76 years later we need to substitute MAGA Republicans and Christians for all the “Communists” in this 1947 comic.
Of course, the MAGAts would republish the comic as it is and claim it represents today’s danger. I wonder which of the caricatures would be Super Biden?
The projection of whomever wrote this is pretty wild given that every Black labor and civil rights activist known to the right was accused of being a communist.
A lot depends on where you stand politically. It's not hard to take this a right wing look at the modern left, pushing identity over solidarity, uniformity in academia, weak speakers, control over news narratives and so on.
Perhaps the ease with which both sides can see this as an allegory of the other is noteworthy?
Agreed. That's why I introduce my example with the phrase "I've cherry-picked."
Having said that I think that the radical right has been overtaken with some delusional perceptions (like .. Tom Hanks is pedophile) that make many comparisons a false equivalence
Authoritarianism and populism are the twin threats to the world today. The far-right is currently in the nutjob zeitgeist in North America and Europe, but there are leftist populists in Latin America running the show. Extremists who rely on riling up fear in the public are among our most present threats today.
This Forgotten File is a gem (among many) and reminds of this lesser but possibly stranger gem — the 1950s TV Western featuring a fictional con man named Trump:
I’d say that this is a good example of how the spectrum of politics has bent into a horseshoe. The far-left (especially of the recent past) and far-right (particularly of the present day) are incredibly similar in tone, tactics, and (it appears) appeal.
*sigh* and this is part of why I can’t be doing with fanatics of ANY stripe. They have no room in their thoughts to listen to or accept anyone else’s ideas, and will invariably try to impose their beliefs onto everyone else around them!
Agreed. Sadly the extreme gerrymandering reduces the number of competitive House seats. So right and left candidates only fear primary from their extreme side. They tend to drift that way to insulate themselves from such a challenge. Sadly few solutions to our problems on the extremes
How ironic we didn't need communist infiltration to do the work of the already existing nationalist extremists. We came, headlong into the 20th century and fully prepared, to play on our own systemic class and race inequities to “infiltrate” ourselves. This comic book would be interesting reading. Thanks for this post!
Read "Prequel" by Rachel Maddow. The book expands on her work to create the podcast "ULTRA" which describes an attempt align America with the Nazis before WW II.
76 years later we need to substitute MAGA Republicans and Christians for all the “Communists” in this 1947 comic.
Of course, the MAGAts would republish the comic as it is and claim it represents today’s danger. I wonder which of the caricatures would be Super Biden?
I was only 4 when it was published, but I think I remember it.
You're a sophisticated reader. Grin.
Sigh, it’s deja vu all over again!
The projection of whomever wrote this is pretty wild given that every Black labor and civil rights activist known to the right was accused of being a communist.
Accusations against blacks being "communist" go way back. Here's an early one https://forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/white-supremacy-on-the-ballot-1866
A lot depends on where you stand politically. It's not hard to take this a right wing look at the modern left, pushing identity over solidarity, uniformity in academia, weak speakers, control over news narratives and so on.
Perhaps the ease with which both sides can see this as an allegory of the other is noteworthy?
Agreed. That's why I introduce my example with the phrase "I've cherry-picked."
Having said that I think that the radical right has been overtaken with some delusional perceptions (like .. Tom Hanks is pedophile) that make many comparisons a false equivalence
Easy to see some unsavoury people all over Hollywood though, I largely stopped watching their products with all the "Me Too" stuff
Authoritarianism and populism are the twin threats to the world today. The far-right is currently in the nutjob zeitgeist in North America and Europe, but there are leftist populists in Latin America running the show. Extremists who rely on riling up fear in the public are among our most present threats today.
Great comic!
Thanks. I agree - sometimes populists can easily drift into "strongman" territory.
But...but...it CAN'T happen HERE!!
So much denial
A-MA-ZING
This Forgotten File is a gem (among many) and reminds of this lesser but possibly stranger gem — the 1950s TV Western featuring a fictional con man named Trump:
https://variety.com/2019/politics/news/trackdown-1950s-tv-show-border-wall-trump-1203106000/
I’d say that this is a good example of how the spectrum of politics has bent into a horseshoe. The far-left (especially of the recent past) and far-right (particularly of the present day) are incredibly similar in tone, tactics, and (it appears) appeal.
*sigh* and this is part of why I can’t be doing with fanatics of ANY stripe. They have no room in their thoughts to listen to or accept anyone else’s ideas, and will invariably try to impose their beliefs onto everyone else around them!
Agreed. Sadly the extreme gerrymandering reduces the number of competitive House seats. So right and left candidates only fear primary from their extreme side. They tend to drift that way to insulate themselves from such a challenge. Sadly few solutions to our problems on the extremes
This is Today: America Under Fascism!
Right down tfg’s alley and the pictures suited him just fine no doubt.
How ironic we didn't need communist infiltration to do the work of the already existing nationalist extremists. We came, headlong into the 20th century and fully prepared, to play on our own systemic class and race inequities to “infiltrate” ourselves. This comic book would be interesting reading. Thanks for this post!
A keen observation. Glad you liked the post
Read "Prequel" by Rachel Maddow. The book expands on her work to create the podcast "ULTRA" which describes an attempt align America with the Nazis before WW II.
Good parallel. Great podcast. Have not read the book