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Are you a Nazi? Am I? Who gets to decide?

My grandfather and his brothers fought in Europe against Hitler and the Nazis. Stop disrespecting their sacrifices for politics.

Even today, over 50 years later, when he speaks of the Nazis he begins to foam at the mouth. His friends and family fought and died ridding the Earth of a man that planned, promoted, and advocated for the genocide of 6 million Jews and another 5 million "undesirables".

Every time you refer to your political opponent as a Nazi or Hitler you are insulting the patriots who fought in WWII and dismissing the sacrifices my grandparents made so I could live in a free country.

Seriously, if I see one more person waving a picture of the US President Barack Obama doctored up to look like Hitler I'm going to be forced to modify another semi-automatic AR-15. So before you start demonizing the DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED leader of the United States of America as a Nazi learn your history, read the US Constitution and get a dictionary.

Barack Obama is no more Hitler-like then George W. Bush. These are reasonable men doing what they were democratically elected to do (I know but nothing good comes from rehashing the 2000 election - fix the system don't be a wingnut). Contrary to what FOX News presents, no President ever gets up in the morning thinking - "How can I screw more Americans out of their civil liberties".

Those who are using the term for political gain are leveraging the fear and ignorance of the masses and are walking a fine line between treachery and treason. If I believed that Obama - or Bush - was a Nazi I'd be the first one to arms and organizing Freedom Fighters. Provided the current and legal processes for changing US leadership was being circumvented. And believe it or not - there is a process - ask Andrew Johnson, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson and Gerald R. Ford. Actually, they are all dead so it might be simpler to read the US Constitution.

My concern is there is some paranoid whack job out there who believes these Birther, fascist, Muslim conspiracy delusions and will attempt to fulfill his "calling" - but I digress.

If you are an American tossing around the term "Nazi" to describe another human being do you realize what you are saying? Do you even know what the term means or what it meant to be a Nazi? If you do know, and continue to use it to slander others or embrace it as a constructive worldview, well, you have no conscious or soul and have past the point of reason.

By their nature Nazis:

• Claim a Christian belief system but are anti-Catholic
• Belief in the superiority of an Aryan race
• Advocated a strong, centralized government to defend the German people around the world against Communism and Jewish servitude
• Accept the idea of history as a race struggle influenced by Social Darwinism
• Are antisemitic
• Believe a diverse population that including multiple races and cultures breeds a weak people and a weak state
  
• And are imperialistic

To achieve these goals Nazis sought:

• The creation of a largely homogeneous and self-sufficent ethnic state
• Rejected ideologies like democracy, liberalism, capitalist and Marxism (You cannot be both a Nazi and a Communist)
• Embraced nationalism as communal duty of citizens serve to the state
• Relied on military power to maintain order and control both inside and outside its internationally recognized borders
  
• The compulsory sterilization of people with mental deficiencies or illnesses perceived as hereditary

The Nazis executed over 11 million people in 7 years or rough 1,570,000 people every year. That doesn't include the men and women that fought - on both sides - that died or the additional non-combatant deaths. As a comparison below are a list of US cities and their populations. These 11,000,000 plus people would die under Hitler.

Population City
795,458 Indianapolis, Ind.
805,605 Jacksonville, Fla.
764,976 San Francisco, Calif.
747,755 Columbus, Ohio
743,074 Austin, Tex.
674,028 Memphis, Tenn.
637,455 Baltimore, Md.
681,818 Fort Worth, Tex.
671,588 Charlotte, N.C.
606,913 El Paso, Tex.
602,191 Milwaukee, Wis.
594,210 Seattle, Wash.
599,351 Boston, Mass.
588,349 Denver, Colo.
557,789 Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky
588,292 Washington, DC
590,807 Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.
======================
11,249,659 Total

So seriously, stop with the Nazism slander. It is wrong morally, historically and intellectually to paint your fellow countryman as Hitler or a Nazi. My grandfather, his brothers and friends fought and died in Africa, Italy, Normandy and a 1,000 other shitholes in order for us to be free. Use your freedom of speech but take some responsibility for what you say.

