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Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascist regimes

Posted on by Sioum Gebeyhou

Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism
By Dr. Lawrence Britt
Source Free Inquiry.co
5-28-3

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

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. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media – Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, 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 and letters is openly attacked.

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 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 assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections

27 thoughts on “Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascist regimes”

  1. It looks like Britt wrote about the current Ethiopian situation. Dictators are the same whereever they are, past or present. They don’t learn from the past, so do we the people who allow them to be.

  3. None of the fascist characteristics mentioned in this article has happened in Axum Federal Republic (pending new name for the current Ethiopia). They belong to Mengistu and those ‘elitists’ of Shewan Amharas. We Tigrayans are inherently fair and democratic. We never killed anyone who was innocent. Those 200 individuals every one of you falsely accusing our kind-heart soldiers of killing in 2005 were the victims of their own random shooting. Extremist elements who made so-called opposition party their home at that time went into the crowd and opened fire and killed almost 200 people. Then they blamed us. I believe our government has the pictures of those shooters and they will be brought to justice when they are caught. By the way, someone told me yesterday that our infallible leader Meles and the country he is leading were chosen to be the 2nd most democratic government in the world just below the USA. And this is fact. And if any one of you comes out to refute this fact, you should be deported back to Axum Federal Republic or Greenland. So shut up!!! Shut up and bow of respect to our transcendental PM Meles when he comes to town!!!!

    Abee replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 4:47 AM

    You are one hallucinated Tigray and Criminal by nature & inheritance there is nothing good about you people! Take this nonsense to Aiga forum for moral booster. I have to break it down to you by now every Ethiopian well understood who you trash-criminal people are and no more we’re one buillshiting will save you. it doesn’t matter how you sliced it You people are committing ethnic cleansing In Ahamara Kilil and Oromo Gambela, who else is doing it those f** aliens?

    Hagos replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 4:18 PM

    Tekle,You think you are being funny. That is exactly what is making the Ethiopians angry. You are not helping the people of Tigre or any Tigigna speaker. I don’t believe you are from Tigray, because what you are doing is creating more problems on my people from Tigray who are not supporting the TPLF.

    So people like you will be responsible for any revenge attacks on us. Stop your nonsense and childish game.

    Tekle replies:
    May 11th, 2012 at 1:20 PM

    To Hagos:

    Who from Tigray is not supporting our protector TPLF? Who? Those individuals who were tossed out of our organization due to their ineptness? If you are talking about those loafers then you are talking about those who have an ax to grind. They were found incompetent and demoted. And they were given the freedom and financial assist when they decided to leave the struggle. All of a sudden they have become authors writing books with tantalizing stories about their ‘spoils’. They are now ‘lions’ but when they left they were tail-down cowards. These are the ones you are talking about. And also, I am not creating any problems for my people of Tigray because there is no problem there now. They are extremely busy building back their livelihood that don’t have the time to listen to the fairy tales spewed around by bigots. As a matter of fact, the entire people of our nation are busy transforming the country from an agrarian state to an industry led economy. Have you seen the latest article by Bill Gates? Our nation is the third fastest growing economy in the world? Who said that? Not me, not the Beloved PM Meles or his colleagues. World Bank said so; IMF said so and major business magazines said so. That was why 99.6% of the population came out in droves and supported us during the last election. If some one is offended by what I said, all what I can say is that I am not out there to hurt anyone’s feeling in the wrong way. I am just talking the way I see it. And I am entitled to do that. Hagos, please don’t be taken for granted by wanton innuendos but rather try to look at the realities on the ground. Slowly but surely, that country is blasting full speed to the promised land, that beacon of light bedeviling it for more than 1,500 years. An industrialized nation is coming to the neighborhood near you.

    I say Mama!! Damn these downtown loafers!!! Full speed ahead, Mama, Full Speed!!!! Let’s cheer to this!! Let’s sing to this! Let’s dance to this!!!!

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 4:54 PM

    the little paracit Tekle,
    Even if Axum republic where the name of Ethiopia, will still exclude you from that civilization. your are not the Axumite decent..go check in the pages of history and know who the Axumit are.DADEB you, and your links are not the Axsumit..
    I am just helping you deflating your little,ENE,Maine ego…

    Tekle replies:
    May 11th, 2012 at 8:13 PM

    Jegnaw!!!

