For so long we have always referred back to Nazi Germany as the last massive fascist and authoritarian takeover, but with America at the gates ready to go full fascist, the Germans must atleast be relieved that in a few years we will be talking about MAGA America instead of Nazi Germany.
W for the Germans I suppose.
I’m German and terrified. I find it difficult to grasp that the playbook that was used in Nazi Germany is right there to compare, how the whole thing happened has been taught in schools to several generations in a row, there’s memorial places to visit - the whole wealth of information is there so it doesn’t happen again!!
And here we are, and it is happening again - in what seems an even more overt way than old Adolf ever dared to pull off. They just built a concentration camp in Florida and are loudly bragging about it. People are randomly being kidnapped from the street, based not even on their immigration status but their skin color, by groups of unidentified thugs. All while the media - even international media - still seem to be unable to call “Fascism” to what is happening.
I would have hoped that us being the eternal Nazis would at least have a deterring effect on other people to not fall into the same trap.
I think it’s partly that people think you can stop fascism with robust political structures and by cracking down hard on fascists. That approach doesn’t work, so long as the material conditions that lead to fascism exist it will come about.
And other countries - including Germany ofc - are copying it.
Yeah, I’m fine with being reminded of our country’s past again and again if it means others don’t do the same bullshit.
I think there are also some interesting similarities with Mussolini. Just think of the role media played. Trump was really active on Twitter, while Mussolini used Il Popolo d’Italia newspaper to spread his message.
It all started again with the ‘I didn’t do that, how long have we got to apologize?!’ mindset.