Dunno about you, but growing up I used to think the Russkis and Cubans must be either cowards or brainwashed zombies, succumbing to totalitarianism the way they did. "Americans wouldn't tolerate that" I believed. Now I understand: when it happens to "us", "we" rationalize it... "It's not really that bad", "It will get better soon", "You can't fight City Hall". When you start to see your own government as fascist, people jump on you, "Oh no, you're blowing things way out of proportion, Obama's nothing like Hitler or Mussolini". So you shut up and suffer it, not wanting to rock the boat. Just like the Russians did, until finally a generation arose who would tolerate it no more.
last updated 2012-07-04 19:01:12. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com