    Are you one of those chauvinists who used to sit home and cry the whole time with “Zerraf!! Zerraf!!! Zerraf!!! Ye Teqil Ashkar!!! Ye Balewilu!!! Zerraf!!!’ What happened to you lately? I don’t hear you saying that lately? Poor boy!!!…. I tell you this. The way you express yourself in English is astonishing. If I were you I would not say anything and let all passerby’s think I am hearing-impaired. Whether you like it or not I am going to be your leader for the next 1,000 years. Make a note of this!!!!

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 11th, 2012 at 9:14 PM

    The little termite Tekle
    I think you should go and ask your grand mom and gran pa what leadership is.your leading your people into catastrophe(the people of Tigray that is) if i were you i will just enjoy what i have got from selling and murdering Ethiopians quietly?cos your days are up…

  4. This tread was originally posted by one Observer in attempt to associate the points to that of the current government of Ethiopia. I had posted my response to it. I am going to do the same thing here as I believe there is a similar attempt to take place by person who posted this same article. Here is my response:

    Dear Observer,

    The nature, shape and form of fascism are more complex than what Dr. Lawrence has outlined in his paper. It is so funny your accusation of the government of Ethiopia is based on the Dr’s work. If I were you I will do a detail research to form my theory before I accuse one for being a fascistic regime. All you did was google the word ‘Fascist’ and picked one of the first few that came on Google.com. I can see how desperate you are to come up with anything that enables you to finger point at the current Ethiopian government. I suggest you should see, among many, at the work of Leon Trotsky’s early work on the nature and origin of fascism. Let me attempt to provide you with my own input in response to your claim:

    Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

    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.

    RESPONSE: I am going to say this characteristic of Fascism is what the opposition has been accusing of Meles’ regime for lacking it. The regime was accused and continued to be accused in many occasion for not being patriotic enough. While fascism centralizes the use and type of flags, Addis Ababa’s regime was and is accused for not caring for Ethiopia flag. As a matter of fact the regime tolerates the use of all type of flags by different regions within the country. Hence one concludes that the fascistic usage of flag is non existence in Ethiopia. If the making of constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs and flags are the determining factors to accuse one for being a fascist, it would be easier to point one’s finger at Haile Selassie and Mengisutu’s regimes and of course at the opposition in Diaspora, which has conducted such practice in the name of One-Ethiopia.

    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.

    RESPONSE: Yes there is a vast human right abuse in Ethiopia and disdain for it by the government. I wonder if there has ever been a government in Ethiopian history that has not practiced it. However, this does not mean it is okay that we have such unfortunate experience in our country. We all have to work harder for better, both the government and the opposition. As far as summary executions are concerned, that is more of the previous regime’s characteristic and to some extent that of Haile Selassie regime. Remember what happened to the Mengistu Neway brothers and their collaborators? They were hanged in public in day light. Speaking of long incarcerations: Yes, it is a matter of reality in Ethiopia, unfortunately. However, I would say there is no fascistic characteristic in them. At least the accused see court, how partial the court is another matter that can be left for discussions or debate, by no means is it not a fascistic court. After all victims, in Mussolini’s Italy, Franco’s Spain and other places where Fascism reigned never saw court. They are hanged or left for public exclusions. Torture too is a matter that can be said more about the previous governments. However, there is such claim by those who were accused and detained in Ethiopia for collaborating or being part of either Al-Queda or/and Alshebab. We have similar accusation made against the United States government. Is USA Fascistic?

    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.

    RESPONSE: This also, I would say, is more about the previous regime and the oppositions in Diaspora than it is about the current Ethiopian government. While the government can also be accused of similar practice, it is the opposition in Diaspora that has practiced such philosophy widely. Accusing the government for being Marxists, narrow nationalist, anti Ethiopia and hence call for unifying force to take actions to overthrow it. The exaggeration of any minor conflict as that of ethnical has been widely practiced by the Diaspora opposition. The recent phenomenon of the Amhara Ethnic in Northern Oromia was one example. Some of these posts are still online right here on ER are testimony to this.

