David Neiwert’s excellent series of essays, Rush, Newspeak and Fascism, is finally available as a PDF. He’s asking five bucks as a donation if you download it. It’s worth more than that.
Neiwert is further to the left than I am; I don’t agree with the idea, for example, that the government is “the one entity that has the capability to protect them [middle and lower-class workers] from the ravages of wealthy class warriors and swarms of corporate wolves.” But that’s really beside the point. Even if you disagree with his politics, you should read this pamphlet for what he has to say about the effects of Limbaugh and his poisonous ilk.
For that matter, the left ought to take heed of his warnings. “There has been little recognition of the way the far right is able to insinuate its ideas and agendas into the mainstream; indeed, the left’s generally superior, dismissive attitude about right-wing extremists has only helped further their ability to penetrate broader society.” I haven’t seen much discussion of Eric Rudolph after the first week of stories about his capture — similar to the way everyone forgot about him while he was on the run.
Neiwert has as much experience with proto-fascist movements in America as any journalist I know of. I found his book on the subject very informative. He knows what he’s talking about, because he’s an expert in the field, and when he points a finger it behooves us to take him seriously and investigate with an open mind.
Now I’m gonna have to dig into his bibliography. I’m glad to have it.
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