Iconoclastic

What is fascism? It is a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.

Fourteen Characteristics of Fascism

Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, wrote an article about fascism which appeared in Free Inquiry magazine -- a journal of humanist thought. Dr. Britt
studied the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile). He found the regimes all had 14
things in common, and he calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The article is titled 'Fascism Anyone?', by Lawrence Britt, and appears in Free
Inquiry's Spring 2003 issue on page 20.

The 14 characteristics are:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism -- Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia.
Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights -- Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that
human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need". The people tend to 'look the other way' or even approve of torture, summary executions,
assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause -- The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived
common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military -- Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding,
and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism -- The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are
made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

6. Controlled Mass Media -- Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by
government regulation, or through sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in wartime, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security -- Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined -- Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public
opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the
government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected -- The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power,
creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed -- Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated
entirely or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts -- Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon
for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the
arts.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment -- Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing
to overlook police abuses, and even forego civil liberties, in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in
fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption -- Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to
government positions, and who use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for
national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections -- Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against (or
even the assassination of) opposition candidates, the use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and the manipulation of the
media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
14 Characteristics of Fascism

Women are told to keep a man you must not be needy (a.k.a. communicate your wants and desires), dramatic (a.k.a. set boundaries or stick up for yourself when being treated badly), or possessive (a.k.a. wanting definition of a relationship); in summary, you must not express emotion at all. Instead, we are expected to put forth and image of fun and excitement and unending happiness. This impassive façade - and a façade it is - allows women to escape the ever impending label of crazy girl, Drama Queen, or whichever other derogatory term men use to describe the women in their life. Women who simply know what they want, and how to ask for it.

There are examples of this expectation everywhere; in fact just yesterday I heard a commercial for a hamburger, in which two guys were talking, describing the perfect woman. She never called, nagged, or presented herself as needy in any way. She was so perfect, in fact, that she had never uttered the words ‘I love you’, and therefore, was worthy of marriage in their eyes.

The offensiveness of this particular commercial is obvious, and would be a wonderful topic of another blog, and many books on advertising in America; and as most politically minded people know, there are many examples of violence against women in advertising. But all of that aside, the point is this: the message sent to women is clear:

You will not be desired by men if you do not control your emotions.

I find this message permeating society today. And the solution I have found to the conundrum of being an emotional creature, whom is not supposed to have emotions: portraying myself as a little obtuse, a little brusque. Dare I say it, acrimonious.

This way I am fending off the accusations of ‘needy possessive Drama Queen only looking to trap her a man’. Instead I get to contend with the label of ‘Man-hating caustic female-type-dog only looking to castrate her a man’.

Is there a happy medium?

What is a friend? The word is defined as, “one attached to another by affection or esteem.” But to each of us the characteristics and desires of a friend could vary greatly. Depending on our personal needs and interests, we may find different people who fulfill different wants we have. Female relationships are often thought to be based on shared feelings and confidences. Male friendships are solidified in shared interests. So what do we gain from friendship with a member of the opposite sex? Or are they even different?

Most of my more recent friends are women, which isn't surprising considering I work in a female dominated profession. So, what draws us together? It's said that women make friendships off of shared feelings, men off of shared interests. I think that's true. Most of
my friends from work and I talk about work related stuff...which works well for both of us because our work is a mutual interest that requires a lot of feelings and emotions. After a while though, the friends I'm closest with and I come to realize that we share a few mutual interests and feelings and so have a bit more to talk about. Those friends are the ones I'd communicate with outside of work.

I watch the relationship between my wife and her girlfriends and compare them to the relationship between me and my guy friends a lot. It seems I have the easier job in maintaining a friendship. Girls, it seems, spend a lot of time getting mad at each other over various things (she calls too often, not enough, said something I didn't like,
didn't say something I wanted to hear, yada yada). They stay mad and don't talk to each other for a couple weeks until on or the other budges and they both act like it never happened. When one of my buddies does something that upsets me, or I him, we call each other on it almost immediately. Sometimes this results in a quick retraction (rarely apology), argument, or fight (depends on how much alcohol is involved in the situation, really). The point is, it's resolved quickly and once it's resolved it's never brought up again. The rule is this: There's a statute of limitations on being pissed at a guy friend. If you can't bring it up and resolve it in 48 hours, it's not that important and should be stricken from record for ever. Yea, guys have the friend thing down.

