Brown Shirts in America

In its latest Intelligence Report, the Southern Poverty Law Center has identified a total of 161 Neo-Nazi organizations operating in the United States. Many of these organizations also have cross ties to White Nationalist, Ku Klux Klan, militias, patriot and other far right wing entities. They attempt to emulate the Nazis of 1920 and 1930 Germany, complete with rituals, emblems, uniforms, and of course the rhetoric that is usually associated with these groups. Fortunately for America, these groups tend be small and have an appeal to a very limited number of Americans. That was until the Tea Party movement began in the United States. Make no mistake about it, these people are firm believers in fascism. Of course they claim to be fighting for the maintenance of the Constitution. Yet given just half a chance, they would scrap the Constitution in favor of a right wing dictatorship. This is the same course of action that the Nazis took in Germany. Oh yes, they solemnly stated they would use the democratic process. But to what purpose? In their own words, to destroy it.

These are the same people that used racial and other ethnic slurs during the primary election campaign of 2008 as well as during the general election in November 2009. Unfortunately, their ranks have grown since the election. Most of these people never believed that a black man would become President of this country. They cannot reconcile themselves to that fact of history. The vitriol, hatred, and sheer stupidity that is manifested by these people is something we have not seen since the early 1960s during the civil rights struggle.

Who are these people and who is their real master? They could be characterized as the storm troopers of the Republican party. They have the full approval and encouragement of professional hate mongers such as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, etc. Just as in Germany during the ‘20s and early ‘30s, they appeal to the unemployed. Most of them have a limited education and are therefore more difficult to employ in our ever technologically advancing economy. During the Great Depression, hundreds of people could be employed with pick and shovels to accomplish the major projects of the time. Today, this is no longer feasible. Modern machinery has replaced many of these people and cast them in near permanent unemployment status. Just as in Germany, the storm troopers were of limited education and in many cases school drop outs. This is fertile ground for sowing the type of hatred and distrust.

Above all, they need a scapegoat. Hitler used the Jews. These people have a tendency to do the same. They point to minority groups as the cause of their economic misery. In the above paragraph I alluded to the close ties of the Tea Party, despite their denials, to the Republican party. Republicans have realized for some time now, that they cannot achieve their legislative program through the Congress. The Health Care Reform bill, now law, demonstrates that very clearly. They made a fatal mistake in the 1990s with Newt Gingrich’s Contract for America. I like to characterize it as the Contract against America. It turned into a political disaster which cost the party seats in Congress. Despite holding the Presidency, the party has not really recovered. The vast majority of Americans simply do not believe in the philosophy of the Republican party. Its shrill appeal for conservatism has little appeal. Real responsible conservatism in the Republican party died with Barry Goldwater.

This then leaves the party with little in the way of alternatives, except spewing hatred and now even engaging in acts of violence. The office of a Democratic Congress member had its windows and doors smashed. Kistallnacht in the United States? Several members of Congress have had their lives and the lives of their families threatened. This has reached the point wherein the FBI has now become involved. If these perpetrators are apprehended and convicted, they face a long term in a Federal prison. Racial slurs were hurled at black Congress members as they entered the Capitol building. Inside similar invectives were directed at gay Congress members. Is this still the United States of America?

Yes, I support the free speech guarantees of the First Amendment. Never shall we lose this protection. Yet it would appear to me that the Republicans need to do much more to silence, or at least quiet down, these protestors. Recent news reports have stated that the Tea Party followers are in large part wealthy. Surprise, surprise. Show me a poor Republican. It is these people that fund this mob of anti-Americans. Never forget that 95% of the Bush tax cuwent to 1% of the population, the very wealthy. Whenever you confront a Republican with this fact, he or she will retort “What are you trying to do, start class warfare?” Seems to me they are the cause and initiators of class warfare. Well, see you in a while with a discussion of the Republican party and its evolution within the last 100 years. Stay tuned and you’ll be surprised.