So, USA turning fascist? What do you think?

Ultima

Platinum Member
Oct 16, 1999
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Everytime I read about one of the new laws that you guys pass, I'm wondering just how long it's going to be before you have TV's that can watch everything you do. There's already tons of cameras that watch everything you do outside :)

Link

"The Total Information Awareness preparations have been underway without any congressional hearings, and with no official public notice. Once some of the press began to awaken to a future in which an unblinking government eye would be able to plug into any wire of any citizen, much of the attention was focused on Defense Secretary Rumsfeld?s strange choice to head this omnivorous spying operation. As Jonathan Turley summarized the past history of this new grandmaster of privacy invasions, Poindexter, convicted of five felony counts of lying to Congress and destroying documents, was deeply involved in ?the criminal conspiracy to sell arms to a terrorist nation, Iran, in order to surreptitiously fund an unlawful clandestine project in Nicaragua.? Otherwise known at the time as the Iran-Contra scandal. His conviction was overturned because he had been granted testimonial immunity.
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
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The USA has been going downhill lately. I hope we can fix it, but I'm afraid it's going to keep declining until it comes to another revolution.
 

Marshallj

Platinum Member
Mar 26, 2003
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"We're going to install cameras in your house to make sure no crimes are being committed within it. Just because it's your house doesn't give you the right to break the law. Remember, we're installing them for your protection."
 

Spyro

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: notfred
The USA has been going downhill lately. I hope we can fix it, but I'm afraid it's going to keep declining until it comes to another revolution.

 

Ultima

Platinum Member
Oct 16, 1999
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
The very fact that a poll like this is allowed to exist is proof the answer is no.

So, do you think there's absolute degrees of facism? Either a state is totally fascist, or not at all fascist?
 

Spyro

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
The very fact that a poll like this is allowed to exist is proof the answer is no.

Yes, but for how long..... Ashcroft is watching ;)
 

Ultima

Platinum Member
Oct 16, 1999
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Well, if so many of you believe that the answer is "Yes" then how is the government getting away with it? I'd think there'd be more protests or more outspoken people... I guess the war used up all available protestors
rolleye.gif
 

Kipper

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2000
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A security state, perhaps, with the Patriot Act and other blatantly unconstitutional things going on. Turning into another Israel - that's the last thing we need.
 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
17,033
1
81
Originally posted by: Ultima
Everytime I read about one of the new laws that you guys pass, I'm wondering just how long it's going to be before you have TV's that can watch everything you do. There's already tons of cameras that watch everything you do outside :)

Link

"The Total Information Awareness preparations have been underway without any congressional hearings, and with no official public notice. Once some of the press began to awaken to a future in which an unblinking government eye would be able to plug into any wire of any citizen, much of the attention was focused on Defense Secretary Rumsfeld?s strange choice to head this omnivorous spying operation. As Jonathan Turley summarized the past history of this new grandmaster of privacy invasions, Poindexter, convicted of five felony counts of lying to Congress and destroying documents, was deeply involved in ?the criminal conspiracy to sell arms to a terrorist nation, Iran, in order to surreptitiously fund an unlawful clandestine project in Nicaragua.? Otherwise known at the time as the Iran-Contra scandal. His conviction was overturned because he had been granted testimonial immunity.

The TIA was a bad idea and did not get funding from congress.
 

Spyro

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2001
3,366
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Originally posted by: Ultima
Well, if so many of you believe that the answer is "Yes" then how is the government getting away with it? I'd think there'd be more protests or more outspoken people... I guess the war used up all available protestors
rolleye.gif

Has it ever occured to you that a small community of l33t h4x0rs isn't going to be enough to alter Uncle Sam's course? Unless the rest of the lemmings in the states turn of the reality tv shows and think, I don't see anything happening right now
rolleye.gif
.
 

Ultima

Platinum Member
Oct 16, 1999
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Originally posted by: wizardLRU
Originally posted by: Ultima
Well, if so many of you believe that the answer is "Yes" then how is the government getting away with it? I'd think there'd be more protests or more outspoken people... I guess the war used up all available protestors
rolleye.gif

Has it ever occured to you that a small community of l33t h4x0rs isn't going to be enough to alter Uncle Sam's course? Unless the rest of the lemmings in the states turn of the reality tv shows and think, I don't see anything happening right now
rolleye.gif
.

Does this "small community" think so different from everyone else? Although yes, too many people are apathetic.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
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Originally posted by: Ultima
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
The very fact that a poll like this is allowed to exist is proof the answer is no.

So, do you think there's absolute degrees of facism? Either a state is totally fascist, or not at all fascist?

There's some grey area, but the prime tenet of fascism is the elimination and censorship of all opposition. Without that calling a nation fascist is like calling morning sickness with no fetus a pregnancy. Only when you'd be afraid to call a nation fascist would it truly be fascist.
 

Spamela

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2000
3,859
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: Ultima
Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
The very fact that a poll like this is allowed to exist is proof the answer is no.

So, do you think there's absolute degrees of facism? Either a state is totally fascist, or not at all fascist?

There's some grey area, but the prime tenet of fascism is the elimination and censorship of all opposition. Without that calling a nation fascist is like calling morning sickness with no fetus a pregnancy. Only when you'd be afraid to call a nation fascist would it truly be fascist.


it doesn't happen overnight - by the time it's truly fascist it's too late.
 

Feldenak

Lifer
Jan 31, 2003
14,090
2
81
Originally posted by: madcowdisease
A security state, perhaps, with the Patriot Act and other blatantly unconstitutional things going on. Turning into another Israel - that's the last thing we need.

Blatently unconstitutional things have been going on for years in the U.S., look at all the various entitlement programs in the budget. If anything I believe the U.S. is headed down the path of communism/socialism.
 

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,706
430
126
Fascism:

[*]A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

[*]A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.
Oppressive, dictatorial control.


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[Italian fascismo, from fascio, group, from Late Latin fascium, from Latin fascis, bundle.]
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Word History: It is fitting that the name of an authoritarian political movement like Fascism, founded in 1919 by Benito Mussolini, should come from the name of a symbol of authority. The Italian name of the movement, fascismo, is derived from fascio, ?bundle, (political) group,? but also refers to the movement's emblem, the fasces, a bundle of rods bound around a projecting axe-head that was carried before an ancient Roman magistrate by an attendant as a symbol of authority and power. The name of Mussolini's group of revolutionaries was soon used for similar nationalistic movements in other countries that sought to gain power through violence and ruthlessness, such as National Socialism.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,374
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Originally posted by: notfred
The USA has been going downhill lately. I hope we can fix it, but I'm afraid it's going to keep declining until it comes to another revolution.

which is why we need our guns