She Said:
Friendship is such a wonderfully odd thing! Friends are the people in your life who bring joy, form a support structure, and allow you to be yourself in a world full of people trying to change you. The people I would list as friends are the ones I can laugh and have a good time with. They’re the people I could trip in front of, and not have to worry, because all my friends know I’m a klutz. Or I can let out one of my super cool beer burps, tell a silly joke, and be my goofy self; without feeling self-conscious, because I know they love me. Best said, they are the people I can let my guard down in front of, without feeling judged.

Oddly enough, most of my friends are men. I think this is because I enjoy watching sports, drinking beer, and hanging out – activities many men also enjoy. It’s not that I don’t have female friends, it’s just that my female friends usually want to sit, talk about relationships and boys and dating and sex, and drink martinis in high end bars. I write all day, about these very topics, so when I am out-and-about I want to be doing, not repeating what I have done all day. So I find that I utilize my female friends the most when I need help talking out a problem, and I hang with the boys when I want to have more energetic entertainment.

I think it is interesting the expectations I have from friends that are male vs. friends that are female. It is oh-so-very stereotypical. From my male friends I expect an easy, light and active good time. And from my female friends I expect emotional availability and bonding over mutually shared experience. My female friendships are based on shared feeling and confidences, and my male friendships are solidified in shared interests. That is not to say my male friends are not emotionally available, or my female friends aren’t able to participate in light activities. It’s just I don’t expect them to do it, so it’s like an added bonus. When a girlfriend calls me to go play Frisbee in the park, it’s a wonderful exception to the rule – I just expect it from the boys. And when guyfriends want to talk about relationships or frustrations, I feel very honored they trust me enough to open up – it’s the norm with the girls.

Both types of friendships fulfill an important need in my life, and I value all of my friends for a wide variety of reasons. I just found it funny how easily I played into the gender stereotype of friendship, being semi-aware of that sort of thing.

Jordan Frazer is the author of the blog Buying the Cow. He is a 27 year old resident of Susanville, who survived the dating scene and got married about 18 months ago.

His & Hers: a male vs. female point of view, appears every Monday right here at iconoclastic

The Top 10 Reasons You Know it’s not Gonna Work

2. The Butterflies are M.I.A
When you really like someone, as opposed to just-getting-to-know-them-because-there-are-no-other-options-at-the-current-moment, then the butterflies will be abundant. When the phone rings they will flutter in the depths of your stomach, because it may be him. When you get the text message that says, “Good Morning cutie, have a splendoriffic day!” you find the butterflies have migrated to your heart while you type out, “U 2!” And when you know your going to see him, the butterflies have O.D.’d on riddiline, and can be found all of the miscellaneous extremities of your body. If, however, you are searching for the butterflies, and all you find is a rouge tick, it just ain’t never gonna work.

3. They’re Rude
Ok, we all know that when a guy is rude to us, it’s austa lasagna, don’t get any one ya! But there are other forms of rudeness that we must be on the watch for. If he is rude to the essential people who make fun date night’s possible, i.e. waters, bartenders, cab drivers, etc. this is a sign that he has no respect for people in general. And although he may be on his best date behavior at the moment, his rudeness will soon turn to you. Bottom line, rude = it just ain’t never gonna work.

4. Bad Sex
The first time with a new partner is always a little awkward. It’s new, and unfamiliar, and we all have issues with how good we look, feel, smell, act, move, etc. So it’s never fair to judge off a first encounter, every one deserves a second chance right? But if the sex gets a big fat F more than three times in a row, or you find yourself filled with excuses why you don’t want to engage in out of clothing activities, that’s a bad sign. If it gets to sex, and the sex sucks, it just ain’t never gonna work.

5. The Dirty Bird
No, I am not talking about the birds with feathers and wings here. I am talking about the general appearance of ones self, ones home, and ones life. In the first couple of date encounters, if a guy can’t take the time to make sure he has on a clean shirt and smells decent, how much dose he value you? And the first time checking out his pad, if it’s a mess what dose that say about his desire to impress you? The fact of the matter is, a dirty bird means a lack of interest, and that just ain’t never gonna work.

