Fascinating Comparison of Obama and Hitler

This was recommended by my Ravelry friend, Vereteno and can be found here at FaithFreedom.org.

The Hitler Factor: Is It Fair To Compare?

By Roberts, Matthew Edward

Since World War II there have been many political candidates who have been compared to the likeness of Adolph Hitler. This was the case for George Bush, Al Gore, and both Bill and Hillary Clinton; to name a few. Try as we might to modify graphic images to resemble the physical appearance of Hitler, any attempt to make a genuine comparison using these pictures crumbles when we face the ugly truth about Adolph Hitler’s personality and actions.

Some have attempted to make the comparison of Barack Obama to Adolph Hitler. This kind of thing has been done so many times before that people no longer think it credible. The shock value is gone and people almost expect such comparisons to be made during the election campaigns. The smear attempt which aims to anger supporters hardly gives them cause to raise an eyebrow.

This situation of being resistant to the “Hitler Factor” could eventually become a dangerous thing for the voting public of any country. How would citizens recognize another Hitler-type politician in the future if they have become resistant to the idea of making the comparison? If citizens are accustomed to instantly rejecting any comparison of a candidate to Hitler, will they be able to apply the lessons of history in order to prevent electing another one like him in the future?

What is it about Hitler we should remember so as to prevent electing another similar candidate who appears to be following in his footsteps? Many believe Adolph Hitler had Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), which is a documented mental disorder. People who have NPD have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. They believe that they're superior to others and have little regard for other people's feelings.1 It is not hard to see these traits when we view images or videos of Adolph Hitler.

In the general population only 0.5-1% of people are thought to have NPD2, although many will remain undiagnosed and untreated for their entire lives. People may interpret lower levels of expressed narcissism as mere conceitedness, selfishness, or arrogance.
Given narcissism is centered around the idea of self-importance and the need for adoration from others, it should be no surprise to find narcissists are often attracted to those things which feed their emotional needs for recognition and adoration. They may, for example, pursue careers as movie stars or politicians in order to gain elevated social status and popularity. Nothing screams “elite” and “fame” like celebrities and politicians attending red carpet events.

Rarely do the minor expression of narcissism cause any real damage to anyone, but in a position of influence things can go awry very quickly for someone with a severe case of NPD. Adolph Hitler showed us just how bad things can get under that kind of leadership.

What exactly causes NPD? One expert and author by the name of Dr. Shmuel Vaknin offers the following explanation, “The onset of pathological narcissism is in infancy, childhood and early adolescence. It is commonly attributed to childhood abuse and trauma inflicted by parents, authority figures, or even peers. Pathological narcissism is a defense mechanism intended to deflect hurt and trauma from the victim's "True Self" into a “False Self” which is omnipotent, invulnerable, and omniscient.”3

It must be said here nearly all children are born with narcissist traits and Sigmund Freud believed that to be normal.4 However, the development of NPD as a pathological disorder is thought to be rooted in childhood neglect and abuse. Adolph Hitler certainly had a qualifying childhood which would have contributed to the development of NPD.

Adolph Hitler was born to a communist father who worked as a government employee who had several other children with multiple women. His father was considerably older than his mother and they conceived their famous son prior to getting married. His father was not interested in child-rearing, abused alcohol, and the future German leader would reside in several different residences in his early years. The young boy felt alienated from his father. He would attend several different schools, including a catholic school run by strict priests and nuns.

A teacher would later describe Adolph using these words, “... reacted with ill-concealed hostility to advice or reproof; at the same time, he demanded of his fellow pupils their unqualified subservience, fancying himself in the role of leader, at the same time indulging in many a less innocuous prank of a kind not uncommon among immature youths."5

If there were no bias against the name “Adolph Hitler” one might actually feel sorry for this young boy who grew up in such a dysfunctional family and knew so much instability, turmoil, and sorrow. It should come as no surprise how someone like Adolph could develop pathological NPD as a means of deflecting years of emotional trauma. He clearly had a childhood which could have contributed to the development of NPD. Given the comment of his teacher in later years it is clear Adolph was exhibiting signs of having NPD (see definition in the last paragraph of page one).

