Gary Kohls
Tue, Aug 21, 6:53 PM (16 hours ago)
to Gary
Duty to Warn
A Warning to Wannabe Pro-violence Fascist Tyrants (and Their Cult Followers): Don’t Disregard the “Living by the Sword – Dying by the Sword” Admonition
By Gary G. Kohls, MD – (8-21-2018)
"Put up your sword; for those who take up the sword will surely die by the sword”: Matthew 26:52
Fascism is a form of right-wing, radical, anti-democratic, authoritarian ultra-nationalism, characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition and strong regimentation of society and of the economy. Fascism came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe and persists in all nations, often in hidden fashion.
In order for fascism to succeed in acquiring absolute political control of a nation, it requires an obedient and very powerful police state/military to violently suppress democratic, pro-union and peace-making factions. It also requires the backing of the ultra-wealthy corporate class (that despises the messiness of democratic politics and voting) that desires low taxes on their wealth, suppression of labor unions, a strong military to protect their businesses and a small government with weak regulatory agencies so that growth (and pollution) can proceed without hindrances to their wealth-building. The founder of the world’s first Fascist Party, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, defined the term thusly: “Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.”
Since cult leaders through history always seem to think they are geniuses or otherwise are special, they often do not know world history, philosophy, ethics or theology. So I offer the following series of photos and brief commentaries on the violent ends of some of the more famous authoritarian cult leaders in history. Followers of - or collaborators with - such authoritarian leaders that seem to be yielding to the temptation of becoming tyrannical, whether as military fascist types, as political fascist types, as multibillionaire fascist types, as corporate fascist types or as christofascist types should pay close heed as well.
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Below are photos of the Pro-Nazi rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1939, the last sizable American pro-fascist rally prior to the pro-Trump/Pence administration “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia (August 2017)
American Nazi Party Rally (22,000 pro-fascist Americans were in attendance) at Madison Square Garden (Feb 20, 1939). (DAWA is the abbreviation of the German name for the German-American Protective Alliance - DeutschAmerikanischer Wirtschaft Auscbutss). Note the two American flags flanking the Swastika. Perhaps some of the cultural progeny of the participants pictured were part of the “Unite the Right” fascist rally at Charlottesville in 2017.
Part of the approximately 100,000 anti-fascist protestors that were outside the Madison Square rally in 1939. Besides the mostly white New Yorkers in the massive crowd, many were non-whites, latinos, blacks, Irish Republicans, Italian anti-fascists, American WWI veterans, Jews, labor unionists , etc that wanted to express their disgust at European fascism. (Photo from: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/23/nazi-german-american-bund-rally-madison-square-garden-215522)
Some American fascist rallies featured George Washington’s image
Q: Why did American Nazis revere George Washington and not Thomas Jefferson or James Madison?
A: Fascism emphasized action and heroism over intellectualism and philosophy. This is why Hitler’s ideal Aryan concept was a strong, handsome, and physically fit person rather than someone with a mind for civics. The other part of fascism was extreme patriotism, which is why each nation/group had its own fascist symbolism and mythology. Washington’s legend was as a military hero, a patriotic, virtuous father figure and therefore he was an ideal figure for fascist groups looking to pull a symbol out of American history.
Below are before and after photos of a few of the many infamous, pro-violence authoritarians just in the last 7 decades, each of whom ignored the admonition to “Put up the sword, for he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword”.
Examples below include German Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler (and his innocent wife), Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini (and his mistress), Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda and Public Enlightenment, Joseph Goebbels (and his innocent wife and children), Rumanian dictator Nicolae Ceaususcu and his wife) and Christian cult leader Jim Jones and his 900 innocent followers).
