Rolling Back Fascism Is Not Easy, Part Four

First published January 2013

"Right Wing Extremism" 

Maybe we humans need a certain amount of fear in our lives, I don't know. Is that why we stand in long lines to ride roller coasters and try to find the spookiest haunted houses at Halloween time? Scaring the hell out of us is a pretty major industry. With communism not providing the scariness of times past, the political right has looked around for a new form of "haunted house," although some still like to return to the "communist threat," calling some people, usually Democrats, "communists," or "socialists," a word many people don't really understand. Islamist extremists, likened to fascists by some, galvanized Americans and others to oppose such extremism in other countries, all the while letting our own fascists hide out and grow under the guise of patriotism, as they wrapped themselves in the flag, and some also, in religion, usually Christianity, proving only that anyone can call themselves a Christian, without ever really understanding Christianity.

 In case you haven't noticed, right wingers also like to "claim" to be protectors of the Constitution, like over gun control, for instance; but, like their perversion of Christianity, their misunderstanding (deliberate or not) of "socialism," especially as it relates to Christianity, they have conveniently interpreted the Constitution favorably toward their own extremist views. This is the Second Amendment: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." They continuously quote the last part, without reference to the first part about a "well regulated Militia." It is not a coincidence, in my opinion, that many American fascist groups call their groups "militias." They use the false argument of " they want to take our guns away," when "most" supporters of gun control simply want some reasonable restrictions like the ban on assault weapons reinstated and bans on large magazines of ammunition implemented, but the fascists and the far right continue to maintain  that gun control supporters "want to ban guns." Former Governor Haley Barbour, also a former Republican Chairman, should have been challenged for spouting this nonsense on a recent Meet the Press, but host David Gregory was silent, as were other members on the panel. You don't defeat such nonsense by letting it go unchallenged. Some of the outspoken right wingers have noted that the possession of guns can be used to "protect" them from the government, or I suppose, be used in some violent overthrow of the government. You don't need machine guns and other automatic weapons, or huge arsenals, to go hunt ducks.

It's much the same with the right wing argument, "we just want to scale back the size of government before it takes over." Such a basic concept (and the fear behind it) appeals to some people because it deliberately fails to spell out what their vision of "scaling back government" actually means, which is essentially "we don't want Americans to have heath care, or unemployment benefits, or job training dammit! I've got mine, the hell with you!" Don't be surprised if they interrupt to say, "Oh excuse me, I can't discuss this any more, I've got to go to church. I'm a Christian." They give people truly trying to be Christians a bad name; thus, those trying to be Christians also need to set the record straight and let everyone know that the reprehensible talk and actions of these extremists, who cloak themselves in Christianity, do NOT represent them. What is both exasperating and frightening to me is, however, that some people who have benefited from government programs or unions (by directly belonging to a union, or benefiting from the standards set by union negotiations) are now on the side of the right wing. "Do as I say, not as I do." All of us have disconnects at times, but these folks need to reestablish contact with their own lives and pasts, quickly.

Having debates about the size and operations of government is legitimate and does not make one a fascist, but don't forget the company you are keeping and how to keep that company on the fringe of American politics, where it belongs.

Next.. Final part.

WORD HISTORY:
Gnaw-The ultimate origin of this word is uncertain, although it "may" be from sound imitation. Old Germanic had "gnaganan," which meant "to bite something consistently for a period of time in the hope of wearing it down, to bite off small pieces over a period of time." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "gnagan," with the same meaning. This then became "gnawen," before the modern version. Other Germanic languages have: German "nagen" (previously spelled "gnagan"), Dutch "knagen," Low German Saxon "gnagen," Danish "gnave," Icelandic "naga," Norwegian "gnage," Swedish "gnaga." Frisian apparently does not use a form of the word, at least not in this context.