As a self-defense mechanism, Adolph imagined himself to be all-powerful and invincible, but that was contrary to his true personality as “nervous and awkward”.6 The fantasy aspect of his invincible “False Self” was becoming deeply rooted in his mind and even overshadowing the personality traits of Hitler’s “True Self”. Eventually, Hitler wouldn’t be able to separate fantasy from reality and Hitler’s “False Self” would totally convince him that he could conquer the world.

So, in getting back to the comparison of Barack Obama to Adolph Hitler, one could say there are some similarities. However, there are perhaps hundreds of thousands of children who share some of these similarities. Having a childhood similar to Hitler does
not mean a person will grow up to develop NPD, as only 1% of the general population would do so.

Like Adolph Hitler, Barack Obama was born to a communist father who worked as a government employee who had several other children with multiple women. His father was considerably older than his mother and they conceived their famous son prior to getting married. His father was not interested in child-rearing, abused alcohol, and the future leader would reside in several different residences in his early years. The young boy felt alienated from his father. He would attend several different schools, including a catholic school run by strict priests and nuns.

He was described by peers who would later say, “He used to be a naughty boy particularly among his female seniors. Once he destroyed the school’s fence which made from bamboos.’ ‘In a creative writing lesson, other students said that they wanted to be a doctor or pilot, but Barry claimed that he wanted to be a president.”7 His childhood friend, Keith Kakugawa said, "He is such a people person now, it's really amazing because he was a very, very shy -- I wouldn't say introverted -- but he was just a very shy, cautious kid".8

Unlike Hitler, Obama did not experience the death of his father at the age of thirteen. However, Barack Obama did see his father alive for the final time at the young age of only ten. It does seem many things about Obama’s early years are quite similar to those found in Hitler’s childhood. Barack Obama had no control over these matters so there is not a single person who would dare hold these things against him. However, we must also understand that Obama was affected by these experiences. It is, therefore, possible that Barack Obama, like 1% of the general population, could have dealt with those emotional issues by developing NPD. According to the comment of his teacher and childhood friend, it appears he was expressing signs which are associated with NPD. Both Hitler and Obama were considered to be shy/awkward while also desiring power.

However, it must be clarified at this point that neither Hitler nor Obama were officially diagnosed as having NPD. Suspicions can arise as a result of observing their behavior, but conclusions would nevertheless remain inconclusive. The best we can do is to compare the history, behavior, and interests of Hitler to see if a political candidate followed a similar path. Merely having a childhood which is similar to that of Hitler is not sufficient to make a comparison. We all know how Hitler turned out, so we should be wary of someone who had similar childhood experiences, seems to show signs of having NPD, has similar interests and ideas, and appears to be retracing Hitler’s footsteps.

So what are Adolph Hitler’s historical footsteps?

At the age of 35 Adolph Hitler would write a book called, “Mein Kampf” (translated as “My Struggle”). It would be an autobiography containing insights pertaining to his early years, political ideas, and thoughts on race.

At the age of 34 Barack Obama would write a book called, “Dreams of my Father”, also an autobiography highlighting his early years, political ideas, and thoughts on race.

Hitler’s “Zweites Buch” (translated as “Second Book”) contains a deeper understanding of his political ideas. The same can also be said about Obama’s second book, “The Audacity of Hope”.

Both Hitler and Obama used their books as a springboard to further their political careers. The title of Obama’s second book was based on a sermon of Reverend Wright and was the foundational basis of the speech he gave at the Democratic National Convention in 2004. It was that speech which caught the attention of the media and the public, both of whom propelled him to political stardom. He further expounded on those ideas to publish his second book in 2006, just before announcing his run for the Presidency. The book was on the New York Times best-seller list for 30 weeks.

Ok, so they have a similar childhood and they both wrote two books around similar themes. So what? Well, we suspected both might have had NPD too. Let’s talk a little more about NPD to see if there is really a connection to be concerned about here.
Criteria for narcissistic personality disorder to be diagnosed include9:

1. Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
2. Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power or beauty
3. Believing that you are special and can associate only with equally special people
4. Requiring constant admiration
5. Having a sense of entitlement
6. Taking advantage of others
7. Inability to recognize needs and feelings of others
8. Being envious of others
9. Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner

I would be willing to speculate that a person who feels the need to write an autobiography in their mid-thirties might be entertaining an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Both Hitler and Obama felt their life was worth documenting for the public even before either had started their political careers.

