Fascist America, in 10 Easy Steps
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy.
4. Set up an internal surveillance system.
5. Harass citizens' groups.
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release.
7. Target key individuals.
9. Dissent equals treason.
10. Suspend the rule of law.
Creating a terrifying threat -- hydralike, secretive, evil -- is an old trick.
Once you have got everyone scared, the next step is to create a prison system outside the rule of law
where torture can take place.
When leaders who seek what I call a "fascist shift" want to close down an open society, they send paramilitary groups of scary young men out to terrorize citizens
The Stasi needed to keep only a minority of East Germans under surveillance to convince a majority that they themselves were being watched.
clipped from: www.alternet.org