this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
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I can see what you mean, but on the other hand the sentiment of "Well, Hitler did have some good points" is common enough, for example. I would say it leans more towards the "not so bad" thought process than the "not actually Nazi" thought process. I think that the "not so bad" thing is probably more of a cryptofascist tactic than it is a liberal excuse, but in my experience there's a hell of a lot of crossover between those two. Otherwise, the concept of the "scratched liberal" wouldn't be so constantly applicable.
I have never seen a lib irl say hitler has good points, but I have seen them argue that Stalin was worse. Like before, effectively the same statement materially, but I think the thought process is a little sneakier.
I think the scratched liberal goes fascist without even knowing it. They're not going to just suddenly get on board the "hitler good" train, but they'll get on the "well they're on our side this time" train, you know what I mean?
It's a semantic difference, but idk I think it's somewhat, if not important, worthwhile to note that they are a different creature being used by the fascist, less so than a fascist outright.
Consider yourself fortunate, then. I have, more than once.
I agree. There's a reason we call it a pipeline.
It's absolutely worthwhile (and important) to differentiate between out-and-out fascist and ignorant liberal. I just think for a lot of them, certainly the ones we'd call scratched libs, it's more a matter of degree than of kind. It's a spectrum, and unfortunately they usually end up sliding in one direction along that spectrum.
I do think you're right that it's far more often that a lib will deal with their cognitive dissonance by going the "that's not Nazi" route as opposed to the "Nazis aren't all bad" route, but I still contend that the latter does happen, and I have actually seen it happen.