As mentioned earlier, both Hitler and Obama were described by others as being shy or awkward children with dreams of being in powerful positions of leadership. Both followed that dream, perhaps because they were preoccupied with fantasies about success and power?

As I go down the list of nine NPD criteria I can see a number of them which could be applied to both Obama and Hitler. This should be a concern because we know the outcome in Hitler’s case, but we don’t really know all that much about Barack Obama. He hasn’t released the vault copy of his birth certificate, records of his activity logs while in the Illinois State Senate, SAT scores, college transcripts, thesis paper, medical records, tax returns, list of clients he worked for as a lawyer, etc. Like Hitler, Obama has distanced himself even from childhood friends10 (see below right), not to mention other controversial associates such as William Ayers, Reverend Wright, Tony Rezko, Frank Marshall Davis, etc.

Without full transparency people must look at documented history and recorded actions to learn what this man is all about. Does Obama hold the same or similar convictions and/or associations as Hitler?
Abortion (Infanticide)...Yes

(http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59702)

Universal Health Care...Yes

(http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070125-the_time_has_co/)

Gun Control...Yes

(http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Barack_Obama_Gun_Control.htm)

Anti-Semitism...Yes
(Jeremiah Wright, Rashid Khalidi, Samantha Powers, Robert Malley, William Ayers, Louis Farrakhan, El-Hady)
Left-Wing Radicalism...Yes

(http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/10/13/updated-a-dangerous-mixture-of-lies-and-omissions-obama-ayers-wright-and-farrakhan/)

Communism...Yes

(http://www.usasurvival.org/docs/chicago-obama.pdf)
(http://www.usasurvival.org/docs/hawaii-obama.pdf)

Socialism...Yes

(http://www.military-money-matters.com/barack-obamas-stealth-socialism.html)

Ok, so they have a similar childhood, show some signs of having NPD, wrote similar books at the same age, pursued a career in politics, respect many of the same radical political ideas, have similar associations in their relationships; but we are talking about two totally different time periods in history. Yes, that is true, but you may be surprised to know the signs of the times today are very similar to those in Hitler’s era.

At the time Hitler was rising to power after WWI, Germany had a bad reputation in the eyes of the world. The actions of the country were seen as an act of dishonesty, betrayal, treachery and a war crime. Hitler promised to correct this. Americans are also seen in similar ways for the way we justified and proceeded with an invasion of Iraq. Barack Obama has promised to correct this.

The Germans felt deceived and humiliated after WWI and had just entered into the Great Depression. Hitler capitalized on this feeling by offering hope and change. Americans also feel deceived and humiliated by their own government which allowed the current financial crisis to happen, followed by their passage of a $700 billion bailout plan. Americans have just experienced the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and Obama is also capitalizing on this feeling by offering hope and change.

There was weakness in the ineffective German Constitution which angered many German citizens while few freedom-fighters remained to resist change. Hitler was seen as one who would resolve Constitutional issues while being capable of dealing with resistance. Many Americans have a few problems with the U.S. Constitution, namely the Second Amendment. Obama offers a solution which claims to respect tradition while also allowing for gun-control laws. He will have to deal with those who resist infringement on Second Amendment rights.

The financial contributions of private supporters enabled Hitler to fund his campaign. The same can be said of Obama, for he has collected record-breaking funds from private donors.

Hitler promised something to everyone, just as Obama is doing today.

The Nazi propaganda machine convinced people Hitler was their last hope. In a similar way, the media is supporting the idea Obama represents the only hope for change from the policies of President Bush.