    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.

    RESPONSE: This totally is not about Ethiopia’s current government. The government, I argue, has allocated most of its budget towards economic infrastructures. It has shown unprecedented economic development that has never been seen before in Ethiopia’s entire history. You may deny this, but the facts are for your eyes to see. You may also refer to the IMF and World Bank’s report on Ethiopia. As a matter of fact I remember when the government was accused by the oppositions just prior to the 1998 Ethio-Eritrean war for not investing on the country’s defense. Unlike the previous government, the current Ethiopian regime pays the country’s soldiers. It does not practice a national service or also known as forced military service. Hence one can say the government does not glamorize such practice.

    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. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

    RESPONSE: This is a good one. Sexism is less existent in the current Ethiopia’s administration by comparison to the previous regimes, especially that of Haile Selassie. Ethiopia today has more female MP’s than USA. There are more high-level MPs in Ethiopia’s parliament that there are in USA or Canada, or most of the so called advanced countries. Please check the recent UN chart on this issue. One may also witness the inclusion of more women in Ethiopia’s current economic infrastructures, from travel to construction, to journalism to law to trade to etc. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are not suppressed. If there is such practice, it is more by the general public and religious institutions, not the government. I am reminded by recent phenomenon that took place in Ethiopia where some international gathering around issues on gay right or something like that was supposed to take place in Addis Ababa. While there was strong opposition by traditional religious institutions, the government has shown a tendency to go ahead in supporting the gathering. Hence we disqualify it (the government) from being fascistic based on an argument presented on homosexuality, gender, abortion and divorce.

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

    RESPONSE: This is very typical of the government, except for the time of election; it has controlled the media and has performed censorship. This too is the very characteristic of previous or former Ethiopian governments. As a matter of fact, the current regime has shown more flexibility in allowing the oppositions to share the media than that of the past regimes. At times the government has thrown those who publish in opposition to the government’s practice t jails or prisons. For most part these individuals are released, sooner or later. That is not the case in real fascistic regimes. The price for free expression is public execution in most of the former fascistic regimes. By far the current regime is even better than the previous Ethiopian regimes when it comes to sharing the public media. However, we all need to work for a better public media access. We cannot continue to compare the current government to that of the past and get some comfort. The formers corrupted regimes should not be our measuring poing.

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

    RESPONSE: Yes, I came across many accusation of the current government’s obsession of National Security. I don’t have the particulars to argue for or against. So let the readers do their own research. However, I know the previous regimes had manipulated the country’s National Security to prolong their grip on power. While there are zillions of instances to demonstrate against the Mengistu regime, I will provide you an example of such practice by Haile Selassie’s. Again, I will use the Mengistu Neway brothers as an example. Their attempt to usurp power from Haile Selassie’ while he was abroad was halted by the intelliegence in the name of national security in cooperation with the Israeli Mossad in the name of national security. The killing of Tilanhu Gizaw, an Ethiopian student activist during the king and the killing of Asamenew Gebrewold, a renowned Ethiopian journalist was performed by Ethiopia’s intelligence in the name of national security.

    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

    RESPONSE: The current Ethiopian government is known for advocating the separation of state and religion. The head of the government, Meles Zenawi, has spoken about religious freedom while stressing that religious institution should stay out of politics, or refrain from expecting religious views to govern the country. While he is known to be of Coptic Christian, he continuously argued against the claim that Ethiopia was a Christian Island. Hence one may conclude that instead of using religion as tool to manipulate the general public opinion, he provided religious freedom while warning any attempt by these institutions from imposing their values on the political activity of the country. After all it is not going to be easy, for the opposition; to accuse the government of such practice after an interrupted attempt of implicated it of being a Marxist.

    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.

    RESPONSE: Well, here we luck something: The coming of the government to power by way of the corporate. If anything we may accuse the government for favoring the corporate, not the other way around. Whatever claim we would like to make, I think Ethiopia is too far from such reality, even during the king who was known to be imperialistic. Yes, to some extent we may point that there is a mutually beneficial business-government relationship and power elite as the government itself is not denying the fact that it is involved in business due to the surplus fund left behind during the era of rebellious life of the government’s main party, TPLF.

    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.

