A personal appeal to correctly use the term "fascism"

[wuushew]

Recently I have seen many DUers use the term fascist in relation to terrorist movements or even describing secular totalitarian regimes like Saddam Hussein era Iraq!? Not only does this lend indirect support for Republican talking points but poisons the level of intellectual discourse on this board.

I would not call the color blue, pink nor describe the Atlantic Ocean as the Pacific however to a retrograde moron these words fit into extremely broad categories with general similarities.

For the past sixty plus years fascism in this country has for the vast majority of people viewed as a negative term. Many "average" freedom loving, flag waving people opine fondly for the glorious struggle of the United States against Japan, Germany and Italy during the "last good war". So we compare our current conflicts in language that is deeply ingrained from childhood as part of the Amerikan identity. On the other hand what knowledge of Islamic fundamentalism do Amerikans possess? Many I imagine no little more than our glorious leader who was/is not even aware of the two large divisions in Islam.


Fascism is not a be all catch all term to describe tyranny, cruel government or even general meanness. It has a specific contextual definition associated with nationalistic military governments aligned with the right wing of political movements. The idea of fascist terrorism is not a reality today. You could argue that elements that evidently took hold in Germany and Italy committed acts of violence that were fascist in nature, how is this comparable to what Islamic fundamentalism desires or achieves currently?

Those you who defend the term please provide rebuttal.