Hitler was an excellent orator, community organizer, and politician who could motivate and inspire huge crowds. His self-confidence was instrumental in convincing voters to elect him. The public viewed him as their savior. The same can be said of Obama11.
Hitler realized there was strength to be found in the young. Hitler Youth were extremely dedicated and instrumental to his success. I am sure we have all heard about the Obama Kids singing songs of praise to their leader. Obama’s own website offers the following encouragement for youngsters to get involved in his campaign:

“Do you feel like you want to get involved in the political process but you don’t know how? Do you feel like there’s something important coming up in the Presidential elections? Get involved in KIDS FOR OBAMA! Studies have shown that kids can affect their parents and their siblings’ opinions and even change the opinions of older family members . . . including those of voting age. Are you still with me? Great, Let’s get started!” (http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/kidskit)

Beyond children, Obama is receiving an incredible amount of support from college students and young adults.

Hitler held extremely leftist ideals. Barack Obama has been called one of the most liberal Senators in Congress12.

Obama and Hitler can even be compared on having similar preferences, such as their desire to give their major speeches against a backdrop of Greek-style temples.

Where Hitler gave a speech in Vienna, Austria, March 1938 (above left)
Hitler giving a speech, date unknown (above right)
Where Obama accepted the nomination in Denver, Colorado, August 2008 (below left)
Where Obama announced Biden as his running mate in Springfield, IL (below right)

“Obama is the hope of the entire world.” - Louis Farrakhan
“Hitler was a very great man.” - Louis Farrakhan

Barack Obama is fully aware the nation’s problems are helping pave the way for him to be President. His poll ratings went through the roof during the bailout mess, so he obviously wants to talk more about the economy to make even more political gains. On October 22, 2008, Obama gave a speech in Virginia which included the statement, “I feel like we got a righteous wind at our backs here.” He may not be able to fully explain why he is having such great success in his campaign, but I’m not entirely convinced “righteous” was the appropriate word to use since it taps into religious overtones. Like Obama, Hitler claimed to be a Christian too, but I doubt anyone would believe his election success was a result of divine influence or intervention. The fact of the matter is both Obama and Hitler have the right qualities and message which influenced the right people in just the right way at just the right time. The question is: What will they do when elected?

We need to be cautious when we see historical experiences, thought processes, behavior patterns, courses of action, belief structures, personality traits, and career goals in a candidate which are found to be strikingly similar to those of Hitler. Combined with lack of transparency we have a serious red flag waving before us. We absolutely cannot afford to be wrong about this. With 12 million total deaths, the holocaust was simply too tragic for anyone to allow it to happen again. It might hurt our pride to vote for another candidate, any other candidate, when we want to pull that lever for our beloved candidate so badly. He seems so promising! Yet, so did Hitler. We would suffer much worse if that candidate proved to be something we never anticipated. I can only imagine how many Germans eventually came to regret casting a vote for Hitler.

This article was written as a reminder we need to continue being wise in judgment and unafraid to make comparisons when necessary. Turning a blind eye and responding with anger in defense of our preferred candidate can be quite dangerous. Some might choose to insist Obama would not be one who would take us through another holocaust. Indeed, they may be right, but few can deny the many similarities between Obama and Hitler. I would rather not take the chance of being proven wrong later on in life. I, for one, will always consider “The Hitler Factor” when choosing which candidate will receive my vote and hope others will do the same so we may always learn from our past mistakes.

1. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/narcissistic-personality-disorder/DS00652
2. "Narcissistic Personality Disorder". Personality Disorders - Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Armenian Medical Network (2006).
3. http://samvak.tripod.com/npdglance.html
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism_(psychology)
5. http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/father.htm
6. http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/father.htm
7. http://hubpages.com/hub/barrack-obama-indonesia
8. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Story?id=2989722&page=1
9. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/narcissistic‐personality‐disorder/DS00652/DSECTION=tests‐and‐diagnosis
10. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Story?id=2989722&page=1
11. http://redstaterusa.blogspot.com/2008/10/obama‐messiah‐has‐spoken.html
12. http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/

Comments

[K Gibran]

Great article! I forwarded the link to a number of people. Sadly, it seems to illustrate that the old quote is true..."Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it."

[Amber]

Here's another one:

Hitler was not born in Germany. He was born in Austria. Obama has yet to prove he was born in the US. More than likely, he was not.

