Tom Horne Defines Fascism Incorrectly--Isn't He the Superintendent of Public Instruction?

(Jeez--I'm STILL too busy)...

Anyway, since Saturday's wild show with Tom Horne (Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, a Republican) on the M&M Show on Air America affiliate KXXT in Phoenix, I've been meaning to get this out: Tom Horne REFUSED to apologize for getting in Fred's face--and calling Fred a fascist--while at a public meeting for the announcement of Secretary of State Jan Brewer's re-election run (oh gawd that's scary).

Horne's excuse was two-fold. First, he declared that the protestors (all eight of them) were chanting so loudly nobody could hear Brewer. I wasn't there so I don't know, but I find it hard to believe that eight people chanting "All We Want is Every Vote Counted" could silence any modern Republican. He also stated that the volume of their chanting was like the fascistic brown-shirt tactics used against Jews and other minorities in the past and hence he was had the right and obligation to both defend Brewer and in her defense accost the protestor's--funny, I thought the on-site cops were there to handle these matters...

Fred rightly pointed out that chanting was not AT ALL like fascist brown-shirt tactics which in fact were clubbing, beating and physically attacking their targets. After 45 minutes (or was it more?), 6'6" Arizona Superintendent of Education Tom Horne excused his bad behavior by insisiting the following: HE was registering his protest of the protestor's chanting in a suitable manner (that he also insisited was not intimidating to 5'9" Fred, who insisted that in fact it WAS) and that the tactic of chanting loudly is not only fascistic but unconstitutional (a fact Fred invited him to prove via fax of the relevant item of law and that, by the M&M show Sunday, had still not appeared--we are not holding our collective breath).

There are for me some unanswered questions--if Horne's intention was NOT to imply the protestor's were actually behaving as the fascist's of Mussolini and Hitler--and his intent was solely to register his displeasure with the protestor's (all eight of them) then why the hell didn't he just (while in Fred's face) instead yell "Shut UP," or "Shut the Fuck Up," or any other choice or combination of words?

I believe it's because he drinks the kool-aid and was busted full-bore drunk on it.

Tom Horne's position is to act for ALL the people of Arizona, not just the Republicans. At that rally he proved --by his choice of the word "fascist" to be not only partisan but of a partisan subtype that is engaged in the systematic scapegoating of liberals. Were that NOT true, he would NOT have chosen the term "fascist".

The Republican base's positions are extreme and bizarre. The follwing diatribe regarding the equation of liberalism with fascism can be found in one rehashing or another on any one of thousands of winger blogs and websites. It is a key component of a strategy that threatens to infect mainstream thinking (and I believe is slanderous). I just chose the example from this site becasue it is more or less succinct:

So what is fascism? By definition: Fascism is: 1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition 2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

Hmmm…interesting. Bush, the president calling for the ownership society, who believes in individual freedoms and choices with accountability and responsibility, is a fascist? By definition, he is exactly the opposite. He wants freedom from government for the individual and businesses. He believes anyone can move anywhere in the socioeconomic ladder by the degree in which they work and put forth effort. The basic construct of our government prohibits dictatorial leadership.

Now, let’s look at liberals, and how they fit into this “fascist” model. Bush selected Condi Rice, a black woman, for Secretary of State; she was opposed by more Democrats that opposed a nomination in about 150 years. Bush appointed Alberto Gonzalez, an Hispanic, to Attorney General; the Dems opposed him in large numbers as well. Why do liberals hate conservative minorities? It seems they are putting race above the individual.

Howard Dean and the Democratic Party agenda want redistribution of income. Dems want to tax the rich and give entitlements to the poor. Dems want to punish individuals and businesses for making profits. Dems want to control business with regulations and taxation. Dems want to take those profits away by taxation. Dem’s entitlement culture will inevitably keep people in their current socioeconomic state with very little mobility. Dems want to control the media through legislation and regulation. Dems want free speech unless its speech they don’t agree with. Dems want to rid themselves of opposition, remember what’s been said of Zell Miller by Dems. Dems want to eliminate religion, and indoctrinate kids with their agenda through public education.

I could go on.

So what party better exemplifies “fascists”? Yes it is the left, the liberals, the Democrats. Of course their agenda matches fascism more accurately than the Republican agenda; it is socialist in nature. As the left moves farther and farther left, away from the majority of the American people, it moves closer and closer to communism. In fact, the left’s new label will be “progressive”, a step to the “left” of “liberal”, and one step away from communism. They are no longer the Democratic Party of John F. Kennedy who said, “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” They have become the Ted Kennedy Party who would have said,” And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what you can do for your country; ask what your country can do for you.”

That is STANDARD winger rhetoric (and piss-poor logic): Liberals want sharing of resources regardless of greedy impulses, ergo, Dems are socialists--no communists--no wait--FASCISTS!!!!

Horne never apologized for intimidating a protestor exercising HIS protected free-speech rights (among others). Horne excused himself for behavior that would not be allowed on any school playground.

In the end, I think Brewer should go because she is a dolt, but Horne should go because he drinks the kool-aid (in public)!

(UPDATE 01-13-06) Tom Horne (lawyer and Harvard graduate) has still NOT produced the evidence he stated on the radio that he had, namely, that the protest tactic of chanting loudly is unconstitutional. I guess he was thinking he was already in Alito's America, where in fact he WILL be correct.