You're giving me a headache

I wish it were a black and white world - then I would be able to pick a side and have a 50% chance of being absolutely on the correct side. Us versus them. Right versus Wrong. Left versus Right. Good versus Evil. Taste Great versus Less Filling.

There is something gloriously appealing to a simplistic worldview that can easily be boiled down to the phrase, "chocolate or vanilla". It is convenient to know that I'm going either to heaven or to hell and the outcome is determined solely on whether I profess a belief in a savior - or not. It is wonderful to believe that "you are either with us or against us." Ah...mission accomplished...or not. See how comfortable it is to say such things. Such simple duality is easy on the brain because it doesn't take any effort to choose.

A black and white world would certainly be convenient - I personally think there are entirely to many brands of toothpaste.

On the other hand - there is something dangerously insidious about a simplistic either/or world. For example, "if it weren't for 'them' we wouldn't have these problems." Simplistic but problematic.

Especially if you replace the word "them" with words such as cracker, nigger, crumpet-sucker, chigger, crunchy, paddy, kike, beaner or one of a 1,ooo other racial slurs. For example, at the turn of the 20th century, as the Irish came across the Atlantic and blacks made their way to opportunity in the north, they were commonly greeted by signs that read, "Irish and niggers need not apply". Which is why another old slur for the Irish was "NINA" - "No Irish Need Apply".

Well at least they knew where to look for a job - somewhere else.

We want simplistic - it is much easier to manage. This is the difficulty with complicated issues - these refuse to be boiled down to an us versus them, either/or option. We want it to be simple which is why we label those people who disagree or are different than us as conservative or liberal, fascist or socialist, Nazi or communist. There are a small minority of people making a living propagating simplistic worldviews - views that limit discussion, limit the free exchange of ideas and limit solutions. Unfortunately, these people can be seen broadcasting into billions of homes around the world delivering an exciting, loud, entertaining and simplistic blend of hostility, humor and zeal.

After all who wants to watch two reasonable moderates who mostly agree?

It is this simplistic world view that gives power to the likes of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Osama Bin Laden, Joseph McCarthy, Glen Beck and my high school football coach - all idealistic fascists. We want it to be simple. We don't want to see the other side of the story, walk in another man's shoes, broaden our perspective or consider all the facts. All of these actions require us to swallow our pride and ego and admit we might not really know. "Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem," wrote educational psychologist Thomas Szasz, "That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all."

Complicated issues such as health care reform, terrorism and energy give us a headache because like all forms of exercise it forces us to stretch our brains. Americans are the most obese people in the world: most of us refuse to get off the couch to exercise our bodies - perhaps instead we should use our couch time to exercise our brains.

All or nothing is a dangerous mindset - more shitheadery

Recently I read with some curiosity an essay by Wounded Eagle entitled A Thief in The Night.

Reading this article, and many like it, watching the news-tainment and listening to "experts" makes me really miss the intellectual integrity and character of William F. Buckley, Jr.

Essentially, she is suggesting that those that disagree with her are sneaking into her house and robbing her of her rights. In more hyperbolic, sophistic rhetoric she claims that those that are opposed to her idea of "America" are simply cancer to be cut out by whatever means necessary. Ignoring the mixed metaphors of the thief in the night or a cancer it is a dangerous message.

It advocates a belief system based on mistrust, fear and anger. It lacks historical content, perspective and honesty. It is intellectually dishonest and dangerous. She claims the mantle of Christ but rejects the nation's Christian desire to care for the sick and poor, patience and tolerance of those that disagree with her and supports the continued greed of those that created this economic disaster.

Although she parrots support for the Bill of Rights and the freedom of speech she doesn't practice it. Below is my response to what I consider more social shitheadery.

Hi. Interesting essay - you make some good points but it isn't a black and white world.