So I sit back to ponder this, let's see, what does this mean? If this is the case, who did Hilter hate and have it out on? The Jews. Who does Obama hate? The White People!!!!

The reason I found this is because I was seeing the same myself and want to find out if someone else had made the connection. This makes me fearful.

[JoeFriday]

Another similarity:

Hitler understood the importance of symbolism.. creating an image for people to unite and represent their group. (He chose the swastika, which originally was a sign of good luck.) Obama created his own logo and is using that to unite his followers.

[Valerie]

Obama's birth certificate has been verified by the Hawaiian authorities. He was born in Hawaii!
Obama's father left when he was two.
His father was a university student, as was Obama's mother, when they met, so where's the proof that he was considerably older than her? On the one hand the writer says he abused alcohol, yet there is the myth that he imposed Islamic beliefs and expected Obama to be a Muslim. Muslims are not supposed to drink alcohol. You can't have it both ways.
Obama's mother was an anthropologist who was interested in many cultures. She worked with the Ford Foundation, amongst others, to negotiate micro loans that enabled Indonesian craftspeople to be self-supporting. See this article to get closer to the truth:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Sep/12/ln/hawaii809120379.html
The school Obama attended in Indonesia was multicultural and not religiously oriented.
Obama's mother was an educated white woman. Obama chose to finish his high school education in Hawaii and lived with his white grandmother. So where does the person Amber who left a comment get the notion that he hates white people?
To every reader: put away your prejudices; don't believe everything bloggers write but do your own research. I recommend FactCheck.org, which has a 97% approval rating for being impartial and accurate.

[MizDi]

Sorry, Valerie, but there are still way too many irregularities in THE ONE's birth certificate for it to have been validated. I don't know where you've gotten your "facts", but they don't jibe with the well documented research that I've read.

In addition, you might want to re-think your faith in FactCheck.org. Considering they're funded by the same group that Obama worked for/with, I'd say there's substantial conflict of interest and it's to be given your blind allegiance.

Oh, and why on earth would his paternal grandmother swear she was in the room when the Obamination was born?

"Muslims aren't supposed to drink" ... but why did the 9/11 hijackers go to a strip club and drink and hang out with strippers the night before they ran jets into buildings??? Well, just as no Christian is perfect, neither are Muslims.

Obama's mother was an anthropologist .... well, maybe when she was much older, but she was all of 17 or 18 when he was born. I'm doubting she had an anthropology degree at that age.

The school Obama attended in Indonesia may not be billed as a religious school, but he said that he studied the Koran and could chant the prayers, and has said that the chanting of the prayers is one of the most beautiful sounds on the earth. Hmmmm ...

Just because someone lives with people of another race doesn't automatically negate any negative feelings and/or perceptions one may have gained about them. Just a few months ago he mentioned his grandmother as a "typical white person" (I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty racist to me). When you read passages from some of his "autobiography" chapters (which are patterned more along the way Bill Ayers writes, from recent analysis), some of the language he uses gives that impression, as do recordings of him that have surfaced in recent weeks and months.

Valerie, I suggest you put away your own prejudices and don't believe everything the mainstream media, the Obama campaign, the Daily Kos and MoveOn.org tell you to believe. Just because someone raises a concern and shares it with others doesn't make a person racist. Just because a person disagrees with someone else doesn't make that person racist.

Grow up and open your eyes. All is not what you think it seems.

[Tony]

Wow, that is scary I don't care what anyone says white, black, or purple. The only thing I can say to it, is that if something like hitler's Germany were to begin in America, I hope we Americans would be stronger than those Germans, stand up, and sorry to say but dispose of the problem.

[Teresa]

Hawaii has NEVER said 0bama was born there. By Hawaii law they register birth certificates from ANYWHERE. All Hawaiian officials said was that they hold *A* birth certificate.
Since his mother is deceased, it's permissible to inquire if she was a patient at any hospital. She was never a patient at ANY hospital in Hawaii, certainly not Kapiolani nor Queens which are the TWO that 0bama said he was born at!
His sister Maya who was born in Indonesia also has a Certification of Live Birth.
0bama's COLB has been deemed a forgery by multiple vetted forensics experts.

