Fascism: A Political Philosophy of the Left

Members of differing political parties love to refer to their opponents as "fascists." For years the popular myth has been that the further to the right one moves in the political spectrum, the closer he gets to fascism. Jonah Goldberg wrote a well argued, fact-enriched book called "Liberal Fascism." In the book Goldberg describes how fascism is not a right wing phenomenon, but another variant of socialism. Fascism, clearly, is a faith born of the left.

Whenever fascism is mentioned, one cannot help but think of Nazis and Hitlerism. The Nazis were fascists, but not all fascists were Nazis. Fascist Italy under Mussolini predated Nazism; neither it nor fascist Spain under Franco were anti-semitic, racist or genocidal. The Nazis were the worst variant of fascism.

Consequently, it would be ridiculous to compare modern Democrats to Nazis. However, this is not so when comparing them to the more benign fascists of Mussolini's pre-war Italy or Bismarck's Germany.

Fascism in its less savage forms was paternalistic, a nanny-state that wished to control every aspect of citizen's lives for their own good. Its similarities to modern liberalism are striking.

Indeed, in the prewar America of FDR, many Democrats admired fascism and thought it a grand experiment. And, the fascists of both Italy and Germany admired them back.

Okay, that's nice, but what is Fascism exactly? There is still a lot of argument about what is and isn't fascism; however, Goldberg shows that it usually has the following characteristics:

1. It is totalitarian; everything in society is viewed as political.
2. It is built on a philosophy of creating "a new man," where private interests are subordinate to the public interest, where all private citizens actively support the missions of the state.
3. It is anti-capitalism. However, it practices "corporatism," where corporations who support the government agenda are guaranteed markets, prices and an absence of competition. Corporations therefore become active partners of the government.
4. It is pro-socialism, often openly so. Mussolini claimed to be a socialist until the day he died. Fascism in Italy and Germany was pro-working class, supporting a minimum wage, generous medical insurance and state-funded pensions and other benefits.
5. Fascism sought to end class designations within society and to erase class warfare between rich and poor.
6. Fascism was opposed to religion, particularly Christianity. Both Mussolini and Hitler hated Christianity and wished to return to pre-Christian paganism. The Jacobins of France, the first fascists, hated Catholicism and wished to diminish the influence of the church on society.
7. Fascism sought to substitute the state in the place of God, to create a new "religion of the state."
8. Fascism sought to break the sanctity of the family, especially its hold over the beliefs and attitudes of children. It sought to ingrain fascistic principles from an early age, and to obtain control over children by moving them from the home into government boarding schools (e.g. the Jacobins).
10. Fascism sought to mobilize society through the generation of crises, such as war. Wars make society more malleable and willing to submit to collectivist goals for the common good. Modern day Dems seek to substitute "the moral equivalent of war," i.e. to generate other crises to encourage mobilization. The current crisis-mongering over global warming is undoubtedly a false crisis developed for this end.

Note that not all items in the fascist agenda are horrible -- some are undoubtedly worthy (e.g., the elimination of class distinctions).

Goldberg describes several phases of fascism, including:
1. The Jacobins of the French Revolution of the late 18th century
2. Bismarck's Germany of the 19th century
3. Woodrow Wilson's administration, the most fascistic period in American history
4. Benito Mussolini's Fascist Italy
5. Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany
6. FDR's New Deal
7. The New Left's antics in the 1960's

Jonah Goldberg describes fascism this way:

Fascism is a religion of the state. It assumes the organic unity of the body
politic and longs for a national leader attuned to the will of the people. It is
totalitarian in that it views everything as political and holds that any action
of the state is justified to achieve the common good. It takes responsibility
for all aspects of life, including our health and well-being, and seeks to
impose uniformity of thought and action, whether by force or through regulation
and social pressure. Everything, including the economy and religion, must be
aligned with its objectives. Any rival identity is part of the "problem" and
therefore defined as the enemy. I will argue that contemporary American
liberalism embodies all of these aspects of fascism.

Fascism, like Communism, is socialism. However, fascism differs from Communism in one way: fascism is nationalistic in orientation, Communism is international. Fascists were loyal to their country and their culture, whereas Communists identified only with their ideology -- they did not identify with a particular nation or culture. Fascists and Communists hated each other, not because they wanted different systems, but because they were in competition for the same constituency. They were competing versions of socialism.

Goldberg also discussed various American personalities who are often wrongly described as "right wing" or "conservative," when they were in fact, FDR socialists. Senator Huey Long and Father Coughlin, the "radio priest" are two of these.

There are some surprising aspects of Nazi Germany that are more or less analogous to liberalism today. Germany's practice of eugenics, e.g. the sterilization of undesirable elements, is reflected in liberal support for abortion, which falls most heavily on racial minorities (half of all black pregnancies end in abortion). Less troublesome similarities include vegetarianism, organic foods and animal rights.

How did the fascists get shifted from political left to right in the minds of many? It happened when Stalin began labeling all anti-communists as "fascists." Even Trotskyites were "fascists." Over time this erroneous appellation became ingrained in the public consciousness. But it isn't true. As Goldberg proves with overwhelming argument, facts and examples, fascism was and is a component of the progressive left.

Obama and Fascism

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about fascism, debunking a liberal's phony article about the "14 attributes of fascism."  The liberal's article was really a disguised attempt to link conservative traits to fascism; in other words, it was propaganda, not an honest discussion.

I have been studying fascism and have become convinced that Obama's administration shows some real traits of this form of government.  However, there are some differences as well.

There is no precise definition of fascism.  Neither Mussolini nor Franco sat down and made a list for what fascism must include.  (Hitler, by the way, was more than a fascist, he was a genocidal meglomaniac, and not the best example of fascism.)

