I just had to look at the calendar! Not it is not 1946! My calendar says 2010!
So why are the words from Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials in my ears this morning? Just in case you can't recall:
"Naturally the common people don’t want war, but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country."
Well I know that this was very true when GWBDick Cheney was scaring us so that he could go to war against Saddam Hussein, but the new Arizona law against immigrants (true it is nominally against illegal immigrants, but in reality it is about attacking all immigrants.
I'll tell you which portion of Goering's statement is applicable and scary IMHO:
This is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.
We all know that pacifist is a pejorativesynonym for Democrat among the GOPosaur.
Now Markos believes - and I mostly agree with him - that the dangers of ignoring immigration reform are greater than the risks, but this is not going to stop the GOPosaurs from trying to use every possible fear tactic.
KOS says:
Republicans will have a tough choice -- either play to the xenophobic nativist tendencies of their teabagger base, or limit damage to a Latino electorate that is growing at amazing rates.
Well yesterday's LA Times article gives us a good hint on which choice the GOPosaurs are taking:
Arizona passes strict illegal immigration act
The bill directs police to determine the immigration status of noncriminals if there is a 'reasonable suspicion' they are undocumented. Immigrant rights groups say it amounts to a police state.
Immigrant rights groups were horrified, and contended that Arizona would be transformed into a police state.
"It's beyond the pale," said Chris Newman, legal director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. "It appears to mandate racial profiling."
The bill, known as SB 1070, makes it a misdemeanor to lack proper immigration paperwork in Arizona. It also requires police officers, if they form a "reasonable suspicion" that someone is an illegal immigrant, to determine the person's immigration status.
Then we have the tradMed with their "fair and balanced" giving air time to both sides:
In an impassioned debate Tuesday, both sides relied on legal and moral arguments.
"Illegal immigration brings crime, kidnapping, drugs -- drains our government services," said Rep. John Kavanagh, a Republican. "Nobody can stand on the sidelines and not take part in this battle."
I will translate that statement from John Kavanagh into plain English:
Ferners are scary! They kill, kidnap, rape and push drugs! Let's attack them with all of our might before we end up with one of them in the White House like that n*gg*r that got there because we slacked on racial segregation with all that civil rights BS.
I think that the answer to KOS's question is clear, they will chose Xenophobia. Unfortunately call for violence will soon follow (just like they have already in other arenas), but this time they will add more of the anti-immigrant hatred that we can expect from the GOPosaurs.
I can't believe in this day and age the words of Goering ring so true.