Franklin also said, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty."

In the name of national security and safety the GOP heralded in the largest federal debt of our nation's history. The largest expansion of intrusive government power undermining the bill of rights came under the GOP. The largest expansion of executive power including wire tapping, search & seizure and Presidential signing statements under the GOP. Demonized those that in the name of responsible government called the Bush administration to account for choices.

All in the name of safety and security.

In order to begin to treat any illness - cancer or a cold - we'd better know what is wrong. To simply blame whatever is convenient is ignorant and dangerous. The problem with this country is not the liberals or conservatives, the GOP or the Dems. It is anyone in either group declaring they are the "righteous" and "moral" voice of America.

The word "conservative" is defined as "resistant to change". The Founding Fathers were considered liberals and radicals in their thinking and considered intellectual elitists. The Crown was considered conservative because they opposed basic human freedoms and human rights. The British Crown was resistant to change while the Founding Fathers embraced change.

It was the GOP that initiated the financial bailout of the banks - something I find outlandish as well. The banks don't make anything. However, the auto industry does & I'm tired of blue collar jobs simply being exported away.

This isn't new - Reagan, Eisenhower, Theodore and Lincoln all expanded the power of the Federal government in light of the economic realities of their time. Politicians typically do what is expedient, occasionally "best" and hardly ever "right". Neither do most people on the street - that is human nature. It isn't a black and white world.

Lastly, to suggest that those that are of a different opinion are simply a "cancer" that should be cut out by whatever means necessary is to undermine democratic debate. It's the extremists that are ruining this country.

If the GOP has a better plan for health care, energy or the economy share it. It is easy to snipe from the sidelines. When I ask my GOP friends what they suggest to address these issues they invariably just criticize without offering suggestions. They want the power without having offering a solution.

All or nothing is a dangerous mindset.

Shatner Does Palin

Really?! Can I watch?!

Shatner Does Palin

Preschool Ruined My Life

Sophistry is alive and thriving. As a Patriot that makes me angry.

My anger is about a form of sophistry relying on intellectual dishonesty which - as I look over issues of faith, politics, science, culture, and history – is rampant. When I hear ignorant, pandering and self-serving comments from liberals or conservatives or about the nobility of the Confederates and evils of Sherman, or from Birthers, religious fundamentalists, the NRA, PETA, Sarah Palin or Rush Limbaugh my blood boils. Most of what is passing as insightful punditry is really intellectually dishonest sophistry.

Sophistry is practiced without restraint in the capitals, boardrooms, and news-tainment centers across the United States. Today, society labels sophists as pundits, spin-doctors, political hacks, partisans, commentators and consultants. Their role is to create an "argument that seems plausible, but is fallacious or misleading, especially one devised deliberately to be so". Their goal is not the truth but rather the perception of "truthiness" in order to maintain control, power and wealth. The goal of a modern Sophist is to take the truth and rebrand it so that it undermines all legitimate democratic debate.

Following 9/11, the citizens of the United States came together against a common enemy. However, as the Bush administration moved us towards war, responsible and legitimate questions were raised. The political Sophists in this country responded to these questions not with answers but with rhetoric and hyperbole that undermined the legitimacy of the people asking reasonable questions. The goal was to discredit the individual by questioning their loyalty, integrity or motivation with intentionally disingenuous responses that didn't address the concerns being raised. This is more than politics, it is a distortion of the truth in order to mislead the citizenry. It is treason.

In reality Sophistry depends on intellectual dishonesty to work. It relies on an individual's emotional desire to believe that it requires a conspiracy to assassinate a President when all reasonable evidence points otherwise. It leverages an individual's fear of doctors or government or strangers.

