Today's rightwing talk show hosts do for George W. Bush what Goebbels and team did for Hitler. Just think of the amount of hatred they have generated against the Clintons and liberals in general. While Bush and his rightwing supporters are not classic fascists, and their goals do not include a Holocaust, they have shown a tendency toward such fascist behavior as militarism, racism, destroying civil liberties, repressing the citizenry, crushing labor unions, deceptive propaganda and antidemocratic words and tactics. They are a somewhat lighter version of a very dark predecessor. Bertram Gross suggests that the opposite of friendly fascism is real democracy, including stronger civil liberties.
Evil has a wholesome, hometown face, with merry eyes and an open smile.
Evil walks among us, wearing a mask which looks like all our faces. Friendly fascists may talk of unity and bipartisanship while, at the same time, they work to co-opt Democratic senators and undercut the public's right to elect its representatives. They may smile and shake hands and promise to earn our trust. However, unmask the friendly fascist and you see an enemy of democracy and civil liberties. The views expressed herein are the writers' own and do not necessarily reflect those of Online Journal.