From my readings, here is a loose list of fascist traits:

1.  Fascism is a near-worship of the State, a kind of secular religion where God is replaced by the State.
2.  Every aspect of life is within the purview of the State and nothing is outside of it.  Fascism is totalitarian.
3.  The State knows best and can regulate all aspects of the lives of its citizens, relying on committees of experts for policy decisions rather than democratic elections.  The State is not limited by a Constitution or Bill of Rights.  Individualism is suppressed, and all personal ambition and individual interests are subordinated to the State.  The purpose of the individual is to serve the State, and anything that he does or accomplishes must be judged by this one criterion.
4.  The citizenry are kept in a constant state of mobilization and militarization, similar to wartime conditions.  The State's goals are best carried out by a motivated citizenry who strongly believe in State goals and have a sense of urgency in their achievement.  Fascist leaders (and their progeny) are constantly looking for a new crisis to keep this motivation going, to find what has been called "the moral equivalent of war."  This motivating force may be from either an internal or external threat, real or imagined.
5. Fascist states are socialist, but this does not imply that all socialist states are fascist.  Fascist states generally direct the economy through both force and economic incentives, forcing government, corporations and labor unions to work together under terms dictated by the State.  Labor unions cannot strike.
6.  Fascist states are nationalistic rather than internationalist, and this is a key difference between fascism and Soviet communism.  (This is also, in my opinion, a point of departure for the Obama Administration, which tends to be internationalist or globalist.)
7.  Fascist states seek to change human nature so it is more amenable to the dictates of the State.  This is accomplished through indoctrination, particularly of children and young people through education early on, and by weakening the bonds of the nuclear family so that old beliefs will not be passed to new generations through the parent.  Indoctrination is also widely achieved by mass media that are loyal to the State.  Competing views are suppressed or prohibited altogether.
8.  Citizens who refuse to cooperate in the goals and programs of the State are ostracized and punished, and this punishment may be extreme.  This ostracism and punishment are carried out by agencies of the State, not limited to police and military agencies (e.g. during the fascistic Wilson Administration, the Post Office would refuse to deliver newsletters and magazines that opposed Administration policies).  Obama's recent flap, with the IRS denying equal service to citizens based on their political support or opposition, was entirely fascist in nature.
9.  Fascist states tend to oppose religion because religious beliefs often contradict state policies and offer a competing view of reality, morals and behavior, all of which may weaken loyalty to the State and to State dogmas.  Religion is hated simply because it is a form of competition for the loyalties of the citizenry.

Note:  Fascism does not require ethnic hatreds like those of the Nazis.  Hitler's antisemitism was peculiar to German fascism and not followed by either Mussolini or Franco.  However, in the search for the "moral equivalent of war," ethnic hatred may be a useful tool for motivating the masses, and therefore always a possible tactic in the Fascist lexicon.

Fascist states may or may not be expansionist.  Both the German and Japanese governments of the 1930's and 1940's were motivated by conquest, i.e. the desire to obtain additional territory and resources by force, which included using conquered peoples as slaves.  Sometimes the greatest "moral equivalent of war" is war itself -- Mussolini invaded Ethiopia as a tactic to strengthen his political power when Italians began to tire of fascism.

Progressive Fascism in Western Nations

I read Jonah Goldberg's book "Liberal Fascism" twice.  Why twice?  The first time I forgot to highlight significant passages for future reference.  It was worth a second read to understand what Fascism is and is not.

Fascism is a totalitarian form of government wherein the the thoughts and opinions of the masses are heavily regulated, with severe punishments for dissenters.  The underlying economic system is somewhat capitalistic, but crony capitalism reigns supreme, with the government granting monopolies to major industries, so long as those industries are amenable and supportive of government programs and propaganda.

Fascism seeks to seize the minds of the population early on, by requiring children to be indoctrinated in government-run schools, often requiring them to live apart from their parents' influence.  This was seen in both Jacobin France and later on in more modern fascist societies.

Goldberg discusses several variants of fascism; yes, the well-known kind under Mussolini and Hitler, but other forms like the Jacobins of the French Revolution, who micro-managed French society with mad obsession, executing thousands of people at whim, based on the victims' social class but also based on rumor and slander from neighbors.  The French Revolution was a disgusting descent into madness and mass murder by the revolutionary government.  "Fascist" is a term that justly fits that epoch and its movement.

In American history, both Abraham Lincoln and Woodrow Wilson come closest to fascist rule, displaying the same policies:  crony capitalism, an enforced political viewpoint, punishment and imprisonment of dissenters, and government force.

Today we see fascism boldly reasserting itself in the American and European Left.  There are unofficial policies, practices and  dogmas that must not be questioned and must be vigorously supported....or else.  Some of these are:

1.  Near-worship of the sacred non-white "other."  You may not make jokes, references or comments that in any way might be considered flippant, disrespectful or in any way "iffy" of any member of a leftist "protected group," with blacks being the foremost example.  The Lawrence Auster Rule on Protected Groups is “The more troublesome, unassimilable, or dangerous a designated minority or non-Western group actually is, the more favorably it is treated.”

2.  Extreme Intolerance of Dissent and Differing Beliefs.   Fascism is marked by extreme intolerance for dissenting beliefs.  Either tow the party line and support the Official Narrative or suffer the consequences.   The most recent example of this is the Fascist Greek Olympics Committee, who abruptly ended the Olympics career of 24 year old Voula Papachristou for tweeting a mild and harmless joke involving blacks in Greece.  Her mild joke denigrated no one, but could be considered "iffy" by a man on horseback riding by in a snowstorm, so the fascist ax fell quickly.  Voula Papachristou, who had been training for many hours over several years to compete in the Olympics, was kicked off the Greek Olympics team without hearing or appeal.  The Greek Olympics Committee, like any official fascist body, acted as judge, jury and executioner, in what can only be viewed as an over-the-top, totalitarian act, a punishment completely out of proportion to the alleged "crime" of free speech.

This is group-think, intolerance for independent thought, with a need to publicly punish and humiliate the miscreants.  Before you can regiment society, you must train the minds of the masses.  Instill knee-jerk reactions so that alternative views are unthinkable.

Another example is Chick-Fil-A restaurant chain, whose owners have publicly opposed the legalization of gay marriage (putting them in agreement with the vast majority of the American public).  To punish the thought crime of the owners, mayors of San Francisco and Chicago have vowed to prevent Chick-Fil-A from doing business in their cities.  Its owners are being punished for thought crimes, because fascism allows no diversity of thought or belief.  Fascists generally do not tolerate dissent and will go to extreme measures to prevent it.  Like under the German and Italian fascists, like the Woodrow Wilson Administration, industry is only supported by the government when business is subservient and supportive of government policies, programs and propaganda.

3.  Extreme Bias Against a Specific Ethnic Group.  The German fascists had the Jews, and the Jacobins had the Nobility for use as sacrificial lambs and scapegoats.  The modern "progressive" movement, our latest incarnation of fascism, detests white, Christian males.  Being white is viewed as a mortal sin and a white skin is your uniform in the enemy army, making you a convenient target.  Groups that are very intolerant, hateful and violent, like fundamentalist Muslims and the black underclass, are feted and celebrated in an orgy of inclusiveness, though these groups do not support inclusion or tolerance themselves.  They are not white, and therefore friends and allies of the neo-fascists, irrespective of all other considerations.  The bias against whites goes hand in hand with the near-worship of the non-white "other" described in point 1 above.

