Sarah Palin: America's Lipstick Fascist

Sarah Palin summed up the Republican Party's turn to Fascism perfectly when she mocked Senator Obama as someone who would want to read enemies we capture "their rights".

"Terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's [Obama] worried that someone won't read them their rights."

Long before Sarah Palin's son was preparing to deploy to Iraq, my son John joined the Marine Corps, did two deployments in Afghanistan, one mission in Iraq, and fought for and defended his country and family. I was proud of his service, in spite of the fact that I believed that my son had a fool for his commander-in-chief. In my mind, John's motive (regardless of who the President was) was to defend an American way of life based on a set of principles and our Constitution that place the value of the rule of law and human rights above mere expediency.

John and I wrote a book, Keeping Faith: A Father-Son Story About Love and the United States Marine Corps, that, after my appearance on Oprah, became a bestseller and has since become a standard book many Marine Corps families read as a guide to Marine Corps boot camp, and the lives of Marine families.

I won't take a back seat to flag-waving Republicans and their "patriotism." Besides the fact that my son stood up and volunteered, Sarah Palin would not have been nominated if it were not for the abortion issue and John McCain's need to shore up the commitment of the Evangelical pro-life right wing. As John McCain and the leaders of Religious Right know (including figures such as Dr. Dobson and Pat Robertson, Rev. Hagee and their ilk) there would have been no Evangelical pro-life movement as we know it without my and my father's connecting the Republican Party to the Evangelicals.We led that movement into the pro-life camp in the 1970s and early 80s with a series of influential books and film series.

So, I know something about the Republican Party having been a lifelong Republican until recently when, disgusted with the dirty tricks perpetrated by Rove and others, I quit and registered as an independent voter. (I even worked for McCain in 2000 by going on many religious radio shows to plead his case against Bush.)

But there is a better reason for not being a Republican today: the Republican Party stands on the brink of becoming the Fascist American party. Republicans seem ready and willing to trample everything my son stood up for when he put on the uniform of United States.

The Fascist side of the Republican Party is summed up in her historic line: "He's worried that someone won't read them their rights." This snide off-the-cuff remark embodies everything that has gone wrong with America since George W. Bush became president.

In this one little aside is the American equivalent of another "little" phrase: "the final solution." Palin's is an attitude that places ideology and rabid nationalism above the law. For her, war trumps ethics. This attitude has turned America into a country that tortures prisoners, has put us on the wrong side of our Constitution, has taken the country that liberated Auschwitz and made it a place that now uses torture, intimidation and the desecration of human freedom as a means of war.

Palin and the Republican Fascists believe that we are so right, so great and so powerful that we no longer need to obey our own laws or even -- in the case of global warming -- the laws of nature. We can start wars for no reason and then claim "victory". We can torture in the name of Jesus.

Sarah Palin is a member of a theologically extreme church, one that views history as in its "final dispensation" wherein Jesus is about to return and wherein America can help this event along by spurring the apocalypse by goading Israel into a war eternal with its Arab neighbors.

So, our new Republican Fascism is actually Fascism with a twist of nutty Evangelical theology, much like German Fascism evolved with a nutty twist of bizarre superstition and stargazing on the part of Hitler and many leading Nazis who were as enamored by the occult as by politics.

We have seen the next Mussolini and she's wearing a skirt. Don't let Palin's "hockey mom" image fool you. Sarah Palin is the face of a post-democracy America, post-constitutional and post-freedom America. She is the home town "little Austrian" vice presidential candidate to a cancer-riddled old man who, chances are high, won't see the end of his first term in office if he becomes president due to illness and old age. The woman who said that we don't need to read people their rights may well be the next president.

The Fascist tactic that destroyed the democracies of old Europe was simple: mock and belittle your opponents, nibble at the edges of the rule of law, promote violence, and grasp at a weird religion of "destiny" (their version of American exceptionalism) with an "us" against "them" mentality, blame others, including the intellectual classes and the media, pit the working people against the perceived elite (Jews in Europe and today's university-educated Democratic Party leaders in America), take power based on grievance and fear and then set aside the constitution altogether based on claimed threats by outsiders.

This is the path that America is on with Palin and McCain. The election of 2008 is a choice between United States Constitution and Lipstick Fascism.

Frank Schaeffer is the author of CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It Back.

