DGS49
Diamond Member
- Apr 12, 2012
- 16,435
- 14,407
"Fascist" is a label, and like all labels it is intended to end discussion without cogent thought. Trot out "Nazi," "Hitler," or "Fascist," and you don't have to deal with the messy details of a continent being overrun by cultural vermin from countries whose values and customs are totally contrary to the prevailing cultures in Western Europe.
When I was growing up, we were taught that the perfect metaphor for American's culture was a "mosaic," where people could proudly retain their ethnic identities, but never forget WHY THEY CAME HERE - specifically, that the U.S. offered a much better life - at least potentially - than the country they just left. Here in Pittsburgh, we had thriving Polish, Italian, German, Slovak, and Irish neighborhoods (each with their own ethnic churches and parochial schools), as well as thriving "Negro" and Jewish neighborhoods. But you better believe that they all considered themselves "Americans " (the compulsory military draft had a lot to do with this). "Melting Pot," was a derogatory descriptor, indicating that these wonderful cultures were simply abandoned into the mish-mash of "American," characterized by "I Love Lucy" and other such rot.
But this is NOT what's going on in Europe now. You have hordes of people who are coming in and trying to set up little enclaves of religious/ethnic purity, where the people can ignore or mock the prevailing culture, knowing that the national governments (changing subjects slightly here) NEED foreign-born workers to immigrate, to fund the pensions of European-born workers who have failed to reproduce sufficiently to sustain themselves. These immigrants see themselves Muslims first, ethnic Iranians (or whatever) second, and Europeans only reluctantly, by force of circumstances.
Clearly a form of "Fascism" is something that would be attractive to much of the native-born community, which sees itself besieged and potentially overwhelmed by outsiders who conpicuously take advantage of the social safety net, while reproducing like rabbits.
I was happy to grow up in a multi-cultural society (married an Italian immigrant, in fact), but today, in Germany, France, or England? Maybe I wouldn't be as "happy" with how things are going. Right winger? You bet your ass.
When I was growing up, we were taught that the perfect metaphor for American's culture was a "mosaic," where people could proudly retain their ethnic identities, but never forget WHY THEY CAME HERE - specifically, that the U.S. offered a much better life - at least potentially - than the country they just left. Here in Pittsburgh, we had thriving Polish, Italian, German, Slovak, and Irish neighborhoods (each with their own ethnic churches and parochial schools), as well as thriving "Negro" and Jewish neighborhoods. But you better believe that they all considered themselves "Americans " (the compulsory military draft had a lot to do with this). "Melting Pot," was a derogatory descriptor, indicating that these wonderful cultures were simply abandoned into the mish-mash of "American," characterized by "I Love Lucy" and other such rot.
But this is NOT what's going on in Europe now. You have hordes of people who are coming in and trying to set up little enclaves of religious/ethnic purity, where the people can ignore or mock the prevailing culture, knowing that the national governments (changing subjects slightly here) NEED foreign-born workers to immigrate, to fund the pensions of European-born workers who have failed to reproduce sufficiently to sustain themselves. These immigrants see themselves Muslims first, ethnic Iranians (or whatever) second, and Europeans only reluctantly, by force of circumstances.
Clearly a form of "Fascism" is something that would be attractive to much of the native-born community, which sees itself besieged and potentially overwhelmed by outsiders who conpicuously take advantage of the social safety net, while reproducing like rabbits.
I was happy to grow up in a multi-cultural society (married an Italian immigrant, in fact), but today, in Germany, France, or England? Maybe I wouldn't be as "happy" with how things are going. Right winger? You bet your ass.
