if the government gets involved in health care, some tell us, that would be fascism. it would also be socialism. i didn't realize that social security and medicare were fascist. i'm surprised that we have stood for such fascist policies for so long.

my sense of fascism is much different. since fascists are also rabid militarists that start wars to control resources and pacify populations, I tend to think of our wars as much closer to fascism than, let's say, a national health insurance plan. that just goes to show you how depraved my mental workings happen to be.

furthermore, since fascism tends to imprison and persecute large numbers of people, often racial or ethnic minorities, i ususlly think of our large prison population of over 2 million and the horrendous conditions they face as approximating fascism much more than say, public libraries.

also, since fascism usually means oppression of the "other" along nationalist, racist lines, i often see racism, sexism, homophobia, anti immigrant sentiment, and anti-arab and muslim bigotry as resembling fascism alot more than, shall we say, medicare.

but, of course, i know little. i barely make more than 20,000 a year, and that's with two jobs. therefore, what can i know? surely, i am just wasting my time complaining, when i could be out, trying to get people to join the sierra club. alas, the only sierra i ever liked was the sierra madre. what a treasure that was. well, i certainly bogarted that line.

fascism has come to america, so say the fascists. to them, fascism means the wrong guy being in power. it has nothing to do with actual policies. so, when obama does nothing to support an ousted democratically elected leader in honduras, or when he drops bombs on afghanistan, or when he advocates for the city of chicago to waste millions of dollars by hosting the olympics when the city could use that money to create jobs or build housing, none of this is fascism, though it is such facts as these that at least show a strong connection between american capitalism and militarism and fascism. but, such real connections are not helpful to the fascists that are yelling fascism at their "opponents." in fact, such facts, may help people understand how this sickening nation of ours actually operates, and that's exactly what they don't want.

so, white supremacists call obama a fascist, as they scream the n word in his direction.

welcome to the circus.

admission is free, but sadly, there is no exit.