JAY: Fascism in Germany wasn't a coup; it was a many-year process. I'm not suggesting we're living in an equivalent period, but there are lessons to be learned. VIDAL: But it is equivalent. I mean, don't be shy of saying that. The response to the Reichstag fire is precisely that to 9/11, which was invoked by this administration's people. "And if we don't fight them over there, we got to fight 'em here." This little fool. How are they going to get here? Greyhound bus? I mean, he is so stupid himself that he assumes everybody else is equally stupid. If he had been really elected, I would say everybody else was stupid, but he wasn't.
by Real Network
(0 Reviews)

In a discussion between Jay and Vidal, they reflect on the historical process that led to fascism in Germany, emphasizing that it wasn't an overnight event but a gradual evolution. Jay urges caution, suggesting that while today's circumstances are not identical, we can learn from past mistakes. Vidal, however, sees a parallel between the rise of fascism and the current political climate, highlighting the similarities in government responses to crises like the Reichstag fire and 9/11, positing that both serve to justify military action and control.

Vidal criticizes the government's narrative that justifies preemptive strikes and defensive actions based on unfounded fears, mocking the idea that enemies could easily invade. He argues that such simplistic logic underestimates public intelligence and insists on the need to challenge these narratives, suggesting that the political environment is reactive and filled with irrational fears. This dialogue underscores the importance of examining history to understand contemporary political dynamics.

Stats

Categories
Author
Votes
0
Page views
0
Update
February 01, 2025

Rate the Quote

Add Comment & Review

User Reviews

Based on 0 reviews
5 Star
0
4 Star
0
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0
Add Comment & Review
We'll never share your email with anyone else.
More »

Other quotes in Gore Vidal: History of The National Security State

More »

Popular quotes

My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?
by David Mitchell
A half-read book is a half-finished love affair.
by David Mitchell
Travel far enough, you meet yourself.
by David Mitchell
The pollenless trees were genomed to repel bugs and birds; the stagnant air reeked of insecticide.
by David Mitchell
Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.
by David Mitchell
A random sequence of seemingly unrelated events.
by David Mitchell
People pontificate, "Suicide is selfishness." Career churchmen like Pater go a step further and call in a cowardly assault on the living. Oafs argue this specious line for varying reason: to evade fingers of blame, to impress one's audience with one's mental fiber, to vent anger, or just because one lacks the necessary suffering to sympathize. Cowardice is nothing to do with it - suicide takes considerable courage. Japanese have the right idea. No, what's selfish is to demand another to endure an intolerable existence, just to spare families, friends, and enemies a bit of soul-searching.
by David Mitchell
I believe there is another world waiting for us. A better world. And I'll be waiting for you there.
by David Mitchell
Books don't offer real escape, but they can stop a mind scratching itself raw.
by David Mitchell
You say you're 'depressed' - all i see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn't mean you're defective - it just means you're human.
by David Mitchell