It's deja vu all over again

[fpb]

I have often found myself in the position of having to say: "You are talking nonsense. I know what Fascists are like. I have met them in considerable number since I was a child. I was born in the same country as Fascism. I have studied Fascism as a historian. [insert personal or group name] may be a detestable person, and his/her/their views may be obnoxious, but they are not Fascist. Do not cheapen real evil."

Now I am worried I may have to start saying: "You are talking nonsense. I know what Communists are like. I have met them in considerable numbers since I was a child. I was born in a country where Communism was a power in the land. I have studied Communism as a historian. President Obama may be a detestable person - or not - and his view may be obnoxious - or not - but he is no Communist. Do not cheapen real evil."

You don't believe me? http://townhall.com/columnists/LauraHollis/2009/10/21/they%E2%80%99re_all_communists

Comments

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

mmm... the Fascism-and-everything-else-bad-is-left-wing thing goes back at least to von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, of "Right is right and Left is wrong" fame. Goldberg's a relative latecomer.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I never said that he was the first, but he adapted the fable to current political conditions and made it a prime talking point among all the angry conservatives in your country. I regard his influence as more poisonous than anyone else's, and I am willing to bet that for any person who can quote you the name of von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, ten can quote Goldberg.

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay. I misunderstood what you were getting at.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I did not actually read anyone who developed the thesis seriously and to book length, but I was of course conscious that it was possible to develop it. And I guess that I did come too close to saying that Goldberg was the inventor, so no problem with your understanding that that was what I meant to say. But I did not intend to say it as a statement because I know all too well that you cannot make such statements as "X was the first to do Y"...