Worth Reposting

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

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.

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 incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

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.

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 service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments 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.

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.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. 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.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

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 entirely, or are severely suppressed.

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.

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.

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.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination 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.

Media Cover-Up

In this article, 20 journalists (such as Dan Rather) describe the ways in which corporate media ownership prevented them from reporting important - and often troubling - stories. Rather than allowing these stories to air and letting the people decide their importance, they were stifled by corporate brass and the threat of pulled sponsorship. Some writers and journalists have even been fired.

Not all of these stories would be detrimental to the government, but they would have an impact on the profits of key government employees. Some expose things like the expensive and pointless war on drugs or the hormones put into our milk supply, but others talk about the detaining of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and voter fraud in the 2000 election. Most important is the reason why all this censorship is possible - the consolidation of the country's major news outlets.

Let's not forget that in a fascist government the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives, sometimes under the guise of consumerism. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

Especially this weekend, but as always, take a look at these faces:
3,435 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,378 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Dishonerable Deceptions

Military recruiters are becoming even more desperate as young people show their distaste for the war by not joining the military. Recruitment numbers are down, ROTC enrollment is low, and Uncle Sam wants anybody, and I mean ANYBODY to pick up a gun and point it at Iraqis.

A man who had been discharged from the Army a decade ago for suicidal feelings (not to mention talking to himself) during boot camp was allowed to try again and killed himself as a result. Military personnel are resulting to telling new recruits to lie on forms and top Army officials are becoming fed up with these practices, but not the reason recruiters are resorting to them.

We're recruiting gang members and the mentally ill to serve in our military while young, healthy men and women refuse to even acknowledge that a recruiter is speaking to them. I wonder why that is? Have the youth of this country finally decided that they do not want to go to war? Are they tried of being raised in a nation where violence and war is the norm? Probably not. My guess is that they're just too egotistical to dedicated their lives to anything bigger than themselves. But at least they're not joining the Army.

Sicko

Michael Moore's next film, Sicko, will be premiering at the Cannes film festival on June 29th. This film is being blocked by the Bush Administration because Moore visited Cuba with 10 first responders from 9/11 for a segment for the film. They were there to receive treatment that they could not get in the US due to the Bush Administration's denial that anything was wrong with the air around ground zero in the days directly following the demolition of the Twin Towers. Whatever your personal feelings about Michael Moore, it has to be acknowledged that there are very few reporters, journalists, and documentarians asking the questions he's asking. I hate that he is my only source of information when it comes to the answers to these questions. He has his own agenda, of course, but NO ONE ELSE IS ASKING. And before you say, "Well, he went to Cuba, and that's illegal," please remember that Oliver Stone got to go, as did Stephen Spielberg.

Our media is conspicuously absent from this administration. Controlled mass media is a symptom of a fascist nation. Sometimes to 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. Here is the very least you can do to get the word out to as many poeple as possible that this Administration has to go.

UPDATE: At the screening of 'Sicko' several journalists and critics admitted to crying, and even Fox News gvae the film a good review.

Don't Go Breakin' My Heart...

The City of Brotherly Love is not feeling very lovely lately. Gun violence is at an all-time high, and children are becoming afraid to leave their homes. Last year 406 people were murdered in our fair city, more than in most countries. But it's not just Philadelphia. Violence has been spiking nationwide. Many people believe this is due to the ease with which people are able to aquire guns, but I have a feeling this is actually speaking to the overal emotions of the country.

People are angry and armed. They have few prospects. Poor people already feel like they have been abandoned. Look what happened with Hurricane Katrina. A lot of the youth in the inner cities feel that the only way they can get a job is to go into the military. Of those that do, they don't leave their gang affiliations behind. The military has openly stated that they don't have an issue with gang members joining the military. So when these kids get out, they are now trained soldiers. Former military personelle with gang affiliations have been known to set up ambushes for rival gangs and police officers.

In sort-of unrelated news: Master P has started his own lable with a 100% clean policy. He will not sign artists who say "nigger", degrade women, or talk about sex, drugs, or violence in their music. An artist who is not so pure: when opening for a Gwen Stefani concert in Trinidad, Akon (a Sengalese "artist") called a 15 year-old girl on stage, held her down, spead her legs, and simulated sex.

