[ExI] Fascist America, in 10 Easy Steps

[Emlyn]

This isn't new, but it is interesting, I thought some people mightn't
have seen it. It'll read as pretty strongly partisan, so get past that
if you can. Do you think things are really as bad as she describes?

Fascist America, in 10 Easy Steps
Naomi Wolf

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/51150/?page=entire

Last autumn, there was a military coup in Thailand. The leaders of the
coup took a number of steps, rather systematically, as if they had a
shopping list. In a sense, they did. Within a matter of days,
democracy had been closed down -- the coup leaders declared martial
law, sent armed soldiers into residential areas, took over radio and
TV stations, issued restrictions on the press, tightened some limits
on travel and took certain activists into custody.

They were not figuring these things out as they went along. If you
look at history, you can see that there is essentially a blueprint for
turning an open society into a dictatorship. That blueprint has been
used again and again in more and less bloody, more and less terrifying
ways. But it is always effective. It is very difficult and arduous to
create and sustain a democracy, but history shows that closing one
down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10
steps.

-- 
Emlyn

http://emlynoregan.com