[Warning: long rant ahead ... skip if you are bored by politics ...]

For years now political blogs have branded the Bush regime as a fascist elite - transforming the US of A into a Brown State.

If you search Hitler+Bush on Google you get a gazillion articles and images - plus reports like that (father of a fallen soldier beaten up by pro war citizens) and this (student gets tasered by the police asking annoying questions) seem to support the argument. The US is slowly turning into a new Nazi Germany.

I think it’s fundamentally wrong to compare modern forms of Fascism always with old ones from the Hitler era. Like Democracy all forms of government change and adapt - even the bad ones.

For example: today society ‘exists’ more in a virtual form instead of ‘the street’. So you no longer need many thugs or brown shirts to push your agenda. Mental control and groupthink work today much better then 1933 - especially in a ever more complex and diverse media world. There is much more entertainment, hobbies and consumerism out there to distract you from ‘real’ life and politics then 1933.

Most people are afraid of real freedom and complexity. They love almost anything that ‘makes nasty stuff and thoughts’ go away. It doesn’t matter if it’s a pill against restless leg syndrome or immigrants - something easy to swallow is preferred over anything complicated or personal involvement.

Dude, this Democracy stuff is hard work …

Typical right wingers or conservative have this symptom ("We are the good ones, all others are bad.") as well as those who are so called green and progressive types ("Back to nature, modern science and/or corporations are destroying us!").

Naomi Wolf recently published her book ‘The End of America: A Letter of Warning To A Young Patriot‘ which certainly makes a serious case explaining the coming of a Nazi America.

Here are her ten steps (or buy the book or read this essay detailing them):

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy.
2. Create a gulag.
3. Develop a thug caste.
4. Set up an internal surveillance system.
5. Harass citizens’ groups.
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release.
7. Target key individuals.
8. Control the press.
9. Dissent equals treason.
10. Suspend the rule of law.

All these warnings of a new fascist state usually ignore two essential points: the creation of an ‘Idiocracy’ and the overall ‘Willingness’ of the whole society.

Idiocracy

Good thing Hollywood already made a movie about it! 

In countries like the US and Britain - even Germany - you can literally watch most of the society become dumber and dumber. Being ’stupid’ and an being underdog is more of lifestyle of choice today instead of an unfair social condition people want to escape.

I don’t think there was ever a golden age of an overall ’smart’ and well educated masses, who were highly interested in politics and science … but today’s school systems in the US and UK certainly lag behind their potential.

And one more important element on the road to any totalitarian system: Bread & Games. Distracting your people from important issues has always worked great to hide your true intentions. There has never been a bigger and more effective political-corporate distraction industry like today.

This must be important - all people talk about it.

That is why there is in almost every country an edition of American-British-German Idol, Big Brother, Who wants to be a Millionaire and a plethora of Dating Shows (which I call Wedding Porn). These shows are not created by the state (like the roman games in the Colosseum) to distract people. They are created by companies to satisfy the hunger for easy entertainment. There is no conspiracy behind this. Just hunger for ‘fun’, gossip and social porn.

This goes way beyond controlling the press - this simply fills all channels with so much nonsense so that really important stuff get’s lost in the noise. You don’t need to control the press when most people either ignore, miss or are unable to understand any revealing reports about your nasty deeds. Even more distressing: most Americans know that their Government is taking them for a ride - and they simply surrender.

Which brings us to the next point:

Willingness

People like Hitler, Stalin and Mao (to name the great evils) - as well as Jesus, Buddha and Barry Manilow are only dangerous or effective IF they find willing followers.

Today Adolf Hitler wouldn’t find many Germans willing or even interested in his ideas, because the cultural, economical and social circumstances are not fertile enough for his ideology.

Societies only adapt and support ideas that feed current trends or desires. It goes even further: societies often transform and twist contrary ideas to suit their groupthink and consensus. An excellent example for this is Christianity in the US, which worships an Idol called Jesus Christ with Mega Churches and TV evangelists (who on a regular basis turn out to be total frauds), which has hardly anything to do with the basic ideas of old school Christian beliefs (love, supporting the poor, nonviolent behavior, tolerance, etc.).

American culture has drifted very much to the right since Jimmy Carter. It is in many aspects rather anti-social: no universal health care, education is expensive and not free for all, the justice system is harsh, unforgiving and racial, rich people and corporations are pampered. All not very Christy and hardly something you would call a big tents for all or compassionate anything.

Get them young … 

Plus the continues drift into a religious mindset also prepared the ground for the acceptance of even more ‘totalitarian belief systems’. American society today is much more willing to indulge and tolerate absolute ideas about anything compared to the 1960’s. Being ignorant of science, progress and other cultures is the new trend. The willingness to either ignore, support or stay passive in face of totalitarianism and fascist rule has grown.

That is why protests are weak and political opposition is more like silent collaboration.

America has finally succumbed to the virus that has driven so many countries into decay before: We are the chosen ones! USA! USA! USA! We are #1!

It is a basic foundation of any totalitarian society: We are one. We are better then the others. We can take on the whole world.

We are the greatest Nation on da Planet!

This is the silent story and vision that still is deeply embedded in the American psyche. It is fertile ground for Fascism.

So many American writers, bloggers and citizens complain about indoctrination and manipulation from the top - but they so often willingly overlook the overall willingness or weakness of so many fellow Americans.

Nazi Germany as well as fascist Italy, Maoist China and the Soviet Union were not built by evil masterminds that turned peaceful and smart masses into willing subjects.

No.

All these huge evil empires were built with the help, ignorance and often fanatical devotion of the Masses.

So American Fascism is a cultural and social development and it is not just the brainchild of political elites, but of the American people themselves.