4.  The Slander and Physical Destruction of Dissenters and Political Opponents.  Fascist movements in the recent past have used street thugs, protests and violence to intimidate the opposition and blackmail society in granting them what they want.  The fairly recent beating of a black Tea Party member by government union (SEIU) thugs is a case in point.  He was merely handing out small "Don't Tread on Me" flags at a political rally when set upon by union members, who closely resemble fascists no matter how you look at it.  The "Occupy" Movement also bears an uncanny resemblance to fascism.  They occupied public property, created disruption and destruction, all in an attempt to blackmail society into supporting them without the necessity of work.  Fascism is blackmail, and the Occupy Movement was both.  More recently, we see Hollywood "stars" tweeting extreme insults and slander towards conservatives, often involving filthy and extreme language.  See Roseanne Barr, Ellen Barkin, and Cher (who has become increasingly unhinged).

5.  A Searing Hypocrisy.  Fascists believe that they can be ruthless, arrogant, profane and hateful, all the while accusing their opponents of what they are themselves.  Hypocrisy is one of the most obvious traits of the modern-day fascist.

These are not the only characteristics that modern-day "progressives" share with fascism, but they are probably the most prominent.

Comedian Rob Schneider Says "We Are Sliding Very Fast Towards Fascism"

Rob Schneider

Comedian Rob Schneider, in an interview with Chris Stigall of CBS radio in Philadelphia, expressed some fears many of us have now.

Schneider said:

Democracies don’t end well. We are sliding very fast towards fascism. It’s an ugly kind of thing. There’s this kind of mob mentality that we have to be careful of.

He believes comedians are pressured toward one side of the political spectrum.  He commented:

There’s a polarization that’s happening…I do think you can look at government and go, ‘Wow, it is out of control now,’ and if you do criticize or tend to be not directly along a liberal stand, you can get murdered.  

I agree with Schneider about the slide into fascism.  Some have called the modern Democrat Party "Neo-Communist," but I believe it is more Neo-Fascist along the Mussolini model (not the Nazi model).   I have studied fascism (particularly, Jonah Goldberg's book Liberal Fascism), in order to better understand it.

Here is what I wrote about it on June 10, 2013:

Dr. "Death" Kervorkian on Fox News; the "14 Steps to Fascism"

Today I watched Dr. Kervorkian interviewed by Neil Cavuto on Fox News. Cavuto was trying to tie Kervorkian's suicide assistance together with Obamacare and wasn't too successful. Cavuto was talking politics, Kervorkian was talking philosophy and often they just talked past each other.

At one point Cavuto asked Kervorkian why Dr. K had, in the past, likened the USA to Nazi Germany. Kervorkian cited the "14 steps to fascism" that some nutcase had promulgated. I Googled "14 steps to fascism" and came up with a list that appears dishonest and agenda-driven. It did not describe fascism; it seemed to be describing attributes of Bush and Republicans (or more accurately, the left's skewed beliefs about them) and trying to pass them off as fascism.

Some of the "fascist points" in the list:

Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

My comment: So if you are patriotic, you're a fascist. Riiiight. Schools and post offices everywhere must be fascist. Politicians with lapel flag pins must be fascists.

Religion and Government are Intertwined -- Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.

This appears to be a slap at Bush for being a devout Christian. However, it appears untrue as a general rule about fascism. I am not aware that either Mussolini or Hitler, the two leading fascists, supported (or even exploited) Christianity to any significant degree. In fact, Nazi fascists were pagans and vegetarians -- not Christians. Both Hitler and Mussolini opposed Christianity.

See the list here to read all of the claims.

I would refute this list point by point, but it doesn't appear to have been widely circulated or accepted, even among the left. What it does illustrate, however, is how people with a political agenda are often less than objective when describing some objectionable ideology. Their goal is to attribute the traits of that ideology to their opponents.

Meanwhile, if you want to understand the history, beliefs, traits and practices of fascism, do read Jonah Goldberg's "Liberal Fascism." I read it twice and will probably read it a third time.

The Wikipedia article on fascism is also pretty good.

The "Fourteen Attributes of Fascism": A Highly Self Serving Definition by a Liberal Writer

It's difficult to find an objective definition of fascism on the web.  Most are self-serving, usually leftist screeds, designed to incorporate conservative or Republican attributes into the definition.  For example, see this rather blatant example at this link.  This website, and others, make use of a dubious list of 14 attributes of fascism.

Liberal websites rely on a fraudulent list of "fourteen attributes of fascism" that was written by a Democrat, one Laurence Britt, during the 2004 election cycle. It was never intended to be a scholarly analysis of fascism, but only a partisan political argument against the Bush Administration.  (Read more about it here.)  Nevertheless, this phony and biased "list" is widely disseminated even today by leftists and liberal writers and bloggers, as if it were real and accurate.  They usually describe it this way:

Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, published research on fascism in which he examined the fascist regimes of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Suharto and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each fascist State.

Note that Laurence Britt (note proper spelling) was neither a doctor nor a political scientist, and his list was not derived from any analysis of past fascistic regimes.  Here are his 14 phony attributes (with my comments in red):

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism – Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.  [So if you are patriotic and fly the flag, you might be a fascist.  According to this definition, the former Soviet Union, Red China and North Korea are fascists too.]

2. Disdain for the recognition of Human Rights – Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarceration of prisoners, etc.  [Waterboarding is allegedly torture, therefore Bush was a fascist because he used it on captured terrorists. The "long incarceration of prisoners" is probably a dig at Gitmo and its residents.]

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause – The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists; terrorists, etc.  [So any concerns over an external threat like radical Islam or Communist aggression makes you a fascist.  However, a "frenzy" over the non-existent threat of domestic, right-wing terrorists is okay, even supported by Big Sis of Homeland Security.  How about the "unifying cause" of non-existent global warming and its pending destruction of the human race?]

4. Supremacy of the Military – Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military are glamorized.  [That's why we fascist Republicans want a strong military instead of spending all that dough on transforming the ghettos into the City of Oz.]

5. Rampant sexism – The government of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.  [The last sentence describes key liberal agendas and makes the bias of the author transparently obvious.  Quite a few of the Nazi regime were blatant homosexuals (see here).  As for abortion, Although the Nazis banned abortion for Aryan women, they enthusiastically peddled and promoted abortion for non-Aryans. In fact, the Nazis mandated legalized abortion in several European countries where it had never been legal before (see here). It is utter nonsense to assert that if you oppose abortion, i.e. the extermination of the helpless unborn, you are a fascist.]

