The Land Of the Free Is Dead!

The question;Is America turning into a fascist state?


The answer;It Already Has.


Below are the 14 points of fascism,the US qualifies for each and every one.
There are also a few links to help back up these claims.

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.

www.commondreams.org...
www.talkingpointsmemo.com...

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.

www.newyorker.com...
newstandardnews.net...

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.

thinkprogress.org...
www.wnd.com...

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.

www.msnbc.msn.com...
www.oldamericancentury.org...

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.Opposition to abortion is high,as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

www.choike.org...
www.cnn.com...

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.

thinkprogress.org...
seattletimes.nwsource.com...

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

www.washingtonpost.com...
www.oldamericancentury.org...

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.

www.aclj.org...
www.bushgreenwatch.org...

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.

thinkprogress.org...
www.commondreams.org...

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.

media.www.collegian.com... 7797.shtml
salt.claretianpubs.org...

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 is openly attacked,and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

www.commondreams.org...
www.inthesetimes.com...

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.There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations

www.afterdowningstreet.org.../26399
www.talkleft.com...
www.washingtonmonthly.com...

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.

tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com...
www.thenation.com...

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.

www.rollingstone.com...
www.house.gov...


(see the full article and many others here;www.oldamericancentury.org... )



Many people find it hard to believe that something like this is true,but thats because of lack of understanding.


To most a tyrant or a dictator is someone like Saddam,Hitler or Pol Pot;they don't realize that a tyrant can hide behind a suit and a smile.These men are not obvious with what they and their government do,they use stealth and they use it extremely well.


It is clear that America is firmly in the grip of fascism;a state disguised in the all too familiar role of American patriotism.A state which millions will back with pride and all the time their liberties and rights are slowly but surely being taken away from them.



Is it too late for America,the land of the free?


Can it escape this mess it finds itself in?


Or will it just keep on getting worse?

Can you honestly see it getting any better? A similar system will be in place within Europe in the next decade. Sickening stuff.

I thought that every one of those 14 points is 100percent true, even the fact that people are willing to look the other way when they see something wrong. We see that on ATS a whole lot too.

Just wait for those "patriots" to come into this thread and start arguing about how your points are false, untrue, blah blah.

Many don't see anything wrong with the rights disappearing, even here on ATS... I will flag this and keep an eye on it.

reply to post by jakyll


Hey Jakyll, Great work and very true. Sad to say the U.S. is slipping bad and the ones to blame are the leaders of the country.
I might add a quote from another source....
"BEST COUNTRIES TO BE A WOMAN
Measures of well-being include life expectancy, education, purchasing power and standard of living. Not surprisingly, the top 10 countries are among the world's wealthiest.

1. Iceland
2. Norway
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Ireland
6. Sweden
7. Switzerland
8. Japan
9. Netherlands
10. France

SOURCE: UNDP Gender-related development index".
=============================================
Notice the USA is not even on the list. Also the US is way down the list for education, I think it's 15th in the world.

or this....Best country to live ....US ranked 22nd....heres the link.....

www.timesonline.co.uk...

Of course this is all debatable depending on what article you read. Whatever anyone thinks the US has lost a lot of respect that it once had

China is building A HUGE ARMED FORCE , Russa is or has rebuilt their's. The US better get on the ball, and do it NOW.

see ya

Dermo

Can you honestly see it getting any better? A similar system will be in place within Europe in the next decade. Sickening stuff.

Not really.
Britain is already in a similar state.



LostNemesis

I thought that every one of those 14 points is 100percent true, even the fact that people are willing to look the other way when they see something wrong. We see that on ATS a whole lot too.

They can be ignored because they have been duped into believing these things are being done for the greater good,and preserving the way of life.
I find it amusing though,that as soon as someone mentions tighter gun controls etc millions speak out against it;its in the constitution etc.So is freedom of speech but people are happy to let the government strip them of it.



merky

"BEST COUNTRIES TO BE A WOMAN

You'd think it'd be a given for the UK and the US to be in the top 10 of that list.When you think of their position on the world stage its worrying that there not.

or this....Best country to live ....US ranked 22nd....heres the link.....

How can the Vatican,Monaco and Gibraltar be on the list,they're not even countries.

Not good at all to see America so low down.
The result speaks volumes though.

reply to post by jakyll


Starred and flagged.

No one on ATs or the internet has laid it out clearer. Applause for your post.

Well, I guess if you feel the U.S. is a completely fascist state and there's nothing that can be done about it (and assuming you don't like fascist states), there really isn't much to be done other than either get out or stay out. Fascist state or not, it's still relatively easy to pack up and leave the U.S. if you want, and go to whatever country you feel is better.

Good luck!

The Land of the Free was truly a Free Land for those who ventured into the Land of the Free......the Land of the Native Indians.

It is now a land of the Banksters....Mortgaged !!!

