Sounds awfully like pre-war Iraq.
Harry
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Darryl and Natalia wrote:
This is from New Society News <http://driveit.clickspace.com/linkTo/1013132/1000124/1425706>http://driveit.clickspace.com/linkTo/1013132/1000124/1425706
Just thought I would drop this in the mix as a site some may like to visit. This book is mentioned on the page that was forwarded to me.
Darryl
Don't Nobody Anybody
- The Basics of Rankism
181741b.jpg"From the moment a child gets out of bed in the morning until she is safely tucked in at night, there's one central mission: the avoidance of humiliation at all costs. We have to be so careful not to subject children to public humiliation." - Dr, Mel Levine, Oprah Winfrey Show
When the somebodies of the world abuse their power, the nobodies lose their dignity. Without dignity, people lose heart and can become angry and hostile. When we respect each other, we can have peace.
"Pulling rank over others may be the ultimate cause of violence in the world today." - Robert W. Fuller
Robert Fuller's new book <http://driveit.clickspace.com/linkTo/1012981/1000124/1425706>Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank has been garnering a good deal of interest as he tours North America. He recently included NSP headquarters on his itinerary and we were delighted to host him over lunch as he talked about rankism. The June issue of Fast Company is also featuring the book in its "Stuff off the Month" section, as follows:
Book: I'm a Somebody - Get Me Out of Here!
Everybody wants to be somebody - even if it's only for 15 minutes. That's not just the American Dream: It has become an inalienable right (not to mention the prevailing logic of prime-time TV). The problem is, almost every rise is accompanied by a humiliating fall. The most illustrious somebody is made to feel like a Nobody at some point. And here's the twist: In a world where everybody is striving to be Somebody, Nobodies might have the edge. That's the intriguing argument that Robert W. Fuller, former president of Oberlin College (and a self-described "former Somebody", makes in his bold new book, Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank (New Society Publishers).
Like a Betty Friedan for the 21st century, Fuller sets out to debunk the "Somebody mystique." The problem is that whether we idolize J. Lo or J. Welch, our hero worship doesn't get us any closer to success in our own lives. What's more, Fuller argues, it obscures the true definition of greatness: In order really to be Somebody (who's famous for more than being famous), you have to continue to grow, to venture into the unknown, to learn from others who are more expert than you. In other words, you have to be willing to be a Nobody again (and again).
- Polly LaBarre, Fast Company magazine, June, 2003.
In addition, some 14 points to consider:
Note: Canada is not far behind in this (although hidden) when one views the actions of our elected officials.
"FASCISM ANYONE?" - The 14 Characteristics of Fascism Dr. Lawrence Britt, Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, p.20 http://www.secularhumanism.org/fi/ Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, studied the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile). He found the regimes shared 14 identifying characteristics of fascism:
1. 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.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - 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, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4. 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.
5. 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 and national policy.
6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic mediaspokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common. (Look what's happening at the F.C.C. under Powell jr. right now! K)
7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8. 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.
9. Corporate Power is Protected - 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.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed - 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.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, 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.
12. 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 civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. 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.
14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns 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.
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**************************************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of Social Science of Los Angeles Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 Tel: (818) 352-4141 -- Fax: (818) 353-2242 http://home.attbi.com/~haledward ****************************************************
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