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   Inertial Invites (intransitivelie@beige.party)'s status on Friday, 29-Mar-2024 08:09:51 JST Inertial Invites

   H/t @timberwraith

   https://mastodon.social/@timberwraith/112175621409795010

   The decades immediately after WWII we decided that Nazis and Commies were convenient enemies to shun so we could continue oppressing our own minorities with impunity because after all, we weren't Nazis or Commies. That's why there was something of a stigma, particularly in popular culture. Behind the scenes, of course, we went to the Moon on the back of the Nazis, for fuck's sake.

   The problem the right in this country is currently having, if it's even a problem for them, is that young people in particular looked at the Nazis and said, "Hey, hang on, that's basically the conservative party in the US." And then a bunch of them further decided that that wasn't a deal-breaker and just went full Nazi. The older members of the klan would prefer to keep that part quiet and keep pretending, but it's been 80 years. The stink has come off the shit. Young people either are into Nazi shit or they're sick of being lied to about it.

   It's not that the country has become more polarized, it's that we're getting slightly more honest. The right wing has been this bad, folks. It's been this bad for a long time. We just agreed to pretend that it wasn't for a while, for the sake of the children (and so that everyone could keep oppressing minorities). You think Black people haven't been telling you? Repeatedly? How about Native folks? LGBTQI+? Beuller? Beuller?

   So yeah, we've had Nazi shit for longer than the Nazis had Nazi shit. We just didn't call it that. But we've stopped pretending because both sides are running out of room to maneuver. The right sees the writing on the wall. If they don't lock shit down, hard, they're going to lose. And the left is pretty much out of options. Meaningful political change is almost out of the question.

   I don't think the US is unique in this. We're seeing fascist reactionaries trying desperately to consolidate power all over. They figure if they can make he pendulum swing hard enough to the right, they can catch the end and keep it from ever swinging back. That's basically the only play they have at this point. The gloves are off.

   I suppose that should be heartening, because they wouldn't be trying this hard if they weren't desperate. But so many people are going to die. I find it hard to believe that there's any future not built on the bodies of a lot of people. And that's the good futures.

   In most of the futures I foresee, fascists and capital (but I repeat myself) grab the pendulum and halt it long enough to burn everything down.

   Sorry, this went dark.

   Anyway, back to the original point: popular culture only viewed the Nazis as losers because it was convenient.

   The Empire in Star Wars aren't losers. They lose, but they're intimidating and cool. They're the enemy, but they have to be viewed as formidable or there's no stakes for the story. If a ragtag band of rebels defeats an empire staffed entirely by the sort of people who are actually Nazis, it's a comedy. It's Spaceballs.

   Nazis *are* losers. They're horrible, they're a threat, but they're giant revanchist losers who get butthurt over the smallest things. I am entirely in favor of mocking the Nazis. Christ, someone punched Richard Spencer so hard he disappeared in a puff of farts. The Proud Boys are a collection of giant losers.

   That doesn't make them any less dangerous, and it doesn't mean that they should be given any sunshine. Make Nazis afraid to be Nazis again. By all means.

   But remember, the Nazis were here first. It's not a German thing. The United States is built on bones and nourished by blood, and until we reckon with that, Nazis are gonna keep popping up.