Recent visits to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Schindler’s Factory in Poland have deepened my personal fears about where my country, and the world at large, are headed.
It may be too early to credibly define the current president of these United States as a fascist. But the warning signs are clear and present. In an essay titled Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt, Umberto Eco presents a list of features that he believes are typical of Eternal Fascism (Ur-Fascism). He claims that the features do not have to exist together and that some even contradict each other, but “it is enough that one of them be present to allow fascism to coagulate around it.” Below is an outline of a few of his items that may invite coagulation today.
- Traditionalism: The rejection of the modern world disguised as a rebuttal of the capitalistic way of life. The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, is seen as the beginning of modern depravity. In this sense Ur-Fascism can be defined as irrational.(How irrational that one of the richest men in America has walked over the backs of the poor but now claims to be their only hope?)
- Cult of action for action’s sake: Action is beautiful in itself. It must be taken before or without reflection. Thinking is a form of emasculation. (Think early morning Tweet fests?) Distrust of the intellectual world has always been a symptom of Ur-Fascism.
- The critical spirit: In modern culture the scientific community praises disagreement as a way to improve knowledge. For Ur-Fascism, disagreement is treason. (Think science-bashing?)
- Fear of diversity: Ur-Fascism grows and seeks consensus by exploiting and exacerbating the natural fear of difference. The first appeal of a fascist movement is an appeal against the intruders.(Think Mexicans, Muslims, LGBTQs, Uppity Women . . .?)
- Individual or social frustration: the most typical feature of fascism in the past has been the appeal to a frustrated middle class, a class suffering from an economic crisis or feelings of political humiliation. (Think promises to bring jobs back to America, to Make America Great Again?)
Well, the list goes on, but you get the idea. It seems to me that parallels between pre-Holocaust Germany and present world conditions have never in my lifetime been so closely aligned.
Adolph Hitler was a powerful speaker who promised “the disenchanted a better life and a new and glorious Germany. … He appealed to the unemployed, young people, and members of the lower middle class. When he was appointed chancellor in 1933, Germans believed that they had found a savior for their nation.”
Donald Trump rose to power by leveraging his celebrity with folksy speech that appeals to lower middle class Americans. He promised a better life to the disenchanted, a regulation-free corporate environment, and vouched to “Make America Great Again.” His inarticulate proclamations combined with the promise of an unfettered business environment effectively harnessed two disparate electorates.
Hitler waged war on intellectuals, artists, and scientists, all of whom posed a threat to his proclaimed white supremacy theory and his unabashed power grab.
One of Donald Trump’s first actions after taking office was to muzzle scientists and news organizations.
Donald Trump has vowed to “drain the swamp.” Exactly which swamp he is draining and what he is growing in its place is a puzzle:
- Steve Bannon – Chief Strategist & Senior Advisor: Has published as “news” articles proclaiming that birth control makes women unattractive and crazy. Is an unabashed white nationalist and anti-Semite.
- Scott Pruitt – EPA: Climate change denier. Has sued the EPA over environmental regulations, a fox in the chicken house.
- Jeff Sessions – Attorney General: Blatant racist whose only problem with the KKK is that they smoke pot, believes the ACLU is un-American, and that the Voting Rights Act is intrusive.
- Sonny Perdue – Department of Agriculture: solution for drought is to pray for rain, favors agribusiness and their overuse of chemicals over American farms.
- Rick Perry – Department of Energy: while campaigning for president called the DoE worthy of elimination.
As a distraught adolescent studying the Holocaust, my wise elders counseled that this could never happen in America. “We have a free press here. The three branches of the US government will deter tyranny,” they told me. How long will we have a free press when the President cherry picks who will attend press conferences and when public funding is stripped from public broadcasters? Who will have the balls to stand up to The Donald’s “You’re fired!” rhetoric? How effective is a three branch government when all three branches are controlled by one party?
Sources:
Auschwitz-Birkenau. http://auschwitz.org/ Accessed on March 24, 2017.
Jewish Virtual Library: A Project of AICE. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/timeline-for-the-history-of-judaism. Accessed on March 24, 2017.
Scientific American: Policy & Ethics. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trump-administration-restricts-news-from-federal-scientists-at-usda-epa/. Accessed March 25, 2017.
Sebastian, Michael; “A Close Look at Donald Trump’s Cabinet” Marie Claire http://www.marieclaire.com/politics/a23922/donald-trump-cabinet-appointments/?zoomablej March 2, 2017. Accessed March 24, 2017.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Introduction to the Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143. Accessed on March 24, 2017.
and today #45 is quoting Mussolini and doesn’t see how that’s a problem …
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Hopefully enough Americans are coming to see the light. That anyone can still defend that lying bastard astounds me. But then, I should know better…
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Just saw that Jeb Bush just said “he should stop saying things that aren’t true” bwaaa. We need to see a strong revolt within the GOP.
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I really can’t add anything to what you’ve said, but I wanted you to know how much your words resonated with me. The comparisons are profound and frightening.
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Thank you for your support. We must be vigilant, we must stand together. I wish I had something more concrete to offer, except stay in touch with your congressmen!
