Naomi Wolf penned an excrutiatingly long, factually-challenged, spun-like-a-centrifuge screed about Bush turning America into a fascist dictatorship that invokes Godwin’s law so fast and frequently that it makes a frog in a blender look like a Doc Edgerton photo.
As a mercy to IMAO readers, I’ll give you the short version of her “10 Steps To Fascism” delusion:
- Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy – “terrorists – like the ones behind 9/11”
- Create a gulag – “put terrorists in Guantanamo”
- Develop a thug caste – “hire private security guards”
- Set up an internal surveillance system – “monitor international communications of vocal terrorist sympathizers”
- Harass citizens’ groups – “have cops join anti-war groups with a history of violence”
- Engage in arbitrary detention and release – “…of vocal terrorist sympathizers”
- Target key individuals – “fire eight attorneys”
- Control the press – “tell people that known spy Valerie Plame was a spy”
- Dissent equals treason – “call a leak of classified information ‘disgraceful'”
- Suspend the rule of law – “create an emergency plan for dealing with a devastating terrorist attack”.
Whatever.
Still, maybe she has a point. Perhaps there IS a political movement in this country that fits all ten of the warning signs. Maybe the ACTUAL fascist threat to this country is Political Correctness:
- Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy – “being offended”
- Create a gulag – “sensitivity training classes”
- Develop a thug caste – “activists”
- Set up an internal surveillance system – “any blog with the word ‘watch’ in the title”
- Harass citizens’ groups – “animal rights groups that accompany hunters with noisemakers”
- Engage in arbitrary detention and release – “suspending students for ham-related hate crimes“
- Target key individuals – “Imus”
- Control the press – “ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, blah, blah, everyone but Fox, Rush Limbaugh, and maybe Michelle Malkin”
- Dissent equals treason – “Global warming deniers”
- Suspend the rule of law – “More gun control”
There ya go – short, sweet, absolute proof. Not only that, but I didn’t have to mention Nazis or Hitler even ONCE to do it.
In your face, Wolfie, ya blithering hack.
The sad thing is, it’s so true.
I think you’ve found your niche, Harvey.
good stuff
Ah, yes, Naomi Wolf. Having advised Al Gore to wear brown suits to demonstrate that he’s an “alpha male”, and accused one of her former professors of sexual harassment more than twenty years after the incident allegedly occurred, she’s definitely ready for this sort of thing. If she were an agent for baseball players, she’d probably advise them all to sign with the Cubs.
Although they will deny it, the Nazi (National Socialist Party) was the left-wing party of the period. They used all of the same techniques they use today concerning Political Correctness. Unfortunately, so few of them are well-informed of the period and history, they vehemently deny it, while repeating it by suggesting dissenters are less than human, and creating their scapegoat of anyone who disagrees.
Ironically, the UK is a lot further along in the process of turning into a fascist state than the United States is. The amount of surveillance in the UK is mind boggling.
Somehow, the .001% or less of the population in Guantanamo doesn’t strike me as all that abusive… Our prison sentence might qualify as a gulag and the War on Drugs might qualify as arbitrary detention and release. Hmm… maybe she’s right, but it’s not the Republicans doing it, it’s both parties.
EI
Nice Harvey.
I read the Guardian article, too, and it was hilarious. How can anyone think like that? Has she even been to the US?
9a. Those who do not lead neutral lives will be branded with a big “C” on their lapel/breast, so that we may recognize them for the sooty Carbonara that they are. (carbon nazis, anyone?)
7: here in Va. some libby lawmakers made use of remarks by radio host Neil Boortz after the Va. Tech. shootings to have him taken off the air on one station. So far.
Way to drop her right back onto her ass! Great post.
The other group that fits all of the catagories is the Demoncratic party. Just add never allow the facts to affect your “feelings” and it’s a perfect fit.
AMEN! That’s all. AMEN!
Wow. People at a humor blog can write better than those at a “serious” one.
Great post, but what’s this “maybe Michelle Malkin” business? You questioning her conservative street cred?