6. Controlled Mass Media – Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.  [Hmm, I agree with this one.  It clearly describes the mainstream media and their slavish support of Democrats and Barack Obama.  As for "censorship in wartime," FDR did plenty of that and I don't disagree with it.]

7. Obsession with National security – Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.  [You mean like fear of the Tea Party?  Fear of "racists" (see the Southern Poverty Law Center)?  Fear of non-existent "right wing" domestic terrorists?]

8. Religion and Government are intertwined – Government in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.  [This is B.S., another obvious play to the liberal bias against religious conservatives.  The French Jacobins, fascists in the true sense of the word, hated religion and executed priests.  Hitler hated Christianity and Nazis were pagans, vegetarians and occultists.  Benito Mussolini was an atheist.]

9. Corporate Power is Protected – The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation are often the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.  [This is almost accurate.  In fascism, there is a strong partnership between the government and major corporations, but it is false to say the latter put the former into power.  Labor Unions probably have more power to effect elections than corporations today.  Government grants benefits and power to those corporations who support its goals, shields those corporations from competition or gives those corporations monopolies over various economic activity.  In turn, the corporations require their employees to also support government goals, memes and beliefs.  See the Wilson Administration, e.g. "We do our part."] 

10. Labor Power is suppressed – Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated, or are severely restricted.  [Another self-serving but inaccurate definition.  Hitler didn't banish labor unions, as the left has disingenuously asserted; he brought them into the Nazi movement by creating the German Labor Front (Deutsche Arbeitsfront, DAF), which was comprised of two primary entities, the National Socialist Factory Organization and the National Socialist Trade and Industry Organization. Benito Mussolini, leader of fascist Italy, was a union activist who was expelled from Trentino province for his union activities.]

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts – Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.  [Brazen nonsense.  Hitler originally aspired to be an artist, and the Nazis stole great art from the nations they conquered.  They used artistic displays and statuary to glorify Aryan man.  Mussolini celebrated and supported Italian artists.  It would be more accurate to say that fascism loves art, especially art that justifies, glorifies and rationalizes its political goals.  As for education, higher and otherwise, fascists supported education, particularly as a means of indoctrinating students in its goals and philosophy, much as is the case on leftist controlled campuses today.]

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment – Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.  [The first sentence is accurate, the second is liberal propaganda.  Under fascist regimes, the people do not have the option to "forego civil liberties" since they aren't given that as a choice.]

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption – Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.  [I know of no historical examples that would make cronyism a trait limited to fascists.  It is true of any and all governments, including that of Barack Obama.  As for massive governmental theft, I know of no better example than our system of taxation and "redistribution of wealth."]

14. Fraudulent Elections – Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassinations of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.  [This was probably a reference to Bush's alleged theft of the 2000 election, when the Supreme Court ruled against the Democratic Party of Florida.  In actuality, the left now controls the mainstream media to an extreme degree, and Democrat judges often overturn the results of elections that they do not approve of -- like those outlawing Sharia law or prohibiting gay marriage.]

In a later post I will attempt to provide a more concise and accurate description of what fascism really was and is.  

Is Barack Obama a Marxist?

The nutroots are outraged because Tom Delay called Barack Obama "a Marxist" today. Delay was partially correct - from what we know about Obama, he is a member of the far left, but Marxism is probably not the correct category.

Marxism is totalitarianism where the entire means of production (the economy) is owned and directed by the state. It calls for armed revolution against the non-communist ruling class. Revolution is usually followed by widespread execution of capitalists, business owners and large farm owners. Does Obama believe that? Perhaps, but I haven't seen any evidence of that.

What Obama is, clearly, is a fascist. The most honest spin one could put on Obama's political leanings is that he is a democratic fascist. That's different than historical fascism, where the state is ruled by a single dictator. Democratic fascism would be ruled by a single political party, to the extent possible.

Traditionally, democratic fascism is made possible by major media who are in that party's hip pocket and who are the gatekeepers as to what news is heard and which is not, and the spin and intepretation put on that news. Expect Obama to reinstate the fairness doctrine, where conservative talk radio would cease to exist. Expect also a massive gerrymandering of congressional districts to create safe enclaves for Democrats. In those rare times when Democratic legislation is defeated, expect more Democrat "living constitution" judges who will legislate from the bench.

The Democrats may try to expand their constituency by giving citizenship to illegal aliens, and the vote to illegals by suppressing voter identification legislation. Finally, control of the ballot box will allow dead people to vote Democratic, as they have several times in the past. When all else fails, the Democrats can appoint special judges to persecute and prosecute Republicans, as they have done to Tom Delay and Scooter Libby.

There are many ways to compromise a representative democracy and Democrats are well schooled in all of them.

Fascism in its mildest form is still collectivist and socialist, but the state does not own the entire means of production. Many businesses are left in the hands of private owners, as long as they support the objectives of the fascist state. Nevertheless, historic fascism did nationalize certain key industries. Obama would probably nationalize the medical industry, as Hillary tried to do, but I know of no others. Of course, outright ownership of the means of productions isn't necessary to control industry. Industry can be intimidated and/or bribed to fall into line. The power to tax and regulate is the power to destroy, and very high taxes would be a hallmark of the Obama administration. Repeated IRS audits of conservative organizations, common during Bill Clinton's administration, provides great intimidation to those businesses who don't embrace "the program." For those who do support it, there are tax credits, corporate welfare and pork projects, paid for by the taxpayers.

No, Obama is a fascist within the correct historical definition of the term. See my post on Jonah Goldberg's book "Liberal Fascsim" for details.

Grade School Fascism and Anti-Gun Hysteria

Yosemite Sam

Fascism is force.  Fascism is indoctrination.  Fascism is ostracism, punishment and intimidation of those who violate its tenets, however far-fetched the crime, however young and unwitting the perpetrators.

For several years I have watched in increasing anger and dismay at the severe indoctrination and intimidation of grade school children by progressive fascists, mainly over guns and knives.  The latest example is here, where a 7 year old was suspended for allegedly eating his pop tart into the shape of a gun.

The extremism of local school boards has reached unprecedented levels of absurdity, but it is not without purpose or design.  The current generation of grammar school children will someday grow up to be the adults who vote.  By then these new adults will be so terrified of guns that they will vote away the Second Amendment in a heartbeat.  To create the new docile and manageable American adult, any and all discussion or depiction of guns must be ruthlessly suppressed.

One must never be allowed to think about guns, mention guns, depict guns in any way, either by toy replicas, or by drawing guns, or by pointing one's fingers to simulate a gun, or by eating pastry into a gun-like shape.  Those who do will be severely punished, not for actual deeds, but for thought crimes.