Well, I guess if you feel the U.S. is a completely fascist state and there's nothing that can be done about it (and assuming you don't like fascist states), there really isn't much to be done other than either get out or stay out. Fascist state or not, it's still relatively easy to pack up and leave the U.S. if you want, and go to whatever country you feel is better.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm from England btw.


But your attitude isn't the best to have,is it?
Unless you think living in a fascist state is a good thing,that is.

Take off your shoes, turn your head and cough. Don't want to get out your metal seamed bra, ok, your coming with us. Land of the free. Ha. They have us so scared and afraid...got us right where they want us.

reply to post by jakyll



haHahA...now you can you pack your bags and go back to Umrika !!!

no visas required, since you were from the UK

Originally posted by jakyll
Thanks for the advice. I'm from England btw.

That's good for you, then, since the U.S. generally isn't in the habit of forcing people to live here if they don't want to. Aside from wanted criminals, of course, but all countries have some kind of extradition policies. A pretty good number of people in this country would actually rather keep more people from coming in and staying. We limit some immigration, but not much. We're a "the more the merrier" country.

But your attitude isn't the best to have,is it?
Unless you think living in a fascist state is a good thing,that is.

If true, I'm not particularly bothered by it. Fascism is just another form of government. It has its good points and bad. It doesn't always equate to racism, like Nazi Germany, and we have people of all races and creeds contributing to the mix. So, I don't know. Things are okay for me. I'm not up to any monkey business, so I'm not concerned about being rousted out of my bed in the middle of the night. I'm not planning on going anywhere.

Sorry you feel that the U.S. is so evil. But, hey, everybody's entitled to their opinion.

Ok Nohup tell that to your next red light cam ticket in the mail. 1982 has been here, and ramping it up.

Originally posted by jpm1602
Ok Nohup tell that to your next red light cam ticket in the mail. 1982 has been here, and ramping it up.

I've never gotten one. Around where I live, if you hang in intersections too long, somebody's likely to run into you. Even so, getting a ticket when I'm doing something illegal doesn't seem like a good enough reason to pack my bags and leave the country.

reply to post by Nohup

Things are okay for me. I'm not up to any monkey business, so I'm not concerned about being rousted out of my bed in the middle of the night. I'm not planning on going anywhere.

Thats just it.
In a fascist state you don't have to be guilty of doing anything to be "rousted out of bed." They come for you innocent or guilty.

Sorry you feel that the U.S. is so evil. But, hey, everybody's entitled to their opinion.

Don't remember saying that i believed the US was evil.


What makes a country what is it?

The people.

The government are not the people.

I oppose them not the people of the US,just as i oppose my own government but not the people.

It has its good points and bad. It doesn't always equate to racism, like Nazi Germany, and we have people of all races and creeds contributing to the mix. So, I don't know.

Obviously.
Fascism isn't the same as Nazism.


What are the good points of fascism?

Originally posted by jakyll
What are the good points of fascism?

Oh, more efficient control of resources, industrial and human.
Less influence in government activities by religious organizations.
More concern about public health, usually including better health care.
Greater control of industry, resulting in less pollution and runaway profits.
Reduced crime, both petty and organized.
Less threat of terrorist attacks.
Less unemployment.

Those are some of the more obvious good points, either direct or indirect. There are other intangible advantages, such as fascism leading to greater national pride, in turn leading to higher production. Not so much patriotism, but more like an acknowledgment that cooperation is a better way to get things accomplished than constant bickering. People care about making the where they live a better place. Which is good.

Of course, there are obvious negatives. Market competition can be helpful in reducing prices, for instance. A fascist state has to do the same by regulation, which tends to create a bigger black market.

But overall, I would say that a fascist state is better at getting big things done and making big changes quickly. If you ever get frustrated by the government dragging along, cowtowing to special interest groups and bribery, fascism is a good option.

It got a real bad name with the Nazis, though, even though Nazi Germany was a totalitarian dictatorship rather than a true fascist state, and that kind of negative publicity is hard to overcome.

[edit on 19-8-2008 by Nohup]

I disagree with 6 of those 14 points.

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.

While the current administration may be guilty of this (they certainly were after 9-11) it is not representative of the entire country. America hasn't been this divided since the 60s. The majority of Americans are against the war and against the Bush Administration. If the goal was to incite nationalism, it has failed overall.

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.

Once again, people are assuming that the actions of the Bush Administration are supported by the entire country. We do not have a disdain for the recognition of human rights. We have protested the use of torture on numerous occasions. When the Abu Ghraib scandal broke we demanded that the soldiers involved be punished. Nobody was more disgusted than the American people.

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.

This is true. But the American military has reigned supreme since World War II. I don't like it. But it is what it is, and that's what it is. Americans have always believed in a strong military. There's nothing fascist about it.

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.Opposition to abortion is high,as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

Are you serious? Women have greater freedoms today than they did 20 years ago. The "traditional gender roles" to which you refer have been on the decline since the 70s to the point where today they are virtually non-existent. Traditional gender roles (other than mother and father) are dead. Opposition to abortion can't be that high, considering how abortion is legal and all. Though there is opposition, gays are being legally married in America.

