TO IDENTIFY A DUCK

By Paul Edwards

There’s been no end of futile verbiage generated in the evidently endless American effort to define exactly the term “Fascism”, which has proven, so far, impossible.  There is consensus on certain of its prime characteristics in the main hall, but the real debate is carried on in the conceptual and etymological sub-basement where disagreement prevails among cognoscenti over the subtler qualities of this poisonous form of political control.

All this verbal brouhaha originates, seemingly, from a compelling need on the part of public intellectuals to decide just how many, or few, of the toxic, insufferable tenets of that anathematized polity currently apply, or may be about to apply, to The Land of The Free And The Home Of The Brave.  Age wants to know.

A "brown-shirt", member of Hitler's SA, participating in a public brawl. Will it soon come to that in America? In history everything is possible.

In short, how many, and how deep, have been the grave wounds inflicted on our “democracy”, and how near are we to a point when we might be at significant risk from this virulent political pathogen, and be forced to aggressively combat it?

These questions and concerns seem to be serious and heartfelt on the part of inquiring minds that express them, and to address them one begins by listing what is agreed upon.  Five universally accepted core principles of a fascist system are the following.

Ultranationalism: myth-driven belief in the recovery or rebirth of national power after perceived decline or humiliation.

Totalitarianism: The State holds absolute authority, asserting control over all aspects of public and private life.

Leader Cult: Absolute power is vested in a charismatic leader who embodies the national will.

Anti-Liberalism: Rejection of liberal democracy [itself a dangerous fraud, albeit using different methods], individual rights, Socialism and Communism.

Economic Corporatism: State controlled economy by managed corporate capital, and managed labor to serve State power.

Hyper militarism: Promotion of war for national advancement, and the use of violence to eliminate opposition.

Our democracy, as ideally designed, excludes all these forms of oppression.  It was born “to establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and insure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity”.  Lincoln described it as of, by, and for the people, and Reagan, while compos mentis, called us “a shining city on a hill.”

Our Constitution is reinforced by a Bill of Rights that insures the individual against Fascist tyranny.  With such specific, ironclad safeguards against all that system imposes, how it can occur to anyone that Americans are under threat of subversion by it?

Stalwarts who deny any threat exists refute it directly by citing
these indisputable truths about our sacrosanct system today.

Yes, we are fiercely nationalist, to the point that we consider ourselves exceptional, the Indispensable Nation, but that is well merited and earned by all the good we have done for Mankind.

Our State, in a world of such threat and danger, has naturally to  exert absolute authority and control of our behavior simply to be able to defend and protect us from harm; by ICE, for example.

Our proud nation must always have a strong, noble leader whom we elect, whose power is the collective will of the people, as in our Chief Executive now, the Divinely inspired President Trump.

The greatest threat to our way of life is Communism, and its secret twin, Socialism.  Our State has to override certain rights and suppress liberal beliefs whenever they erode our security.

Because of nations’ economic competition, the way to guarantee our prosperity is unification of government and business, with labor well regulated and corporations supported by State power.

The world is full of danger, and the wise Roman adage that if you want peace, prepare for war, still holds.  Our military, the greatest ever, must suppress treason and terrify our enemies.

So much for those timorous souls who imply that our nation has gone down a long, slippery slope toward Fascist government.

The real question has nothing to do with fatuous debate among  such limp brained, vacuous simpletons.  There can be no debate when reality screams for recognition.  I refer all those earnest, well-meaning, intimidated souls so anxiety-ridden about what America is now to an old formula my Granddad used to make tough judgments.  “Son”, he said, “If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck, it’s a duck.”

Late stage, predatory imperialist Capitalism is Fascism.  Period.

It has been for decades, and the fact that it hasn’t kicked middle-class you in the nuts with its steel-toed jackboots, is neither here nor there.  If you’re white, above the poverty line, and you vote, it has no need to do so.  You’re already a supporter, fully complicit with its program.  In order not to hate yourself, you don’t admit it.

Germans, with families they loved, with enough education to function in their system, who loved the outdoors, sports, parties and recreation, and even read the occasional book, and who were exactly like you, simply couldn’t believe there were all those concentration camps and gas chambers exterminating unwanted people smoking right down the road from the golf course.

Sieg heil!  Amerika uber alles.