"Come and Take It!"

It is time to counter such insanity with strong measures.  If it were up to me, the Maryland community that is served by this school would picket the school, hoisting signs and placards that depict real guns in photographs and drawings.  Informational pamphlets would be handed out to passers-by with pertinent facts, such as "this is a picture of a real gun.  It does not shoot.  It cannot harm anyone.  Depictions of guns harm no one!  Know the difference.  End anti-gun fascism now!"

They could hand out toy guns to school kids outside of school grounds, offer free pastries baked into gun shapes, post pictures of cartoon guns on telephone poles, patrol the school perimeter armed with super-shooter squirt guns, bubble guns and toy guns with barrel flags that say "BANG!"  Candy makers could make bubble gum in the shape of tiny handguns;  women could wear handgun earrings and (fake) bullet necklaces, men could wear gun-shaped lapel pins.  Informational pamphlets depicting real guns, and how they differ from imaginary guns, could be mailed to every member of the school board and teachers' union.  Planes could be hired to drop leaflets depicting comic guns with "bang" flags over all local school grounds.  T shirts with Yosemite Sam brandishing cartoon six-shooters could be worn by all protesters.  (What are they gonna do, arrest Walt Disney?)

In other words, absurdity should be fought with counter-absurdity.  Everywhere the grade school fascists turn, they should see the comical depiction of a gun.  I say comical so they can't claim intimidation or interpret the depictions as any kind of implied threat.  The goal is to rub the fascist nose in the asininity of progressive paranoia while deliberately flouting its program.

Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week Begins

Islam-Fascism Awareness Week began today. Various speakers on the subject will be speaking at various universities and other forums on the subject. Frontpagemag.com selected this photograph as the symbol of Islamo-Fascism Awareness. It depicts a young Iranian woman being prepared for death by stoning, a barbaric practice common in Islam. The woman was convicted of adultery and, per the express orders of Muhammad, must be stoned to death.

See the UK article that ran this picture to learn more about death by stoning. It reads,

Under Islamic law a male convict is buried up to the waist with his hands tied behind his back, while a female is usually buried up to her neck. Spectators and officials then carry out the execution by hurling rocks and stones. The stones are deliberately chosen to be large enough to cause pain, but not big enough to kill the person in just one or two strikes.

Not surprisingly, the Left opposes Islamo-Fascism Awareness week, presumably because they always support Evil in all its forms and expressions.

In all fairness to Islam, not all adulteresses are stoned to death. Some are hanged. A rope is put around the neck and the victim hoisted into the air by a crane. At least with hanging, death comes swiftly. Gays are often hanged too. Women who are raped are often imprisoned, beaten or murdered in so-called "honor killings."

More graphic pictures can be seen at the links below.

To learn more about Islamo-Fascism, do check out the following links:

Frontpagemag.com

The Religion of Peace

Islam is the world's most evil religion. Just because Evil disguises itself as religion is no reason to tolerate it. Get informed.

United In Hate: Why the Left Loves and Glorifies Tyranny

I just got from Amazon.com my copy of Jamie Glazov's book, "United in Hate: The Left's Romance with Tyranny and Terror." I also heard Glazov on KSFO radio (San Francisco) talk about the book.

Glazov notes that the Left always supports the tyranny du jour. First they supported Fascism; then Soviet Communism; and today they support violent Islam and Jihad. This is not an exaggeration. Jonah Goldberg, in his book "Liberal Fascism," gives historical facts about the liberal dalliance with fascism in the 1930s (they liked it -- a strong central, socialist government where the interests of the state superseded that of the individual. What's not to like?).

The left's romance with Soviet tyranny is something I observed first hand, having lived through a few decades of that history. Basically, they wanted unilateral disarmament, meaning, we would prove to the Soviets that we loved and trusted them by eliminating or severely reducing our nuclear stockpiles, thus making them feel secure and voila, they would eventually follow suit by reducing their nuclear capability as well. Furthermore, we wouldn't oppose their subversion and conquest of other nations because those nations would be better off under communism anyway. Some idiots even suggested that we send great sums of money to communist third-world despotisms who hated our guts. Sort of like Obama is doing today with regard to Hamas, pledging to send them almost a billion dollars.

Today radical Islam is the new fad. Leftists throughout the West are importing millions of hostile Muslims and changing their laws and customs to suit the newcomers. The Left hates Jews and so admire the fanatical Islamic anti-semitism.

Well, you have to give the left credit. They always support regimes that create millions of smiling faces. Of course, those faces are skulls. See illustration above right.

Glasov points out that liberals greatly admire people and regimes that would surely kill those liberals if they lived under their rule. This would seem to confirm Michael Savage's observation that liberalism is a mental disorder.

On the radio, Glasov said that leftists want to establish a socialist "paradise" on earth and believe that can only be done on the ashes of the existing world. A great, cleansing cataclysm must occur to destroy capitalism and modern civilization; then the new socialist society can be created. In this regard they see militant Islam as a useful tool for that end, one that can help destroy the existing order. Destruction of western civilization brings joy to the leftist heart. It explains why so many of them were so gleeful when the 9/11 attack destroyed 3,000 lives and billions of dollars in property.

Yes, with a little destructive assistance from Islam, socialism can emerge to provide the new paradise. It's nonsense, of course. Socialism destroys human incentive and industrial production; under it millions of people have starved or were exterminated.

Of course, this one attribute -- millions of dead people -- is common to all of the tyrannies that the left has embraced. Millions died under fascism, communism and Islamism. There is no possible hope for a "paradise" under a leftist system. The left wants to eliminate what has worked better than any other system in human history -- capitalism and democracy -- and replace them with a system that has always failed spectacularly in providing either freedom or food.

They will accomplish this over our dead bodies. And that's the plan.

The Digital Iron Curtain Descends: Amazon to Terminate Parler Today

Parler's servers are hosted by Amazon, but Amazon is going along with the mass censorship movement of the Far Left.  So Parler will soon be inaccessible to millions of its users.  Geller has the details here. 

The modern left is fueled by hatred, vindictiveness and a desire for revenge.  They are determined to punish anyone who supported or worked for the Trump Administration.  They are political fanatics and extremists.  Forbes, supposedly a bastion of free market capitalism, has declared war on any company that hires former Trump supporters.  Forbes wants those supporters and cabinet officials to suffer public ostracism, unemployment, economic deprivation, and humiliation.  

Pamela Geller is spot on in her description of the new liberal fascism:

The unholy alliance between government and big business is fascism, and I mean the literal definition of the word: Fascism is authoritarianism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition and strong regimentation of society and of the economy.