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.

Government leaders have espoused religious viewpoints for thousands of years. Likewise, religions have espoused political viewpoints for thousands of years, as well. It is not uncommon (and certainly not fascist) for political and religious leaders to use each other's rhetoric and terminology to help get their point across. A politician speaking to a religious audience is going to use religious terminology in an attempt to get his message to the audience. It's not fascism. It's good public speaking.

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 is openly attacked,and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

What? You can't get a good job in this country anymore without a college degree. Yes, funding towards the arts has declined in favor of athletics. That is unfortunate, but certainly not fascist. Professors and other academics are not censored by the government. They're censored by their peers and their adherence to traditional and dogmatic beliefs, even when it's obvious that those beliefs are false.

reply to post by DarthChrisious

Once again, people are assuming that the actions of the Bush Administration are supported by the entire country.

I assume no such thing.

Governments never express the beliefs of the entire population.

reply to post by Nohup

Oh, more efficient control of resources, industrial and human.
Less influence in government activities by religious organizations.
More concern about public health, usually including better health care.
Greater control of industry, resulting in less pollution and runaway profits.
Reduced crime, both petty and organized.
Less threat of terrorist attacks.
Less unemployment.

I think you need to look again at points 8,9 and 10.

But overall, I would say that a fascist state is better at getting big things done and making big changes quickly. If you ever get frustrated by the government dragging along, cowtowing to special interest groups and bribery, fascism is a good option.

Hmm.It also means you don't get a say in what the government does.It means you live in a police state.It means what you read and what you watched is tightly controlled.It means you don't get to vote etc etc.

It got a real bad name with the Nazis, though, even though Nazi Germany was a totalitarian dictatorship rather than a true fascist state, and that kind of negative publicity is hard to overcome.

This applies to those who don't know the difference between the 2.

America was once great...
Dict....err President shrub his administration, most of congress and the cabal that control them have run this country into the ground...

Fascist America in 10 easy steps

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
After we were hit on September 11 2001, we were in a state of national shock. Less than six weeks later, on October 26 2001, the USA Patriot Act was passed by a Congress that had little chance to debate it; many said that they scarcely had time to read it.

2. Create a gulag
Once you have got everyone scared, the next step is to create a prison system outside the rule of law (as Bush put it, he wanted the American detention center at Guantánamo Bay to be situated in legal "outer space") - where torture takes place.

3. Develop a thug caste
The years following 9/11 have proved a bonanza for America's security contractors, with the Bush administration outsourcing areas of work that traditionally fell to the US military. In the process, contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars have been issued for security work by mercenaries at home and abroad. IE Blackwater google what this crew is up to lately.

4. Set up an internal surveillance system
On July 10, 2008, President Bush signed the unconstitutional FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (FAA), supposedly aimed at “updating” the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Unfortunately, the law meant to “update” FISA instead gutted the original law by eviscerating the role of the judicial oversight in government surveillance.

5. Harass citizens' groups
The equally secret Counterintelligence Field Activity (Cifa) agency of the Department of Defense has been gathering information about domestic organizations engaged in peaceful political activities: Cifa is supposed to track "potential terrorist threats" as it watches ordinary US citizen activists. A little-noticed new law has redefined activism such as animal rights protests as "terrorism". So the definition of "terrorist" slowly expands to include the opposition.

6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
In 2004, America's Transportation Security Administration confirmed that it had a list of passengers who were targeted for security searches or worse if they tried to fly.
Anti-war marcher? Potential terrorist. Support the constitution? Potential terrorist. History shows that the categories of "enemy of the people" tend to expand ever deeper into civil life.

7. Target key individuals
Most recently, the administration purged eight US attorneys for what looks like insufficient political loyalty. When Goebbels purged the civil service in April 1933, attorneys were "coordinated" too, a step that eased the way of the increasingly brutal laws to follow.

8. Control the press
Joseph C Wilson accused Bush, in a New York Times op-ed, of leading the country to war on the basis of a false charge that Saddam Hussein had acquired yellowcake uranium in Niger. His wife, Valerie Plame, was outed as a CIA spy - a form of retaliation that ended her career.
Over time in closing societies, real news is supplanted by fake news and false documents. The yellowcake charge, too, was based on forged papers.

9. Dissent equals treason
Cast dissent as "treason" and criticism as "espionage'. Every closing society does this, just as it elaborates laws that increasingly criminalize certain kinds of speech and expand the definition of "spy" and "traitor".
Most Americans do not realize that since September of last year - when Congress wrongly, foolishly, passed the Military Commissions Act of 2006 - the president has the power to call any US citizen an "enemy combatant". He has the power to define what "enemy combatant" means.

10. Suspend the rule of law
The John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007 Critics see this as a clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act

De Facto Fascism Indeed... Your opinion may vary...