As I said to Dan, the observation that yelling "predator!" to stampede the herd is an ancient and time-tested technique is separate from the question of whether Saddam Hussein really needs killin'. And the fact that Hitler and his buddies like Goering successfully used the technique hardly invalidates its power.
His suggestion that all peoples are alike, that we're all suceptible to a song like that sung by the Nazis, he's ignoring--or rather, ignorant of--history, politics, religion and culture.
Ever read "It Can't Happen Here" by (I believe) Upton Sinclair (or was it Sinclair Lewis?)? The belief that Americans are somehow immune to that sort of manipulation is a dangerous arrogance--it can happen here if we ever get complacent and suspend the critical faculties that are the duty of a citizen in a (technically) self-governed society.
Does the phrase "the Silent Majority" ring any bells? How about the name Joe McCarthy?
--Robert
Current Events » in reply to Re: Statecraft is statecraft...
Re: Statecraft is statecraft...
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- Gotta get to war!!!