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Comments

[LiberalsAreLogical]

FASCIST AMERICA--WE'RE THERE --continued [my post was cut off]

MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT -- allows for U.S.citizen concentration camps. [600 to 800 + camps already completed and staffed under FEMA, which is now part of Homeland Security.]

UNDERSTAND THAT THESE "LAWS" ARE CURRENT!! And this is only the TIP of the iceberg. Please DO YOUR HOMEWORK -- Investigate! Network! Organize! Protest! Then do whatever it takes to create a TRUE government for the people! --To fight fascism you must recognize it.--

[LiberalsAreLogical]

FASCIST AMERICA--WE'RE THERE

- Fascist regimes are political / economic systems where corporations / wealthy elite are the government -- puppets, completely beholding to the powerful interests they serve.

- Fascism places the state first. Country does NOT serve the citizen, the citizen serves the country.

- Fascism promotes extreme nationalism - patriotic absurdity --"freedom" fries, flag pins, "Constitutional Amendments" against utilizing the flag for protest.

- Fascism thrives based on lack of government accountability.

- Fascists detest liberalism, intellectuals, social justice movements, unions, and dissent. They attack and smear peaceful, benign groups / individuals accusing them of fabricated wrongs.

-Fascists eliminate the peoples' right to redress governmental abuses.

- Fascism depends on lies for public support, manipulating public opinion by controlling and corrupting the media & government to suit its goals.

HELP REPEAL FASCIST LAWS:

PATRIOT ACT -- Gov't searches and seizures WITHOUT a crime being committed.

FISA -- Unbridled surveillance of U.S. citizens.

REAL ID ACT -- Refuses access to those without the ID card from planes, trains, national parks, court houses and other federal facilities.

PROTECT AMERICA ACT -- Allows for massive, untargeted surveillance / collection of international communications without court order or oversight.

VIOLENT RADICALIZATION & HOMEGROWN TERRORISM PREVENTION ACT -- terrorism is defined as “intimidation” of the United States government.

AETA -- criminalizes speech, assembly, protest & boycott against unethical corporate interests / individuals.

CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE -- government seizure of property / cash owned by individuals not charged with any crime.

MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT

[Ehud]

"The election of 2008 is a choice between United States Constitution and Lipstick Fascism."

What a nutty comment.

The US Constitution has been dead for a long long time. That dead document was thrown in the grave in 1865 and every administration and Congress has buried it deeper and deeper under executive and legislative manure.

This election is about Fascism on the Left versus Fascism on the Right.

Both are dangerous. Both are killing this country, its liberties, and its freedoms.

[Conspireality]

Mr Shaeffer makes it sound like this Fascist line is new? Maybe for the OLD McCain, but not for teh Republican COngress and they are the real problem. The damage of the Bush Administration was a perfect storm of a Fascist Administration, with a lock step, bent only on retaining power Republican majority in congress. Both have to change..

And Ms. Palin is not only a Fascist, but she is NO reformer either. Her popularity stems from her effectively BUYING they populace of Alaska with a $3200.00 per person per year payout she established from Alaska's 2.14 BILLION budget surplus. Now I Know many conservatives will say GOOD! They should give it back! Problem is, she gave it back and then went to congress and her pal Ted Stevens with a request for $200 Million in federal money (FROM US) for infrastructure projects, she strangely couldn't pay for by themselves! Some reformer! Sounds more like Ceasar giving bread to the mob.

Read http://conspireality.tv/2008/09/06/oil-politics-of-alaska/ for more...

[CKP5]

Frank, to arrive at your conclusion that the Republican party and specifically Palin and McCain are fascist, similar to Hitler and Mussolini, based on one statement on reading ones rights is most disingenuous.
The reading of rights stems from the Miranda case. It is a relatively new and additional right to protect citizens and residents of the USA against self-incrimination. Before this right was established, each individual was deemed to know the law.
The law applicable to wars, be they in Iraq or elsewhere is governed by the Geneva Convention 1863 and subsequent amendments and protocols, to which the US was signatory. In addition, the US military has extensive codes of conduct.
The Geneva Convention is very clear on the treatment of non-uniformed combatants: They are considered “agent provocateur” and have no claim on the protection of the Geneva Convention. They may in fact be shot on sight.
It is because, we the citizens of the US, feel this treatment is too harsh that we have taken upon ourselves to add rules that provide these provocative agents some protection. Just because the “reading of rights” is not, nor should be included in these rules, does not suddenly make for a Fascist system.

