Previous reply, rewritten
We, as a nation, have embarked down the very slippery slope of fascism. It starts rather insidiously as flag-waving patriotism, and before we know it, crosses the line to fascism. The surveilance, manipulation of the press, our country being run by corporate interests, investigations of library cards and book check-outs, censorship of the media, The list goes on...... Unfortunately, this country has its collective head up its collective ass, which is indicative of how good a job the Republicans are really doing.
The jingoists really cannot see past the benevolent hype that this administration is spewing, which obscurs the insidiousness of its malevolent reality. Surveilence of public places is one example. They use the excuse that it's to protect citizens from the criminal element of society, which may be one potential side effect of this activity. But, in reality, we are all being watched by these cameras. Maybe some cameras placed in strategic locations would be helpful to not necessarily protect anyone from a crime, but rather identify a perpetrator after a crime is committed. Cameras used at bodegas and small all-night stores or banks serve well in this regard, and maybe they can serve as a deterent. But, cameras in large malls where thousands of people are located or along city streets during daylight hours really serve only one purpose, that being to monitor our activities.
It's funny how the Patriot Act, which set up a plethora of personal 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, i.e. Guantanamo, or those being sent to other countries to be rendered, tortured by those countries who practice such without a legal system that would prevent such activity. These people are sent away without any charges against them. But, has anyone actually been convicted of terrorist activities? I don't know for sure, but I don't think so. The provisions of the Patriot Act are merely used to spy and harass citizens who don't toe the Republican "line".
One of the worst manifestations of fascism is the manipulation of the press. The Bush administration is spoon-feeding propaganda to news stations, packaged as real news, wherein the lazy news producers use the spin as real news. They are getting away with it, and we are in deep, deep trouble. Close-minded individuals who want so badly to believe it's all real news WILL believe it's all real, and they all rely on peoples' sense of patriotism and jingoist attitudes to carry the message. 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 Republicans portray this as a Democratic conspiracy to bollix up the process, thereby not allowing anyone to get appointed. This is so misrepresentational of the issue, serving to merely deflect the real issue, that being objecting to nominees who are so extremist in their viewpoints, as to likely influence their legal judgments. In fact, it is only the few truly worst of the extremist nominees, and those with questionable credentals that the Democrats are fighting. As long as the Republicans spin it this way, it serves to demonize their opposition, the Democrats. This is exactly what the Republicans do, and which is so scary. They demonize their opposition. The Nazis did it in Germany, but took it to the extreme. Is this where we are going?
I don't hate all conservatives or Republicans. 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 how some of them are really sincere in their concern for the betterment of the United States of America. But, what scares me is the fact that those who take it upon themselves to carry the Republican message of demonizing the opposition, portraying Democrats as the demise of this country, and actually buy into this lie. Those are the jingoistic fools who are really at the core of what is allowing this fascism to to take hold. It is 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, absent the genocide here (yet). In fact, the Republican playbook, spelled out in the Patriot Act, is fashioned directly after the Nazi playbook.
Oh, patriotism........... how insidiously malevolent it can be.