Rush, Newspeak and Fascism: An exegesis

[realFedUp]

Rush, Newspeak and Fascism: An exegesis

The word "fascism" is starting to surface with increasing frequency in the rhetoric of both the right and left nowadays: Rush Limbaugh accuses Dick Gephardt of planning a "fascist" state, while antiwar protesters accuse President Bush of being a Nazi.

More seriously, however, many observers are beginning to see warnings signs that real fascism -- not the imagined or distorted version created by gross misuse, but the frightening phenomenon that always lurks in the background of mass politics -- is creeping up on us.

David Neiwert, a journalist with a long background in neo-Nazi and hate groups, examines these concerns in an essay now appearing on Cursor, "Rush, Newspeak and Fascism." His conclusion: Fascism has not arrived in America, but the conservative movement in general and the Republican Party particularly has been creating the conditions that can give rise to it.

Neiwert surveys the academic study of fascism and compares it to real-world events since the early 1990s. He provides a model for that explains how fascist ideas and memes are creeping into the mainstream with increasing regularity: through supposedly mainstream "transmitters" -- such as Limbaugh, Fox News, and Pat Robertson -- who pick up extremist notions and present them in a nice Republican cloth coat.

http://www.cursor.org/stories/fascismintroduction.php

[sinkingfeeling]

1. This is awesome......

I have been attempting to write something very similar to this and am so thankful, both to the author and to you.

[indepat]

2. Fascism might not have arrived in America, but all the seeds have been

sown and are germinating in full regalia: the breakdown of the separation of powers doctrine; the Congress's abrogation of its Article 1, Section 8 powers; the Supreme Court's indifference/acquisence to seemingly unconstitutional law, such as the USA Patriot Act; a political party which marches to the beat of the drummer in virtual lockstep; a mainstream media which shill for the wars, regressive tax schemes, unilateralism, abrogation of international treaties, and other far-right policies; a mainstream media which fail to keep the public informed; an emerging corporatism; the branding of dissent and threatening of dissenters; the operation of government in secrecy; an indifferent and lethargic public cowered into not questioning any action of those who control the levers of power, i.e., an abrogation of the patriotic duty to dissent when elected and appointed leaders fail in their oaths of office and fail to uphold the Constitution, our own and international law, and the principles upon which this nation was founded. Topped off by Britney-types and other talking heads telling us to trust, go along with everything our leader wants. Does that about cover it?

[DrBB]

3. He concisely enunciates the key to interpreting the right wing

It's something that has been said a number of times on DU, by yours truly and others, but it's worth saying again and again, and this guy puts it quite succinctly:

Indeed, one of the lessons I've gleaned from carefully observing the behavior of the American right over the years is that the best indicator of its agenda can be found in the very things of which it accuses the left.

This is known as "projection."

Excellent piece--thanks again for posting it here in the Editorials doldrums (my favorite hangout).

on edit: OMG! On top of everything, he observes that rarest of all usage strictures: he actually uses the word 'comprises' correctly! As in "After all, in its developmental phase, fascism in many ways comprises relatively mundane ideas and behaviors, which isolated seem unremarkable enough, but which in combination are both potent and lethal." The whole comprises the parts! The whole comprises the parts!

Be still, my beating heart. If I wasn't straight, I might be falling in love....

[Felix Mala]

4. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

Open this up if you want to have a few sleepless nights. I think of the Nazis every time Rush (Reich) says "liberals" have no sense of humor or when Ann Coulter won't name the "liberals" destroying the country but knows they're out there. If you haven't read it already, it's by William Shirer and is one of the best books on WWII ever written.

[scarletwoman]

5. WOW! Stunning piece of work! I wish EVERYONE would read this!

I've spent the last 3 hours reading the entire 15 chapters. Little did I know when I clicked on the link that I was about to encounter such a large opus, but once I started I couldn't stop.

Powerful, fascinating and chilling. It is the finest, most precise overview I have seen to date of the rise of these most dangerous and undemocratic currents present in our country today.

Thank you so much for bringing the link here, this is invaluable information!

sw

[BeachBuckeye]

6. This should be required reading

for everyone in America. One of the finest writings I have ever had the pleasure to read.

[kodi]

7. orcinus is a must read.

neiwert is doing outstanding work in shedding light on the far right and its enablers on his web site. his recent analysis of the smear attempts of bustamante's connections with latino nativist organizations is an eye opener of the right's propaganda techniques

http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/