Adolf Hitler & Joseph Stalin were despotic tyrants. They exercised nearly absolute power in ruling Germany and Russia, respectively. Many social commentators have grown increasingly worried that the United States currently is leaning towards those kinds of models. Where we once had 3 distinct branches of government who shared power, the presidency under the tutelage of the Dubya gang, is warping this principle.
Writing for Counterpunch, Chris Floyd states,
The United States long ago ceased to be anything like a living, thriving republic. But it retained the legal form of a republic, and that counted for something: as long as the legal form still existed, even as a gutted shell, there was hope it might be filled again one day with substance.
But now the very legal structures of the Republic are being dismantled. The principle of arbitrary rule by an autocratic leader is being openly established, through a series of unchallenged executive orders, perverse Justice Department rulings and court decisions by sycophantic judges who defer to power - not law - in their determinations. What we are witnessing is the creation of a "Commander-in-Chief State," where the form and pressure of law no longer apply to the president and his designated agents. The rights of individuals are no longer inalienable, nor are their persons inviolable; all depends on the good will of the Commander, the military autocrat.
I realize such an accusation will anger some of you. You will rightfully point out that our American president is NOT gassing citizens nor sending them to the Alaskan wilderness to perform hard labor. While these points certainly are true, there still are many things that DO resemble Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia.
The FBI is being turned into an agency not unlike the SS or KGB. Under the guise of the flimsiest evidence AND without judicial permission, our homes can be searched, our phones tapped and our library records pulled. The "government" doesn't have to inform us of why -- which means that a person has no way to defend themselves.
Average citizens and progressive domestic organizations are being watched and who knows what else. A recent government report indicates that organizations working for the public benefit are being scrutinized, while militaristic hatemongers aren't even on the list!
Also like Hitler & Stalin, we've taken prisoners who we deny basic rights to. Heck, outside of high government circles, no one truly knows who these people are and how many of them there are. And many are being held though not charged with a specific crime.
Finally, like Hitler & Stalin, if someone questions such actions, they are immediately labeled as unpatriotic and dissident sympathizers. When people look back in history, one question that often arises is: Why didn't people see what these two monsters were up to and stop them before they took over their countries?
Those same questions need to be asked today.
The FBI is being turned into an agency not unlike the SS or KGB. Under the guise of the flimsiest evidence AND without judicial permission, our homes can be searched, our phones tapped and our library records pulled. The "government" doesn't have to inform us of why -- which means that a person has no way to defend themselves.
Average citizens and progressive domestic organizations are being watched and who knows what else. A recent government report indicates that organizations working for the public benefit are being scrutinized, while militaristic hatemongers aren't even on the list!
Also like Hitler & Stalin, we've taken prisoners who we deny basic rights to. Heck, outside of high government circles, no one truly knows who these people are and how many of them there are. And many are being held though not charged with a specific crime.
Finally, like Hitler & Stalin, if someone questions such actions, they are immediately labeled as unpatriotic and dissident sympathizers. When people look back in history, one question that often arises is: Why didn't people see what these two monsters were up to and stop them before they took over their countries?
Those same questions need to be asked today.
Your paranoia is showing, Trey. Or, do you believe its not paranoia if they really are after you? I imagine you will have a sleepless night watching for the black helicopters.
ReplyDeleteStalin was miles better than Hitler. Stalin was responsible for only 20million deaths. While Hitler was responsible for 42million. Most deaths by Stalin were during a civil war and therest in other situations. Th eonly people who claim otherwise are people who have read that that rubbish Mnedveved and Conquest book, that has a crappy view. It says at the bottom of the table that calims Stalin killed 50million, that the numbers of added genocides may be the same figures. In other words he claim a person executed in the Ukrainain famione, as a death in a famine, a death in a gulag and a execution. He also counts people who were never born. For instance in the Ukraina famine the birth rate fell, he includes that as deaths. This is nonsense, as if that were true then that would mean 3.5million not a million died in the Irish famine. And would mean that more people died in world war one than is claimed. For instance all the men were at war during the conflict so that would mean as birth rates fwell hugely around 50milliondied in world war one. And the same happened in Britain, It is insane to claim Stalin killed more, by including a fall in birth rates for the Ukrainiaan famine, but not inclduing the fall ion birth rates in Ukraine during world war two, or the fall in Britain. The stats also claim 10million died in gulags. A insane claim, based on the idea that half the gulag residents died. This claim is dshonest aswell as in the Gulags were ordinary murderers, and war criminals. I do not think that people who were murderers should be included. And anyhow the US alabaman prisons should then be included in that case US "gulags" have killed thousands of people by executions, and putting people in terrible conditions, as criminals allways usually die younger the rest of the population. The gap is 10 years younger for same upbringing people in soem states. The gulag statements is wrong in entirety as it also claims all gulags were as bad as eachother. This is not true. Some gulags were attempts to re-educate, some were virtual death camps, and some were not. Under this the statement of neutral authorities is the huge number 4million died in gulags, political executions and other camps, most of which being inncocent peiople brought to theri during the famine. But to include them twice just so you can claim Hitler was a nice man, is wrong. Hitler was worse and that is that, Stalin caused 20million dead including the post war expulsions. Look at this fact Stalinj said he would kuill all people who surrendered to the nazis in World war two, A wise descion, But in the end loads who had surrendered survived theri stionts in the gulags. We may say well that was evil, but then we have to remember US killings on the Phillipines which killed a million. We have to remember the Japanese empire which killed 27million, in world war two, and remember the first world war which killed 17million.
ReplyDelete