6. Huh!?!
He fly’s off the handle because you said something, and you don’t know what ‘something’ was. You voice an opinion, and his feelings get hurt. It feels like you are always doing something wrong, no matter what you’re doing. Sometimes people just come from two different ways of thinking, and they just never see eye to eye. But really, do you want a relationship that makes you feel like your always a failure. If it feels like a struggle, it just ain’t never gonna work.

7. Huh!?! Again
You are at the park, staring into the sky, and you say, “Doesn’t the sky look blue today?” He turns to you and snarkly replies, “It’s more of a aquamarine.” “Let’s go for Mexican” you say. “How dose The Rice Bowl sound?” he replies. It’s like a French woman trying to communicate with a German man, something is getting lost in translation. Or is it he’s just not listeneing. Whatever the reason, if you feel like your not being understood, or heard, it just ain’t never gonna work.

8. The Smell of Someone After it’s Rained
The fresh smell of rain is one of the best scents in the world! So good, that we have tried to bottle it to scent our homes with. So if this magical elixir of freshness and renewal brings out a smell in your new love to be that says… umm, yuck! It may be time to rethink the situation. Smell in general is a way of attracting new partners, that’s why we spend so much money on perfumes and soaps. So if you catch a whiff and struggle to stop yourself from making a stinky face, it just ain’t never gonna work.

9. Danger Zone: Anger Ahead
He’s just had a bad day at work, his friends really upset him, that guy cut him off, and his neighbor’s dog just won’t quit barking. We all have bad days, it’s just a fact of life. But if it seems he is having more bad days than good, and there is always a reason for him to be angry at someone about something, chances are he is never going to be fun to be around. There is a difference between complaining to get out frustration, and being angry about something all the time. If you always feel like you’re entering a danger zone, it just ain’t never gonna work.

10. The Three Day Test
Admit it, when you have met someone new and you’re interested you want to spend every free second with them. That doesn’t mean you get too, just that you want too. It’s part of being in like. So, if you suddenly stop and realize it’s been three days since you’ve seen them, and that doesn’t’ really bother you, it means your not really diggin’ on them as hard as once supposed. If you take the three day test and fail to want to spend time (or he isn’t working to correct this situation), it just ain’t never gonna work.

Millions around the world are mourning this loss. Captain America, often referred to as a symbol of American spirit, has left many questioning what we will do. He has long been a emblem of patriotism we have turned to in times off war and disparity. With domestic affairs in a state of disarray, the American people seriously questioning the judgment of their political leaders, a seemingly pointless and never-ending war consuming our thoughts, and of course the tragedy of Anna Nicole – what is America going to do without its Captain.

Investigations will begin early next week into his death. It is thought to be a political plot to substantiate the theory that American patriotism is dead.

What are little boys made of, made of?
What are little boys made of?
Frogs and snails, and puppy dogs’ tails.
That’s what little boys are made of

What are little girls made of, made of?
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice, and all things nice.
That’s what little girls are made of.

~ English Nursery Rhyme

This famous nursery rhyme is many hundreds of years old. It testifies to a basic awareness that little boys have different parameters of behavior than little girls. Everyone knows how girls are different from boys… kind of. We have an idea of what boys and girls should be: blue and pink, outdoor and indoor, energetic and quiet. And yet, there are some girls who love playing football in the yard all day, and there are some boys who would rather bake cookies in the kitchen.

What did he say? What did she say?

She Said:
My first reaction: the day they made me they’d run out of sugar, and added extra spice.

But really, I have to ask myself, do people still believe this stuff? To answer my question all I have to do is walk into the local Toys-R-Us and peruse the pink isles filled with dolls in lace, plastic make-up sets, and teddy bears or the blue isles filled with soldiers, guns and trucks. The children running through the store falling neatly into their gendered roles. Never straying into the opposite sexes colors section, wearing clothing appropriate to their sexual category, preparing to be productive members of future society. The segregation of the genders so blatantly apparent, it’s sickening!

With the advancements feminism has made, why do things still look the same?

