Page 143 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, no. 5-6: Radicalization, Violent Extremism and Conflicting Diversity, eds. Mitja Sardoč and Tomaž Deželan
P. 143
b. vezjak ■ radical hate speech: the fascination with hitler and fascism ...
he needs to reincarnate (6). The author of (8) paints, with great sympathy,
an image of Hitler’s historical success, as a foundation for the need for
his reappearance, while the author of (30) recognises that the spirit of the
Nazi leader is already present, that he is arisen and will “wash away the mi-
grants.” All of the above ideas associate directly with the icon of the lead-
er of the Third Reich and indisputably emanate a fascination with him,
as well as a type of open idolatry, while perceiving Hitler as the only tru-
ly successful person that will handle the problem of the inflow of refugees
in Europe in the same manner as with the Jews. In other words: his crimes
against humanity and the holocaust are regarded with admiration and
pride; there are moments when he is intimately and amiably addressed as
Adolf (6) and “Dolfi” (27) .
A second characteristic is the reference to Nazi concentration camps,
offered as a solution to the refugee crisis and the “annulment” of the ref-
ugees, who are frequently termed “trash” (5) or “vermin” (10, 12, 21).
Accompanying are references to three widely known camps, well-estab-
lished in Slovenian historical memory (Auschwitz, Dachau, Mauthausen).
That the refugees ought to be deported and locked up in concentration
camps is asserted by a particularly high number of users (statements 1, 3,
4, 5, 9, 10, 17, 22, 24, 29). Some of them also directly indicate the suggest-
ed method of execution, while others do not. The former mostly connect
concentration camps with gas chambers. In this sense, gas as the suggest-
ed method of execution is mentioned by authors of 3, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 21, 23,
24, 26 and 29, who sometimes refer also to chimney stacks, which need to
be “cleaned” (9), or cleverly suggesting that the refugees migration route is
now going to lead through the stacks (24). Other Facebook users, a signif-
icantly lower number, proposed shooting (15, 25), or using rat poison (23).
Generally, most often the evocation of Hitler as the image of the saviour
is accompanied by a reference to the concentration camps and gas cham-
bers, while the anticipation of his arrival is pervaded by the feeling that he
will “sort it out” (19) and handle what we “can’t hack” (27).
What is fascism and what isn’t? Casual epistemic fascism
What to think of the beliefs of such Facebook users and where to place
them? To what extent and observing which criteria may they justifiably by
attributed fascist beliefs? In a highly-publicized article, Fuchs (2017: pp.
228–263) analyses user-generated fascism, which he calls “Fascism 2.0”,
a more appropriate term than “participatory fascism”. Based on Hitler’s
127th birthday (20 April 2016) and the fascination of Twitter users, he de-
velops a thesis on the four elements of such fascism: online authoritarian-
ism, online nationalism, online friend-foe scheme, and online patriarchy
141
he needs to reincarnate (6). The author of (8) paints, with great sympathy,
an image of Hitler’s historical success, as a foundation for the need for
his reappearance, while the author of (30) recognises that the spirit of the
Nazi leader is already present, that he is arisen and will “wash away the mi-
grants.” All of the above ideas associate directly with the icon of the lead-
er of the Third Reich and indisputably emanate a fascination with him,
as well as a type of open idolatry, while perceiving Hitler as the only tru-
ly successful person that will handle the problem of the inflow of refugees
in Europe in the same manner as with the Jews. In other words: his crimes
against humanity and the holocaust are regarded with admiration and
pride; there are moments when he is intimately and amiably addressed as
Adolf (6) and “Dolfi” (27) .
A second characteristic is the reference to Nazi concentration camps,
offered as a solution to the refugee crisis and the “annulment” of the ref-
ugees, who are frequently termed “trash” (5) or “vermin” (10, 12, 21).
Accompanying are references to three widely known camps, well-estab-
lished in Slovenian historical memory (Auschwitz, Dachau, Mauthausen).
That the refugees ought to be deported and locked up in concentration
camps is asserted by a particularly high number of users (statements 1, 3,
4, 5, 9, 10, 17, 22, 24, 29). Some of them also directly indicate the suggest-
ed method of execution, while others do not. The former mostly connect
concentration camps with gas chambers. In this sense, gas as the suggest-
ed method of execution is mentioned by authors of 3, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 21, 23,
24, 26 and 29, who sometimes refer also to chimney stacks, which need to
be “cleaned” (9), or cleverly suggesting that the refugees migration route is
now going to lead through the stacks (24). Other Facebook users, a signif-
icantly lower number, proposed shooting (15, 25), or using rat poison (23).
Generally, most often the evocation of Hitler as the image of the saviour
is accompanied by a reference to the concentration camps and gas cham-
bers, while the anticipation of his arrival is pervaded by the feeling that he
will “sort it out” (19) and handle what we “can’t hack” (27).
What is fascism and what isn’t? Casual epistemic fascism
What to think of the beliefs of such Facebook users and where to place
them? To what extent and observing which criteria may they justifiably by
attributed fascist beliefs? In a highly-publicized article, Fuchs (2017: pp.
228–263) analyses user-generated fascism, which he calls “Fascism 2.0”,
a more appropriate term than “participatory fascism”. Based on Hitler’s
127th birthday (20 April 2016) and the fascination of Twitter users, he de-
velops a thesis on the four elements of such fascism: online authoritarian-
ism, online nationalism, online friend-foe scheme, and online patriarchy
141
