and get out of the economic horror that was the reality of German existence in the 20s and 30s.
As others have pointed out many Germans were opposed to the Nazis, but were un-organized, and were immediately persecuted when they spoke out against the Nazis. There was sporadic resistance against the Nazis, you can read more about it here It is especially important to note the story of the white rose.; even neo Nazis today generally will not speak against the heroic actions of Sophie Scholl and her friends.
Currently I am living in Hanover Germany, and have had occasion to discuss this subject with the German students in my MBA class. Several have grandparents who were alive during the war, and all say the same thing, namely that anyone that said anything against the Nazis was immediately executed or deported to prison (in the beginning) or later the concentration camps. So there was very little incentive to stand up to the Nazis here, as you were literally taking your life in your hands ( as well as your family's...) It takes someone of almost superhuman moral fiber to stand up to such circumstances. Sadly the reality of human existence is that most people wont do this.
Something that really strikes me about Germany is what its like now and what the German people have done to insure that this never happens again. There are many memorials to the people killed in the fire bombings of every major city here, almost all of which have the slogan 'nie wieder Fasicsmus, Nie Wieder Krieg' (never again fascism, never again war). There is a specific department of the government that is tasked with stopping fascism from rising again, where Neo-Nazis are tracked, and monitored for their actions. The penalty for making a Nazi salute here or flying a swastika flag is a felony offense, generally about 2 years in prison. These people take this stuff really seriously, it is their history and they more so than anyone are aware of the terrible price to be paid for putting such imperialistic racists in charge of things. When the current crop of Neo-Nazis comes out to demonstrate, generally thousands come out demonstrating against them.
Does this mean the problem is over? not at all. There are racists everywhere, its not a German problem, there are racists/ ultra right wingers in France, Russia, England, Ireland, and yes , tons of them in America. There are of course the usual thugs in the American Nazi party, the Christian identity movement and other such organizations; but what really strikes me about America is that we have our own horrid history of racism, in the slavery of the American south. And unlike the Germans no one seems to take this very seriously.
Its common in America to see the confederate battle flag flown all over the American south. The usual excuse for this garbage is that its their heritage.This is NOT heritage, its nothing more than a shallow attempt to glorify and devillianize the thugs that created the evil that passed for normal society in the American south. I lived in the south for most of my life, and cannot tell you how many thousands of times I heard every possible bit of spew about how it was the heritage of the south, that they should be proud of it etc. Proud of what? The mass enslavement of an entire race of people to fulfill the economic needs of the whites??? That their behavior was in ANY way a reflection of real Christian values ??? The real truth is there is not now and NEVER has been any excuse for this garbage. The events that transpired in the American south for 300 years were every bit as rotten as what happened here; but unlike here the south( and indeed the entire country) has never been called to account in a fundamental way for its actions against against African people.
Until America comes to grips with is history and until southerners take ownership of the crimes against humanity that their ancestors committed, in a similar fashion to what the Germans have done, I doubt there will be much social progress in America. If we cant even admit our own crimes and sins against humanity, how then are we supposed to change our society in a new direction of human compassion and empathy for our fellow man?
Why am I picking on the American south?? . The vast majority of the Neocon garbage that is in charge now either comes from the American south, or shares its cultural viewpoint on society. Trent Lott, Tom Delay, Newt Gingrich, Bill 'cat killer' First, all come from the south. Additionally other members of the current power structure draw their philosophical base from this Area. They celebrate the philosophical mindset of the southern Baptists (remember women should submit gracefully to their husbands...). The strongholds of the republican movement are the American south and Midwest, and many of the supporters of the current batch of conservatives are very happy to identify themselves with the mindset of this area of the country.
So lets not be to hard on the Germans, while we still have this own sore of ours to deal with, shall we....