May 8th, 2003, 04:13 PM
I like it too.
This is far afield, but speaking of that class, my instructor, "Pohaku" Tom Stone, is supposed to be hosting something on Comedy Central this summer -unless he was totally bullshitting us last night, and I was too drunk to pick up on it.
"2. Like Hitler, Bush began to curtail civil liberties in response to a well-publicized national outrage, in Hitler's case the Reichstag fire, in Bush's case the 9-11 catastrophe."
The day following the yhe Reichstag fire of '33, Hindenburg signed into law -in a format akin to an Executive Order- a declaration of the current state of emergency, which not merely limited certain lberties, but actually curtailed basic rights of the German people. Hitler, who produced 'proof' that Communists were behind the terrorist act -such as Van der Lubbe's admission-, managed to get newspapers and radio transmissions censored - Meetings between individuals were allowed only at certain places and times, limited in order to keep the chances conspiracy in check. All forms of private corrspondance were allowed to be read by government officials at any times, uncluding letters and phone calls. The Law stayed in force until 1945.
Now, when one carefully scrutinizes the information available concerning the Fire, it becomes obvious that Van der Lubbe could not have committed the act alone, as he says. Huge amounts of pertol were utilized in setting the blaze, and the fire department wrote a report saying in some places the fire resisted ever attempt to put it out. One man with a tin of kerosine and a handful of matches COULD NOT have set it himself, which leaves us with two theories:
One- Hitler was right, there was a conspiracy of Communists and Van der Lubbe was protecting his allies; or
Two- Van der Lubbe was lying, and was working for the Nazi party, perpetrating an act which would give Hitler just the clout and power he needed to subvert his enemies.
We all know about September 11, we all know who drafted, wrote and passed the Patriot Act(s). Neither were Executive Orders.
If I need to elaborate, I will, but I think we can safely say number 2 is a fanciful account of what truly transpired.
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