"Nazi". For over a generation, that's been a word used to defame someone else, one of the worst things you could call someone. Regardless of where and how the name is used, by consensus a 'Nazi' represents a soulless monster, a person with no humanity in his heart, and a certain deliberate viciousness about his actions and intentions. The use of 'Nazi' as a pejorative has gone through several incarnations, from the literal accusation that someone was part of the infamous political party and its agenda, to claims that a person's politics or behavior is compatible with Nazi dogma, to a generic denunciation of an action or policy as inhumane, to the present use where no valid criticism can be found to use against a target, so 'nazi' is used as a particularly offensive yet generic name to smear someone with, a word so loosely applied that defense against it is all but impossible, since no specific charge is even made. It should be noted that for the last eight years, it has been pretty much standard for self-anointed "progressives" to address the Bush Administration as "nazi" for just this reason.
Now enters Barack "Change" Obama. Obama claimed to respect the heroism of John McCain, his opponent in the general election, but in fact he did nothing to defend McCain against a flood of unworthy malice from Obama supporters. The O mumbled a few excuses about not being able to control his people, which should be troubling from a man claiming he can bridge the divide between the parties, including their extremist elements, and "get past the politics of division". I saw the excuse as revealing. In any case, at some point the façade of credibility will fade for the Obama White House, if not crumble away, at which time we may expect a variety of criticisms to be launched Obama-wards. Seeing as his Narcissusness has never had to answer hard questions, especially from his supporters, this will be an intriguing stage of his young relationship with Reality. Since there will be scant evidence on which to indict his work so far, when Obama, as is inevitable, disappoints his minions, the criticism against him will necessarily be generic and non-specific. Will 'nazi' be used to describe 'The One', if he chooses not to cut and run from Iraq? If Obama decides that raising taxes is not a good idea, after all? If President Obama decides, say, that America's interests are in fact more important than those of, say, Venezuela?
The word's been used with less justification many times. It will be interesting to see if it shows up again in the new paradigm, and if not, what weasel word will replace it.
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Comments (14)
No, no, no. It will NEVER ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by GarandFan | December 27, 2008 5:55 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
No, no, no. It will NEVER been The Chosen One's fault. The blame will rest solely on the shoulders of GeorgeCheneyHaliburtonBush.
Although it will be interesting to see how long they'll be able to use that chestnut.
1. Posted by GarandFan | December 27, 2008 5:55 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on December 27, 2008 17:55
2. Posted by Kat | December 27, 2008 7:28 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
I welcome our Overlord with open arms. Someday we will look back on the doom he brings and laugh, though it might take 25 years.
2. Posted by Kat | December 27, 2008 7:28 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on December 27, 2008 19:28
3. Posted by Kilroy | December 27, 2008 8:10 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
C'mon folks! Obama's brought back the "C" word - COMMIE!
3. Posted by Kilroy | December 27, 2008 8:10 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 27, 2008 20:10
4. Posted by James Cloninger | December 28, 2008 12:29 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
C'mon folks! Obama's brought back the "C" word - COMMIE!
Oh, I was thinking of a totally different word...
4. Posted by James Cloninger | December 28, 2008 12:29 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 00:29
5. Posted by bryanD | December 28, 2008 5:12 AM | Score: -4 (8 votes cast)
"Nazi" might be returning, but our's is the age of the "Neocon". Please adjust your expectations accordingly. An aspirin a day keeps heart arrhythmia away! But, as a matter of fact, "nazi" is an epithet used by neocons, along with "fascist" and the branding of enemies of the people du jour as Hitler Redux. It goes back to the neocons' roots in the left wing of the old Communist International and their grudge against Stalin's crypto-nationalism at the expense of the "Jewish department" in the Peoples' Congress of Deputies and his purging of the founding fathers of Leninism such as Zinoviev and Trotsky. Which explains the future neocons' first appearance in the USA in such organizations as the Young Socialist Students League, and later the Students for a Democratic Society. When the draft was abolished they all felt free to pretend to be conservatives, able to trumpet war at no physical risk to themselves, and from a perch in the GOP, to boot. And so it goes. And P.S. they are already infesting Team Obama, so they may go back to calling themselves neo-liberals.
