Originally Posted by directfiesta

Bush and Patriot Act repeating history?

There's much discussion regarding the extension of the Patriot Act, as well as the recent revelations that the Bush administration has listened in on telephone conversations (illegally) of American citizens.

The Bush administration argues all this is OK in order to protect us from terrorists. As a history teacher and as a person who grew up in Hitler Germany, it intrigues me how ignorant the masses are regarding history and the possibility of history repeating itself.

Hitler was legally elected to the German Reichstag (Parliament) in 1932 and selected chancellor (leader) of Germany by the Reichstag in 1933. At the time there was much unrest and turmoil (terrorism) in German towns and cities. Hitler and his party convinced the Reichstag (think Congress) that special laws (think Patriot Act) were needed to protect the German citizens from terrorism.

Using these special powers the Hitler government indeed restored law and order in Germany as well as arresting and jailing their political opponents. They did this quite legally and the Germans woke up one day with a dictator.

Think it can't happen here? The Germans didn't think so either in 1933. KARL-HEINZ GERSTENBERGER

Clifton Park


http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories...storyID=434346