Young People for Change? They’re Hitler Youth

[Stingo]

There is a never ending treeasure trove of Republican Party stupidity out there. This time a sign prominently placed at the Broward County office for John McCain compares Obama to Hitler, Stalin and Castro, then claims all young people are here on earth to obey Obama in his nefarious plans. Or something like that. Sheesh, these stupid Repubs!

http://allspinzone.com/wp/2008/10/17/young-people-for-change-theyre-hitler-youth/

[rockymountaindem]

1. Nevermind that the actual German and Italian fascist movements were originally based on...

World War One veterans.

That's an opinion-free statement. Just fact.

[Stingo]

2. Yeah, but it doesn't bear on

that poster. The poster just grabs names of dictators and throws Obama with them. There's no cause and effect there, except that the point seems to be that young people who are inspired by Obama must be stupid.

[rockymountaindem]

3. You're right, however

They are also distorting the truth. Obviously young people supporting Obama, such as myself since I'm 21, have zero to do with the Hitler Youth. If you want to look at the people who really helped Hitler get a boost from absolutely nowhere to a position of moderate prominence, then you're looking at the embittered WWI vets and members of the Freikorps. Think about the 1924 Beer Hall Putch... the leadership and main body of which was comprised of WWI veterans and their militant RW sympathizers who for one reason or another did not serve in the military. The same is true of Mussolini's March on Rome. It was not until the NSDAP had become a relatively major power in German politics that they began to organize youth groups to help disseminate propaganda to young and willing minds, as well as send them out to terrorize opponents. For Mussolini, active large-scale organization of youth did not begin until after he was already in power.

As usual, the far right in this country just makes things up to justify the daily talking points. So, not only are they belittling people like me by comparing me to Hitler Youth acolytes, but they're just plain wrong about the power base of fascism.

[Stingo]

5. The real truth is

that they hate young people.

[rockymountaindem]

6. On that we agree n/t

[amdezurik]

4. ignorance, in particular history

is part of the pathology of that ilk