Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 12:18:44 -0600
From: Bryan Alexander <balexand-AT-centenary.edu>
Subject: Re: Why We Should Not Become Nazis


Don't forget: Saddam Hussein as Rommell.

Daniel Haines wrote:
> 
> unleesh,
> 
> thanks for your answers.... you just stumbled into one of my
> far-too-personal minefields - the whole way that WW2 and Nazis and the
> holocaust are invoked as this kind of abstract set of circumstances that
> "fascism" is as a category somehow adequate to sum up... and using this
> term of "fascist" as synonymous with Nazi as if it were a metaphysical
> kind of "being" -- an evil being --- that  justifies the values the
> allies  aligned themselves with in opposing germany  and have continued
> to mouth -- an enormous rhetorical justification of "democracy" and
> capitalism based on the fact it's not national socialism... --- the
> whole use of this multiplicity of events as if it were a single event
> that we can name as "nazism" or "fascism".... it really fucks me off,
> basically!
> 
> especially since saddam hussein and iraq seem to be being used in
> exactly the same way right now - as the "evil one" who justifies what we
> are...
> 
> dan h.
> >
> > "and what does that mean, exactly? I mean, practically? what does playing
> > with the virtuality of fascism involve?"
> >
> > Playing with the inner military figure of rigidity, playing with purity,
> > puritanism, playing with asceticism, playing with hatred, playing with
> > severity and discipline ....
> >
> > Practically? Invoke Geburah. Dress up as a cop. Become Captain Beefheart in
> > the studio (known to be a "musical fascist".) Invoke one of the famous nazi-
> > like directors of the 30's along with riding crop and boots. Become a Master
> > in an SM scene. Leatherplay.
> >
> > "so it's okay for "us" to "desire our own repression" as long as the
> > state doesn't let us have it? phew!"
> >
> > No no no no this isn't what i meant at all. "Fascism ---- anarchism" becomes a
> > pole to play with, for desire to slide across, to make desire intense by
> > stretching it and creating some tension and polarity ; it is part of desire
> > --- this very stretching --- but if one pole is reified and then made the
> > object OF desire, confusion sets in. If fascism becomes the object of desire
> > rather than part of the movement of desire, then even if "the state" is not
> > involved, it can become a microfascism.
> >
> > "don't you mean "In practical terms, it would wipe out
> > all the jews, poles, queers, and gypsies it could find." ?  don't make
> > "difference" just another bullshit abstraction from your armchair."
> >
> > Well, I agree with you here, but I was using "difference" because fascism will
> > not necessarily incarnate itself in a recognizable form and not necessarily
> > isolate the same elements of difference. There may be new differences it
> > attempts to genocide. You forgot to include Native Americans and Tasmanians as
> > well. :P
> >
> > "what constitutes "legitimacy" here, and what spectrum do you mean?" I simply
> > mean within the rubric of AntiOedipus. And it should be "paranoid -- schizo",
> > "fascist -- anarchist ... these aren't identical terms, but parallel.
> >
> > "grow up! - you think you can come up with some
> > clever "reason" for people not to  commit genocide? some philosophical
> > argument that "proves' we should all be nice to ech other really?"
> >
> > I understand that there are all sorts of macro political, social, economic,
> > historical forces that come together to create fascism. I was simply
> > responding to a notion of how one might ethically counter fascism without
> > invoking "right" or "wrong". I was not intending on printing this out as a
> > prescription to anyone!!
> >
> > As far as "growing up", perhaps you could be more specific as to which
> > developmental scheme in your judgement I should apply myself towards....
> >
> > (un)leash
> 
> --
> http://www.fortunecity.com/roswell/chupacabras/48/
> http://www.tw2.com/staff/daniel/
> 
> Ware ware Karate-do o shugyo surumonowa,
> Tsuneni bushido seishin o wasurezu,
> Wa to nin o motte nashi,
> Soshite tsutomereba kanarazu tasu.
> 
> We who study Karate-do,
> Should never forget the spirit of the samurai,
> With peace, perseverance and hard work,
> We will reach our goal without failure.