Kudos to Daniel Greenfield for coining the apt description "the Digital Iron Curtain."

Puffin' and a Grinnin'

It's cool here in Podunk where I live. It's a small town 90 miles south of San Francisco. Quite rural. There are lots of farms around, with furrowed fields and crops always growing. Lots of cows.

Today I am just puffing on a cigar underneath our new gazebo in the backyard, reading Jonah Goldberg's book, "Liberal Fascism." It's a history of fascism and Nazism and an explanation of why fascism and Nazism are ideologies of the political left, not the right. Maybe I'll blog about it later on.

I just got off of a contract project with a large construction company that is helping to rebuild the World Trade Center in New York. While I wait for a new assignment, I am just puffin' and grinnin.' That's a take off from the old Hee Haw show where Buck Owens and friends played guitars and banjos in a segment called "Pickin' and Grinnin'.

With any luck I may have time to get a nap in before bedtime.

The Return of the Militias and the New Fascism

In January 2013 I wrote that the growing threat to liberty by the federal government requires us to support and fund the militias that exist throughout the United States.  Never before in my lifetime have I seen a more aggressive, overreaching and threatening federal government.  Indeed, it seems obsessed with acquiring power over our lives, thoughts and deeds.  Based on my readings, I see these tendencies as fascism rather than communism (see this post).

I had believed that the militia movement was dead, killed off by negative publicity after the libs blamed them (falsely) for the Oklahoma City bombing.  Happily, I find I was wrong.  The Cliven Bundy Ranch standoff was brought to a conclusion by militia members from several states, as well as by many other citizens who faced down the feds.

Now the BLM is eyeballing land in Texas that the feds "own."  With the left's corrupt and bankrupt policies, they are motivated to extract all the cash they can from the private sector. However, the Oklahoma militia has said they will oppose further incursions of the feds into the western states, and are ready to shoot if necessary.  Obviously, we all hope that will never be necessary.  However, there is a point where discussion ends and revolution begins.  Many Americans feel they are being increasingly pushed towards the latter.

Note to the feds:  you work for us, we do not work for you.  We own you, you do not own us.  You answer to us, we do not answer to you.

BACK OFF.

Google Censors Atlas Shrugs

In a typically heavy-handed way, Google has deleted references to Pamela Geller's site, "Atlas Shrugs." Google Atlas Shrugs and you will get a list of other websites and blogs that refer to the site, but not the Atlas Shrugs site itself.

Geller has attempted to get an explanation from Google but has been treated shabbily by Google staff.

They say that the primary owners of Google are liberal Democrats and big supporters of Barack Obama. Apparently, the censorship of AS is due to the fact that Google doesn't want any publicity or discussions over Obama's birth certificate. Geller was an early critic of Obama for refusing to supply an official copy of his birth certificate. She was also the primary investigator of the forged document (a Certificate of Live Birth from Hawaii) supplied by a liberal website.

Democrats can be very Machiavellian, as I have said many times on this site. They are not for "freedom of speech" per se, they are for freedom of liberal speech. Those with something to hide will find ways to hide it. And Google has.

This kind of soft fascism has been seen before in prior decades. President Woodrow Wilson had the Post Office refuse to deliver newsletters and magazines that did not support his policies. He even had people arrested and jailed for failing to support them. The details are covered in Jonah Goldberg's book "Liberal Fascism."

Welcome to Obama's America.

To Hell With It -- Let's Just Secede

It appears that Congress will be successful in passing its "Global Warming" bill and Cap and Tax scheme. There is no global warming, of course, but the bill will allow Congress to finally enact leftwing fascism in America, controlling every aspect of our personal lives and taxing us until we bleed.

If you think the economy is bad now, to quote Barack Obama "You ain't seen nothin' yet!" Be prepared to live at a lower level, to give up opportunities for a better life, to go without.

As the Democrats pursue their radical agenda to remake America into a socialist tyranny, we must begin thinking of radical responses. Since this country is ostensibly built on the "consent of the governed," we must withdraw our consent. The federal government vastly exceeded its Constitutional role some time ago and it's time to actively fight the monster it has become.

It is time for a radical reorganization of the individual states of the union. Those red states who dissent from the Democrats' radical agenda should simply put the federal government on notice that its bold new unconstitutional forays into health care and energy are null and void.

Further, the Supreme Court has been so corrupted with activist judges that it can no longer be trusted to arbitrate Constitutional disputes. The Supreme Court has become, not the ultimate defender of the Constitution, but its ultimate executioner. It subverts the Constitution far more often than it upholds it. The Supreme Court under Obama will take that final step to being merely an arm of the radical left; they will fire the coup de grace that will finally put the old document out of its misery. Which means that it will not be a "living document" but one that is quite dead, thank you.

In other words, Congress can pass a new fascist agenda until it's blue in the face, but we do not intend to obey it or abide by it. And if the Dems attempt to enforce their unconstitutional new laws at the point of a gun, we should be prepared to fight them.

We need a new Magna Charta of sorts. It should include the following:

1. A Supreme Court that is highly politicized and dedicated to politcal activism and "legislating from the bench" is not the court envisioned when this country was founded. Hereinafter, any Supreme Court decisions that are clearly unconstitutional will be disregarded and of no effect in the individual states as those states see fit.

2. Any cap and trade wealth redistribution scheme is null and void in any state who refuses to go along; no such taxes will be assessed or collected in such states by the federal government.

3. All federal restrictions on oil drilling, off the coast or within the interior of the United States, are null and void.

4. Any laws passed to subvert the 2nd Amendment and to disarm the populace are null and void and will not be enforced.

5. Any federal taxation that exceeds a reasonable rate needed to carry out the true Constitutional role of the federal government will not be collected or remitted to the federal government. All individual states should immediately take over the assessment and collection of federal taxes from its citizens and remove the federal government from the process altogether.

A new coalition of willing states should be formed immediately, for the purpose of resisting the new federal tyranny of the Obama Administration and the Democratic Party; of standing together and even to raising a common militia if needed for their own protection, and if ultimately necessary, for the secession of such states from the United States and the forming of a new nation dedicated to the original principles of the Founding Fathers.

We are facing a radical new fascism and the situation calls for an appropriate response, i.e. one that is bold and determined to resist the new tyranny now being foisted upon us. Let us rise to the challenge.

