A Primer For Tea Baggers - Reposted

I love it when I run across an article that speaks volumes, is timely, and begs to be reposted. This is one of those times. You can read it all HERE. Personally, I think I'll make copies and hand them out throughout the course of my day.  

Posted by BitcoDavid at 9:58 pm



 A Primer for Tea Baggers

Critical thought depends on the concept of shared common language, and on an agreed upon set of terms and definitions. If two people are engaged in the building of a table, say, and one asks for a hammer, the success of the project depends on the other handing him a hammer. In the deeply polarized climate of modern American politics, the use of certain terms has reached a frenzied pitch. These terms are thrown about with abandon, but they do have actual meanings – predefined and agreed upon definitions. In other words, when we ask certain individuals, now, for a hammer, we get a wrench.


Let’s clear some stuff up.


Socialism refers to the common ownership, operation and distribution of industrial production and resources. It is characterized by equal access to goods and services for all individuals, with a method of compensation based on the amount of labor expended. It derives from the late 18th century, and is an outgrowth of the Enlightenment. Socialists were a driving force in the French Revolution. It is an economic structure, and although it tends to eschew religious belief, it does not seek to abolish religion amongst the masses.


Communism is a social structure. All classes are abolished and all property ownership is assumed by the Totalitarian State. Karl Marx, a sociologist – philosopher, and the founder of the ideology, believed that Communism would eventually replace Capitalism as the logical, scientific conclusion to society. This would be accomplished through a global, proletarian revolution. Further, he felt that this would only be possible after a three-step process. First, Capitalists would have to build the world’s infrastructure and methods of production. Then Socialists would take over, driving the industrial machine to a state of overproduction, providing a glut of goods and services. Finally, the Totalitarian State would emerge to eliminate classes and divide all goods and services amongst the masses. Marx lived from 1818 – 1883. Socialism predated him by the better part of a century. Communists are vehemently anti-religion and believe that it interferes with the requisite fealty towards the Totalitarian State.


Fascism is an Authoritarian political and military ideology that combines radical nationalism with a Capitalist oligarchic economic system. The word itself was first used in Italy as early as 1920. The Italian fascio means, “bundle.” The symbol in Italy for fascism was a bundle of wheat. The idea being, that a single straw is easy to break, but an entire bundle, at once, is near to impossible. This is a defensive and militaristic posture, not a social or economic structure. Fascism is a dangerous, nationalistic and ethnically intolerant political system. It tends to be extremely religious, but always in such a way as to maintain primacy of the Authoritarian State.


I saved this one for last, because this is my primary reason for writing tonight’s piece.


The word Nazism comes from the Anglicization of an acronym for the German Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei. This was the deeply Authoritarian, Nationalist, Militarist Police-State, ideology developed by Adolf Hitler. Most political scientists and sociologists consider Nazism, to be a form of hysterical fascism. It derives from the farthest Right wing end of the political spectrum.


Suffering greatly at the loss and perceived betrayal of Germany after WWI, Hitler posited his 25-point ideology to the German public in 1920. These 25 points included a national policy of Pan-German-ism, vehement anti-Semitism, anti-immigration-ism, racism, social Darwinism, eugenics, anti-Communism, Authoritarianism and ruthless opposition to economic, and political Liberalism.


By 1932, his party held the majority of seats in the Reichstag, and by ‘33, He was Fuhrer of all Germany.


Nazi belief in religion was varied, some being devout Christians, others Nordic and Germanic pagans, and still others absolutely secularist. Similar to Fascism, Hitler saw religion as a sub-set of Nazi thought, where the people’s primary loyalty should be to the state, but where religion could serve to help bind that loyalty.


It is important to state here – to remember here, that Nazis marched across Europe in the 1940s, like the Black Plague did in the 14th century. As they did, they tortured, raped, enslaved and killed some 14 million Human beings. In pursuit of their “Lebensraum,” they crushed the bones of children, forced elderly women to stand, naked, in the snow for hours on end, and then hosed them down with ice water, to see if they would die. The Nazis performed horrific surgeries on innocent people, without even so much as anesthesia. They burned people with blowtorches, shocked them with electrodes, baked them alive, and gassed them – and all this, before arriving at their master concept, their “Final Solution,” Operation Reinhardt. During the year and a half, that program was in effect – the Nazis were murdering upwards of 20 thousand people per day, seven days a week. “Sonderbehandlung,” it was called – special treatment.