And he's spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to NOT show that vault birth certificate.

NOT THAT ANY OF THAT MATTERS...
His father was Kenyan and BOTH parents must be US Citizens for a child to be natural born. jus sanguine, jus soli as per Perkins v. Elg and US v. Kim Wong Ark
0bama even said so himself in his S.R. 511 which he cosponsored ostensibly to look like he was cutting McCain some slack (so then should he be). McCain's not even natural born.
Richardson said 0bama was an "immigrant". 0bama's grandma said she was in the delivery room in Kenya when he was born. The Ambassador from Kenya says he was born there.

[Gary]

People are so dumb in America today about who they vote for they probably vote for Hitler if he was running! They believe everything they hear from the "first non black president" - he really is Abrab by American standards and watch nothing he does. As a 20 year vet I wouldn't vote for him until hell freezes over as he is so socialist Hitler would be proud of him!

[Johs23]

I must be one of the few who can deny the many similarities between Hitler and Obama, though I find it quite unlikely that there are so few of us.

The argument has 2ish parts. 1)Personal History/Exhibited Psychology 2)Political Ideology

1)
There are apparently coincidental biographical similarities that may or may not contain some grains of truth. Both Obama's father and Hitler's father were philanderers and not interesting in being fathers. OK. So we are told Obama might have developed NPD as a way of compensating for this trauma. But we have no way of knowing for sure because the administration has yet to release Obama's SAT scores. These insinuations appear to me to be manipulative. That is, they are described as coincidental and waved off, and yet, they linger as a foundation for the argument, as in "just sayin".

2)
It's fair to say that there are two basic sides of our political debate in America today (and other places and other times): those that believe that the government messes up everything that it touches and those that believe that the government is capable of improving our lives and our democracy. Among those who belong to the latter group are people who believe that social programs can be of benefit to the people of our nation. NAZIs believed this was the case for the people of Germany as well (provided they were white and "German").

While you may not be convinced that the government can run a good social program, this is no reason to suggest that Obama is a NAZI. The reason we hate the NAZIs is because of the atrocities they committed, these include the mass extermination of Jews, gays, gypsies, intellectuals and anyone who disagreed with them, but also the revocation of freedom of speech, the right to elect representatives, an impartial judicial system (all fundamental tenets of democracy that we as Americans hold dear)--not because they offered health care and created a social safety net.

Social programs have always been a part of liberal democracy. The objective of social programs is not to take away your rights. Last November we the people voted in the party that represents a modern and imperfect version of this liberalism. Hitler made good highways, but when your state builds good highways, are you worried that your state might be turning into NAZIs?

The logic employed in this argument about Hitler and Obama is faulty. It's a bait and switch. The atrocities of the NAZIs are invoked by using the name Hitler, but the comparison fails to point out anything but the central tenets of liberal democracy. From this perspective all democrats and left leaning parties in the western world would be NAZIs. This is not the case.

The question to ask yourself is why specifically do you dislike a certain social program? As a liberal, I personally would not like a health program, for example, that bankrupted the country, or that provided services that were substandard, or that forced me to prove I was not a Jew before I could get a check-up.

As a liberal, I would be extremely concerned if Obama tried to outlaw FOX News and any other dissenting voices.

As a liberal, I would be extremely concerned if there was a terrorist attack and Obama tried to suspend elections.

As a liberal, I would be extremely concerned if Obama decided to round up all the people with red hair and send them off to the ovens.

But none of these things are happening.

Don't get me wrong, I think FOX News is absolute rubbish and that "News" is even part of the title is absurd. But that's what liberalism means to me: everyone (even corporate propaganda machines) is allowed to speak their mind, not just people who agree with me.

If your party is in power and you take a harsh stance against immigration I am going to disagree with you, but I'm not going to say you're Hitler. As long as you let me talk to my friends and convince them to vote you out of power, we have a functional democracy.

I suggest you go find some of your liberal friends and start having conversations about these real issues. I don't agree with your positions, but I believe and will defend your right to have and express your opinions.

So what are your positions really? I invite you to introspect and lay out what you are for and against, specifically, and discuss these with your friends and family, even if you disagree. Talk to your liberal friends. Work it out. Agree to disagree. But be honest about the issues and don't call Obama Hitler without a logical argument or some true piece of evidence.

