If Hitler had access to the Web, would Free Rubublic be over 50 years old now?

[Keseys Ghost]

Just wondering....

[Bob1984]

1. Doubtful...

...because modern American conservatives and repugs are completely different animals ideologically from Nazis. Then again, the current Neo-Nazis are dramatically different from the Nazis of long ago. Modern Neo-Nazis are extreme right-wing nutjobs, even further to the right than the Freepers.

In fact, the Nazis of old probably would have gladly executed the Freepers, they'd have been considered a political threat.

Past Nazis were rather close to the center, but their extremism was in their authoritarianism (not their conservatism), their desire to control everything, with patriotism used as the justification for the ends and means. Communists probably have the most in common with the Nazis, except that Communism tends to be an extreme left-wing ideology. They share similar economic policies and both have a long history of abusive authoritarianism and lack of regard for basic human rights.

Nazism and Communism are both failed ideologies, which is why both political systems have long since faded into the limelight.

[lapfog_1]

2. A Hitler would be making use of these "Brown Shirts"

just as he did in the early thirties Germany. And after obtaining absolute power, he would dispose of them in the same way (where we got the phrase "night of the long knives"). Our current neocon cabal uses the right wing whack jobs the same way, only there isn't any perceived need to dispose of them this time, just ignore them once absolute power is obtained. The sad part is that Freepers (whether they post or not) think that they are a vital part of the new fascist state and they are "just waiting for the signal" to join the masters... but the jokes on them, their chosen masters little use for them.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. I think the question should be framed in terms of Josef Goebbels.

HE would have known how to use the internet . . . Probably would have pop-up messages on DU if he were in charge.