Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/09/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 9/9/03 1:12:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Jim@hemenway.com writes: > >> Hitler came to power in a democracy, and only within a democracy could > >> he have harnessed the power of propaganda for such an irrational end. > > > > -- > > John Brownlow - ---------------------- In short order he turned that democracy into a hideous dictatorship, organizing a private army, the SS, to keep the upper class dissidents in line, and execute his racial policies. All the German institutions acquiesced because he doled out goodies to them. Military contracts to the industrialists, Fascist security to the workers. He enlarged the army to further reduce unemployment. Then he had to use the army before it disintegrated from hanging around. The debt was piling up so only expansionism could save the Nazis. And the wild goose step chase was on. He invented enemies internally (the European Jewish communities who were helpless) and he fed capitalist fears externally by launching a holy war against communism. He created a Fifth column to undermine the soft, disarmed and economically frayed Western democracies. He corrupted both the Protestant and Catholic churches using anti-communist rhetoric and crumbs from his treasury, all in the name of Christian civilization, which he personally detested. He made himself into a god. Many historians are now anguishing over the future of Christianity and Western civilization itself. Certainly fundamentalist Islam is putting both to the test at this moment in time. History is now making judgments that grow out of the horrendous effect of Nazism over half a century ago, which is a short time in the scale of history. I wouldn't place all my chips on Western Civilization. But I have no idea what will replace it. I don't even want to think about it. We overcame the secular collectivist, totalitarian Stalinist state in only 50 years. But how strong are we on the spiritual front? Ladies and Gentlemen, place your bets. br - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html