And just like the last time, when they feel their defeat approaching on two fronts, they will rush to the liberals and surrender to them, begging for a better deal than they can ever hope for from the other side.

OK. I don’t know that for sure, but I can hope it does turn out like that. It would also be ironic if the final result of this 21st century struggle will end up very similar to the way the previous century’s war against fascism: A strong, powerful, dominant Progressive Center, and a re-invigorated and influential Far Left destined to keep that Center from becoming lazy, complacent, weak and cowardly. Think of it as a domestic Cold War.

The Far Right in this country almost succeeded in making any kind of Liberal or Progressive philosophy a thought-crime. But they failed, and their rabid opposition only succeeded in invigorating the Left. THAT is the irony! But I don’t think we should hope for a full ascendancy of the Far Left. If Fascism is nihilistic and chaotic, then Communism is fanatic and stifling. Still, the Far Left does serve a useful function, it keeps the Center honest and alert.

As you point out, the latter group is in many ways WORSE than the neo-nazis- since they recognize the injustice and wrongness of the white supremacist views, but side with it anyway.

But neither group as a whole can be convinced to change their views through education or dialogue. The one thing uniting the right wing is the shared detachment from reality.

Reality doesn’t show them what they want to see, so they have rejected it.

You don’t reason with creatures like that… your only hope is to crush them immediately, and thoroughly… and I fear we have taken too long in responding appropriately.

Actually, I’d rather deal with the bigots. They can always be educated, or persuaded to change their minds. Their beliefs may be perverse or repulsive, certainly mistaken, but at least they are sincere. But for those who are not personally bigoted, but feel the need to pander to those who are for economic or ideological reasons; well, there is no way to reason with them. You can deal with error, but deliberate hypocrisy is something else again.

The sanctimonius Right makes a big deal of indignantly protesting when accused of racism, especially if they’ve convinced themselves they are not. It gives them a little comfort, they don’t have to come to terms with the fact that their ideological preferences are not dictated by ignorance and fear, but by simple greed.