See below:
-----Original Message----- From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org [mailto:lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org] On Behalf Of SA Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 12:04 PM To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Thoughts on the Tea Party
Chip Berlet wrote:
> There is a growing consensus that fascism is the most militant form of
right-wing populism built around a nationalist call for the heroic
purification and rebirth of the society after a period of decline or
humiliation (palingenesis); and using demonization of the corrupt and
elite parasitic regime along with scapegoating of target groups (lazy,
sinful, and subversive parasites) to build a core group of people
portrayed as the productive and proper citizens who with charismatic
leaders will enforce rigid ideological beliefs as fulfilling the
nation's destiny (sacralization of politics).
>
When you say "fascism," your listener almost always thinks you mean "a movement that wants to disband parliamentary government and create a dictatorship." But then it turns out you're actually referring to a type
of right-wing politics that's probably existed at virtually all times in
every industrial country in the world over the past 100 years. Don't you
think that's a bit - let's say, confusing?
>>>>It is only confusing if you have not done any reading on fascism in
books or articles published in the last 30 years. Fascism exists as a
social movement in aditiion to a form that is very different when in
state power.
> Right-wing populist movements seldom become full-blown fascist
movements, and fascist movements seldom seize state power; but the named
scapegoats are real people who are harmed or hurt or murdered when
right-wing populist movements become large and also embrace certain
demonizing and totalitarian elements of fascism.
>
So far does the Tea Party have a body count? How many have they killed?
>>>>>>Not funny. In the first six months after Obama was inaugurated
there were nine murders allegedly carried out by people who actually
articulated a White supremacist or antisemitic conspiracy theory linked
to the election of Obama. There has been an increase in physical
assaults on people of color, immigrants, and other scapegoats. The Tea
Party movement is part of a larger set of inter-related groups on the
right:
The Republican Party The Right Wing of the Republican Party (Palin wing) The xenophobic & paleoconservative right (Buchanan) The Ron Paul & economic libertarian Right The Tea Pary Patriots The Patriot Movement (think John Birch Society) The armed militia movement (armed wing of the Patriots) The organized & insuregent White Supermacists (neonazis & KKK)
As the anger increases so do the attacks. The larger and angrier the Tea Party movement becomes -- the more likely it is for more spyhical attacks.
I find much of the conversation on this topic here at LBO elitist, glib, and frankly disgustingly over-privileged and uncaring about the real suffereing of others in the real world. Forgive me if I choose to not participate any longer. Enjoy your armchair pontificating.
-cb