Facism in America

I was calling Paul a "liberal lunatic" because of similar comments like "right wing nut job" being used on here before, but if you agree with him that America is turning into a Fascist state then, I would include you in that category also.

- Lee Cole

kilkenny and any of the rest of you that agree with his sentiments.

Have you ever known a family with a hardworking caring woman, who has raised beautiful, polite, successful children? This woman is married to an alcoholic, womanizing, wife beater. Can you not love the woman and strongly disapprove of these actions by the man.

How dare you criticize my support of the military? I am a retired military wife. I have had the pleasure to meet many returning or soldiers on leave from Iraq. I have taken the time to thank each and every one of them personally for what they do for us. I have given to the Disabled Veterans fund for years.

Many of the soldiers in Iraq joined the military because they were promised an education they could not otherwise afford. These soldiers are serving bravely and dying today. Soldiers that had already served their country,after their commitment, joined the Reserve or Guard. Some joined for the extra money to help support their families. Others loved the military and wanted to serve and protect our country if a need ever presented its self. These soldiers are serving and dying today.

All knew that there was always a possibilty that they could be called upon in times of emergency or threat to our country, one of our allies or to defend peace in any
part of the world. They committed to this willingly and with a great love of our great country.

What are you doing to this weekend to celebrate and remember these brave Soldiers and Veterans?

- Petunia

Petunia,

Once again I agree with you. Much more of this and people will be talking. . .

Let me add that I too, was military. I enlisted in the 40’s, theoretically to keep this great country free so even opponents could be free to speak.
But I expected that free speech entailed some effort to avoid personal attacks such as too many immature posters seem unable to avoid.

Let every American celebrate this Veteran’s Day by asking themselves, ‘ what personal sacrifice or service have I given my Country ? ‘

How do youall answer that question

I answer it by checking to see if I still have my commission and my honorable discharge in my safe deposit box, Pappy. Yep, still there. Some of us just don't wear it on our sleeves all the time,okay?

- friedgreenmater

First of all America is not a Fascist nation. I too served 22 years in the military. I was in Viet Nam. When my generation came home we were spit on and called baby killers. That was our greeting home. The point I was trying to make in my previous post was the difference in how the troops are viewed. Viet Nam era vets were degraded on their return home. Today's vets are heroes as all vets should be. Can anyone explain the reason for the big difference in how the troops are perceived? I loved the military and would have stayed in had Mr. Clinton not decided to "downsize" all branches of the military.

- kilkenny

First of all America is not a Fascist nation. I too served 22 years in the military. I was in Viet Nam. When my generation came home we were spit on and called baby killers. That was our greeting home. The point I was trying to make in my previous post was the difference in how the troops are viewed. Viet Nam era vets were degraded on their return home. Today's vets are heroes as all vets should be. Can anyone explain the reason for the big difference in how the troops are perceived? I loved the military and would have stayed in had Mr. Clinton not decided to "downsize" all branches of the military.

- kilkenny

Gentlemen thank you for your input. I find the American psyche interesting when it comes to the military. For example recall the "Bonus Army" of WWI that demonstrated in DC and was ultimately routed (some killed) and their encampment burned out by active duty Army members under the commands of Maj. G.S. Patton and Gen. Macarthur. The WWII vets were greeted as heroes. The Korean vets were forgotten. The Viet Nam vets were degraded. And now the Desert Storm/Iraq/Afghanistan vets are once again heroes (as they should be). By the way Pappy I never quite understood the Iraq war either. Most of the terrorists of 9-11 were Saudi. Saudi Arabia still funnels millions of dollars a year to terrorists groups while pretending to be our friend. Guess which country I would have preferred to haul on the carpet?

- kilkenny

According to research by Lawrence Britt almost all facist regimes have common threads. Here is what he came up with:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities

If we truly support our veterans, why has the same crap been going on for more than 50 years now, through Democrat and Republican presidential administrations and both Democrat (for 40 years) and Republican control of Congress?

