DAVID RUFFIN

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each: 1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays. 2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc. 3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc. 4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized. 5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution. 6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common. 7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses. 8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions. 9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite. 10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed. 11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked. 12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations. 13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders. 14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

Patriot Act...Mark Walberg's best

Jamaica Montego Bay

Big Bang theory

Rocky

Morning Joe

Was Rodgers a choke artist when he threw that hail marry?

I'm on the Wisconsin side. The water is very cold. It seems the older I get the colder the water. Go Figure

One city block from Lake Michigan.

GREEN BAY PACKERS #1 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS #2

I've been spending summer breaks in Jamaica for maybe the last ten years. Montego Bay is my resort choice. It's absolutely paradise. I'm hoping to get a teaching job there so I can live in paradise and vacation in the states a couple of weeks a year,

I'm Still Standing

It's Fox News so it must be true.

Another Gov't conspiracy.

Have you ever scoped out any other news source other then Fox News? No wonder your so misinformed. They just love people like you that buy their propaganda on any given subject. Spread your wings just a little bit and you just might find news sources that have a different slant on daily events.

I hate to disappoint some of you but the crash lasted a whole hour.

100% Jamaican mon.

America does not have the best healthcare in the world but it does have the most expensive.

I don't think he has ever had an original opinion or thought.

Another cut & paste with no opinion. This guy is a joke.

BUMP...Still waiting for Phurfur in depth and well thought opinion on the subject.... Any subject.

Why, doesn't Boehner allow the house to vote on lifting the shut down?

You get stupider with every post.

You are sad and pathetic.

Kingston Jamaica Racine Wisconsin Kansas City Missouri