    RESPONSE: I don’t have the particulars here to argue for or against. I don’t know what, if any, the labor party is up to in Ethiopia. Those of you, who have enough knowledge of its existence and practice, please enlighten me. Thank you.

    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 and letters is openly attacked.

    RESPONSE: This is almost non-existence in today’s Ethiopia, unless you confuse intellectual for a politician. Ethiopia today has opened more higher learning institutions, hence is in a process of producing more higher education and academia. The art has flourished more than ever in the county. The emergence of new talents, be it musician, writer, singer, actors and other is a testimony to this. If there is any government to be accused of such practice, it is that of Mengistue’s totalitarian regime, where the art is suppressed unless for the use of the so-called revolution.

    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.

    RESPONSE: There is no such thing called national police in Ethiopia. Each region has its own police force and practices its power depends on the area. However, we may accuse the previous regime of Mengisute Haile Marliam for such practice. Yes, the police was seen to enforce the current government’s positions at times. One example being that occurred during the elections of 2005. I believe, by no means, it is/was at the height of the police force that once existed in fascist regimes.

    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 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.

    RESPONSE: I believe this part of the argument finger-points to the current government of Ethiopia in many ways. There are strong evidences to accuse the government of such practice. According to my decent conversation with Ehdeg members and sympathizers, those at higher governmental post are people who grew up together or they are from the same region back in Tigray and to some extent they are even blood relatives. In terms of economic adventure, especially at the early days, there were a wide spread favoritism and nepotism. The corruption also was and to some extent still is wide spread, even by the government’s own acknowledgments. It should be remembered number of the former government members, including those who are said to grew up in the same area with the current government officials, were prosecuted. I have no evidence to support if the government acted genuinely to correct the problem or, as claimed by the oppositions, to overcome internal power struggle. However, corruption is part of Ethiopia’s culture, not something the government created. This is not to accuse the general public as it is a product of a number of corrupted regimes that left foot-print of such practice. Is there any wonder we have a saying in Amharic that goes, “sishom yalbela, syshar yekochewal”? loosely translated as, “one who doesn’t fill his picket while promoted may regret when demoted.”

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

    RESPONSE: This too is very much about the current government. I don’t have the particulars to go in detail, but I know one thing. The government’s claim of securing about 95 % of the vote during the last election is unacceptable in a country like Ethiopia, populated by mosaic of nations and nationality, with diverse religions and political views. There is no possibility for any political party to acquire such number from the electorate.

    In conclusion I would say anyone can take a bit from here and there to form his/her own theory as to what a political system is. By no means is Meles’ regime a fascistic one. However, one may accuse it for being totalitarian to some extent. To take something out of a context and accuse the government for being a fascist state is very irresponsible. If that is the case, then we have to agree with the government’s accusation of the opposition as Interahamwe.

    Who are Interahamwe? These are group of people mainly of the Hutu ethnic group in Rwanda. They once united under the banner of Hutu nationalism to genocide the minority Tutsis. They murdered hundreds of thousands of Tutsis in cold blood. Before they commit their crime, they first accuse the Tutsi for being outsiders, minorities who had monopoly over of the country where they (the Hutus) should be the leaders because of their majority nature in number. Ethiopian oppositions at the early age and to some extent today, were and are mainly composed of the Amhara Ethnic group. These individuals dwelling in these oppositions group pointed out number of times that Meles was not even Ethiopian. They accused him (Meles) for standing for the interest of either Eritrea or Tigray region. They accuse/d it for looting the country and transformed (and is transforming) the loot into Tigray. It is only recently the main oppositions changed their rhetoric from Tigray to TPLF or Woyane. At that point of our political history, the government had more reasons to call the oppositions Interahamwe than the oppositions have to call the government a fascist one today.

    Ezana From Toronto A.K.A Hodam Amhara

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 9:18 AM

    Fox
    this is the mouth of Woyanne he is trying to justify the unjust. he is trying very hard to twist truth to fit He is Owen illusion.no need to say much heir.

    Ezana From Toronto replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 12:00 PM

    Jegnaw,

    You forgot to take your medication again, you little poor schizophrenic soul.

    Good day

    Ezana From Toronto

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 8:54 PM

    that is all you got?