Veterans' hospitals didn't just fall apart overnight. I remember taking my uncle, a U.S. Navy veteran, to a veterans' hospital in Asheville, N.C., back in the late 1970s. The quality of care even back then SUCKED - and if I'm not mistaken the President at that time was one Jimmy Carter - himself a Navy veteran - who had the power of a Democrat Congress and still did nothing to fix the problem.

It's an issue now because it makes a great soundbite an election year, but soundbites do little to solve problems. Every election, the two parties trot out their old warhorses - abortion, God, patriotism and homophobia for the Republicans, gloom, doom and "the other party is going to starve you to death and let you die on a Gurney in a hallway because they don't give a damn about the little guy" for the Democrats.

It's time for Congress to put its money where its mouthpieces are.

Money talks. Bull**** walks. So far, all I've seen from Congress is a lot of bull**** as both parties hold veterans, children, the uninsured and any other convenient group that can be classified, counted, pandered to or bought HOSTAGE to politics.

If it's a serious issue - and I think it is, an issue that reflects negatively on BOTH parties - they'll find a way to put politics aside and fix it. If not, nothing will get done other than we'll get a new President in January 2009 who, regardless of party, will give us more of the same.

- JDTippett

If we truly support our veterans, why has the same crap been going on for more than 50 years now, through Democrat and Republican presidential administrations and both Democrat (for 40 years) and Republican control of Congress?

Veterans' hospitals didn't just fall apart overnight. I remember taking my uncle, a U.S. Navy veteran, to a veterans' hospital in Asheville, N.C., back in the late 1970s. The quality of care even back then SUCKED - and if I'm not mistaken the President at that time was one Jimmy Carter - himself a Navy veteran - who had the power of a Democrat Congress and still did nothing to fix the problem.

It's an issue now because it makes a great soundbite an election year, but soundbites do little to solve problems. Every election, the two parties trot out their old warhorses - abortion, God, patriotism and homophobia for the Republicans, gloom, doom and "the other party is going to starve you to death and let you die on a Gurney in a hallway because they don't give a damn about the little guy" for the Democrats.

It's time for Congress to put its money where its mouthpieces are.

Money talks. Bull**** walks. So far, all I've seen from Congress is a lot of bull**** as both parties hold veterans, children, the uninsured and any other convenient group that can be classified, counted, pandered to or bought HOSTAGE to politics.

If it's a serious issue - and I think it is, an issue that reflects negatively on BOTH parties - they'll find a way to put politics aside and fix it. If not, nothing will get done other than we'll get a new President in January 2009 who, regardless of party, will give us more of the same.

- JDTippett

If we truly support our veterans, why has the same crap been going on for more than 50 years now, through Democrat and Republican presidential administrations and both Democrat (for 40 years) and Republican control of Congress?

Veterans' hospitals didn't just fall apart overnight. I remember taking my uncle, a U.S. Navy veteran, to a veterans' hospital in Asheville, N.C., back in the late 1970s. The quality of care even back then SUCKED - and if I'm not mistaken the President at that time was one Jimmy Carter - himself a Navy veteran - who had the power of a Democrat Congress and still did nothing to fix the problem.

It's an issue now because it makes a great soundbite an election year, but soundbites do little to solve problems. Every election, the two parties trot out their old warhorses - abortion, God, patriotism and homophobia for the Republicans, gloom, doom and "the other party is going to starve you to death and let you die on a Gurney in a hallway because they don't give a damn about the little guy" for the Democrats.

It's time for Congress to put its money where its mouthpieces are.

Money talks. Bull**** walks. So far, all I've seen from Congress is a lot of bull**** as both parties hold veterans, children, the uninsured and any other convenient group that can be classified, counted, pandered to or bought HOSTAGE to politics.

If it's a serious issue - and I think it is, an issue that reflects negatively on BOTH parties - they'll find a way to put politics aside and fix it. If not, nothing will get done other than we'll get a new President in January 2009 who, regardless of party, will give us more of the same.

- JDTippett

I agree!

- republikin

Paul would have us shrink government but vets need big government involvement to reverse its shameful treatment of those that offered up their lives so that we could post to blogs in safety and freedom.

- PAPPY