Almost as if by design, after my post earlier today about LaShawn Barber's really bad analogy comparing the white nationalist teenage singing duo Prussian Blue's invocation of "white pride" to minority groups like the NAACP, I came across this post over on David Neiwert's blog showing what real white nationalists look like.
Almost as if by design...
David Neiwert's blog is an excellent one for dealing with the rise of fascist elements within american politics today, without getting muched on by Zombie Hitler. He's always very clear in the differences between Neo-Nazis, and the differences between the pseudo-fascist currents we're seeing in the public debate now (such as authoritarian apologetics, racist/sexist scapegoating, and elimonationist rhetoric), and the "real thing", which adds violent thuggishness to the mix.
Personally, I love the 'Springtime for Hitler' stretegy for dealing with these sorts of demonstrations; mockery, laughter and clownishness as an antidote to the anger and incentives for violence that racism and fascism feeds on.
I'm sure it is just me being twisted...but i swear it looks like Don Rickles has infiltrated the nazi party.
Summertime for hitler and germany....Now i have images of Mel Brooks running through my head.
http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2006/07/white-psp-europe.jpg
This ad is kinda racist, but somehow I don't think the black guy minds too much.
Methinks "white" in the ad has to do with the current fashion in PC design: white cases. If this is racism, then blame Steve Jobs and his white iPods ;-)
Ridiculing Nazis is the best way to deal with them. Fanatics, true believers, and conspiracy theorists have absolutely no sense of humor, particularly about themselves.
Because they see themselves as the center of the universe and the ordained spokesmen of God and The Truth, they expect to be received with either opposition or respect.
Being treated to derision, scorn, and ridicule is hard for them. They are angry that their ideas are not being taken seriously, either as gospel or heresy, and become enraged.
Mel Brooks said that Hitler could have been put out of our misery real early if his Nazis were greeted in 1923 with derision and ridicule. Once they inspired fear and terror in their victims and enemies, they became empowered, and gained respect. Brooks coped with his own fear of Hitler and the Nazis by ceaselessly ridiculing them in his movies.
Mel Brooks said that Hitler could have been put out of our misery real early if his Nazis were greeted in 1923 with derision and ridicule.
Weren't they (in 1923)?
Mel Brooks said that Hitler could have been put out of our misery real early if his Nazis were greeted in 1923 with derision and ridicule.
Weren't they (in 1923)?
Yes, but in 1924, when Hitler stood trial in Munich, he won the platform of public opinion when the judges and prosecutors, instead of continuing to deride and ridicule him, treated him with the utmost deference and a respect not due to a man who had led an attempted coup d'etat. They gave him a platform on which to spout his views and build a following.
The answer is constant, constant, derision. Don't let up on the ridicule.