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Well, when l listened to this last night — it sounded WAY too eerily familiar.
America may be further down the path toward Fascism, than I had ever realized. Assuming this Yale Professor has a good grasp of Fascist movements throughout History, which I think he does.
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The 10 Tactics of Fascism — Jason Stanley, Yale University
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Oct 24, 2021
Here are some of the highlights of his quick-paced, well-illustrated talk:
Fascism is the cult of the leader, who promises National Restoration.
The Fascist leader says "the country's media, cultural institutions, schools are being taken over by liberal forces (etc). And that's why you need a really macho, powerful, violent response."
The Fascist leader says that "he will solve the problem." Fascism is right-wing by nature. It’s based on ultra-Nationalism.
Many Fascist leaders have come to power through elections, by social and political movements. So it's important to see that these ten tactics occur, even in societies that do not yet have a Fascist regime.
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1) Mythic Past:
All Nationalism involves a Mythic Past: "In the past we were Great." The Fascist leader says, "that was taken from you, by the Leftists and Communists. They want to weaken our Military, they want to weaken our Greatness."
2) Propaganda:
Fascist Propaganda is based on the Friend-Enemy distinction. Your Political Opponents -- they are the Other. And the Other is fundamentally opposed to the Nation.
3) Anti-Intellectualism:
Fascism is the cult of the leader. It involves the leader setting the rules about what's True and False. Institutions that teach multiple perspectives on History, are always a threat to the Fascist leader. Science is only useful, so far as it empowers their movement.
4) Unreality:
The center of Democracy is Truth. You are not Free if you've been lied to. Equality similarly requires Truth. Equality means political equality -- that each of our voices matter the same. Political equality means speaking 'Truth to Power'. So if you are going to rip the heart out of Democracy -- you have to get the people used to Lies.
5) Hierarchy:
One group of us is not better than another group of us. Hierarchy is the big lie at the center of things. What is racism, but one big lie: that one group is better than another?
6) Victim-hood:
Hierarchy beliefs lead right into Victim-hood: Once you convince people that they are higher on the Hierarchy scale, then you can tell them that they are victims of Equality.
7) Law and Order:
By definition the Fascist leader can't violate Law and Order. So Law and Order doesn't mean Justice. Law and Order doesn't mean Equality. Law and Order structures who's legitimate, and who's not.
8) Sexual Anxiety:
Everywhere around world, no matter what the socio-economic situation is, the Fascist leader tells you: "Your women and children are under threat. You need a Strongman to protect your family." They make Conservatives hysterically afraid of Transgender rights, or Homosexuality -- other ways of living.
9) Sodom and Gomorrah:
Fascist movements typically rest on an Urban-Rural divide. The Cities are where there is decadence, where the Elites congregate, where there's immigrants, where there's criminality -- Cities are the Sodom and Gomorrah. In the Cities there is not 'real work' -- the pure hard-working members of the nation live in the Rural areas.
10) Arbeit macht frei: ("Work shall make you free")
This was written on the gates of Auschwitz. The idea is that the minority group, and the Leftists, are lazy, and they need to be made to work. Hard work is a virtue. To be valued — is to be capable of hard work.
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Each of these individual elements is not in itself "Fascist" -- but you have to worry when they are all grouped together.
When honest Conservatives are lured into Fascism, by people who tell them: "Look it's an existential fight. I know you don't accept everything we do -- but your family is under threat, your family is at risk. So without us, you’re in peril."
Those moments are times, that we have to worry about Fascism.
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Once again we’ve been warned. Probably only an Election or two away, if the last cult/strongman leader doesn’t face the Justice, that his actions rightly deserve — assuming we are still a democracy grounded in equality and freedom, and the rule of law.
If Lindsey Graham got his threat/wish, the cult-strongman would be re-installed as leader, by a “powerful, violent response.” Wonder if the double-talking Senator realizes, how far he has fallen down this historic ultra-Nationalist rabbit-hole — classically known as Fascism?
I doubt it, the most loyal adherents rarely do.
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