In some respects, it is my own fault. I use to naively believe ignorance was the result of a failure of education and society. I embraced the Enlightenment ideals that humans are basically blank slates that through proper tutelage, faith and love we could address issues of crime, poverty, racism and war. I believed in the saintliness of Washington and Jefferson and Madison and Adams. I believed in the heavenly ascension of the Founding Fathers, the freedom loving Pilgrims and the evils of socialized medicine. I believed in the ability of the market to decide right from wrong. I believed in the wise leaders seeking wise counsel to make wise decisions. I wanted to believe - it was easier, it was convenient and it was Patriotic.

It was also intellectually dishonest.

Embracing the idea of how the west was won certainly makes me proud to be an American. It fills me with pride in our nation's destiny. Because we "won" makes people feel good and that is all we really want to know about our country's history. The reality is we didn't "win" the west. We conquered several million indigenous peoples over 200 years, we fought the British, the French, the Spanish and the Mexicans. We didn't win - we forcibly took. I know it isn't a popular perspective but any other perspective is intellectually dishonest.

For example, when the Ohio State Buckeye's beat the Miami Hurricanes to win the National Title Game in 2002, Miami fans raged about what they perceived as a bad pass interference call. When the jumbo-tron in Sundevil Stadium replayed the call their "boos" were lost in a sea of scarlet and gray cheers. Today many Miami fans still feel that game was lost through a bad call even though sports experts such as sportswriters, the National Association of Sports Officials and ESPN have all reviewed the call and report it as a legitimate call. Referee Magazine even selected the call as one of the "Best 18 Calls of All Time". In the face of all the evidence, all the experts and even the actual replay, Miami fans still believe it was a bad call. This is intellectual dishonesty.

Socially it is this same intellectual dishonesty that fuels groups such as Birthers, the 9/11 Truth Movement, believers of the fake moon landing, JFK Conspiracy buffs and Holocaust deniers. Well researched and documented scientific issues such as evolution, global warming and embryonic research are hijacked by Sophists using the intellectual dishonesty of disciples to increase ratings and maintain power. It isn't about truth - it is about truthiness. These are logical fallacies that rely on an argument from personal conviction. Essentially, a Sophist, and followers, argue, "because I personally find a premise [unlikely, unbelievable, heretical, inconvenient, etc] then you are wrong."

This is the perspective of right-wing Birthers. They are so opposed to President Obama's election they choose to ignore all of the evidence including copies of the birth certificate, testimony of the Republican Governor of Hawaii, the local newspaper report of Obama's birth and hospital and county records. Essentially they are saying, "I believe Obama was not born in the United States and no amount of evidence will convince me." This is intellectual dishonesty. Sophists such as Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs, Glenn Beck, et al devise scenarios without evidence to continue raising ratings and money. A modern Sophists mantra is, "It is not the truth that matters but what you do with the truth."

When I was younger I would evangelize about the obligation of mankind to enlighten society. That the role of our nation was to loosen the shackles of ignorance and complacency and drag the uncouth out of the cave (against their will if necessary) into the sunlight. When exposed to the Light of Truth they would see their "stupidity", acknowledge their faults and embrace this opportunity to help others and create a better world.

I also believed in Santa Claus, the little people and the free market.

Then I entered preschool and all of these illusions were shattered.

Intellectual dishonesty is a choice. We choose to turn the other cheek to the truth. We choose to lock the door when the truth comes knocking. We choose to stick our fingers in our ears and loudly chant "LA-LA-LA-LA" repeatedly until they other person tires and walks away with their head shaking in disgust. We don't want to know. We don't want to know the truth about why we are in Iraq. We don't want to know who the government is listening to on wiretaps. We don't want to know why the Governor is in hiking the Appalachian trail. We don't want to admit our spouses are having an affair with. It is simpler, easier and less scary not to know.

Overcoming intellectual dishonesty is to to be willing to work at learning, to sacrifice the ego and say, "I don't know and I could be wrong", and to acknowledge our own weaknesses, biases and prejudices. "Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem" wrote Thomas Szasz, educational psychologist, "That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all."

