Nazism largely succeeded due to mob mentality. We are seeing some of the same pressures pervasive amongst liberal dogmas and social engineering being applied in the West, where if you disagree you’re pilloried and abused. There is even a whole glossary of semantic bully words to describe conservative dissidents (homophobes, sexist, bigots, archaic, unprogressive, intolerant, opposed to equality). Seen it all before. Let’s remember, Hitler’s politics was Socialist before it was fascist. The Christian church was prominent among the few who stood up against this 1930s “progressive” ‘new morality’ hope and change wave, and then shielded the Jews at peril of their own lives. History repeats.
It is utterly historically inaccurate to understand Nazism as a conservative movement, which it patently was not. It was radical, violent, self-righteous, liberal, progressive, new; it threw away, mocked and persecuted the old order (especially religion, actually executing pastors simply for being pastors – many were specifically reserved for extreme medical tortures and experiments without trial). Nazism heralded a whole new way of life, thinking, belief and action for ‘modern’ people. It abandoned traditional morality as “archaic” and embraced a new progressive outlook, ostensibly allowing people to do whatever they wanted (very popular amongst young men).
White Roses or red blood. Read more about that historic movement and lessons we can learn for today, here White Rose.
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About coNZervative
A blog about politics, life, culture, literature, music and thought from Christchurch, New Zealand [NZ] (the home of 10,000 earthquakes since 4 Sept. 2010) built because of the bullying and cajoling of Liberal opinion-makers (journalism and Hollywood) against conservative-minded people who are as entitled to opinion and a perspective as anyone; and because Conservativism has served the world well.
John Stringer is a New Zealander (Christchurch) in his 40s married to an American from Taco Bell; they have 5 adult children in 3 diff. countries. John is an ex-Anglican pastor, a teacher, published author (NZ), novelist (USA) and cartoonist (Aust, NZ), and has spent the last 25 years in NZ politics with the National party (he was a parliamentary candidate in 1999). There was a stint in London working for the British Conservative party as well, where he did media minding and campaign work with several Brit cabinet ministers, including Baroness Thatcher, Baroness Blatch, Michael Howard, Tom King, among others. He has an MA (classical studies, Victoria); is a graduate of the New York Film Academy; and has various awards for writing. His passions include British bulldogs, fly fishing, and history (Ancient and WWII).
Winston Churchill was mainly a “Conservative” but also a “Liberal” MP between 1900-1964. A Member of Parliament for 64 years, he contested 21 parliamentary elections (for Oldham, Manchester North West, Dundee, and Epping/Woodford). Throughout his career Churchill stood for liberty. He believed in open debate and freedom of speech, and opposed any system or ideology that tried to dictate the way one should think. Churchill felt deeply that disagreements within the democratic system should not degenerate into personal animosities.
RIDER: This site is not connected to nzconservative, a Catholic site, or NZ Conservative Party, although from time-to-time I share some of the views espoused by both groups and other sites I follow, as published; I am an independent thinker and blogger.
I suppose you didn’t know that Hans Scholl had been arrested for being gay and thus learned to hate the Nazis, and that Sophie, in her questioning by the Gestapo said that it was that arrest that inspired her to fight the Nazis as well. The bookstore where they met, and where they printed their leaflets was run by another gay member of the White Rose.
I recently read a book called “A Higher Call”. Its largely about Franz Stigler, a Luftwaffe pilot, but has extensive comment about the Nazi period pre war and the politics of it. While I wouldn’t disagree with the mob rule aspect what I perceived from the book was that the mob was a lot smaller than I previously believed but people generally just did what the guys with the guns said they should out of fear – the tail wagged the dog notwithstanding it was a pretty big tail. That a few resisted is encouraging and the nature of who resisted was surprising as well. It ended in tears of course and Liberalism, like so many “isms” seems no different to me – it will have its day because enough like it to push the agenda as hard as it takes to win over those who don’t care enough to push back.