Instead of allowing ourselves to get so emotional about imaginary evils, let's work together to fight the real ones.

[Bryan]

Johns23,

I am neither liberal or conservative, I'm more a centrist that leans more liberal or conservative based on the topic at hand. While I do agree with some of your points of this looking like a bait and switch, there are many things I don't think you have noticed as well.

"As a liberal, I would be extremely concerned if Obama tried to outlaw FOX News and any other dissenting voices."

What if I were to tell you that Obama wants to dismantle conservative talk radio through the imposition of a new "Fairness Doctrine." That he wants to curtail the First Amendment rights of those who may disagree with his policies via internet blogs, cable news networks, or advocacy ads. That most major network television and most newspapers will only sing his phrases like state-run media in communist countries?

"As a liberal, I would be extremely concerned if there was a terrorist attack and Obama tried to suspend elections."

This has not happened, yet, but the president, the courts, and
the federal government have ignored the US Constitution and have seized powers which the founders of our country fought to restrict. Our last presidential election may have been our last truly free election for some time to come, and our next presidential election may look similar to the one recently held in Iran.

I hold issue with the ignorance of the federal government, and the belief they have that they can ignore or change the Constitution of the United States of America, the document we should hold in the highest regard.

For example:

The Obama Justice Department is doing everything it can to limit your Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. That the federal government wants to reinstate the so-called assault weapons ban which would prohibit the sale of any type of firearm that requires the shooter to pull the trigger every time a round is fired. That Obama's Attorney General wants to eliminate the sale of virtually all handguns and ammunition, which most citizens choose for self-defense.

And the Obama plan is to eliminate states rights guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment and give the federal government sweeping new powers over policies currently under the province of local and state governments and voted on by the people. That Obama plans to control the schools, energy production, the environment, health care, and the wealth of every US citizen.

Finally, there is now the issue of the 32 Czars, who were appointed without congressional approval and are accountable only to Obama. They have control over a wide range of US policy decisions. That there would be a Stimulus Accountability Czar, an Urban Czar, a Compensation Czar, an Iran Czar, an Auto Industry Czar, a Cyber Security Czar, an Energy Czar, a Bank Bailout Czar, and more than a dozen other government bureaucrats with unchecked regulatory powers over US domestic and foreign policy.

No one is perfect in the office of President, but take a closer look into what this country is becoming and where it is going.

[G. OConnor]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar

Here's your Nazi connection.....

[Carolyn]

Absolutely fascinating! Very well written. At the top of the article, there's a mention of Ravelry? Is that the knitting community Ravelry?? I'm an avid member and found it interesting to see that mention! What a small world. (if that's the same Ravelry?/)

[MizDi]

Yes, I *was* a member of Ravelry, but I was summarily banned in March, so I don't even think about going over there ... with the changes I've heard about over there (from friends who still hang there) it's become someplace that holds no appeal for me.

[Davy]

Hitler murdered dozens of rivals in his decade rise to power. To my knowledge Mr. Obama has cause physical harm to nobody.

Hitler gave coarse speeches studded with swear words and lower class sensibilities. Mr. Obama , to my knowledge , has never spoken in anyway other than an educated,staid perhaps overly controlled patterm of eloquence quite unlike the sermonic rages of Adolf.

Hitler has almost no real sexual interest in women. Obama seems to have a healthy attraction to women other than his wife. I rest my case.

[MizDi]

Wow! You've convinced me ... all the atrocities committed by Hitler and the squelching of people's rights are all mitigated by Obama's healthy interest in women. Score one for you! How could I have been so wrong???

/sarcasm off

[Jean]

Anyone who believes this bullshit needs to get out of America. You people are all morons. Just accept that a black man is the president and get over it. It interesting that when people reply to this nonsense with actual sources that prove everything on here is wrong no one has anything factual to say.
Who cares that both Hitler and Obama had fathers who left them...so does half the population.
You make me ashamed to be an American.

[P C Marinaccio]

Its a shame what the Obama administration has brought out clearly to the country and world on how corrupt and dishonest our government is.

