“Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
-- Hermann Goering
(Quoted in Gilbert, G. M., Nuremberg Diary. New York: Farrar, Strauss & Co (1947), pp 278-9.) Hi Ken! *waves*
Posts
The pond dissembled ...it's not over yet, Dame Slap and the rest of the
reptile pack have seen to that ...
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The pond has taken to showing its homework as a way of defending its
reptile choice of the day ... but can there ever be any defence for
returning to ...
2 hours ago
5 comments:
Oy vey! (Clutches head, moans.)
Your quote is a voice from the past: so often cited during J Howards's reign: again and again and again.. A surprise to see it popping up again, because it's hard to believe that this fear issue concerned many people.
What did concern them? A gazillion answers to this, but in my experience, the unelected Arbibs and many others, in NSW rightly worries lots of people , because of the perception that their will is more important than democratic will, and that their associates have rights that supercede personal, state and legal rights.
"my school" has obvious flaws: Julia said, on regional radio, that "of course" kids at the local private grammar were more intelligent than kids at the public school.
I found this comment to be not only wrong, but highly offensive. But, I can only oppose founded on this premise.
There are stacks more blues and blunders. I want to support them, but are making it hard to do so.
Frances, I wasn't intending to suggest that the electorate fell for it. If they had, Abbott would be PM as we speak -- though I would remind you of the Tampa election, won through just such fearmongering. I was simply making the point that it was a repulsive, dishonest, cynical, manipulative strategy used with great success by the Third Reich, and that Abbott had made it a quarter of his entire platform summary.
For the record, I don't remember having seen it before. Obviously we read different papers.
I think the (other) quote Frances is alluding to may be the Goebells one about telling a big lie often enough. That certainly characterised both the Howard Miracle and Abbott's election campaign.
Frances, how is Mark Arbib unelected? He's a senator.
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