10/20/2003

Anybody under the age of fifty should read the Michael Ledeen analysis of facism at NRO. It's important that all of us distinguish between the now cartoonish Hitler and what this movement actually meant during the 20s, how world wide this attraction was, and exactly what it really is. He is correct that we face fascism once again. What he leaves out is that the same people who were attracted to it during the twenties, the college crowd and women, are the fascist Left of today. Looking at pictures of the clownish Hitler we cannot imagine the appeal he had for women, but he did. If any of you have seen the Leni Riefenstahl bio pic you saw how in love with Hitler this dangerously talented old lady still was, even at the age of 90. Ledeen makes a hell of a point, but it takes some imagination to realize the appeal of this form of leadership and government.

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