The essence of the thing we refer to as Nazism did not evaporate at the conclusion of WWII. It merely changed venues.

Out with the old and in with the new:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=95d_1206462963

(note the passing of Julius Streicher - he was the Murdoch of his day)

It is a part of all of us. To enliven it, all that is required is to flatter an immature human desire to feel superior to "the other". The more helpless the untermenschen the better. Any contrary evidence is bayed down by the pack.

.... that old essence? This thread fairly reeks of it .....

The following link may be of interest:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/cheney/chapters/pushing_the_envelope_on_presi/...

It's taken from "The Washington Post." Written by Barton Gellman and Jo Becker (staff writers) entitled, "Pushing the envelope on Presidential Power/Cheney." It's a long article, and David Hicks is covered towards the end of it. It makes for interesting reading, in my opinion.

Dear Lexi,

That was an interesting article. Bush and Cheney were criminals according to the standards of President Theodore Roosevelt. He said:

No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it.

That applies to the president and vice president. Clinton was impeached for lying about a sexual indiscretion. The far more serious acts of Bush and Cheney should have seen them tossed out of office and put in prison.

I don't accept your characterisation of multiculturalism, LEGO, but that's for another time :)

This article by Umberto Eco on what he calls 'Ur-Fascism', the prerequisites for a fascist ideology, should be required reading:

http//:www.themodernworld.com/eco/eco_blackshirt.html

He highlights the role of traditionalism and conformity, and of an aggrieved seige mentality, the over-development of a sense of 'us' and 'them' - all of which are used to demonise 'them' and sanctify whatever methods that might work for 'us'.

Yes, I agree that the terms Left and Right are becoming less meaningful. Perhaps we live in times when consistent ideologies are not fully fleshed out, on both the 'Left' and the 'Right', but when labels - 'neo-liberal', 'Socialist'/'Communist', 'Hansonite', 'Blairite', even over-use of the terms 'racist', etc. are thrown at people with whom we disagree. They avoid a great deal of necessary thought about the deeper meanings of issues and stances. I've done it myself, I'm sure.

So, for a host of reasons, critical analysis, a tolerance for others' opinions and for diversity, and a positive attitude to the 'other' and to new ideas, are vital components for vibrant civil societies everywhere. They may prove to be the greatest enemies of current fascist ideologies such as al Qa'ida's Islamism.

And they may be - painfully - one of the outcomes of the current people's movements in the Middle East and Africa. They may teach us all a thing or two.

Joe

Dear David,

Thank You for taking the time to read the link on Cheney. I find that the more I research the more depressing it gets. I guess the old adage, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely," proves to be true in some cases.

If Hicks was treated badly by his captors (and that is purely his story) that does not change the fact that he was a mercenary who loved shooting destructive weapons at other human beings.