What are you talking about? Who is the “them” who are going to kill each other off? This was a case of a racist nut-case attacking peaceful innocent people.
The claim that Hitler was on the left is obviously absurd, and there’s probably no use arguing with anyone who makes it. Anyone who makes such a claim is suffering from a deep psychological problem and is impervious to reason.
Just as a footnote, the left — the extreme left — has committed lots of crimes — Stalin and Mao were among the great villains of the 20th century — so I’m not trying to exonerate the left. But Hitler was not on the left.
The scary comparison of “nationalism” under the Third Reich, and the current effort today in the U.S. by neocons and other “right wingers”, like skinheads, and well many in the “TEA party” (but not all), should be a warning. “We are the chosen”, has a lot of ramifications, in various forms of cultural insanity.
This is a silly argument. First, the left/right metric is very crude, and does little justice to the complexities of political thought. Second, extremists and totalitarians of all kinds are probably pretty much alike, no matter what their background may be. However, there is no great reason to link Hitler or Nazism to the traditions of leftist thought. Hitler was primarily a nationalist and a racist. He certainly did not like Marx and Marxism, and the Nazis and the Communists were enemies all during the twenties and early thirties. Marx believed in the eventual dictatorship of the working class and the dissolution of the state. Hitler did not have a class analysis and he certainly did not look forward to the dissolution of the state. Nor was Hitler close to the Social Democratic party. I am not claiming that left extremists are good — as I said in an earlier post, I count Stalin and Mao as among the great criminals of the 20th century. But the argument that Hitler was a leftist just doesn’t fly.
The reason it’s difficult to tell if nazis were left or right wing is because left and right wing is a flawed concept and tyrants can exist on any point on the axis. It began as a metaphors for the scholars and clergy who sat on either side of the French king, it was never intended as some scale to measure political opinions. Its impossible to place so many issues no one axis and it’s become nothing more than a very good way for political parties to demonize their enemies and pressure people to join their team. There is no difference between banning guns and banning abortions. Both are attempts to control the people, there is no left or right about it.
Dtroutma over 11 years ago
I think there’s going to be a lot of effort expended to separate the far right, from the far, far right in the next couple months.
sw10mm over 11 years ago
Using that logic, you are not to be trusted, ever.
lonecat over 11 years ago
What are you talking about? Who is the “them” who are going to kill each other off? This was a case of a racist nut-case attacking peaceful innocent people.
Motivemagus over 11 years ago
Who? NRA advocates? Sadly, they tend to shoot other people.And if you are confusing Sikhs and Moslems, then you need an education.
glenbeck over 11 years ago
Hitler was capitalistic bar none. Capitalism is a good thing, but it can be misused
lonecat over 11 years ago
The claim that Hitler was on the left is obviously absurd, and there’s probably no use arguing with anyone who makes it. Anyone who makes such a claim is suffering from a deep psychological problem and is impervious to reason.
Heavy B over 11 years ago
What happened to my posts on this page?
lonecat over 11 years ago
Just as a footnote, the left — the extreme left — has committed lots of crimes — Stalin and Mao were among the great villains of the 20th century — so I’m not trying to exonerate the left. But Hitler was not on the left.
Dtroutma over 11 years ago
The scary comparison of “nationalism” under the Third Reich, and the current effort today in the U.S. by neocons and other “right wingers”, like skinheads, and well many in the “TEA party” (but not all), should be a warning. “We are the chosen”, has a lot of ramifications, in various forms of cultural insanity.
lonecat over 11 years ago
This is a silly argument. First, the left/right metric is very crude, and does little justice to the complexities of political thought. Second, extremists and totalitarians of all kinds are probably pretty much alike, no matter what their background may be. However, there is no great reason to link Hitler or Nazism to the traditions of leftist thought. Hitler was primarily a nationalist and a racist. He certainly did not like Marx and Marxism, and the Nazis and the Communists were enemies all during the twenties and early thirties. Marx believed in the eventual dictatorship of the working class and the dissolution of the state. Hitler did not have a class analysis and he certainly did not look forward to the dissolution of the state. Nor was Hitler close to the Social Democratic party. I am not claiming that left extremists are good — as I said in an earlier post, I count Stalin and Mao as among the great criminals of the 20th century. But the argument that Hitler was a leftist just doesn’t fly.
iamthelorax over 11 years ago
The reason it’s difficult to tell if nazis were left or right wing is because left and right wing is a flawed concept and tyrants can exist on any point on the axis. It began as a metaphors for the scholars and clergy who sat on either side of the French king, it was never intended as some scale to measure political opinions. Its impossible to place so many issues no one axis and it’s become nothing more than a very good way for political parties to demonize their enemies and pressure people to join their team. There is no difference between banning guns and banning abortions. Both are attempts to control the people, there is no left or right about it.
Dtroutma over 11 years ago
It is the authoritarian nature of Fascism, and the religious right, of several religions of “the book”, that is the scary common component.
lonecat over 11 years ago
I’m speechless.