Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Sunday, June 19, 2016

So, I Met A Nazi Last Night

I went out to a local brew pub with a couple of friends, and I got pigeonholed by a - I swear - a Nazi.  He wasn't a frothing at the mouth lunatic.  In fact - chillingly - he teaches AP US in the Waterbury school system. But he had a clear fascination with Hitler and  - surprise, surprise - Trump.  He longed for that magical leadership that comes from a "strong man."  That charismatic rabble-rouser who can strike a new course.  He also embraced a few wild conspiracy theories, of course.

It was a fascinating reminder that there are people out there who really aren't keyed into the traditions of Anglo-American liberal governance.  That's kind of scary.

No comments: