----- Original Message ----- From: "Chip Berlet" <cberlet at igc.org> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 1:25 PM Subject: RE: the smartest fascist?
Hi,
See below
>
>
> Progressive Irrelevance?
> The left thinks of Bush as an idiot. He is, but only in the
> sense of not being
> intellectual. He is the smartest fascist to come down the
> pike in a long while,
> and has completely outwitted the opposition.
>
> Anis Shivani
>
>
>>
<<SNIP>>
This type of hyperbolic rhetoric will ensure that the left remains irrelevant. Capitalist "democratic" systems have always had an ability to use government repression when needed. Bush is an authoritarian, and a militarist, but hardly a fascist. Even if you agree that there is a whiff of fascism in Bush's administration, this analysis sounds like a Weather Underground pamphlet leading towards immeddiate armed struggle now before it is too late, hurry, no time to think, just act.
Political hysteria is often eloquent but seldom useful and never strategic.
-Chip Berlet
===============
Hence my use of the ? as I figured you'd want to weigh in on the piece. Here's his email if you want to chat with him: Anis_Shivani_ab92 at post.harvard.edu
>>
For a better understanding of fascism from a militant left position,
try reading J. Sakai:
Full text at:
http://www.kersplebedeb.com/mystuff/books/fascism/shock.html
=================
Thx 4 the ref.
Ian