The photo is from the film "Triumph of Will," by Leni Reifenstahl. Reifenstahl was one of Hitler's favorite Nazis, as well as being an accomplished film-maker.
The torchlit parade seen here was the culmination of the Nazis' assimilation of power; "Ein Reich, Ein Volk, Ein Furher"...one nation, one people, one leader.
So why would this come to me now? Because the McCain/Palin campaign is using the same playbook of Adolph Hitler. Steve at "Out Of The Bingo Ditch" once related a law professor who said, "If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have the truth on your side, pound the truth. If you have neither, then pound the table."
There is a lot of table-pounding going on, and this is not politics as usual. No, the last few days are revealing something about modern America that is scary as hell. So far, in response to the drumbeats of Palin and McCain has generated shouts from their rallies that included the words "Terrorist!", "Kill him!", and "Treason!" The McCain campaign is inciting violence against a candidate for the presidency of the United States. Used to be against the law.
But, after the last eight years "the law" is apparently a very flexible thing. Perhaps, like after defending the Confederate flag in South Carolina, John McCain will apologize for lying; for betraying his precious "principles" to win an election.The fact that it might result in the death or maiming of Barack Obama would never, of course, be his responsibility. Nor Palin's; after all, she's only been at this what, five weeks? Totalitarian tactics don't need a lot of practice.
It should be borne in mind that the Bush years, or the Rove years, if you will, have gone way beyond polarizing the populace of America. No, they have been teaching the sweet scent of intolerance of others; of that wonderful feeling of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with another soldier of righteousness. Compromise, reason, honor, patriotism....all are perverted into only one interpretation. Everyone not like us is an enemy, not a fellow countryman.
This disturbs me the most about Sarah Palin's latest rounds of invective. She is actually telling listeners, over and over, that Obama/Biden are not "real" Americans. Anyone with any semblance of education, life experience, or just plain intelligence would recognize the fact that there are many people out there just waiting for guidance to violence. It is dangerous, disingenuous, and frankly, un-American.
On a personal note, I've reached the limit of John McCain's constant referral to his POW years. ("Now goshdarnit, John, there ya go, talkin' about the past again"). Two of my uncles were prisoners of the Japanese for three and one half years. Rats and rice were a delicacy for them. They were starved, beaten, worked as slaves, tortured...and so on. I don't know how they survived, but they did return home (unlike 40% of Japanese POW's who did NOT) to learn that their brother had died the previous year fighting the Nazis.
I'll never forget what one uncle told me growing up,"Don't ever trust a government. They are designed to lie no matter what. But, always respect and love the flag. Too much has been sacrificed for it." Wise words, I think, and the man who told me this was a man of honor, through and through. He was a Republican; a very honorable one til the day he died in 1986. May he rest in peace, for I sure do miss him.
And I really miss the party he once belonged to. I think it died this year.