As I am walking around observing, I see a little boy, who has strayed from his rightful place in the blue isles, and is sitting on the floor examining a box of makeup and hair accessories in an isle clearly marked pink. His father quickly walks up to him, shoves the box onto the nearest shelf, and tells him to go find his brother. He then looks at me, as if embarrassed, and says, “He knows his mother likes this stuff, he’s not gay or anything.” And then walks past me quickly. This boy had traveled into a world that was not meant for him, and the raised voices I heard a couple of isles over, in blue territory, told me he was being punished for inadvertently crossing the line.

They nursery rhyme is archaic, and outdated, and confining. And yet we, as a society, still hold it’s standards true. Little boys are supposed to play with frogs and snails and puppy dog tails, and little girls are supposed to be sugar and spice and everything nice. And if they go astray, we can always take them to the toy store, to teach them how to behave appropriately.

His & Hers: a male vs. female point of view, appears every Monday right here at iconoclastic

I vaguely remember my aunt’s voice, filled with emotion, tell me that my father had gone missing.

Butte County Search and Rescue had been out looking for him throughout the night, and had found nothing. They were calling off the search, due to the weather.

The blood rushed to my face and I felt very dizzy, I had to concentrate on breathing while I replayed those words in my head over, and over, and over.

This was the beginning of a horrible ordeal. Something no person should have to endure.

Fortunately, my family had the wonderful men and women of the Butte County Search and Rescue team working on their behalf!

I would like to tell you all a little something about the amazing people that comprise the Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue.

First, they are all volunteers. That’s right, these people drop everything at a moment’s notice; their jobs, their families, their personal relationships, and rush off to search for anyone who’s gone missing in Butte County, and they don’t get paid a cent. In the case of my father, they began searching at about 6pm on a Tuesday evening and they toiled all through the night, and into the next morning before reluctantly giving up because it had begun to rain very hard. These people explored a cold, wet forest area, teeming with wildlife, in the middle of the night – not for the excellent pay – but because they are committed to helping people.

Second, they are non-tax-supported. What dose that mean? Well, it means they do not get their money from the tax payers pocket. So where do they get their funds? From donations and grants. They work hard to fundraise, and apply for grants from other organizations to come up with money to pay for their supplies and equipment. So not only are they out there saving people’s lives, they also come back and work hard to get their own funding. To me, that’s just incredible!

The third thing I would like to share with you about Butte County Search and Rescue: they are the nicest bunch of people I have ever met! I could not believe their tenacity, dedication and persistence. We resumed the search for my father on a Saturday, and it began to snow buckets, the teams came in from the areas they were searching, debriefed, and then some of them went back out, in the snow, to search a couple of areas. When they got back, I said thank you to one of the volunteers; she looked at me, soaked to the bone and freezing, with true sincerity and said, “I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I didn’t check that last spot.”

Words will never be able to express the thanks I feel for the assistance and support this organization offered to me and my family!

My father’s body was found in the De Salba area, which offered closure and some healing to a horrible situation. Without the Butte County Search and Rescue teams, my family would never have know what happened, and could never have properly mourned our loss. For that I thank them with all of my heart!

I would like to encourage everyone to check out their webpage Butte County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue, and see for yourselves what a marvelous contribution they offer our community. There is information on how to join the heroic men and women, or donate to their organization and help them continue to help families in need.

You never know, it could be your car that flys off into the canyon, or your boat that tips, or your parents who go for a hike and never come back.

And again, thank you Search & Rescue for your help!

But. The most dreaded word in a relationship discourse, but. On the contrary, yet, except, unless, without the circumstance that, otherwise than, with the exception of, but. However, although, nevertheless, on the contrary, but. But.

The reason is usually valid, the rationale understandable. It is never said in spite or meant to be cruel. Nonetheless, it is a major blow to the ego, and I find myself spiraling down, sinking into the depths of insecurity and diffidence. Wondering, in all of my self-defeating splendor, when I will hear a sentence without a but. When will I be good enough? What is so wrong with me?

I know in my mind, it's not about me, it's about him. And all he's doing is being honest, explaining his feelings to me, but…

As I see it, I have two options; neither of them offering me a solution I feel is fair or just. I can stick around and see what happens, which will inevitably leave me sitting on the roadside of relationships gone wrong, wondering yet again why it was that he wasn't ready with me, but the next relationship opportunity that happened along turned out to be "The One." Or I can walk away, and miss out on a wonderful friendship with a perfect person, and spend the next six months wondering, "What if."

