Where I stand

After being kicked in the guts by the House Democrats and left lying on the floor, gasping for breath, I felt the need to return to the basics and re-examine exactly where I stand. Let's start here: The Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause

4. Supremacy of the Military

5. Rampant Sexism

6. Controlled Mass Media

7. Obsession with National Security

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined

9. Corporate Power is Protected

10. Labor Power is Suppressed

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption

14. Fraudulent Elections

I think most of these are self-explanatory. I also think it's a fair assessment that Democrats exhibit some of these properties. But then, I also think that between the two parties it's the GOP that exhibits nearly all of them.

Picking "3" as a conceivably confusing example, it's not just outside the US that "enemies/scapegoats" have been identified. Recall that Hitler's "enemies of the state" were the Jews, the gays, and the "gypsies". Compare that to the GOP's hatred of Muslims (Jews), gays (gays), and "illegal immigrants" (gypsies). The Democrats don't share the bigotry toward gays and immigrants. It's at least arguable that, by being willing to talk to our enemies vs the GOP's "shoot first and ask questions later" attitude, the Democrat's attitudes toward muslims is "softer". At least, the last is what GOP campaign ads will say.

So, as always, I am faced with 3 choices. I can vote for the GOP, the American eqivalent of the German Nazi party, or perhaps more appropriately the Italian fascists. I can vote for the Democrats, who are imperfect but fall far short of the GOP in overt fascism. Or, I can choose not to participate, whether that means casting a "protest" vote that will not be seen by anyone or just staying home, knowing that if I don't vote for the Democrats I may as well admit that I'm enabling the American Fascist Party to retain power.

Now, let me be clear about something else. I'm sure it won't be the last time I'll need to say this, but I am not a Democrat for any other reason than so I can vote in the primaries. If my state didn't require party registration in order to vote in primaries I would be registered as an independent. As it is, I've toyed with the idea of registering Republican so I can vote for the worst of the worst. If enough of us did that we could force them to show their true colors to the voters.

What I am, more than anything else, is a patriot in the truest sense of the word. I will support the constitution, EVEN IF I THINK IT SHOULD BE AMENDED. Our early acceptance of slavery is the perfect example of where the constitution hasn't been perfect from the beginning. I'm open to opinions that other aspects of our constitution should be overturned by the will of 2/3 of both houses of congress and 3/4 of the states, but until it is IT IS THE SUPREME LAW of a country that has, more often than not, worked very well for over 200 years.

What this means is, nothing (and I mean NOTHING) disgusts me more than people who ignore the constitution in favor of their own agenda. Anti-abortion fanatics are a perfect example of this. Even if abortion was illegal, the law couldn't be enforced without violating AT LEAST 4 of the amendments. Which brings up why I despise fundies. They place the Bible above the constitution, and honestly believe that if they "stop the slaughter" it's OK, and damn the constitution. One more thing on abortion, then I'll move on: you may argue that there are more important things to consider when considering a candidate or a judge, and I may even agree with you, but failing to recognize the GOTV power of this issue is a fatal mistake. Twenty percent of the population will ignore any assault on our constitution, our nation, and the majority of the American people as long as they feel they're working to stop abortion. In a nation where 60% turnout is "historic", this is a significant percentage of every vote.

Alright, so let me tie it all together. If I lived in Nazi Germany, the one thing I couldn't forgive myself for is voting or acting in a way that enabled the Nazi party to continue to hold power. I may not defeat them, but at the very least I'd vote for the Christian Democrats OR the Communists. Whatever it takes, because the alternative is the holocaust.

So, the Democrats may be imperfect, but I will vote for them (unless it's the Green or Liberarian candidate who can defeat the American Nazi Party candidate, in which case I will vote for that candidate.)

Please don't ask me to defend everything the Democrats do, because I can't and I won't.

Please don't expect me to vote in a way that allows the GOP to win. I consider that immoral.

Please ackowledge that some Democrats are better than others, and some of them should be defeated in the primaries to be replaced by "better Democrats".

And when the congress passes a law that CLEARLY protects the Bush administration from accountability for their repeated violations of the constitution, understand that SOME OF THE DEMOCRATS ARE AS GUILTY AS BUSH, if only because they looked, and are willing to keep looking, the other way. They prove it when they vote for things like retroactive immunity.

If we are to restore a government of laws, a government of, by, and for the people, we must acknowledge not only that we've gone wrong, but where we went wrong.