The echoes from Germany in the 30’s are starting to get profound, and profoundly disturbing. This is not what WWII was fought for, so that Nazis can shout “Sieg Heil!” from a bridge in Florida while hoisting swastika flags. This is a living, breathing nightmare, and again, I’m going to trace its roots to the abrogation of the Fairness Doctrine under Reagan coupled with the explosion of social media and right-wing outlets providing “alternative facts.”

That video is from Altamonte Springs, Florida, not far from Orlando. At least that looks like what’s written on the bridge, the camera is moving fast. (Hit the blue link in the tweet above to reveal the video. You need to see this.)

Here’s one man’s solution. Not saying it’s right, but saying it is understandable.

The Germans, for obvious reasons, want nothing more to do with Nazism. I suppose we could split hairs and say yes, this is the downside of freedom of speech, the right to spew hate, but maybe the expression of Nazi values should be outlawed in this country. I, for one, would heartily vote for that as a proposition on a ballot.

And take a look at the caliber of people bragging that they work for the Republican party nowadays.

These next two clips are what you would expect.

Again, the Fairness Doctrine would combat this. It needs to go back on the books as law.

Racists, extremists and conspiracy theorists have always been in the GOP, along with the religious fanatics, but in the past seven years the lunatics have taken over the asylum. And it makes complete sense. Here’s the poster child for DeFuture of DeGOP.

The Nation:

Although he’s trying hard, DeSantis still lags behind front-runner Donald Trump—not just in the polls but also in shameless pandering to white nationalists. Trump of course has the advantage of a head start in this competition. His extensive record (crisply catalogued in a 2017 Slate article) includes his numerous sly uses of alt-right memes, his promotion of extremists like Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka, and his infamous “very fine people” response to the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. More recently, Trump dined last year with Adolf Hitler aficionado and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes.

But the GOP’s white nationalist problem extends beyond the Trump/DeSantis race. On Wednesday, Media Matters reported that Matteo Cina, a Fox News staffer and former writer for Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, repeatedly posted anti-Semitic messages on TikTok. One Cina post argued that “it is hard to talk about the Holocaust and rising anti semitism [sic] without discussing Jewish presence in banking.”

Arizona Representative Paul Gosar has extensive ties to the racist far right. In 2021, he spoke at a white nationalist rally hosted by Fuentes. Earlier this year, Hunter Walker of Talking Points Memo reported that Gosar’s digital director, Wade Searle, can be linked to an “extensive digital trail” on white supremacist websites, including those that support Fuentes.

The mounting evidence that many prominent Republican politicians, including a former president, either have Nazi ties or are courting the Nazi vote is unsettling. Frequently, this fact leads to some form of denial or excuse-making—such as the claim that young Republicans are “too online” or just engaging in the familiar puerile prank of adopting rhetoric designed to shock liberals.

There is a smidgen of truth to this argument. Shock Jock mockery and malicious frat boy bigotry are familiar styles of right-wing comedy—a tradition that runs from The American Spectator to Rush Limbaugh to Donald Trump.

But this cruel comedy isn’t just about lolz; it’s also a political strategy. As centrist pundit Jonathan Chait cogently observed, the DeSantis campaign made a conscious decision “to woo the extreme right.” That’s why it hired Hochman, a rising star on the right, “after it was reported he had participated in a Twitter Spaces with Nick Fuentes.”

Chait describes a telling incident in 2022 when “a small band of Nazis menaced Jewish students in Orlando.” While Florida Republicans denounced the incident, DeSantis spokesperson Christine Pushaw claimed that the incident was faked by Democrats. DeSantis himself accused the media of trying to smear him. Chait argues, “The point of this political theater was not merely to display dominance against the media.

We can’t close our eyes to this. This is a dangerous wave in our culture right now and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this activity is centered in Florida. DeSantis is a demagogue. He’s also wimpy, whiny and lacking in judgement, so maybe he won’t get that far. But the fact that on his watch as governor, the Nazis regard Florida as a safe space can only be viewed as alarming.

 

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6 COMMENTS

  2. F**kwad American Nazi a-holes, a bridge… Anyone else besides me reminded of this scene from the Blues Brothers and think a real life reenanctment might be in order:

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    • The Blues Brothers is the greatest movie ever made. Remember when the short little leader of the Illinois Nazi’s and his giant second are free falling from a bridge and the short guy turns to the big guy and says, “I’ve always loved you.”? A perfect example of the hypocrisy of Republicans. We should all be on a mission from God to eradicate fascism in this country once and for all. Hitler got many of his horrid ideas from America. That is why he was so shocked when America declared war on Germany.

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      • As someone who grew up and even into adulthood past college was both a “jock” and in performing arts I can honestly say that the Shake Your Tailfeather was about the most awesome music & dance scene put on film. And while not on film I’ve been in some big on-stage musical numbers both as a “lead” (singer) and simple as one of the chorus/dancers. I know what it takes to put together something that can fill a stage, and that scene was far bigger with amazing music and choreography. But yeah, I do remember that long, long fall and the line you noted. Laugh my butt off every time!

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  3. My five uncles served in WW2. WHEN did we forget these phuckers had to be stopped by guns? You tolerate the Devil, then you are resigned to living in hell. I grew up with violence daily. It’s ugly. It’s destructive. It’s evil. It respects no one and nothing. America has grown fat, lazy, and stupid. Ripe for a fascist takeover as we’ve seen Jan 6. The time to wake up in a burning house is not when the exits are blocked and the flaming roof crashes on your phucking head. Next November is our Goddamn Last Chance to stop them with the VOTE!!! Since most of you don’t have the stomach for a real fight to the death…I suggest you get off your collective arses and use the rights innumerable people have died to give you. Or get ready to finish living on a burning planet run by fascists.

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  4. In Germany, as in most of civilised Europe, those a$$holes waving swastika flags would be arrested, charged & jailed. The swastika is an illegal symbol, and rightfully so, given the power and horror of its image. So neo-nazis in Europe wave Confederate flags instead; the meaning’s clear and it’s legal. Says it all.

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