Signs of Fascism on the Rise in America

[Sandy]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatches ... eveloping/

[William Thornton]

Hit piece on GOP. It would have been worth reading if the author gave a least a small mention to the most fascist environments found in the US today: liberal college campuses.

[Sandy]

Since the GOP seems to be the place where most modern fascists have taken refuge, and receive support, any research or analysis of what appears to be fascism is going to appear to be a "hit piece." That's sort of the same thing as all of the whine that leaks out about how unfair and mean the hand=picked, pre-selected, handsomely paid moderators of their debates are to them, and how they won't ask questions that let them pull out their campaign monologue.

[Tim Bonney]

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

My lib friends miss all the stories about conservative speakers being hounded off lib campii? About creating "safe spaces"? A

A simple "yeah, there is some of that but it's wrong" would be good...then you guys can have your feel good lib love fest here.

[Tim Bonney]

Hey, I'm just saying if you want to call us names at least call us ones that makes sense.

[Stephen Fox]

The hour long investigation over the weekend caught my eye. Especially the Dear Colleague letter and the NY Senator coming to the defense of the wicked coed at Columbia University.

For me this conversation should be framed in Bonhoeffer's concerns about the "politics of Stupidity". I'm convinced were Bonhoeffer with us today he would be gravely concerned about Ted Cruz and the likely influence Ed Young and Jim Deloach had on him. That brings it to Thornton's neighborhood as he is the only one among us Jerry Vines reads routinely, so he could make a difference on his blog.

Then again Al Mohler interviewed Charles Marsh who brought DBon's thoughts on stupidity to light. I hope they can talk again.

Read Wuthnow, This Dispatch has a point.

[William Thornton]

[Tim Bonney]

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

[Sandy]

No doubt, there's a philosophical atmosphere on college and university campuses, and specifically those noted and labelled as "liberal," where there's little in the way of support or sympathy for what can be labelled as "conservative" principles or beliefs, though both of those terms tend to be nebulous in reality. Biased? Yes, though who isn't. Fascist? No. Not even close.

We've had a budget standoff here in Pennsylvania for about six months that illustrates this point perfectly. The governor is a Democrat, elected in a relative landslide. The legislature currently has a Republican majority, with about 18-20 tea partiers from scattered districts. The Democrats and moderate Republicans have pushed and shoved, and eventually came to a tax and budget bill that both sides could live with. But they can't get it passed, because this extremist and very small minority won't negotiate and won't budge. There's plenty of rhetoric from those who understand how a Republic works about "the other side," but they came to a point where they had a working plan. The extremists, who do not in any way represent the will of the people, won't negotiate and are willing to hold school kids, hospitals and human services hostage to make sure they get their way. That's fascism, by definition. It's happening in the federal government, too, where extremist right wingers are largely responsible for gridlock.

A lot of people think that Fascism couldn't take root here, and that after World War II, we're immune to it, but if you listen to the chatter about seceding, and the availability of weaponry, the talk about a "tyrannical" government, or how idiotic voters are for electing, and re-electing the current presidential administration, and the willingness to abandon truth in order to convince people that they are right, are all indications that it can indeed take root here, and is making headway. Open your eyes. It's here.

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

Yeah, it's here is a form on public college campuses that is beyond rhetoric.

[KeithE]

[KeithE]

[William Thornton]

Sandy's. If you are deep enough into this to classify me as exhibiting some degree of fascism, surely you are familiar with my point.

[KeithE]

[KeithE]

[Tim Bonney]

William, can you be a little more specific about where you get your idea of conservatives being chased off of college campuses? A reference to a personal experience or any kind of backing would be nice.

The last time I remember anyone being chased off of a campus for their views were professors at SBC schools being chased off for being perceived as not being conservative enough. Are you maybe having a flashback?

[Haruo]

[William Thornton]

Hey, no joke, I ran across an unabridged copy of Das Capital (it's in English) and can get it for one of you for $1. Might be some stuff in there you guys can use.

I'll keep a lookout for fascists in the mean time.

[Tim Bonney]

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