Immigration and Something REALLY Disturbing

A deal has been reached on the immigration issue, and it seems to include some of the components other countries are using. Mexican immigrants are not happy with the plan, but I'm not sure they would accept anything other than amnesty and immunity. I completely agree with the point system for immigrants. I know that the tired, the hungry, and the poor need a good place to live, but right now we have to look after ourselves or we won't be able to help anyone. I think that every illegal immigrant in the country should have to pay a $5,000 fine for each member of the household. Those who cannot must leave within 90 days. Those who can pay the fine must do so and apply for citizenship through the new point system. Those who have enough points may stay. Those who do not must leave within 90 days of their application being denied.

UPDATE: I did not see anything in the article referring to the people who hire and house illegal immigrants. I should mention that I 100% support a $5,000 fine for each illegal employee a company hires, as well as fining landlords $5,000 for each illegal immigrant living under their roof.

The Army has ordered soldiers to stop posting to blogs or sending personal emails without clearing them with an officer. There are three missing soldiers in Iraq, but we know where these ones are. When are we going to find out why they died?
3,401 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,378 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Military Censorship

The military has put MySpace and YouTube on a list of sites that are banned for soldiers to access from government computers. They say they are doing this to boost productivity, just as other employers have done, and I would believe that if MySpace and YouTube weren't the major means of communication among soldiers in Iraq. I know my cousin uses it to check in with his wife and the rest of the family, all in one click. If it weren't for MySpace, we would never know what's going on with him because he just doesn't have the time to email all of us.

Another friendly reminder: In a fascist nation 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.

These voices have already been silenced:
3,400 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,245 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Military Sexual Trauma

Sexual assaults on women in the military are on the rise, and it's safe that the military is attributing it to a better reporting program rather than an actual rise in crime. This means that military officials were aware that women in service were being raped and assaulted. 2,947 sexual assaults were reported last year, but women who work in fields dominated by men are less likely to report an assault, and much less likely to report an assault by someone they work with. For women who have been assaulted and do report it, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a major problem, and Veteran's Organizations have made help available, but with the morals and ethics we expect of our soldiers, this really shouldn't be happening in the first place.

Just a friendly reminder: The governments 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. It's time for women to band together. One my first actions will be to attend the Mother of a March on May 14th, the day after Mother's Day in Washington DC. We'll be meeting in Lafayette Park at noon. It's time, ladies.

And let's not forget about the mothers of these men and women:
3,380 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,245 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Packaged Goods!

Be sure you’re recycling at home, and make sure that your county is ACTUALLY recycling those materials. Some don‘t. You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates. Earth 911 can help you find recycling resources in your area. Buy recycled paper products. It takes 70% to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide. Proofread papers on the computer and only print out a hard copy (on recycled paper) when you absolutely need one. If you’re in school, ask your professors or teachers if you can submit papers electronically. If they say no, ask why and demand that this option be made available. Avoid heavily packaged products, including (and especially for your health) those at Fast Food places. Cake mixes, pre-packaged snacks, and frozen foods are convenient, but they're not great for the environment. You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%. Terrified by the question: Paper or Plastic? Neither is great, but if you live on or near the coast, don’t use plastic. It blows away from landfills and hurts the wild life. Canvas is always the better option.

The Long Arm of the Law

An peaceful and legal immigration rally turned into a nightmare for many when police officers used clubs to hit people and fired rubber bullets into a crowd, hitting women, children, and journalists. Due to the controversy, 60 police officers have been taken off the streets. LA is lucky that Latino immigrants were a lot more peaceful than those who rioted after the Rodney King verdict, but it seems not much has changed in the police force since then.

In the area of Kansas torn apart by tornadoes, 4 uniformed soldiers from Fort Riley Army Base and a uniformed reserve police officer who had not been called to duty after the disaster were arrested for looting.

Governor Corzine of New Jersey is back to work today, only weeks after his driver, a State Police Officer, slammed the car into a guardrail at 91 miles an hour. The Governor would have been in better shape if he had been wearing a seat belt (as required by state law).