[Alex]

Did you know that Hitler and Obama both owned dogs? True story.

[bridget403@comcast.net]

My father who fought in WWII, would call many of you the unwashed thousands. If you cannot see the corruption, and lies that the Obama administration has cast upon us and our children, than you are no more than lambs being led to slaughter. In the words of Samuel Adams, "If ever a time should come when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." And one more from Jefferson, "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work, and give to those who would not."
Times have changed, we are going down a most dangerous path. Governments purpose is not to control the people, we need to control the government. Freedom is a right that belongs to us, not one given to us by the government.

[Paul]

See SEC 5210 of the Healthcare Reform bill that just became law. Not to be confused with the "Red Army" or "Reserve Corps", the "Ready Reserve Corps" will be appointed by the President without Senate approval. Although they will now participate in the same military training "to meet the general and specific needs of the Commissioned Corps", this is healthcare related because they will "respond to public health emergencies in isolated, hardship, and medically underserved communities to improve access to health services".

Of course Hitler would have never appointed a Czar to run his army.

[rob]

WHACK JOB!

[kathleen ransford]

The comparison between The President of the United States and Hitler is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. Who are you? Do you have no respect for all of the people who gave their lives to defeat Hitler to insure our constitutionl form of government; like my late Father who died in WW II to preserve our rights, The majority of the people voted for Obama; he won the election; I suspect that you are are a raceist A Black Man won; Get over it.

[MizDi]

Of *course* anyone who simply disagrees with the policies and plans of Obama *must* be a "raceist" ... of *course* anyone who dares to observe and point out similiarities between the two time periods and what is happening in society *must* be a "whack job" ...

Sometimes I really wonder about people ... I did not *write* the article. I found the article, read it, found it interesting and thought I'd share it.

I'm not a racist (that's the correct spelling Kathleen) and abhor racism ... I can also recognize that one doesn't have to be white-skinned to be a racist. There are plenty of racists of all skin colors. To disagree with a person doesn't make you a racist. It means you are a thinking individual who has formed a differing opinion. Have so many people been brought up in "public" schools with the notion of "consensus building" that they are unable to see the value in others having a differing opinion? Why are so many offended, intimidated and even frightened of someone else having a different opinion?

And let's give this a bit of thought, shall we? If you have no logical discussion and immediately throw out "Raaaacist" ... it only proves that you are unable to think for yourself and are afraid of people who don't agree with you wholeheartedly.

How sad that you're unable to think for yourself.

[Lionheartedff8]

Thank you for the write up. This topic got brought up at work and quickly erupted into a yelling match. It was sad and I felt bad for the gal you made the "Obama is kinda like Hitler" comment.

On one hand, spewing that after hearing your preferred news/opinion source say so and you simply parrot it off without comprehension of the phrase is very immature. On the other hand, though, there is some reason for the consideration and it is not, as was stated at the article's start, a A=B statement.

I'm in my 30's and have studied WWII since my childhood. There were methodologies and tactics used to gain political power and control that lead to Hitlers rule that are somewhat similar to our current President's election and influence. Hitler and his intent was absolute evil. I do not believe Obama is evil or has evil intent, although some close associations who he seems to have shaped his political philosophies are malicious and well hidden.

The United States' Founders took the best of recorded history and formed a government from it. I feel the further we stray from that ideal form the worse for our Nation. The power and influence of the current administration are perpetuating an increased divide in the Country and push away from what was so carefully and inspirationally crafted in the late 1700's.

I've seen very little good in my lifetime come from increased government control or how trust in one politician can enact perfect change for all. It is completely opposite to Kennedy's tremendous speech asking what we, the people, can do for the Country.

Rather, emphasis has come from Obama and similar political figures on what government,the Country, can do for you. I was stunned when he said recently that at some point a person can make too much money (I'm sorry I don't have the exact quote or reference right now).

Faith in an individual, especially a calculating politician, seems dangerous to me when it comes to freedom. History, in diverse aspects, repeats for those who don't learn from it.

Our Founding Father's learned history greatly and they're who we need to look to and model.

-respect