Pastor Terry Jones's Website Removed by the ISP; His Reasons For Burning the Koran Reprinted Here

Galloping Dhimmitude, the ISP that hosted Dove World (the site of Pastor Terry Jones's church) has removed the website.  Now no one can read Pastor Jones's reasons for burning a Koran.  However, Lawrence Auster has found a copy somewhere and reprinted Jones's list of reasons.  They are reprinted below.

Ten Reasons to Burn a Koran - by Pastor Terry Jones

On 9/11/10 we are burning Korans to raise awareness and warn. In a sense it is neither an act of love nor of hate. We see, as we state in the Ten Reasons below, that Islam is a danger. We are using this act to warn about the teaching and ideology of Islam, which we do hate as it is hateful. We do not hate any people, however. We love, as God loves, all the people in the world and we want them to come to a knowledge of the truth. To warn of danger and harm is a loving act. God is love and truth. If you know the truth it can set you free. The world is in bondage to the massive grip of the lies of Islam. These are:

One
The Koran teaches that Jesus Christ, the Crucified, Risen Son of God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords was NOT the Son of God, nor was he crucified (a well documented historical fact that ONLY Islam denies). This teaching removes the possibility of salvation and eternal life in heaven for all Islam's believers. They face eternal damnation in hell if they do not repent.

Two
The Koran does not have an eternal origin. It is not recorded in heaven. The Almighty God, Creator of the World, is NOT it's source. It is not holy. It's writings are human in origin, a concoction of old and new teachings. This has been stated and restated for centuries by scholars since Islam's beginnings, both Moslem and non-Moslem.

Three
The Koran's teaching includes Arabian idolatry, paganism, rites and rituals. These are demonic, an ongoing satanic stronghold under which Moslems and the world suffer.

Four
The earliest writings that are known to exist about the Prophet Mohammad were recorded 120 years after his death. All of the Islamic writings (the Koran and the Hadith, the biographies, the traditions and histories) are confused, contradictory and inconsistent. Maybe Mohammad never existed. We have no conclusive account about what he said or did. Yet Moslems follow the destructive teachings of Islam without question.

Five
Mohammad's life and message cannot be respected. The first Meccan period of his leadership seems to have been religiously motivated and a search for the truth. But in the second Medina period he was "corrupted by power and worldly ambitions." (Ibn Warraq) These are characteristics that God hates. They also led to political assassinations and massacres which continue to be carried out on a regular basis by his followers today.

Six
Islamic Law is totalitarian in nature. There is no separation of church and state. It is irrational. It is supposedly immutable and cannot be changed. It must be accepted without criticism. It has many similarities to Nazism, Communism and Fascism. It is not compatible with Western Civilization.

Seven
Islam is not compatible with democracy and human rights. The notion of a moral individual capable of making decisions and taking responsibility for them does not exist in Islam. The attitude towards women in Islam as inferior possessions of men has led to countless cases of mistreatment and abuse for which Moslem men receive little or no punishment, and in many cases are encouraged to commit such acts, and are even praised for them. This is a direct fruit of the teachings of the Koran.

Eight
A Muslim does not have the right to change his religion. Apostasy is punishable by death.

Nine
Deep in the Islamic teaching and culture is the irrational fear and loathing of the West.

Ten
Islam is a weapon of Arab imperialism and Islamic colonialism. Wherever Islam has or gains political power, Christians, Jews and all non-Moslems receive persecution, discrimination, are forced to convert. There are massacres and churches, synagogues, temples and other places of worship are destroyed.

Here are some additional thoughts and addendums from Jones's website:

From Acts 19 (Amplified)

**** 18Many also of those who were now believers came making*full confession and thoroughly exposing their [former deceptive and evil] practices.

*** 19And many of those who had practiced curious, magical arts collected their books and [throwing them, book after book, on the pile] burned them in the sight of everybody. When they counted the value of them, they found it amounted to 50,000 pieces of silver (about $9,300).
*** 20Thus the Word of the Lord [concerning the*attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] grew and spread and intensified, prevailing mightily.

Like the Christians in Acts 19, we are publicly burning a book that is demonic. Many of our greatest supporters are ex-Moslems. They know these evils first hand. We are not, like the Nazis, stealing books, destroying properties or harming any people. We are not Nazis nor are we like Nazis. The Christians in Acts 19 did not go on from their scroll burning to harm anyone. They used the public burning as an opportunity, a demonstration to preach the truth. Only to preach and leave the decision of whether to follow the truth or not.*

Do not forget POINT SIX. Islam (not us) is totalitarian in nature, like Nazism, Communism, and Fascism. This evil nature of Islam needs to be seen. Moslems around the world burn and kill on a regular basis, every week, properties and people. All you have to do is follow the news. The many death threats we are receiving, the warnings about terror attacks also prove our point.*Do Christians make these threats when Bibles or churches are burned? No.
We have fallen asleep since 9/11/01 and have been hoodwinked by the growth of a (for now) non violent Islam. Shall we give in to threats, then, and allow Islam to grow in America unopposed? We at Dove World Outreach Center will not, even if it costs us our lives. For those who support us, we say thank you for standing with us in courage. For those who oppose us, we say wake up and do not give in to the fear and lies!

International Burn a Koran Day on Facebook

For more on Islam and the Burn a Koran Day, see our blog and leave comments here:**http://islamisofthedevil.com/blog*

Some more thoughts:

Are there other dangers and evils in the world? Of course. There are many we could and do address, but at this time we have a vision and a call to confront this great danger. Are there a lot of reasons NOT to do what we are doing? Yes, people have written and called with many reasons. I am sure the great men and women of faith in Hebrews 11 heard and thought of many reasons not to follow God’s word. But they followed God’s word.*

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

We are sure that the world needs to see this warning about the teachings of Islam at this time, in this way. We are certain of God’s plan for us here and now.*

For those that argue that we are not qualified to make the assertions about Islam that we do, this is ridiculous. We know what the Bible says about evil and the devil’s work and plans. Islam and the Koran clearly discredits itself. What we say about Islam has been said by many others. We may be the only organization burning Korans, but we are not alone in stating the Ten Reasons why the Koran is dangerous.*

We follow the work of many men and women of courage who are also putting their lives at risk to expose the evils of Islam. Islam simply hates public criticism, whether your burn Korans or not. Some are ex-Moslems, now Christian: Walid Shoebat, Nonie Darwish, Mosab Hassan Yousef, Nabil Quereshi, Simon Deng. Other ex-Moslems are: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan, Ibn Warraq, Brigitte Gabriel. Then there are many Christians, Jews and atheists writing, speaking and publishing on websites: Geert Wilders, Mark Steyn, Norman Podhoretz, Chris Logan, David Wood, Robert Spencer, Pamella Geller, Bill Warner, David Horowitz, Daniel Greenfield, thereligionofpeace.com, Creeping Sharia, Answering Islam, Acts 17 Apologetics, and many more.

