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Some of us on the left saw real parallels between some activities of the Bush Administration and the regime of Adolph Hitler. We were constantly reminded of Godwin’s Law, which states that whenever an argument devolves to the point where someone invokes Hitler against the other side, that side has lost the argument.
Anyway, Hitler was a one-time event – a perfect storm. But there was one Hitler/Bush parallel that I took seriously: Preventive war. Hitler invaded Poland and other countries using very similar premises as Bush when he invaded Iraq and Afghanistan: Self Defense. That’s a real parallel and ought to be addressed, as the implications are quite serious. Preventive war is a scourge upon mankind, and is illegal.
Anyway, no one took any of us on the left seriously when we pointed out real parallel – Godwin, lefty whackos, extremsism, they said. Whatever. So it is interesting that the absurd accusations and parallels being drawn between Obama and Hitler are being taken seriously. People of note are scratching their chins and are discussing this matter with sincere gravitas.
It’s a journalistic spectacle. Not only are the accusations absurd, but the people making them are off-balance, screaming and yelling at public meetings, much in the manner of Hitler’s 1923 Beer Hall Putsch — oops. Invoked Hitler. Godddddwinnnnnnn ….
So why is CNN taking this seriously? I do not know. I do not watch CNN, and so don’t know what to expect from them? Are they only a milder version of Fox News?
Anyway, their coverage of the accusations as if they should be taken seriously reminds me of Paul Krugman’s criticism of modern American journalism:
If a presidential candidate were to declare that the earth is flat, you would be sure to see a news analysis under the headline ”Shape of the Planet: Both Sides Have a Point.”
Piece of Mindful 