< >Adolf Hitler being given the Hitler salute at a Nazi Party gathering – date unknown – 2) Hitler’s body after his successful suicide, April 30, 1945
< >Benito Mussolini at campaign rally (date unknown) – 2) The bodies of Mussolini and his mistress Claretta Petacci strung up (and the corpses severely abused) at a Standard Oil gas station in Milan, Italy after their capture and executions by partisans at Dongo, Italy, located on the shores of Lake Como, 2 days before Hitler suicided. (April 28, 1945)
< >A campaign rally for communist Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaususcu – date unknown – 2) Ceausescu and his wife at the instant of their execution following a show trial (December 25, 1989)
Photos of a small portion of the 900+ murder-suicide victims of Christian evangelical cult leader Jim Jones. Guyana (November 18, 1978)
Potential traits of cultleaders that every person, especially voters, should watch out for, warn others about, run away from, avoid and keep away from political power (or vote out of office if applicable). Many of these traits overlap with those who can be labelled proto-fascist or fascist or otherwise have sociopathic, psychopathic or narcissistic personalities: (This list is from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spycatcher/201208/dangerous-cult-leaders)
1. Has a grandiose idea of who he is and what he can achieve.
2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, or brilliance.
3. Demands blind unquestioned obedience.
4. Requires excessive admiration from followers and outsiders.
5. Has a sense of entitlement - expecting to be treated special at all times.
6. Is exploitative of others.
7. Is arrogant and haughty in his behavior or attitude.
8. Has an exaggerated sense of power that allows him to bend rules and break laws.
9. Takes sexual advantage of members of his sect or cult.
10. Sex is a requirement with adults and sub adults as part of a ritual or rite.
11. Is hypersensitive to how he is seen or perceived by others.
12. Publicly devalues others as being inferior, incapable, or not worthy.
13. Makes members confess their sins or faults publicly subjecting them to ridicule or humiliation while revealing exploitable weaknesses of the penitent.
14. Has ignored the needs of others, including: biological, physical, emotional, and financial needs.
15. Is frequently boastful of accomplishments.
16. Needs to be the center of attention and does things to distract others to insure that he or she is being noticed by arriving late, using exotic clothing, overdramatic speech, or by making theatrical entrances.
17. Has insisted in always having the best of anything (house, car, jewelry, clothes) even when others are relegated to lesser facilities, amenities, or clothing.
18. Doesn’t seem to listen to the needs of others, communication is usually one-way in the form of dictates.
19. Haughtiness, grandiosity, and the need to be controlling is part of his personality.
20. Behaves as though people are objects to be used, manipulated or exploited for personal gain.
21. When criticized he tends to lash out not just with anger but with rage.
22. Anyone who criticizes or questions him is called an “enemy.”
23. Refers to non-members or non-believers as “the enemy.”
24. Acts imperious at times, not wishing to know what others think or desire.
25. Believes himself to be omnipotent.
26. Has “magical” answers or solutions to problems.
27. Is superficially charming.
28. Habitually puts down others as inferior and feels that he is superior.
29. Has a certain coldness or aloofness about him that makes others worry about who this person really is and or whether they really know him.
30. Is deeply offended when there are perceived signs of boredom, being ignored or of being slighted.
31. Treats others with contempt and arrogance.
32. Is constantly assessing for those who are a threat or those who revere him.
33. The word “I” dominates his conversations. He is oblivious to how often he references himself.
34. Hates to be embarrassed or fail publicly - when he does he acts out with rage.
35. Doesn’t seem to feel guilty about anything he has done wrong and does not apologize for his actions.
36. Believes he possesses the answers and solutions to world problems.
37. Believes himself to be a deity or a chosen representative of a deity.
38. Rigid, unbending, or insensitive.
39. Tries to control others in what they do, read, view, or think.
40. Has isolated members of his sect from contact with family or outside world.
41. Monitors and or restricts contact with family or outsiders.
42. Works the least but demands the most.
43. Has stated that he is “destined for greatness”.
44. Seems to be highly dependent on adoration and will often fish for compliments.
45. Uses enforcers or sycophants to insure compliance from members or believers.
46. Sees self as “unstoppable” perhaps has even said so.
47. Conceals background or family which might disclose how plain or ordinary he is.
48. Doesn’t think there is anything wrong with himself – in fact sees himself as perfection or “blessed.”
49. Has taken away the freedom of followers to leave, to travel, to pursue life, and liberty.
50. Has isolated the group physically (moved to a remote area) so as to not be observed.