Fear, Freedom .. Follow

This morning I watched a several-hour documentary that explained the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. This wasn't the normal fare of familiar clips and Time Life journalism, this was an inside look at how it happened - and how Germany as a whole got enraptured by Nationalism. The footage was from journalists, residents, and party members within Germany. Much of the footage has never before been seen, and much of the documentary is illegal to show in Germany. Following WWI - Germany was destitute and left to their own devices - anarchy and vigilante-justice were driving forces in decimating any sense of normalcy for all classes of German citizens. It was in this atmosphere that the charlatans took stage and promised a new frontier for Germany - but only one managed to grasp hold of the hopes and possibilities of the populous. "An ugly, convulsive, and repulsive individual" was how even Hitler's own party members described him - but regardless - he showed the drive, passion, and understanding of how to rebuild a broken nation. Though he never won an election, and only achieved 37% of the popular vote - he still lead the largest political party in Germany and it led to his appointing of Chancellor of Germany - a figurehead position without power. America's financial collapse sent shockwaves across the European continent and left Germany's citizens desperate for change, and the only beacon of something new were Communists and Nationalists - and in a brilliant move - the Parliament was mysteriously bombed and the Communists were blamed. The populous suspected this as a cover-up, but immediately free press and free assembly were suspended. More concerning to citizens than the reality that their phones could be tapped and letters read - was that opposing the Nazi Party was hazardous to your health. And overnight - the population that wasn't already endorsing the new party - were supporting them out of fear. From then on - it was easy. The propaganda machine kicked into overdrive and all Communists were expelled from the country, and then staged assaults on German towns were blamed on Poles, and Communists were nefarious rapists and murderers, on and on. As long as the war didn't come into Germany and people felt powerful and undefeatable - The Fatherland was infallible.

It occurred to me how similar this was to recent events - and how the lessons of history seem to offer a blueprint on how to corrupt civil liberties instead of an education on history's mistakes and broken dreams. I recalled the Patriot Act - bringing a nation to follow it's president into an illegal war built upon lies and misconceptions and sacrificing our civil liberties without so much as a say so. I thought about the Taliban, how in their efforts to protect themselves from Soviet invasion, bonded together and developed a fighting guerrilla force Al-Qaeda. Together - they became the saviors of the nation and thus - dictated Afghanistan's future. This happens all over the world - one person, one party determining the direction of a country. The revolution this incites is a natural progression, and it's the voice of the people being heard. Yes, it is frightening, devastating, and necessary.