Tea Party Blackshirts have finally shown their Objectives

The recent shooting by a Tea Party enthusiast of a legitimately elected Congresswoman in Tuscon, AZ has brought to mind the rise of other similar groups in early 20th century Europe.  The so called "Tea Party" leaders, whoever they might be, will deny the similarities and characteristics but they must be reviewed in the sobering light of recent events.  In America, we don't shoot our opponents.  Instead, we are suppose to civilly air our differences in public for all to hear.  This act of assassination has brought to mind the work of the fascists and some of the characteristics are startling.

1.  The belief that one's group is a victim, a setiment that justifies any action, without legal or moral limits, against its enemies, both internal and external.

The Tea Party folk have extensively hyped their position that "they are the true" Americans:  White, Protestant-mostly evangelical, anti-immigrant, anti-government (except if it helps business), and anti-civil rights (one must give up their rights in the name of "security")

2.  Dread of the group's decline under the corrosive effects of individualistic liberalism, class conflict, and alien influences.

it is no surprise that the US is a nation that will not longer have a majority white population.  That means many of the white folks feel that hey will lose their influence in public policy.  That means America is become a nation that will not have a majority groups.  This is worrisome to the extreme political right who feels that their "way of life" is in danger.  No surprise the Republican party itself has had to face the split in its own ranks as the tea party has spun off and recruited other extremists.  They are also worried about their future and underlying that is the anti immigrant racism of the groups.  The use of terms such as "baby mules" and "anchor babies".  Forgetting that America is a "NATION OF IMMIGRANTS".  It was the Europeans in the 16th and 17th centuries who invaded this continent throwing off the natives already living here.  Hence, there are no US citizens who are not of some immigrant background.

3.  The need for authority by natural leaders, culminating in a national chief who alone is capable of incarnating the groups's destiny.

4.  The superiority of the leader's instincts over abstract and universal reason

Since the beginning of this movement, Sarah Palin has become the poster child for this movement.  Why is still a mystery.  Nevertheless, the influence that she brought to Tea Party candidates this last campaign cycle is not to be pushed side.  She was able to help candidates obtain money to run and lend her voice to the cause.  The faithful loved to see Ms Palin spout her drivel.  Some candidates owe their success to her endorsement, many who would not have gotten as far as they had in politics without her stardom.  As far as the superiority of the leader's instincts, that is what one must call it, for there is no other way to explain the continued success of such leaders as Palin, Michele Bachman, and Jan Brewer.  Logic is not something that is part of their repertoire.  How else can one explain the insane reading of legislation and extreme reliance on "constitutional originalism" which defies logic itself.  Who can forget the "death panels" that Palin claimed were in the health care bill.  Fact, they were not.  Second, what about the insane reliance of Rep. Bachman and her strange reading of the Constitution.  She once asked the Secretary of the Treasury where he got his authority to act as Secretary.  As if he did not know.  Apparently she did not.

5.  The beauty of violence and the efficacy of will, when they are devoted to the group's success.

Throughout the latest the founder of the Tea Party showed his true feelings in his memo quoted in Forbes

In his memo, Phillips urged his Tea Party supporters to blame liberals for the attack.

“The hard left is going to try and silence the Tea Party movement by blaming us for this. Clinton used the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing to “blame conservative talk radio, especially Rush Limbaugh” and “The tactic worked then, backing conservatives off and possibly helping to ensure a second Clinton term.” Phillips continued, “The left is coming and will hit us hard on this. We need to push back harder with the simple truth. The shooter was a liberal lunatic. Emphasis on both words.”

Josef Goebbels would have been proud.  Take the offensive and blame your opponents before they can bring to the public's attention the real problem.  Their tactics.  Newsflash, it is not the left that is showing the true colors of the Tea Party its the legitimate media.  Even Fox news cannot justify this action.

6.  the right of the "chosen" group to dominate other without restraint from any kind of human or divine law, right being decided by the sole criterion of the group's prowess within a Darwinian struggle.

Clearly this is the evangelical part of the Tea party.  This is the same group who wants to use their beliefs to turn public policy into another Inquisition.  The problem is that at least the Inquisition had standards.  Evangelicals keep changing the goal posts from hiding behind their "freedom of belief" so that they don't have to dispense doctors prescriptions, to attempting to include "intelligent design" within the public school system. While this group has not actively worked within the tea party, they have a ready welcome. 

I bring these aspects to the attention of the public because they need to be assessed.  The assassination of a Member of Congress is to be condemned and it must be by the very political foes who have fostered it.  They have not.  Some have but it is clear the right will try to turn this to their advantage and the public and legitimate leaders of this nation must call them to account when they try.  The source for the numbered list is from Robert O. Paxton and his work The Anatomy of Fascism.