Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

From Hitler to Pinochet and beyond, history shows there are certain steps that any would-be dictator must take to destroy constitutional freedoms. And, argues Naomi Wolf, George Bush and his administration seem to be taking them all
As difficult as this is to contemplate, it is clear, if you are willing to look, that each of these 10 steps has already been initiated today in the United States by the Bush administration.
It is my argument that, beneath our very noses, George Bush and his administration are using time-tested tactics to close down an open society. It is time for us to be willing to think the unthinkable - as the author and political journalist Joe Conason, has put it, that it can happen here. And that we are further along than we realise.

Conason eloquently warned of the danger of American authoritarianism. I am arguing that we need also to look at the lessons of European and other kinds of fascism to understand the potential seriousness of the events we see unfolding in the US.

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
Terrorists

2. Create a gulag
Gitmo, rendition, the secret holding facilities being built in this
in this country,ostensibly to hold illegals.

3. Develop a thug caste
Blackwater, the American answer to the SS

4. Set up an internal surveillance system
No comment needed. We all know what has been going on.

5. Harass citizens' groups
Other harassment is more serious: the American Civil Liberties Union reports that thousands of ordinary American anti-war, environmental and other groups have been infiltrated by agents: a secret Pentagon database includes more than four dozen peaceful anti-war meetings, rallies or marches by American citizens in its category of 1,500 "suspicious incidents". The equally secret Counterintelligence Field Activity (Cifa) agency of the Department of Defense has been gathering information about domestic organisations engaged in peaceful political activities: Cifa is supposed to track "potential terrorist threats" as it watches ordinary US citizen activists. A little-noticed new law has redefined activism such as animal rights protests as "terrorism". So the definition of "terrorist" slowly expands to include the opposition.

6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
In 2004, America's Transportation Security Administration confirmed that it had a list of passengers who were targeted for security searches or worse if they tried to fly.

7. Target key individuals
We see just a small part of that in the Attorney firings.

8. Control the press
No comment needed. Thank God for bloggers and European news.

9. Dissent equals treason
Libs support terrorists. Libs are not patriotic. ETC.

10. Suspend the rule of law
Signing statements. What is occuring in the DOJ etc. etc.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2064157,00.html

A long article that spells it all out. Worth reading and taking note of.