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What congressman would that be? Montana’s sole US Representative, Ryan Zinke, is now the Secretary of the Interior with no replacement election scheduled until May 25. I doubt Wyoming’s would be receptive to my thoughts …
Cris in MT
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I feel your pain Cris. The same in Idaho…well, except for the vacant seat. But, while I was off exploring the world, activists here in Boise made repeated appearances at the office of one of our most egg-headed legislators and actually managed to bring him around to pull his support for the repeal of ACA. This link provides a blueprint for how these proactive citizens are pulling together to work for common good: https://www.facebook.com/notes/385551168457173/Planning%20a%20Visit%20to%20a%20Member%20of%20Congress/399633753715581/
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Not on Facebook. Cris
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You don’t have to be to view that link.
Sent from my iPhone
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A lot of people can see the parallels but we are laughed at. What astounds me is that being dumb and ignorant is still a virtue for a lot of grown-ups, decades after nerds and “teachers’ pets” were bullied in school.
As a German, I grew up as aware of the Holocaust as you, and it baffled me to learn that there are people who deny it ever happened. Yet even in Germany you can observe the rise of right-wing propaganda, the political success of far-right parties and the increasing hostility towards foreigners, immigrants and people who are different. And I am not sure what to do about it! I hope your excellent piece will make at least one Trump supporter think!
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Oh Sandra. I wish it were possible for my little voice in the wind to bring light to one darkened mind. But I have very little hope of that. I recognize that by and large, I’m preaching to the choir.
I have always held a sensitive spot in my heart for Germans, especially of our generation and younger, as they have had to bear the load of national guilt. I can’t imagine what it must be like for children to learn of the history of their grandparents, to tour these places as part of school field trips, to live under that shadow. I could never bring myself to suggest a trip to one of these places when I was with my German relatives. I had to do this completely apart from them. Americans are as guilty of allowing atrocities but those are not shoved under our noses in the same way that the Holocaust is, therefore, a lot of Americans feel overly righteous.
Blame should not be the take-away, because in the end we are all complicit in allowing leaders like Hitler to gather their power. Now, how to disrupt our current madman?
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I’ve often wondered if given the chance to look into the future, would I peek? If one could see what would happen, yet have no power to try to change that future, it would be like waiting for a shoe to drop… but if the future would be better than hoped for, then one would live with a sense of freedom and a lighter heart…
Reading your posts and also posts from other bloggers, I am glad that I don’t have to witness what’s happening with the same intensity that you are… and I am lucky to have ‘all of you’ to keep me updated.
‘why don’t we learn from history?’ — i truly don’t know the answer to that question.
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And I still haven’t figured out, even after grappling with it in these posts, and in a lifetime of wondering. Interesting notion of peeking into the future. I think I would be afraid to look. Since November, I’ve been overwhelmed by the realization that I won’t have to live as long with the aftermath of what is going on as younger people. Is this a back-handed gift to me to appreciate the looming end of life? Dog, I hope not.
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Powerful stuff. Unfortunately you are pretty damn accurate about Trump. And that scares the hell out of me.
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It scares the hell out of me, too … and many of my readers. Unfortunately, the connection seems to still elude too many people. We need a real ground swell to upend this crazy apple cart. (BTW, break a leg! Hope to get over to BLT during your ‘reign’.
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I agree with you it’s too early to draw any conclusions yet about Trump, but the signs are worrisome to say the least. Umberto Eco was a sharp observer and writer and his list seems all to relevant these days. Unfortunately.
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For brief moments after the election, I hoped that T had more going on under that hair than his wild words proved. But with each new action he undertakes, I have less hope for the sudden revelation of a spark of brilliance. He is, as he has been labeled, a narcissist, with only one real goal–self-promotion. I know things need to change in America, but to improve a system, one needs solid plans to replace that which is broken. All he has is plans to disrupt what is broken and even what is not broken. I pray that America will wake from her stupor in the next 3 years. The world can ill-afford more than that.
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From little things big things grow…. blog posts like yours Linda will become the “grains of sand in the Fascist machine”, to quote from the film Alone in Berlin that I reviewed recently. I am struck by the power of KellyAnne Conway’s term “alternative facts” and immediately thought of George Orwell’s literary masterpiece 1984. It is also a quiet triumph that hundreds of cinemas across your land are showing special screenings of the 1984 film adaptation of Orwell’s novel in response to those words. I saw it again a few nights ago and was struck by the parallels with the present era. I will publish a film review shortly because it is important for people to realise how words like “alternative facts” represent an Orwellian disregard for truth and the totalitarian manipulation of empirically verifiable facts. Maintain the rage.
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I’m so ashamed of and amazed at how fully my compatriots have been duped. I wonder what if felt like to be a middle class German in the early 1930s as Hitler was building his empire and throwing out foolish, empty promises to ignite passion around him. I’m sure the media coverage was less intense. And I fully believe that the times were far more economically stressful than they are for T-supporters today. (The homeless did not elect this man.) The administration has ramped up the the use and effect of “spin” to magnificent proportions, indeed calling 1984 to mind. I would like to see a resurgence of Fahrenheit 451 as well. The blatant disregard for reading more than 140 slopped together characters and denigrating experts in their fields foreshadows a war on books. Who needs books if one can rise to power in the United States without ever having read any?
