Krakow, Poland (photo by Smith)
Having grown up in a relatively free albeit sheltered society, my impulse was to think that fascism could never happen here.
But fascism is more common than not, and the US sponsors it in all these other countries. Why is it so hard to believe they’d dare to do it to our own country as well?
It’s sobering to witness the systematic dismantling of our rights. Goodbye, habeas corpus! Goodbye, freedom of speech!
The latest scary thing I read was that in February 2008 the gov will require US citizens to “apply” before they are allowed any foreign travel. I don’t know if this is a rumor, or true, but it is from this article by Naomi Wolf: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/05/5018/
It’s also disconcerting hearing some of the remarks of people in public. A vendor at the West Side Market (a huge traditional food marketplace) appealed to our “patriotic” fears in trying to get us to shop his stall. He said the other row was owned by foreigners. I understand protectionist sentiment, but it feels icky in this context. And another vendor asked us how our travels went, then asked if we had trouble getting through passport control. She then said, “I wish they’d only allow Christians LIKE US into this country.” Wow. Why would she assume that Smith and I are Xtians?