This is intellectual dishonesty. This is a choice. The Sophists who seek to divide us are using it against us in a short sighted and greedy attempt to gain at our expense. This is why I'm angry.

For example, recently StupidPeopleHater contributed an article to www.Shitheadery.com entitled Obama: We are not a Christian Nation. In his editorial he parroted the slogans of a political ideology - "Obama is on a mission to destroy our country because he disagrees with the fundamental ideas this country was built on" and Obama "is putting this country on its knees for the rest of the world to gather strength and once again attack us". At no point does StupidPeopleHater provide evidence or examples. He simply shares his opinion trying to couching it authoritatively as fact. He ignores the reality of five thousand years of human history - we are and always been a violent species. He ignores the reality of modern science and technology and blames Obama and his supporters for a future attack - an attack that if history is any indication will happen eventually. It is not an issue of who is in power. It is the reality of modern conflict and a flat Earth.

Unfortunately, like modern TV, bogs, newspapers and daily news-tainement entertainers, he shares his feelings and opinions and couch them as facts and hyperbolic extremes as average examples. On television the chicken-hawks cry crocodile tears, regurgitate half-truths about the deficit and spin incomplete stories over health care.

For example, the life expectancy is longer and infant mortality rates lower in Canada. However, Sophists present only the most atypical examples as truth. They would have us judge the validity of the entire system based on the merits of extreme cases. They do not discuss the merits - or drawbacks - of our current system against countries other than Canada or England. They do not discuss Japan or France or Sweden's system in comparison. They are feeding half-truths to a group predisposed to be intellectually dishonest. They make their case without having to offer solutions for the roughly 46 million Americans that have no insurance and receive substandard care every day.

The article continues on a path of regurgitating convenient pseudo-history: the United States was founded as a Christian nation, the founders of this country were fleeing religious persecution and my personal favorite the Pledge of Allegiance and the idea of "one nation under God".

In his defense StupidPeopleHater acknowledges he is not a history major - repeatedly. In other words, he has created a fallback position that allows him to address any intellectual dishonest with the position of, "I never claimed to be a history major." This allows him to repeat and reinforce intellectually dishonest positions in an attempt to gather support. This makes him a modern Sophist.

This is the problem with intellectual dishonesty. You can say anything you want and argue for a perspective without ever feeling obligated to learn the facts. It doesn't bother me he has a different perspective then myself. That isn't what makes me angry. What makes me angry is he appears to have no interest in overcoming his ignorance. He could easily have done a little homework - a little research - and discovered for himself where he was intellectually dishonest but it is easier to write an opinionated paper than a researched paper.

Let's pick a few examples of intellectual dishonesty in Obama: We are not a Christian Nation.

The United States was not founded by people attempting to create a world free of religious persecution. But I can understand the confusion. The Pilgrims get all the press.

They were called "Puritans" because their original goal was to purifying the Church of England from liberals. They were run out of Europe because they were intolerant of people who refused to conform to their strict ideology. They were the first true "fundamentalists" in North America. Considering the slaughter of local New England indigenous tribes and the strict physical punishment inflicted on those that wandered from the flock, tolerance was not their goal. In this respect they have more in common with Osama bin Laden and the Taliban than with the founding fathers.

The goal of the Puritans, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban all had/have was the same - the creation of God's Kingdom on Earth and the establishment of a centralized theocratic rule - even if they had to kill and torture to achieve the shinning city on the hill. As a sidebar, the Puritan crime of going "native" and adopting Native American customs and habits was punishable by death. For example, it was illegal for men to grow long hair or to question the teaching of the church leaders. In pre-war Afghanistan it was illegal to convert to another faith.

Lastly, with the exception of a small group of Puritans, North America was largely settled by business men and adventurers looking to turn a profit. Almost all of the framers of Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were business men not religious men. Read Franklin's autobiography to see how little he thought of religion and its practitioners. "The government of the United States," wrote George Washington, "is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion”.