According to Glen Beck, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity and Sarah Palin – according to these people, I’m one. According to these people, I’m a Nazi. My political affiliation is not one of the ones I chose to define in tonight’s piece. My political affiliation is Progressive Liberal. We’ve been around since about the turn of the century, too. We believe in equal rights for all people. We believe in a fair and safe workplace, where hard work is justly compensated. We believe in the humane treatment of animals, in ethnic diversity and in fair and open immigration policies. In good stewardship of our mother-planet, and we believe in an end to war and famine, not just in the U.S.A., but also throughout the world.


It hurts me when I hear myself, or my President, referred to as a Nazi, because I know whom the Nazis were. It hurts me when I see skin-headed teenagers wearing SA uniforms and carrying swastikas, because I know whom the Nazis were. It hurts me when I hear revisionist Historians and religious zealots claim the Holocaust never happened, because I know whom the Nazis were.


I challenge Beck, Palin and the entire “tea-bagger” crowd to show me, based upon the above definitions, where Obama, actually, is any of those things. What policies of the current administration are you referring to when you call him a Socialist, a Communist or – above all, a Nazi? Moreover, for the love of God, what did I ever do to you, for you to call me one?

EXPLOITING TRAGEDY - NOTHING SACRED TO THE GOP

I'm about as fond of Michele Bachmann as I am of slimy okra and Sarah Palin, but today she and the rest of her cohorts might just have placed themselves at the very top of my all-time scumbags list.

While the issue of Health Care Reform was gaining a little momentum with a couple of key endorsements, a Bachmann led Tea-Party event was grabbing headlines in the country's Capitol. Joining her on the stage were other noted Republicans such as Minority Leader John Boehner (OH), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (VA), Roy Blunt (MO), Jeb Hensarling (TX), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Michele Bachmann (MN) Virginia Foxx (NC), Ginny Brown-Waite (FL), Jean Schmidt (OH), Sue Myrick (NC), and many more.

As these notables rubbed elbows with about 2,000 wingnuts the signs and flags were waving. Including this one:

From the Daily Kos.

Our elected officials...our governmental elite...sponsoring and rallying at such an event.

As if it isn't bad enough that Glenn Beck and FOX News sees fit to exploit the tragic events of September 11th to boost their own ratings we now have those straight from the halls of government participating with those who have no morality or integrity in the streets of Washington, D.C. and not one objection from any of them.

COLD SHOT ON SUNDAY

COLD SHOT ON SUNDAY - OCTOBER 4, 2009!

Join Nikki Nichols on Blogtalk Radio this Sunday evening at 7:00 Eastern Time. Phone lines will open at 8 where you can sound off, speak out, or just converse on the topics of discussion.

TALKING POINTS:

*Patriarchy on the right - the subjugation and degradation of women by right-wing extremists.

*Conferring With the Right - The fear that drives them crazy.

*No More Mr. Nice Guy - To homosexuals, that is.

*Secession - The new "White Flight" agenda.

*The "Relgiofication" of Politics - a new kind of jihad.

*Whose Side Are They On - the unpatriotic Patriots

*A Coup In the Making

LISTEN HERE

PHONE LINES IOEN AROUND 8:00 EASTERN

COLD SHOT COMIN ATCHA

Due to some renovations being completed here, Cold Shot could not be produced on Sunday. Consequently, it will air on Wednesday, September 16th at 7:00 Eastern. Topics of discussion include:

• Bill White - The Roanoke Nazi was ordered released on $25,000 bond but the prosecution has appealed. Tune in for the latest developments in the case.

• Hal Turner - The racist, radio shock jock out of New Jersey is in transit from his cell in Chicago to a new one in Brooklyn. Discuss the latest in the saga of this circus clown.

