Rummy in Paradise: When All Else Fails, Trot Out the "Appeasement" Language.

In his recent attempt to label all war critics appeasers of fascism, Donald Rumsfeld continues to sink to new lows. 62% of Americans see through his propaganda and manipulative deceit, tell the truth, and speak out or answer pollsters. As Rummy would say, "My goodness."

Ironically, in his attack, he uses one of the very tendencies of fascism John Dean warns us of. In Conservatives Without Conscience, Dean summarizes research on the authoritarian personality and links tendencies of Rummy and friends to such authoritarian tendencies.

And sure enough, Rummy is only too happy to oblige. First it was Neo-McCarthyism. Now it's this absurd and outrageous claim that war critics are trying to appease "a new type of fascism." Read the article here.

So let's take a look at some characteristics of fascist regimes. Researcher/writer, Dr. Lawrence Britt has studied the common characteristics of fascist regimes and enumerated fourteen defining characteristics of fascism:
1. Powerful and continuing nationalism.
2. Disdain for the recognition of human rights.
3. Identifies scapegoats/enemies 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.

Does that ring a bell? If that doesn't give one pause, then maybe he or she should look for our nation's integrity and reputation either "north, south, east or west," where Rummy and his bosses have left them. Should Rumsfeld want to see a real appeaser (of fascism), he need only look in the mirror. And as Rumsfeld and Cheney ratchet up the coercive repressive rhetoric, they illustrate better than any of us can how truly weak they really are. If they have to stoop to this, then they are really desperate. As for Rummy, the man has no shame and its time for him to go.