I just wish my wife could understand that – for reasons I can’t even identify – I am deeply disturbed by being given presents. It is not rational but it feels like a subtle but major threat that disturbs me for days, sometimes weeks. Occasionally she will forgo the gifts – celebration of birthdays is no problem as long as it is gift free and Christmas is okay except that when I give a gift to an adult I feel like a villain.
I would argue that fascism was an enabler to the leaders who wanted to steal the lands of neighboring countries. Unlike today, of course, where formerly communist Russia is trying to steal the lands of a number of neighboring countries.
There was a very good reason to fear fascism in the 1940s; that was what put the credibility in He Who Does Not Deserve to be Named’s boast of a “thousand year reich.” Any attempt to overthrow a subscribing government would be met by the international coalition of fascist nations.
I forget what all constitutes a fascist. I guess it depends on whether we are discussing or arguing. I was taught in American Government class that Fascism was a term coined by Benito Mussolini: it was about extreme alliances to increase the strength of organizations, just as a bundle of sticks (fascia) are stronger than the same sticks are separately.
The term has been commandeered to represent anybody who has views outside the mainstream or who expresses views strongly. I consider use of the term “fascist” to denigrate a person, movement, or organization to be a sign of desperation: “Look at him! He is a Fascist!” Hate him!"
We seem to do that a lot. Surely sometime in the American past Republicans favored a republican governmental structure: we elect representatives to represent us. Democrats would want direct vote on everything, with the inconsistencies that come from that. Neither really has any bearing on politics today.
I think it was the emphasis on vehicle safety in toto. Seat belts were definitely a major player, particularly in reducing injuries of every level. Nice to not slam into windshields and such, or be thrown out the door.
A large player in passenger safety was the introduction of crumple zones. The kinetic energy of the bodies in motion had to go somewhere – car bodies or human bodies. As Automotivequest dot com puts it, “The importance of crumple zones in vehicle safety cannot be overstated.” The tank-like bodies of the first half of the 20th century were a feature in Ralph Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed.
The Trump arguments are not really about Trump, but about the arguments. The same goes for pretty much any politician or social/political football (a handy turn of phrase for my thesis). The arguments are always going to be there because some people just like to argue. It is far more like rooting for a sports team than for assembling a brighter future. My old pal Tony explained the process of picking a team to root for: just decide that one of them is the shizzle, and the others are garbage. Hardly a way to look at national – and by extension, international – executives.
Maybe I’m wrong – feel free to argue it – but a brighter future does not mean infighting.
I think most adults grab sleep when they can.