I hope I haven’t missed Alone in Berlin. I’ve been wanting to see it, but it may have come and gone while I was away. Thank heavens for Netflix.
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I’m taking the long view and assuming that the Trump era will end up doing more good for government that we can imagine at this time. Because he represents everything that is odious to logic and truth, he will become the benchmark that went beyond all bounds and stand as testimony to what government should never look like. He might also invite reflection on why America is only half a democracy with only half its citizenry engaged in the electoral process. Whatever happened to civics? There are millions in your country and Britain who might now wish that there was a “Confirm Delete?” style button that pops up like on our computers to ask you are you sure you made the right call? Protest voting has a lot to answer for.
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An interesting perspective. One which I hope is correct. He does serve as a benchmark. Anything that makes GW Bush look brilliant is remarkable. And I can only hope that his 4 years energizes our electoral process. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Richard.
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I heard another talk about how what Trump is doing and how it compares to fascism.there are definitely signs as we see the rise of extremist groups all around the world. I attended a talk this past weekend and the speaker reminded us that contacting your MP, MLA, congressperson, to let them know what you like or don’t like DOES make a difference.Keep speaking up!
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Thanks Jane. And yes, I’ve been writing and hope to join a local group of congress people “visitors” who go to the congressperson’ office with groups of about 5 individuals supporting one speaker. It has been rather effective with some pretty entrenched politicians.
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That is good to hear. The world is a little scary right now.
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For brief moments after the election, I hoped that T had more going on under that hair than his wild words proved. I’m taking the long view and assuming that the Trump era will end up doing more good for government that we can imagine at this time.
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Welcome to my silly little blog, Dennis. And yes, I felt just like you after the election. Well, I wavered between despair and hope. And despite the ridiculous shenanigans and my utter distrust of the man, I still occasionally find myself thinking, well,that might not be so bad… It is true that there are a lot of things wrong with our system at large. And it does seem like it would require someone w/o any party loyalty to blast through entrenched ideology. And he surely has no loyalty to anyone but himself. And so far, no president has been able to derail our system. I laugh when I think back to the hand-wringing that went on over previous administrations that now, in juxtaposition, look utterly sane! Only time will tell what the overall effect will be. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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For brief moments after the election, I hoped that T had more going on under that hair than his wild words proved. I attended a talk this past weekend and the speaker reminded us that contacting your MP, MLA, congressperson, to let them know what you like or don’t like DOES make a difference.
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Hi Charles, and thanks for speaking up. You know, I’ve heard the same thing. And I’ve also heard that speaking on the phone “weighs more” than emailing or writing letters to our reps in congress. I have tried to write to mine, (I’m horrible on the phone so avoid that at all costs) but I wonder how much good it does when you’re dealing with someone who is so entrenched in party politics and has his nose so far up the the orifice of the hair that he can’t think straight. I have gotten some real responses back to letters I’ve written. Surprisingly lengthy and point by point responses that sadly fall back on party bullet points. It’s so discouraging. But I shall keep trying. The more of us that rock the boat, the greater the chance of dumping the dead weight.
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For brief moments after the election, I hoped that T had more going on under that hair than his wild words proved. And despite the ridiculous shenanigans and my utter distrust of the man, I still occasionally find myself thinking, well,that might not be so bad… It is true that there are a lot of things wrong with our system at large.
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I know, Harold. I sometimes think the same thing. We do need a shakeup. Just because “that’s the way things are done…” does not mean that things couldn’t be done differently and better. However, his way of doing things better is ineffective and disorganized. A string of tweets does not a policy make. And without policy, the rest of the government, the country, and the world have little chance of knowing what to expect, how to act, or what to do. This, unfortunately, is not leadership.Thanks for contributing to the discussion. It may be that T’s greatest contribution, in the long run, will be to force two polarized sides to come together to create workable solutions to the bomb that’s exploding on a daily basis.
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You echoed so many of my own thoughts here, Linda. Five month post-write and the situation is dire. Who could’ve ever imagined hearts and minds could be duped by someone so morally bankrupt. I’m angry, heartbroken, and fearful.
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Yes Dani, I share your feelings. They lodge deep in the gut, like an illness. The irony is astounding. A huge (a very very huge) proportion of his “base” are Christians. They have been so blinded by blathering rhetoric that they don’t see the heinous lack of morals of their beloved leader. Have been reading an interview in The Sun Magazine with a Christian activist about race, faith, & resistance.Jonathan Wilson-Hartgove says,”Many people who have genuine faith, who want to entrust their lives to Jesus, have been kept from seeing what Christianity is really about. Instead their religion as been used and exploited by the powerful to maintain control. Why did D.T., who for his entire public life had flouted traditional Christian values, all of a sudden embrace Christianity when he ran for president? To win votes. The only way you could ail to see this as a crass exploitation of faith is if you have accommodated your faith to such crass hypocrisy for generations.”
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