And why did they hate Ron Paul's guts, you ask?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0N0iqUiaTs
5. Posted by bryanD | December 28, 2008 5:12 AM |
Score: -4 (8 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 05:12
6. Posted by Smiles | December 28, 2008 10:15 AM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
DJ,
Who are you accusing of calling McCain a Nazi and when did this occure? As a liberal I condem the comparison but I do not recall a flood of Nazi accusations against McCain.
6. Posted by Smiles | December 28, 2008 10:15 AM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 10:15
7. Posted by Maggie Mama | December 28, 2008 10:31 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Smiles: Google "John McCain Nazi" to answer your own question.
7. Posted by Maggie Mama | December 28, 2008 10:31 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 10:31
8. Posted by SillyPuddy | December 28, 2008 1:40 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
lol No surprise that "George Bush Nazi" @ 1.7m beats "John McCain Nazi" @ 1.4m hits. BDS is still in full effect, it's not going to go away.
8. Posted by SillyPuddy | December 28, 2008 1:40 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 13:40
9. Posted by James | December 28, 2008 2:59 PM | Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
DJ
Sometimes I wonder if you are on drugs, or rather whether you forgot to take your medication?!
I think you are losing the plot, if you have not lost it already.
Season's greetings!
9. Posted by James | December 28, 2008 2:59 PM |
Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 14:59
10. Posted by Marc | December 28, 2008 3:29 PM | Score: 1 (7 votes cast)
pea[brain]3000 - "bu$h has blown the doors off all previous records for privatising functions of government, to the tune of many hundreds of billions of dollars, and thanks to the sweetheart setups, the govt general accounting office has been unable to measure the effectiveness of virtually ANY of it."
And once again you appear to be misinformed, ignorant, or just plain stupid:
All the while forgetting the Bush bank bailout proposal was porked-up by hundreds of millions by the dems in the House.
Not to mention forgetting all the dems that voted for that bailout and the many that have followed.
But that's ok pea-brain, we understand, your "Bush version" of beer goggles doesn't allow you to see past the epithet "Bu$hitlerhaliburtonCo."
10. Posted by Marc | December 28, 2008 3:29 PM |
Score: 1 (7 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 15:29
11. Posted by peabody3000 | December 28, 2008 4:05 PM | Score: -2 (6 votes cast)
once again marc, you seem to be dictating empty rebuttals cooked up by your own under-powered imagination
you quote my statement about the GAO and then proceed to not address one single point about it, choosing instead to rany almost incomprehensibly
so, here - get educated on the issue im speaking of, since you are so utterly devoid of any kind of background info
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/bookman/entries/2008/12/11/privatizing_government_can_bac.html
11. Posted by peabody3000 | December 28, 2008 4:05 PM |
Score: -2 (6 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 16:05
12. Posted by apb | December 28, 2008 8:25 PM | Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
peabody -
As always, your screed contains a number of assertions that have no apparent basis in fact - WHICH government functions have been privatized? Are you confusing privatization with campaign contribution quid-pro-quo?
The sad fact is that the gainfully-employed segment of the population is already the cash crop of gummint. This is the same gummint that can produce both a good product (the military) and a crap product (the education system) with the glue being an ever-expanding pool of corruptocrats and their families on our dole.
It pains me no end to have to hear a government douche whine about years of 'public service' when the only thing produced is generally crappy law and poor service - for bloated pay and astronomical pensions. The me-first mentality of the boomer generation has infested all levels of government, and will end up screwing the pooch for all of us.
12. Posted by apb | December 28, 2008 8:25 PM |
Score: -1 (5 votes cast)
Posted on December 28, 2008 20:25
13. Posted by Brian | December 29, 2008 2:03 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
All the while forgetting the Bush bank bailout proposal was porked-up by hundreds of millions by the dems in the House.
As demanded by the Republicans so they would vote for it. Get the facts right.
13. Posted by Brian | December 29, 2008 2:03 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 29, 2008 14:03
14. Posted by Marc | December 29, 2008 4:58 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
brian - "As demanded by the Republicans so they would vote for it. Get the facts right."
Show me. Pulling something our of your posterior won't cut it.
It will be pretty hard to convince me when 149 of 199 House Republicans voted against a bill you claim they porked up.
14. Posted by Marc | December 29, 2008 4:58 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 29, 2008 16:58