It's not like many people didn’t warn us about this. While Sinclair Lewis did not say, "When Fascism Comes to America, It Will Be Wrapped in the Flag and Carrying a Cross", he gave the same sentiment in "It Can't Happen Here":
“But he saw too that in America the struggle was befogged by the fact that the worst Fascists were they who diso…
It's not like many people didn’t warn us about this. While Sinclair Lewis did not say, "When Fascism Comes to America, It Will Be Wrapped in the Flag and Carrying a Cross", he gave the same sentiment in "It Can't Happen Here":
“But he saw too that in America the struggle was befogged by the fact that the worst Fascists were they who disowned the word ‘Fascism’ and preached enslavement to Capitalism under the style of Constitutional and Traditional Native American Liberty.”
And James Waterman Wise, Jr. added that Fascism would have no shirt or insignia, but would be, “Wrapped up in the American flag and heralded as a plea for liberty and preservation of the constitution.”
It's easy to look for external enemies, Communists or terrorists or whatever. It's harder to see the rot within.
There's a lot of truth in your concluding sentence. I've been on a quest for many years now to look within myself, in hopes of becoming a better member of the human race, and I can honestly say it's easier to pass judgment on "others" than it is to deal with my personal issues. I'm sure the same applies for a political party, or for a nation.
I've very successfully helped all sorts of people with all sorts of problems, but I can't seem to help myself with my problems. I like to think it's because I've solved all the easy problems, but the fact is we all get in ruts we like.
Yes, I hear you. I too have overcome the easy problems, but you're so right - it's those ruts that we like that take a long time, because they run deep. I really like this idea of them being ruts - it helps me to imagine my need to do some "road repair".
It's not like many people didn’t warn us about this. While Sinclair Lewis did not say, "When Fascism Comes to America, It Will Be Wrapped in the Flag and Carrying a Cross", he gave the same sentiment in "It Can't Happen Here":
“But he saw too that in America the struggle was befogged by the fact that the worst Fascists were they who disowned the word ‘Fascism’ and preached enslavement to Capitalism under the style of Constitutional and Traditional Native American Liberty.”
And James Waterman Wise, Jr. added that Fascism would have no shirt or insignia, but would be, “Wrapped up in the American flag and heralded as a plea for liberty and preservation of the constitution.”
It's easy to look for external enemies, Communists or terrorists or whatever. It's harder to see the rot within.
There's a lot of truth in your concluding sentence. I've been on a quest for many years now to look within myself, in hopes of becoming a better member of the human race, and I can honestly say it's easier to pass judgment on "others" than it is to deal with my personal issues. I'm sure the same applies for a political party, or for a nation.
Well said.
I've very successfully helped all sorts of people with all sorts of problems, but I can't seem to help myself with my problems. I like to think it's because I've solved all the easy problems, but the fact is we all get in ruts we like.
Yes, I hear you. I too have overcome the easy problems, but you're so right - it's those ruts that we like that take a long time, because they run deep. I really like this idea of them being ruts - it helps me to imagine my need to do some "road repair".