Eternal vigilance

Last week I commented on an essay by Sara Robinson about how close we might be to fascism in America. Today is her second essay on what we might be able to do to avoid that fate.

Sara wrote that the responses to the first essay (and her other writings on the issue) fall into thirds.

The first third invokes Godwin's Law -- whoever is first to invoke Hitler, Nazis, or fascism in a debate first loses that debate. That law holds when people claim that particular public figures (Obama) or certain groups (gays) are modern Nazis or a new Hitler. But it doesn't hold when a historian is drawing meaningful parallels.

The second third says we're already there and have been since (insert date of choice). Some even use the date of 7/4/1776. Clearly, this group doesn't know the meaning of the term (as is the case of many who accuse liberals of being fascist).

And the final third has participated in meaningful debate. And that makes Robinson's efforts worthwhile.

So if we're so close to fascism that we're in the parking lot, how do we keep from entering the building (which appears to have no exits)? Robinson lays out these actions:

* The "teabaggers" are bullies. When a bully wins he picks a bigger target and has learned how to be more effective in his terror. Do not let the bullies win this round. Fascists are bigger and badder bullies. Conservatives have long relied on fear to whip up the dispossessed to "enforce order." The current crop of bullies have tasted media attention and are not going to be silent when Congress goes back to Washington. The time to defeat a bully is when he is first getting started.

This one has got me wondering if Obama's efforts to reach consensus with the GOP is equivalent to letting the bullies win a round.

* The fight has national implications, but must be fought locally. The bully coming after you will be your neighbor. Defend community standards now while there are such standards to defend.

* Learn non-violent resistance, but leave enforcement to the cops. As gays have seen the bullies are looking for ways to play the innocent victim -- or proclaim one of their own as a martyr. This implies attending local forums and standing up for civil discourse, in a non-violent manner. Being a bully falls under public nuisance laws (which we respect), but leave arrests to the cops after the crime is committed.

* Make sure the media gets the story straight. Turn off the cameras and the bullies go away. But bullies and conflict are red meat to the media, so we know the cameras are going to roll. So join them. Bad free speech is cured with more speech. Take your own cameras. Post on YouTube. Blog. Write letters to media outlets. Keep your favorite reporter well fed with tidbits of concerned citizens wanting to maintain the democratic process.

* Support fearless legislators. So far Dems are successful in portraying the GOP as the Party of Crazies and that 73% of Americans support health care reform. But they need support in turn. Attend public forums. Drop by their office and tell their staff you want them to hold firm for democracy, not just health care. Alas, I'm pretty sure my own representative supports the crazies.

* Shut down the hate talkers. The bullies are students of the conservative talking heads who are maintaining raw emotion and toxic misinformation for hours a day. Ever hear of Radio Rwanda? These hate/fear boxes can be shut down. Record their shows. Note anything that intimidates or incites violence. Note advertisers. Contact advertisers, pointing out that if an employee said the same thing they would be fired. I suspect pulling funding from Rush will give him martyr status and confirm that Liberals are against free speech.

* Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. This will not be over when Congress returns to Washington. This will not be over as long as the presidency is in Dem (especially Obama's) hands. There are only two outcomes. We get good at spotting and stopping bully intimidation. Or they get good at ratcheting up intimidation into mob rule.

Now some comments from me.

I come from a family that has a strong tendency to not get involved in politics. Yes, we all vote and do so even in the local elections (I've missed a few school board votes when the only warning of a coming vote is a smattering of yard signs). While growing up I never saw my parents take part in a campaign, other than a rare yard sign.

In the last 15 years I have gotten involved, mostly because I had to. I've visited my US representative (before the Dem lost her seat in redistricting) and have attended coffee sessions with state legislators. I've written a few letters (and taken part in letter campaigns by gay organizations). I even went door-to-door to pass out flyers during the Michigan marriage protection amendment campaign and a couple local ordinances. However, it's not something I enjoy doing and don't have a real passion for it. I'm pretty sure most of my family has done less than I have and don't like it any more.

So I read through the suggestions given above and think this sounds like work. It will leave less time for the things I want to do, especially this August. I don't have a real passion for sitting in meetings and taking a stand in the face of bullies, which I suspect I wouldn't handle well.

I remember a poem (?) that went something like this:

They came for the Jew. I didn't speak up because I'm not a Jew. They came for the crippled, but I didn't speak up because I'm not crippled. They came for … (and the list was long), but I didn't speak up. They came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

Sigh.