Powerful and Continuing #Nationalism
Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of #patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. #Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
Disdain for the Recognition of #HumanRights
Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, and long incarcerations of prisoners.
Supremacy of the #Military
Even when there are widespread #domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
Rampant #Sexism
The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional #gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to #abortion is high, as is #homophobia and anti-#gay legislation.
Controlled #MassMedia
Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation or by sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Government #censorship and #secrecy especially in war time, are very common.
Obsession with #NationalSecurity
Fear of hostile foreign powers is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
#Religion and Government are Intertwined
Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.
Protection of #Corporate Power
The #industrial and business #aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
Suppression of #Labor Power
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor #unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
Disdain for #Intellectuals and the #Arts
Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to #HigherEducation and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other #academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.
Obsession with #Crime and #Punishment
Under fascist regimes, the #police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego #CivilLiberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
Rampant #Cronyism and #Corruption
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
#Fraudulent#Elections
Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by #SmearCampaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control #voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
This post is a summary of Fascism, Anyone? by Lawrence W. Britt published in 2003 by Free Inquiry magazine."
I love working with sacred symbolism. The Tree Of Life is important in many mythological, religious and philosophical traditions. This one has mandalas arranged in a Chakra configuration.
This is statue of Saint Bartholomew, an early Christian martyr who was allegedly skinned alive. Notice: that's not a robe that he’s holding. It's his dissected skin. This stunning statute is by the Italian sculptor Marco d’Agrate, c.1562.
#Arizona court upholds clergy privilege in child abuse case | AP News
The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that the #Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can refuse to answer questions or turn over documents under a state #law that exempts #religious officials from having to report child sex abuse if they learn of the crime during a confessional setting.
The ruling was issued April 7 but not released to the public until Tuesday. A lawsuit filed by child sex #abuse victims accuses the church, widely known as the Mormon church, two of its bishops, and other church members of conspiracy and negligence in not reporting church member Paul Adams for abusing his older daughter as early as 2010. This negligence, the lawsuit argues, allowed Adams to continuing abusing the girl for as many as seven years, a time in which he also abused the girl’s infant sister.
Sheep may safely graze, but the doors were firmly locked to the Hawes church dedicated to St Mary of Antioch, in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. At the height of the busy tourist season and on a Sunday to boot, it seems odd that the historic market town's church isn't open and welcoming visitors.
Evidence for persecution and imprisonment of hundreds of older #Uyghur women for #religious crimes.
'"Rachel Harris, professor of ethnomusicology at Soas University of London and co-author of the new report, said the ustaz (urban female leaders who embraced reformist styles of Islam coming from the Middle East in the 1980s) used religion to pursue education and participate in international trade.
"Meanwhile, the büwi (female religious leaders primarily in rural Uyghur communities) held significant power in society, and were responsible for leading birth and death rituals, teaching children and overseeing women’s religious and cultural activities.
"The government narrative was that women needed to be liberated from religious oppression. They really took that [agency] away in the name of liberating women,” said Harris'
#SCOTUS Justice Samuel A. #Alito Jr. has offered multiple accounts of how politically charged flags [#insurrectionist flags] came to fly outside his homes in VA & NJ — the type of display that is generally off-limits for judges, who must remain #impartial & avoid even the appearance of #bias as they handle cases.
…The letters include a much more specific explanation of why #MarthaAnnAlito flew the “#AppealToHeaven” flag at the couple’s vacation home….
#Alito said he “assumed” his wife was flying it for #religious & patriotic reasons. He definitively said neither he or his wife knew the flag was associated w/the “Stop the Steal” & it was not flown in solidarity w/that movement.
Todd Chisholm, 59, former Vermont State trooper for 13 yrs, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of lewd and lascivious behavior with a child. He has been sentenced to 4 to 5 years, all SUSPENDED except for 30 days, and 6 yrs of probation, with no early termination
These authors are promoting nothing more than the #Christian#patriarchy that #Republicans on the #religious#rightwing have long promoted; they've just decorated it with #leftist ideas like #Marxism and #feminism. Their musings are as substantial as a late-night bull session in a college dorm room. Their only proposal to reverse the decline of #Christianity is to do even more of the stuff that drove people away in the first place.
#Alabama Lawmakers Move to Protect #IVF Treatments
A court ruling declaring frozen #embryos to be legally considered children has set off a scramble among leaders in both parties to preserve access to a crucial reproductive treatment.
The court’s ruling, handed down by an 8-to-1 majority, applies only to 3 couples who were suing a #fertility clinic over the accidental destruction of their #embryos. But its wording — paired w/a fiery blatantly [#religious] opinion from the chief justice encouraging lawmakers to push its scope further — has left many wondering about the possible wider implications for people seeking #IVF treatment.
#Speaker#MikeJohnson delivered a presentation at a weekend #GOP retreat that — although it was billed as a map to keeping the #House majority — took on a surprisingly #religious tone, acc/to 2 people in the room.
Johnson’s private remarks to a small group of #Republican lawmakers in Miami over the wknd alarmed both people…. Rather than outlining a specific plan to hold & grow the majority, …Johnson effectively delivered a sermon.
The #speaker contended that when one doesn’t have #God in their life, the govt or “state” will become their guide, referring back to Bible verses…. the approach fell flat among some in the room.
“I’m not at church,” one… said, describing Johnson’s presentation as “horrible.”
#America is a -young- Nation
understandable 'mistakes' are made
Today #Religious fanatics are mixed with politics
do you understand now why in #Europe we fought 400+ years of bloody wars
to exclude Religion from politics?
Fanaticism
does not marry with politics
Superstitions of some> CANNOT be imposed to ALL
it's a >mistake<
Everyone has the right to believe in the 'Easter Bunny'
but
to force EVERYONE to OBEY the Easter Bunny...
it's wrong
who wrote your Constitution knew it.