It Can't Happen Here is a
semi-satirical 1935 political novel by American author Sinclair Lewis, and a
1936 play adapted from the novel by Lewis and John C. Moffitt. Published during
the rise of fascism in Europe, the novel describes the rise of Berzelius
"Buzz" Windrip, a demagogue who is elected President of the United
States, after fomenting fear and promising drastic economic and social reforms
while promoting a return to patriotism and "traditional" values.
After his election, Windrip takes complete control of the government and
imposes a plutocratic/totalitarian rule with the help of a ruthless
paramilitary force, in the manner of Adolf Hitler and the SS.
National Public Radio’s “On the Media” program of March 1, 2019, aired a segment about a short documentary film, “ANight at the Garden”. All 7 minutes of it can be seen on the website, which says this about it:
In 1939, 20,000 Americans rallied in New York’s
Madison Square Garden to celebrate the rise of Nazism – an event largely
forgotten from American history. A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN, made
entirely from archival footage filmed that night, transports audiences to this
chilling gathering and shines a light on the power of demagoguery and
anti-Semitism in the United States.
And be sure to listen to the “On the Media” segment, too.
It is scary that such tendencies
still run through our body politic. Yet I am convinced that they represent a
dying thread that is on the wane, though it is still toxic, can do a lot of
damage, and requires vigilance and push back. Not just push back but the
offering and demonstration of a positive, more loving alternative vision.
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