Don't get hurt? Is it really that simple? I guess it is, if I had followed my instinct, my pattern of self-preserving behavior, taken advantage of the fact he was a little vulnerable, proceeded with my "we're just friends" mantra, and gotten what I wanted from the situation, while leaving myself plenty of running room, I could have gotten away without getting hurt. Why did I deviate? Why did I throw caution to the wind, and opt for the opportunity to possibly connect with another human being on an intimate level? What was it about him that made me take the chance? And why am I so reluctant to just say screw this and walk away? It has never been this hard before. Things start to get intimate, I feel like he may be starting to see through my layers, I turn and head for the hills. Why is this situation different?

In my hope of all hopes, I would want a chance with him. I think it could work. I know it would take some work, but there is an unspoken understanding between our core beings, a similar thought of existence, that makes me wonder what life would be like with him. Yet circumstance is working in opposition, and life is taking its spiteful turn, and I feel as if fate is consistently plotting against me. So I am left with making the decision, do I want to hurt a little now, or a lot later? Do I walk away, or take a humongous chance? Is a relationship with him, in whatever form it may take, worth risking my heart being broken again? And could I survive it? What is it that I want? What is it that he wants? Is the amazing reward of being in a happy relationship worth taking the chance of total devastation?

As the questions stumble forward, in an unending stream between my head and my heart, I have to stop and wonder; why is it so hard to just be happy?

Only a small percentage of communication involves actual words: 7%, to be exact. In fact, 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice).

Carmine Gallo, Body Language: A Key to Success in the Workplace from Business Week

But it got me thinking, if communication is an essential part of workplace success, could it be an essential part of dating success as well?

Since I have never paid particular attention to my own body language I had to do some backwards thinking. In which situations do I feel comfortable with myself, and how do people react to me? In which situations do I feel uncomfortable with myself, and how do people react to me?

In the intermingling-with-the-opposite-sex context, I usually feel comfortable with myself when I don’t feel there is an attraction; either I’m not attracted to them, or I’m confident their not attracted to me. It seems to take some pressure from the situation, and I am more able to ‘be myself’. When I feel there is no attraction, I act confidently, and people usually respond to me with interest and amusement. When I feel there is an attraction, I sometimes act apprehensive and timid, and people react to me with apathy and ennui. So how do I hone in on the confident behavior, while avoiding hesitant insecurity? Apparently, by paying more attention to my body language.

Gallo said, “People want to feel special. They want to feel as though you are speaking to them directly or that they are the most important person in the room during your conversation. Breaking eye contact is a surefire way to break the connection.” But how easy is it to do that when you’re totally ‘in like’ with someone? Eye contact can be a difficult task to accomplish when you’re in front of business associates, giving a speech on something you totally know! Insert additional complications like sexual attraction and personal interest, and you have a surefire recipe for disaster.

Our body language, in any situation, may be conveying messages we didn’t even know we were sending, and can be easily misinterpreted. An action that conveys the message, “I find you creepy,” could just as easily mean “I am insecure with myself,” the base communication being “I feel uncomfortable”. And the opposite is true as well, an action that exclaims, “You’re totally hot!” could just as easily mean “I feel confident”, misrepresenting self-assurance with attraction. Could this be the logic behind the ‘beauty and the beast’ conundrum? Is this why people we’re not attracted to at all, find us irresistible? The body language?

So how do we muddle through this myriad of messages, hidden meanings, and complicated communication? How do we traverse the trepid world of body language? My guess, act confident, even if your not, because confidence is a major aphrodisiac! What do you think?

Each of us is unique. We have diverse viewpoints, and we approach life from distinguishing points of view. Yet, it seems the biggest disparity in perspective you can get is between how men see the world, and how women view it. It seems to taste, feel, smell and even sound different. There are a plethora of books out there attempting to explain this communication conundrum, Dr. Phil spends a ginormous amount of time trying to clarify for the masses, we even have sitcoms based on the hilarity that is a man and a woman trying to converse.

So why not try it out ourselves?

The point of this column? To decipher psychological, social and cultural issues, from the viewpoints of a man and a woman; to possibly further understanding between the virtual gender gap; and to have a bit of fun picking apart a fraction of pop-culture.