Politics And Current Events

[Trip McNeely]

I think it’s pretty hilarious that you think you know more about German history than our resident German. That’s all

Dude, when did I once say that? He posted a vague response implying that I don't know what I am talking about, and I asked a genuine question as to where my facts were incorrect regarding the Weimar Republic Communist Party and how they became an easy scapegoat/rationale for the Nazis rising to power. I don't know why you have to be German to know about that.

I am sure Gaucho knows more about American history than a lot of dummies here in the U.S. I never implied what you are stating above.

You’re comparing Antifa, a group of idiots with ZERO political pull. None. Nada. Nothing. Comparing them to the Weimer Communist Party and Gaucho deservedly laughed at you.

[faftorial]

I think it’s pretty hilarious that you think you know more about German history than our resident German. That’s all

Dude, when did I once say that? He posted a vague response implying that I don't know what I am talking about, and I asked a genuine question as to where my facts were incorrect regarding the Weimar Republic Communist Party and how they became an easy scapegoat/rationale for the Nazis rising to power. I don't know why you have to be German to know about that.

I am sure Gaucho knows more about American history than a lot of dummies here in the U.S. I never implied what you are stating above.

You’re comparing Antifa, a group of idiots with ZERO political pull. None. Nada. Nothing. Comparing them to the Weimer Communist Party and Gaucho deservedly laughed at you.

[shafnutz05]

I thought I made clear that it wasn't a 1:1 comparison. I was speaking more to what I feel is an inevitable backlash (or more than what we've already seen) coming from the far right. I apologize.

[King Colby]

I thought it was a simple harmless comment that Antifa is employing similar tactics that played a role in the rise of Hitler, but also qualified it with "this won't happen". Nobody here has ever said or thought that Antifa had any political pull, which is fortunate because of the historical negative reaction to those tactics when deployed on a larger scale.

[Gaucho]

hey, I didn't laugh

[Trip McNeely]

Articles about Trump being Hitler were throughly mocked (and rightly so). I’m pretty sure comparing Antifa to a political party should be mocked too

[Gaucho]

Oh, I do agree.

[Gaucho]

The idea that fascists (or Trump for that matter) only ever rise to power because the silent majority is appalled by left wing violence is laughable. People elect fascists (or Trump for that matter) because they actually like what they represent and what they have to offer.

[King Colby]

Ok, trump isn't a fascist. He's just an dadhole.

[Gaucho]

I tend to agree.

[count2infinity]

Trump isn't a fascist...

just a faschole.

[King Colby]

Fascist is just a hip buzzword dumb people use to describe politicians they dont like. I like to think the people who misuse it are the same people that misuse the word "ignorant".

[count2infinity]

And "socialism"...

[King Colby]

Trump isn't a fascist...

just a faschole.

Damnit. Missed opportunity by me.

[DigitalGypsy66]

And "socialism"...

Yep. This gets thrown around to scare the sheep as well.

[MR25]

I think Trump wants to be a fascist, but isn't actually one.

The other issue with the fascist v non-fascist debate is that a highly nationalistic politician is going to check off a good number of the fascist boxes, so I can see the angle where he would be getting the fascist label from.

From Umberto Eco's 14 facets of fascism (I believe Nazis are just used as examples of the points):

1. The cult of tradition. “One has only to look at the syllabus of every fascist movement to find the major traditionalist thinkers. The Nazi gnosis was nourished by traditionalist, syncretistic, occult elements.”

2. The rejection of modernism. “The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, is seen as the beginning of modern depravity. In this sense Ur-Fascism can be defined as irrationalism.”

3. The cult of action for action’s sake. “Action being beautiful in itself, it must be taken before, or without, any previous reflection. Thinking is a form of emasculation.”

4. Disagreement is treason. “The critical spirit makes distinctions, and to distinguish is a sign of modernism. In modern culture the scientific community praises disagreement as a way to improve knowledge.”

5. Fear of difference. “The first appeal of a fascist or prematurely fascist movement is an appeal against the intruders. Thus Ur-Fascism is racist by definition.”

6. Appeal to social frustration. “One of the most typical features of the historical fascism was the appeal to a frustrated middle class, a class suffering from an economic crisis or feelings of political humiliation, and frightened by the pressure of lower social groups.”

7. The obsession with a plot. “The followers must feel besieged. The easiest way to solve the plot is the appeal to xenophobia.”

8. The humiliation by the wealth and force of their enemies. “By a continuous shifting of rhetorical focus, the enemies are at the same time too strong and too weak.”

9. Pacifism is trafficking with the enemy. “For Ur-Fascism there is no struggle for life but, rather, life is lived for struggle.”

10. Contempt for the weak. “Elitism is a typical aspect of any reactionary ideology.”

11. Everybody is educated to become a hero. “In Ur-Fascist ideology, heroism is the norm. This cult of heroism is strictly linked with the cult of death.”

12. Machismo and weaponry. “Machismo implies both disdain for women and intolerance and condemnation of nonstandard sexual habits, from chastity to homosexuality.”

13. Selective populism. “There is in our future a TV or Internet populism, in which the emotional response of a selected group of citizens can be presented and accepted as the Voice of the People.”

14. Ur-Fascism speaks Newspeak. “All the Nazi or Fascist schoolbooks made use of an impoverished vocabulary, and an elementary syntax, in order to limit the instruments for complex and critical reasoning.”

[Gaucho]

I don't think Trump wants to be much of anything, exepct maybe a mafia boss. It is quite obvious that he doesn't give a **** about democracy or the republic or whatever.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

The man isn't focused enough to be a fascist.

[mikey]

Yeah, saying that he wants to be much of anything gives him too much credit for intelligence and planning...

He's just some guy, up there, winging it...and he isn't particularly dedicated to his craft. Like, my first game coaching at a decent level...I was just winging it too...but I worked hard to be better...most competent people work hard to be better at their craft, he doesn't...he possibly does the opposite haha

[Dickie Dunn]

[faftorial]

[nocera]

Imaging having to choose between "what is safe" and "what will please Trump."

[Morkle]

lmao, that's wild.

[Kaiser]

some kind of appeasement strategy...

[mikey]

Nice ^