>>> "Chip Berlet" <cberlet at igc.org> 11/19/99 05:35PM >>
Not all political repression is fascism. Not even all military dictatorships
are fascist. You use the term fascism too loosely to be valuable in a
serious discussion.
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Charles: Your logic is backward. My definition of fascism is narrower than yours. Your Preface to Russ Bellant's book has a definition with about 13 elements in it, which is much looser than mine. So you end up backwards in this argument, claiming that I am being too loose, when I am being stricter than you are.
Your definition and approach do not focus on class. And because one Italian Fascist General was not anti-Semitic, you remove the aspect of racism from your long list. This is especially faulty when trying to apply the concept of "fascism" to the U.S. where racism is central to all historical issues.
With respect to the above, I have never said all political repression is fascism. As a matter of fact I have counselled other posters in the past that not all tyranny is fascism. Many people get confused and call Stalinism fascism, and it is not, although it is a form of tyranny. Nor does my definition or approach say all military dictatorships are fascist.
I use the term "fascism" quite strictly, contrary to your claim that I use it loosely. And you have this issue upside down.
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Just because a right wing crank says something bad about the government, you should not be so gullible as to believe it, much less suggest the drivel to others on this list. The secret team and secret government thesis, peddled by Danny Sheehan and the Christic Institute, was sanitized conspiracy material from the Liberty Lobby and the LaRouche network.
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Charles: You can't prove that there wasn't a _secret_ FEMA plan. It would be secret. Better to presume that there is such a scheme.
As far as rightwing sources, most of Russ Bellant's sources are fascistic rightwingers. He even goes to KKK rallies. Many of his sources on the Nazis in the Republican Party are rightwing. He went to a World Anti-Communist League Convention.
Or for example, you quote Mussolini at the beginning of your Preface to his book. Don't you consider Mussolini a rightwing source ? You also quote Hitler in a highlight in that Preface. You give no indication that these quotes are quoted as crackpot sources. You seem to think they give accurate insights into fascism.