• A Pro-White Political Party - Would such a thing succeed in America?

• It's About Race - Or Is It? - Is all of the hoopla in America right now because of the election of the first African-American President or because of something else?

• The Tea-baggers and the March on Washington - What is this really all about? What has been accomplished? What next?

• Righting a Wrong - It seems that I might have grossly underestimated the right-wing nuts in this country. Some are actually preparing for and advocating an armed revolution. Could it happen? What would your response be?

LISTEN HERE

PHONE LINES OPEN @ 7:45

CALL-IN NUMBER: (347) 857-3972

COLD SHOT COMING ATCHA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 COLD SHOT @ 7:00 EST

ON TAP:

^ WHY YOU CAN'T "TAKE AMERICA BACK" - (The myths of the right and their propaganda)

^ OBAMA'S ADDRESS TO OUR CHILDREN - INDOCRINATION OR EDUCATION?

^ THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON - (Right-wingnuts descend on the Nation's Capitol)

^ THE DERRANGED RIGHT AND WHY THEY JUST CAN'T GET OVER IT

^ NEWS & VIEWS

---

PHONE LINES WILL OPEN AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 EST

NUMBER TO CALL: :(347) 857-3972

LISTEN HERE

Are We There Yet? - Almost, Honey

I’m not about to mince words here or even try to play down the seriousness of what is happening in America at this point in time. As we, as a nation, try to heal from eight years of the most inept and bogus leadership ever to be chronicled in American history we find that the division in this country is ever-increasing. Disgruntled right-wing zealots are having none of the change that was promised to us. From behind their bully-pulpits, from their Congressional offices, from their radio microphones and television studios the ultra-right wing has raised its ugly head with a vengence. This vengence has generated much ire and downright ‘pissedoffedness’ from those of us seeking truth, integrity, and change.

While much has been written over the last few weeks about the disruptions and distortions engaged in by the radical right from the “birthers” and health-care reform opponents, for much of America the alarm bells haven’t really sounded yet – but they better. They better ring out and it had better happen soon.

Sara Robinson of Campaign For America’s Future has written a series of articles that really demand to be read by anyone who is concerned about what is happening in this country…here’s an excerpt from the first article:

All through the Bush years, progressive right-wing watchers refused to call it “fascism” because, though we kept looking, we never saw clear signs of a deliberate, committed institutional partnership forming between America’s conservative elites and its emerging homegrown brownshirt horde. We caught tantalizing signs of brief flirtations — passing political alliances, money passing hands, far-right moonbat talking points flying out of the mouths of “mainstream” conservative leaders. But it was all circumstantial, and fairly transitory. The two sides kept a discreet distance from each other, at least in public. What went on behind closed doors, we could only guess. They certainly didn’t act like a married couple.Now, the guessing game is over. We know beyond doubt that the Teabag movement was created out of whole cloth by astroturf groups like Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks and Tim Phillips’ Americans for Prosperity, with massive media help from FOX News. We see the Birther fracas — the kind of urban myth-making that should have never made it out of the pages of the National Enquirer — being openly ratified by Congressional Republicans. We’ve seen Armey’s own professionally-produced field manual that carefully instructs conservative goon squads in the fine art of disrupting the democratic governing process — and the film of public officials being terrorized and threatened to the point where some of them required armed escorts to leave the building. We’ve seen Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner applauding and promoting a video of the disruptions and looking forward to “a long, hot August for Democrats in Congress.”

This is the sign we were waiting for — the one that tells us that yes, kids: we are there now. America’s conservative elites have openly thrown in with the country’s legions of discontented far right thugs. They have explicitly deputized them and empowered them to act as their enforcement arm on America’s streets, sanctioning the physical harassment and intimidation of workers, liberals, and public officials who won’t do their political or economic bidding.

This is the catalyzing moment at which honest-to-Hitler fascism begins. It’s also our very last chance to stop it.

The articles can be found here…
http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2009083205/fascist-america-are-we-there-yet

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2009083311/fascist-america-ii-last-turnoff


Read the articles – and take a stand.