Of course, there are those who would prefer to remain ignorant. They will read this and scoff and bluster about - not because it is historically inaccurate but because it challenges their intellectual dishonesty and their ego and pride will keep them trapped by their thinking. They will wave the flag in my face and call me a friend of our enemies, a coward or a liar. They will accuse me of being in league with Satan or a member of the "blame-America first crowd" or even a traitor. What they won't do is address the facts or the truth. What they won't do is address their own intellectual dishonesty. It is easier to wrap themselves in the flag and use words like "Patriot" and "American" and "Leader" to describe themselves. They will do this all in attempt to distract their followers from the truth. That as a Sophist, they are nothing more then snake-oil salesman selling little bottles of deception.

The tragedy for humanity is it works.

And as a Patriot that makes me angry.

Mad-Libs for Talking Heads: How to Write for TV Pundits

Those (demeaning adjective) (pronoun) really piss me off.

Obviously not you - because you and I are in this together - but those (demeaning adjective) (nationality/political position). Because of their actions you and I are no longer (safe/secure/free/independent/prosperous).

You know those (demeaning adjective) (demeaning adjective) (nationality/political position) are (stealing/undermining/betraying) your (jobs/money/future/freedom).

You and I both know (demeaning adjective) (nationality/political position) are the ones that are ruining this country. You know who I'm talking about! But of course most Americans are (afraid to deal with/angry about/disgusted with) this issue because they think (the man/liberals/conservatives/fundamentalists/terrorists) will punish them.

But I'm not afraid to speak for up for you. Of course, the (conservatives/liberals) will try to shut me up. But as long as I can speak I'm willing to give your issues the attention it deserves. I speak because I (care/fear/reject) this (negative adjective) issue. More than anyone else - except you.

(demeaning adjective) (nationality/political position) are constantly threatening to (expand/infringe) on (your/their) (political/social/religious) agenda. The result is they (expand/infringe) on your (God/Constitutional/financial/political/birth) given (rights/privacy/grace/money/dreams/religion/opinions).

The truth is, whether you know it or not, you're (rights/beliefs/politics/desires) are being (violated/ignored/threatened/rejected/disrespected). Those (demeaning adjective) (nationality/political position) are getting away with (lying/cheating/stealing/sinning/invading/undermining) against the American way of life.

You'd see more about it in the news but the news is controlled by (conservatives/liberals). They are constantly taking the side of those people. They have no idea! They are ruining this country I tell you! Ruining it! Which is why I'm here talking to you. You and I have to stop them.

Of course as you and I both know - They are everywhere. They talk about rights but ignore their responsibilities to (our/their) (country/church/family/community/planet/friends/God/god/Goddess/__________). As long as they don't have to make a sacrifice those people are willing to tell their neighbors how (to/not to) live.

You and I have got to do something about it! We've got to stand up to those (demeaning adjective) (nationality/political position) and say, "Enough is enough!"

I say to hell with them. Seriously, to hell with those people!

You and I both know how they should live because this (Bible/Guru/Constitution/Koran/Philosophy/Ideal/Theory/or choose your favorite dogma) tells them how they should live. If those people would only listen to us they would be better (people/Americans/citizens/patriots/parents/wives/husbands/teachers/leaders/judges/______). They have a right to be happy, joyous and free as long as they don't do anything that you and I know is (sinful/immoral/unethical/treasonous/______).

If you listen to me and avoid any other perspectives than we can solve this problem that has been plaguing our great (nation/church/economy) since President (Obama/W/Clinton/Bush, Sr./Reagan/Carter/or choose your Presidency).

The solution is simple: (more/less) (laws/military/education/police/soldiers/money/teachers/personal responsibility/guns/drugs/immigrants/integration/desegregation/abstinence programs).

If they won't do what we think they should do then they are not real (Americans/humans/patriots/_________) like us. (Traitors/communists/hypocrites/fascists/socialists/terrorists/liberals/conservatives) they are. Ruining this country I love. Ruining this country you love!