[MissDaphne]

Frank: How do we win against this willful stupidity?

[somefool]

Thanks, I was afraid that I was being overly partisan when I felt that the Republicans were at the very least flirting with fascism. Repubs have certainly adopted many of the retorical methods that fascists seem to favor. But the question is how do you keep them out of the Whitehouse? Do you really go after Palin and her checkered past, or do you stay on the message of the economy? Obama as brilliant a politician as he is could certainly loose this race. As frightening as it is, I find it very possible Palin could end up as President one day. YIKES! Please somebody convince me that I'm being overly pessimistic. You'd be doing me a favor.

[CKP5]

Frank, to arrive at your conclusion that the Republican party and specifically Palin and McCain are fascist, similar to Hitler and Mussolini, based on one statement on reading ones rights is most disingenuous.

The reading of rights stems from the Miranda case. It is a relatively new and additional right to protect citizens and residents of the USA against self-incrimination. Before this right was established, each individual was deemed to know the law.

The law applicable to wars, be they in Iraq or elsewhere is governed by the Geneva Convention 1863 and subsequent amendments and protocols, to which the US was signatory. In addition, the US military has extensive codes of conduct.

The Geneva Convention is very clear on the treatment of non-uniformed combatants: They are considered “agent provocateur” and have no claim on the protection of the Geneva Convention. They may in fact be shot on sight.

It is because, we the citizens of the US, feel this treatment is too harsh that we have taken upon ourselves to add rules that provide these provocative agents some protection. Just because the “reading of rights” is not, nor should be included in these rules, does not suddenly make for a Fascist system.

[Retrofuturistic]

Yes, the Republican Party IS fascist. And Christian Fascism is rampant under the tutelage of people like (the now deceased) Jerry Falwell, Rod Parsley, Pat Robertson, James Dobson, et al. Thank goodness someone in a position to be listened to is finally calling it by its name.

There are many parallels between the rise of Hitler and the rise of George W. Bush. And, coincidentally or not, Condoleeza Rice is an expert on Hitler. She wrote a dissertation on him or something. Hitler burned the Reichstag and blamed it on his enemies. Bush had 9/11 and blamed that on someone he wanted to go to war against. Both Hitler and Bush had Patriot Acts and secret prisons and talked a lot about the security of the "homeland"; they used identical terms. Both used Christianity to advance their aims. If you really look at it, it seems like Bush followed Hitler's playbook....

[DMAN1]

As a former registered Democrat and now Independent, I find it amazing reading just the first few posts how many Dems feel they know what best for the Amercan population. As if their values and concerns are everyone's. Have some of you ever stopped to think that there "May" be concerns that other Americans have that you've never considered. it's as if only Democratic conerns are they only important ones. New flash! If that was they case, Then 50 million people wouldn't of voted opposite of the Democratic party after Clinton's great eight years in 2000. Obviously millions of people didn't think things were all so great for them by November of 2000. Personally, The reason I left the Democratic party was I was shocked living in the "Progressive" state of California that after my divorce that I would have to file a Civil Rights Lawsuit just to get "fair" access to my children. I never for a second dreamed that the former state of my birth had passed so much legislation that became so anti father. This Legislation was promoted and passed by the Democratics to my shock and dismay. Today, Every "Blue" state has horrible statistics when it comes to data regarding men and child custody. So, Don't anyone here ever tell me that democrats are about equality. Liberal equality is equality that is only important to liberals and democrats. See the 2000 vote above. When the democrats really become inclusive than I may return.

[SadButWiser]

Frank, I only wish all religious leaders across all isles are like you. Great article as usual.

[zanzig]

Dear Frank, "the Republican Party stands on the brink of becoming the Fascist American party"; I hate to tell you this but they fell over the brink many long years ago - probably during WWII, with Lindbergh et al.

[RGray]

As usual, Mr. Schaeffer, your post is gospel.

[arocco]

I anyone doubts that this article is true, view the videos of the police actions in Minnensoto during the convention. This is eactly how it happened in Germany. Read "The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich", it's a road map of what happening today!

[wandering girl]

I'm thinking the RNC should have forgotten about illegally using copyrighted music this week, and just gone ahead and contracted for Prussian Blue to perform. it would have been much more appropriate.