AMERICAN FASCISM

I have been seeing and hearing more and more the call that "Obama is a fascist." This seems to be exclusively a hard right wing rant, as exemplified by this Cody Willard FOX news report from one of the recent national Tea Party gatherings. I just sort of shrugged it off as the usual blather that has become the main theme of the right wing these days until I read a fine article by Shadia B. Drury writing in Free Inquiry entitled "Fascism American Style."

"The essence of American fascism is an alliance of this radical nationalism with religion. This is a very potent combination, because it is even easier to destroy the enemies of the nation when they are defined as evil and godless. If we keep thinking of fascism as an historical phenomenon that belongs to Italians and Germans, we will fail to recognize the symptoms when they manifest themselves in our own backyard. American fascism does not look exactly like German or Italian fascism. It is much more attractive, especially to Americans. It is wrapped in the American flag and bears the cross of Jesus."

She offers a clear explanation of the term fascism and how it relates to the neoconservatism of the Republican right.

So let's see, the right wing calls Obama and liberals fascists while they themselves exhibit actions, motives and traits of the fascists whom they condemn. This seems to fit with something else that I've observed. The right wing in this country has what psychologists call a bad case of Projection. Like when you're playing cards with someone who is always accusing someone else of cheating. Watch him closely because he most likely is, or has, cheated. We see this all the time in daily life. The problem in politics is that there are large groups projecting their failings on other groups. And the fact that they sometimes gain power and effect all of us. Remember the last eight years anyone?