Fromm had observed how leaders have played upon their public, Hitler doing so with protestations that he sought only "peace and freedom... that his actions serve the best interests of civilization". But hindsight is always easy, and in the 1930s it must have been extremely difficult for most to appreciate the implications of what was occurring. As repression and world aggression grew, the public's apprehension and misplaced trust meant that devastating issues were simply explained away.
Paralleling such concerns, several mainstream European articles have recently noted that Nazi Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop was condemned by the Nuremburg War Crimes Tribunals for conspiring in a War of Aggression. Also noted was that President Bush has committed actions strikingly similar to those for which Mr. von Ribbentrop was hanged. Strengthening the comparison, the US commander of the Iraq War, Gen. Tommy Franks, was charged by Belgium under Crimes-Against-Humanity statutes.
Perhaps envisioning such circumstances, Fromm had warned that "there is no greater mistake and no graver danger than not to see that in our own society [the US] we are faced with the same phenomenon that is fertile soil for the rise of Fascism anywhere".
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