Unfortunately for Pastor Jones, several of the people he lists above have denounced his decision to burn the nasty little book.
hereligionofpeace.com, Creeping Sharia, Answering Islam, Acts 17 Apologetics, and many more.

Ben Carson Gets Reamed by Politico, Politico Gets Reamed by Rush Limbaugh

Everyone knows the major media (and a lot of the minor media) are mere house organs for the Democratic Party.  They report whatever helps their candidates, omit anything that doesn't, and make stuff up about Republicans when they can't find any real dirt.

Politico, a left wing website attempted to smear Ben Carson yesterday, with a very biased and errant article.  In case you haven't, read about it at Rush's site here.

It's good that conservatives are finally fighting back at media bias, which has become quite extreme in the past eight years.  The left is absolutely determined to foist a form of fascism on us, and we on the right are equally determined that they shall not.  What happens when an irresistible force meets an unmovable object?  Whatever it is, it won't be pretty.

Geert Wilders on Islam: "A Dangerous, Totalitarian Ideology"

Geert Wilders was interviewed yesterday about his looming prosecution for "insulting Islam." The interviewer asked hard ball questions but Wilders smacked them all out of the park.

You have compared the Quran to Mein Kampf, and called Islam a fascist ideology.
Why do you find that these remarks fit within the confines of the law?

"I am not the only one who thinks so. The public prosecutor also agrees, and many
professors. Churchill said the same thing."

"I view Islam not as a religion, but as a dangerous, totalitarian ideology - equal to communism and fascism. [Stogie: This is my position exactly.] Aren't I allowed to say so? If I say that about communism, there would not be a problem. I have never talked about people, I've always made it about ideology."

The Geert Wilders dilemma is a microcosm of the battle in the Western world today. On one side are people who see Islam as a dangerous, totalitarian ideology that is both a physical threat to life and property and a long-term threat to freedom and democracy. On the other side are people who see Muslims as just another ethnic group or religion, and any criticism of Islam a kind of bigotry, be it racism or another version of anti-semitism.

The most virulent form of Islam protectionists are now banning free speech in European countres and in Canada to make it illegal to truthfully discuss the history, beliefs and practices of Islam -- even when they are a dangerous threat to the indigenous population. Truly, Europe is in the process of committing national suicide. Liberalism is one massive death wish and perhaps that is why the death cult of Islam is so appealing to them.

I am in the Wilders camp. I see Islam as violent, anti-freedom, evil and dangerous. The Qur'an is a book of hate, advocating terrorism against non-believers.

Some leftist painted me as someone who wants to "kill all the Muslims" because I have stated that, in 50 years or 150, Islam must be wiped out. I was talking about the ideology, not the people, just as Geert Wilders is. If a major war occurs between the non-Muslim world and the Muslim world, we would be foolish to do anything other than ban the practice of Islam once we have defeated them. Without that,we would only wind up fighting them again and again until they eventually conquer us.

What is happening to Geert Wilders right now is frightening. It will happen here soon enough.

Read the interview here. Hat tip Atlas Shrugs.

Jimmy B. Webb: What's a Libertarian-Socialist?

My friend Donald Douglas at American Power is having a blogfight with Jimmy Webb over at Brainrage. Jimmy insists that he be called "James B. Webb" but calls Professor Douglas "Don."

Jimmy says he is a "cynical libertarian-socialist." The terms "libertarian" and "socialist" seem to be mutually exclusive, but then again, this is the looney Left we are talking about, where all things are possible, including economic perpetual motion, otherwise known as socialism. Socialism has never been made to work, but Jimmy and friends are right on the verge of making it happen. Any century now.

So again I ask, what is a "libertarian-socialist"? I think I have found some possible definitions.

A libertarian-socialist is:

1. Someone who wants to be free to pick your pocket.
2. Someone who wants to live a destructive and dangerous lifestyle yet be free of criticism or consequences.
3. Someone who calls you a fascist for opposing "progressive" fascism.
4. Someone who wants to redistribute the wealth, i.e. from you to them.

Well that's a start. Feel free to add to the list.

Vox Popoli Hates Californians -- Even Conservatives

Too Liberal for Texas?

Lately I have been fighting with conservatives in other red states, particularly Texas, about the desirability of Californians migrating there.  Vox Popoli, a site that is included in my blog list, holds that Californians are undesirable red state transplants, because we are all really stupid liberals.  Vox Popoli even has a post titled "Don't Move," saying that Californians shouldn't be allowed to move anywhere but to another blue state.

Now I come from a long line of Texans, dating back to the Civil War, and I have family there.  However, there is a redneck attitude that I hate, and which I now see at Vox Popoli and in several of its commenters.  That redneck attitude says that vast swatches of humanity must all be the same, there is no variability within groups, and therefore it is not only okay to hate whole groups, but the natural and wise thing to do.

There are exceptions, like prohibiting Nazis or Communists from immigrating to your country or state.  That would be wise discrimination.  Not-so-wise discrimination would be assuming that all Germans are Nazis and all Russians are Communists...or all Californians are liberal moonbats.

The fact is, there are millions of conservatives in California.  Living in a blue state does not make one a blue voter.  Having the kind of prejudice exhibited at Vox Popoli is not indicative of anything resembling actual thought.  If all the conservatives in California moved to Texas, that state's hold on conservatism would be immensely strengthened, not weakened.  Liberal Californians wouldn't move -- what, trade cous-cous for grits?  Bean sprouts for polk salad?  Sushi for barbecue?  Doc Martins for cowboy boots?  I don't think so.

California conservatives are still conservatives.  John Wayne, Ronald Reagan and Chuck Norris were all California Republicans.  Brian Sussman, Melanie Morgan, Tom McClintock and Michael Savage still are.  Likewise, black conservatives, Hispanic conservatives, university student conservatives, Asian conservatives, even gay conservatives....are still conservatives.   These folks are my allies and I won't condemn these conservatives because they belong to a larger group that is not conservative.  Everyone is an individual and should be treated as such (except when their larger group is a voluntary association that is based on a violent ideology, like Communism, Fascism or Islam).

If the bigots at Vox Popoli can't figure that out, then maybe I should remove them from my blog list.  And that will be ironic, since I was first referred to that website by another California conservative, a San Francisco Attorney who blogs at Free Will.

Update:  I have removed Vox Popoli from my blog roll.  Suggest you do the same.