  5. Ezana!!!
    That is what I have been saying. Our country did not have in 1991 or have it now the necessary economic and political ingredients for fascism. Even Mengistu can not be classified as a fascist leader but rather a blood-thirsty dictator. Being a dictator does not always make a leader a fascist. Our country was such a backward agrarian state with negligible industrial base for fascism to rise up. Some hideous groups and individuals like OLF, ONLF, remnants of EPRP and Shewan Amhara losers were the ones who started labeling our dearest leader fascist. And the people there or anywhere won’t believe them. You can come and leave our country at will and no government agent will bother you as long as your travel documents are in order and you are clean of terrorism. To me and the rest of the people of our country there never was , is and will be such a democratic man as PM Meles. Period!!! I pray that he has passed his gene to all of his children so they can continue to lead us just like him. So all you downtown loafers!!! Shut up!!!! You hear me!!! I say shut up and that is an eternal order!!!!!

    Ezana From Toronto replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 4:07 AM

    Tekie,

    I am not sure if you read my article. I invite you to please read it again.

    Good day

    Ezana From Toronto

    EyOB replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 5:34 AM

    you are one miserable Idiot who used words inappropriately ‘your dearest leader??? you would have said ‘my ethnic leader’ or you would have called him ‘a leader who lies in front of TV screen with no shame for the benefit of One minor ethnic’ and so on.

    Next time make sure not to use such words for Idiot school drop out monkey Meles seytanawwii.

    Tekle replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 9:20 PM

    You EyOB:
    Who you calling school drop out? Our PM Meles? Have you heard about his latest dissertation he submitted for his advanced degree? Have you? If you have the chance to read it, you will just drop like a hot potato with awe. It has been classified a masterpiece. You don’t know how intelligent this man is. And you and your loser cabals complain about the lack of freedom of expression back home. And that is not true. I just talked to one of the staff members at our embassy in Washington DC last month. I asked the staff member if anyone these websites like this very one are taken down back home and I was told none of them are. They can be seen by everyone. There you have it. And I believe this staff member and there was no reason for misrepresentation. And I will check it myself when I go back next month. I don’t believe in banning websites like this one. In the meantime, reporters should be held accountable for their inaccurate and usually damaging reports and articles. We all remember what happened to ABC and Diane Sawyer, Ariel Sharon and the NY Times in the 1990’s. Also to Dan Rather and CBS. Was that lack of freedom of expression? They were held responsible for inaccurate reporting and were slapped for 5-6 million smackers in court. What they did was utter defamation and paid for it. So what is the problem? You folks are just scratching where it is not itching. So that is what exactly happening back there. You folks are so inflicted with Anti-Tigrayan bigotry that it has blinded you completely. You problem is the fact that we have millions upon millions of friends of Gondar and Gojjam Amharas, Oromos, Southerners, Afars and Somalis. We are not alone. If you have the chance, you want to kill me and all my people from Tigray but that will never happen because those Northern Amhars, Oromos, Southerners, Somalis and Afars will stand with us and protect us all. You have become mean-spirited over the last 20 years. I tell you that Rwanda will never come and happen in our neck of woods. Never!!!

  6. EzaNa! You are absolutely wrong. If a government is chracterized as totaliterian, it is most likely to be a fascist gov.

    Ezana From Toronto replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 10:41 AM

    Chalachew,

    Absolutely? Not even, a tiny, winy right about me? Too bad everyone is seeing that about me. I cannot hide it anymore. Ezana the wrong man!!
    You know what, I love to be wrong, if telling the truth makes me one.

    Good day

    Ezana From Toronto

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 11:54 AM

    Chalachew
    there is nothing truth will come out of this man.he is trying to justify the an just. look what the original writer worot and the addition Ezana is doing.he is trying to twits the truth in to he is Owen twisted believe.. very soon he will try to tel us Hitler was an angel God and christ is the devil. and if you want go back on Er.old post read what he wrote.there is nothing credible about this man just another woyanne poppet…Thanks

    yes Mr.Ezana you are Hodam. but stop telling people you are hodam amara. cos you are trying to deceive the readers.there is nothing amara about you.there is nothing wrong if you were one but you are not..

