The New Fascism

History often repeats itself in funny ways. Oppression and injustice will always be a part of our society whether we like it or not. Those in positions of power will always oppress those who are not - hence power becomes the common denominator. Perhaps what is shocking is how we as a society begin to view this cycle as legitimate. What is shocking is how we fall prey to media that spins similar scenario's as "exceptions". What is shocking is how we become the slave's of our governments due to fear. What is shocking is how this keeps us politically stagnant.

We as a society gasp in horror at any mention of Hitler, gulags, and totalitarian rule. Are US practices any different? Guantanamo Bay and Camp X-ray are holding detainees who are being detained indefinitely without access to lawyers. Is this a reflection of the so-called "land of the free"? In Seymour Hersh's "Chain of Command", he proves the torture that is carried out by US soldiers in these modern day gulags. However, the public stands idle constantly being fooled by the media that proclaims these prisoners are all terrorists, they don't deserve POW status, they are a threat to our freedom, our liberty, our way of life. BULLSHIT! American propaganda today would make Hitler proud.

Remember reading about Stalin's secret army? The one that would go into houses and abduct people based on suspicion? Remember the Macarthyism era where every second person was labelled a "commie", spied on, and interrogated? Remember when Americans learned a couple of weeks ago that the NSA was spying on them? catch my drift? But its all okay you see. The government and our media are spying on us for "security reasons". We're frightened and they obviously know what's best for us right? WRONG! They tell you what's best for you and what isn't. Those who don't conform are "unpatriotic", "not American", "terrorists" etc etc etc. The formula is simple, use fear to force conformity and isolate those that don't. Because democratic states cannot coerce a population to do its bidding, a fear tactic is implemented to force conformity because a fearful population is pliable, agreeable, and easy to influence.

Have I said anything new here? of course not. This reality is prevalent in today's intellectual literature and movies. However, is it really having its effect? Are the American people going to stand up to their government? Will the American public see through their sham democracy and acknowledge the existence of a fascist core? This I cannot answer as only time will tell.

copyright Aurangzeb Qureshi 2006