So, if we cant trust the local police, the state police, the soldiers who are supposed to defend us, state officials, and those running our federal government, who can we trust?

3,377 US troops killed in Iraq
25,090 US troops wounded in Iraq

What is Wrong With Us?

Recruiters admit that they promise things they can't deliver and several have been caught blatantly lying to high school students. Even some of our soldiers can't be trusted anymore, so if you speak to one and they make you a promise, GET IT IN WRITING. Of those who have already signed up, one third are highly stressed. Their soldiers' ethics are suffering. One third of Marines support torture if it would protect others and sixty percent would not turn in a fellow soldier if they killed innocent civilians. (Let's not even try to discuss the moral ethics of the Blackwater crowd, our nation's mercenary army.)

But the lies and lack of morality don't stop when our troops die. A parent of one of our soldiers is conducting a private autopsy to find out what really happened to their child. Was she raped by her fellow soldiers? What really happened the day Jessica Lynch was rescued, and why were we lied to about Pat Tillman's death? And let's not forget about Patrick McCaffrey! Doesn't our government trust us?

We are not a fragile country. This nation has been built by our own hands. Why are we allowing ourselves to be manipulated and deceived? Have we lost so much self-esteem as a nation that we don't believe that we deserve to know what's happening in the White House? Have we convinced ourselves that those in power MUST know better than we, the PEOPLE? Even those who disagree with Impeachment MUST know that there are serious problems with this President, this war, and this nation. The lack of response to those problems indicates something incredibly troubling deep within our collective conscience.

Even MORE troubling is that so few people seem to notice this:
3,361 US soldiers killed in Iraq
25,090 US soldiers wounded Iraq

Why We're Slow Learners

Change comes when a people are uncomfortable. Small changes have come throughout American history when business required it or a group of uncomfortable citizens demanded it. As a whole, Americans are not nearly uncomfortable enough for change to come anytime soon.

Reason Number One: The majority of our country has its physical needs met, though poorly. We have to work for them (some of us harder than others) but the majority of us are sheltered, fed, relatively healthy, and warm. Most people who are comfortable will maintain or increase their comfort by staying within their zone. Conversations about controversial subjects are uncomfortable, especially when pertaining to religion and politics. I don't know why. People whose needs are met to a lesser degree spend too much time working hard to "waste" their free time on politics, and need to believe that there is a better place than this one. Which brings us to:

Reason Number Two: Religion is enfeebling America. When people believe that they will get to heaven eventually, that everything happens for a reason, and that their mistakes (no matter how many times the same ones are made) will always be forgiven if they ask, they are less likely to focus on the problems that exist in the here and now. Or they believe that those problems will not matter so much (as suggested by our resident "logician") if we just accept Jesus. Those people who are religious and interested in politics tend to follow the party line or the Preacher's line. If it's all in god's hands, then it's not in their's, so why bother?

Just a reminder: 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. The current President makes mention of religion and religious issues more than others. Faith-Based initiatives are put in motion. The President interferes in legislation on the behalf of religious issues. Non-Christians grow weary of persecution and seek to remove religious symbols from government. Social issues and debate hinge on religious doctrine.

On May 14th, the Mother of a March in DC will be calling attention to the:
3,355 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,090 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

The Feminine Mistake?

One of the measures of a civilization is how its children are raised. I believe that America has greatly devolved with regards to childcare. Shelter, heat, and food are essentials that are becoming harder and harder to afford, especially with the drasctic and excessive raise in gas and food prices. Two adults in most households must work just to make ends meet, and children are slipping through the cracks. They are spending more time in daycare and less time with their families. We tend to ignore this when we look at American culture, and specifically our young people.

I love being home with my son. I would love to do it until he's ready for school, but we just can't afford it. We discussed not having children until we could afford for one of use to be at home with them, but decided that I would probably be in menopause by then, so it would be best to start now. I've worked in the childcare industry and have not been impressed at all by what I've seen. I would advocate small, home-run daycares over an institution any day. For women who can afford it, I believe that they should stay home with their kids.