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 3:42 PM

    Chalacew- you are absolutely correct.if it talks like a duck,walks like a duck it must be a duck. so you are not mistaken. even though people like Ezana, may try to have you believe..
    good job

  7. Elias, Abebe/legesse/melesse and his boss surpasses the characteristics of fascist by more than 14: THEY PIMP AND PROSTITUTE FOR ANY ONE WITH DOLLARS AND CENTS; THEY SALE LAND FOR ARABS, INDIANS, AND OTHER PAEDOPHILES; AND ABOVE ALL THEY SALE CHILDREN TO PAEDOPHILES FOR DOLLARS AND CENTS.

  8. Elias, you may add to the above list the followings: lEGESSE/MELESSE/ABEBE AND HIS BOSS MEMBRAHTU G/HIWOT PIMP AND PROSTITUTE FOR DOLLARS OR CENTS; SALE LAND FOR THE PAEDOPHILES OF ARABS AND INDIANS; AND ABOVE ALL SALE CHILDREN TO PAEDOPHILES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

  9. [Ezana from Toronto],

    You criticized Elias for not presenting a theoretical analysis about the genesis of fascicm.Infact you accused him saying “all you did is you goggled under fascism and presented one of the first that come on the list”. How do you know he presented by goggling the first on the list that comes to him? You are just carried away with your own bias. On the other hand in your response to challacechw you claimed you love to be wrong “if telling the truth makes you one’.Let
    us see if this is is really telling the truth.

    Again, the answer you gave on one of the defining characteristics of fascism #3 which states “identification of enemies”, is completely wrong. You claimed the Diaspora opposition in particular is to be blamed for the spread of this sentiment and not the regime. You are a lone accuser on this. Way as far as 1974-5, long before the existence of the Diaspora opposition, the former TPLF finance chief, ato Gebremedihen Array has exposed the TPLF chief, Melese used anti Amhar propaganda to draw public support to his cause. We know this was not just a propaganda but we have witnessed implementation through practical means.

    Still, in your response to item #11 which refers to “Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts” denied saying it does not exist.

    Just two days ago Assistant professor Abraham Alemu of the University of Addis is dismissed from his post for voicing his opinion concerning the decision made by the humanity and language dept to restrict the study of folklore and culture to be conducted only in three languages. He is not the only case; in your zeal to defend the regime don’t cover up the truth. Here is the view of the above professor about this issue.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-tvhmGIylk&feature=plcp

    Finally, because of your refusal to admit the use of enemies and Scapegoats were initiated by melees you commit the second error in concluding in an answer you gave to your own inquiry “who are Interahamwe?”
    Here you said Ethiopian opposition in the early stages and to some extent today are and remain to be Amharas.First the above assertion is wrong. For one thing the amharas don’t organize themselves under ethnic garb.Second, the former kiniget or the now Unity party is not the only opposition to the ruling elite.Therefore, the charge of the opposition concerning melees as a dangerous ethicist comes from his own admit ion which goes as in the form of “Atfiche Etefalehu”.

    Sir far from telling the truth I find you to be what I term as Awgergari.
    By all means we must tell the truth and the truth is not a matter of personal opinion but what the record says.

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 6:20 PM

    thanks!!

    Ezana From Toronto replies:
    May 10th, 2012 at 9:31 PM

    Treaty,

    Where did I criticize Mr. Kiffle? Can you read English? I thought it was only Jegnaw that cannot read or understand the English language. Woy gude zendero!! Is it you and jegnaw who are supposed to replace Meles? God save us!! Hello no, that ain’t gonna happen.

    Good day

    Ezana From Toronto

    Jegnaw replies:
    May 11th, 2012 at 3:39 AM

    Ezana
    i am sure your English,Arab,Indian masters are impressed by the command of the English language.they will say look at that boot liker Ezana speak English.
    and the reward will be boot in you know what..
    and read the hole thing what Treaty wrote. i thought English was your language.

    before you say ween did i say this or that.
    dumb as$ go back read your Owen post. rather than trying to deny and undermine others ween confronted.. you are one very egotistical individual. just like most woyanne.they cant stand it when people stand up to them.vary arrogant..

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