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There are only 2 possible reasons why the right would want to label the Nazis as "left wing".
1: they're thick as shit
or
2: they're smart enough to realise their own policies are getting perilously close to fascism, and want to deflect
#NormanTebbit thread >
1: they're thick as shit
or
2: they're smart enough to realise their own policies are getting perilously close to fascism, and want to deflect
#NormanTebbit thread >
I'm always very cautious about using the term "fascist", cos it doesn't really mean: person you disagree with on Twitter. It has a defined meaning.
Here are the 14 characteristics of fascism. See how many you can apply to the Tebbit / Cummings / Francois wing of the right
Here are the 14 characteristics of fascism. See how many you can apply to the Tebbit / Cummings / Francois wing of the right
1 Powerful and Continuing Nationalism 
2 Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
3 Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
4 Supremacy of the Military
5 Rampant Sexism
6 Controlled Mass Media
2 Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
3 Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
4 Supremacy of the Military
5 Rampant Sexism
6 Controlled Mass Media
7 Obsession with National Security
8 Religion and Government are Intertwined
9 Corporate Power is Protected
10 Labour Power is Suppressed
11 Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
12 Obsession with Crime and Punishment
8 Religion and Government are Intertwined
9 Corporate Power is Protected
10 Labour Power is Suppressed
11 Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
12 Obsession with Crime and Punishment
13 Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
14 Fraudulent Elections
You may disagree, but I think the current govt fits 12 of those 14. (We don't do religion much in the UK, and their sexism is no worse than the [awful] background level.)
But 12 out of 14 is bad. Really bad.
14 Fraudulent Elections
You may disagree, but I think the current govt fits 12 of those 14. (We don't do religion much in the UK, and their sexism is no worse than the [awful] background level.)
But 12 out of 14 is bad. Really bad.
So there is, from their point of view, a good reason for Tebbit and his clique to attempt to tell us the Nazis were on the left.
It's because they don't want most people to make the (justifiable) association between those 12 characteristics and the Nazi party in 1933.
It's because they don't want most people to make the (justifiable) association between those 12 characteristics and the Nazi party in 1933.
I'm not saying they're like Nazis in 1940. Nazis didn't wear jackboots and scream ACHTUNG when they first arrived. They arrived as a friend, talking in reasonable terms about making your nation proud again, if only we can get rid of "them".
And then they mutated.
And then they mutated.
But we've already seen this govt's core group rig elections, engage in corruption, attempt to dismantle our rights, engage in scapegoating of minorities, speak contemptuously of expertise, stoke nationalism, and all the rest of the things in that list.
These are the first steps.
These are the first steps.
If they believed their policies were what the voters really wanted, they wouldn't attempt to mislead us. They wouldn't try to make people think the SS were basically the Teachers Union with fewer tweed jackets.
This lie is intended to get you to vote for something you hate.
This lie is intended to get you to vote for something you hate.
All politicians, to some extent, mislead the public. Let's face it, all humans do - this isn't unique to people in parliament.
But telling people the Nazis were the opposite of Nazis is ... well, it's off the charts bullshit.
But telling people the Nazis were the opposite of Nazis is ... well, it's off the charts bullshit.
By "the right" in this context, I don't mean the Dominic Grieve wing of relatively decent one-nation Tories.
I mean the Farages and Rees-Moggs, who trade on dog-whistle racism, empty nationalism, disdain for truth and barely-concealed contempt for their average voter.
I mean the Farages and Rees-Moggs, who trade on dog-whistle racism, empty nationalism, disdain for truth and barely-concealed contempt for their average voter.
These people aren't thick. Many of their most flag-bestrewn followers are, but they aren't.
They're doing this on purpose, and we should resist it. And frankly, the @Telegraph shouldn't publish it. It's repugnant. How far they've fallen, and for what? For this bunch of crooks.
They're doing this on purpose, and we should resist it. And frankly, the @Telegraph shouldn't publish it. It's repugnant. How far they've fallen, and for what? For this bunch of crooks.
