Sieg heil,comrad

Yesterday, our quiet Midwestern suburb was visited by three men and a sign. The sign, held by a tall African-American with a football players build, was a picture of President Obama on which was drawn Hitler's mustache. The two White men assured me that Obama was a socialist just like Adolph. There's not much I can do, or want to do, to deny anyone their right to free speech, even if, as is the case with this trio, they are woefully undereducated and clearly into scare tactics.

Adolph Hitler has been dead for 64 years, or officially dead if you discount the numerous theories that he survived and lived in obscurity in Argentina. Still, the very sight of his Charlie Chaplin mustache is enough to conjure images of terror, war, genocide and the loss of civil liberties, the hallmarks of German fascism. You cannot be both Fascist and Communist or Socialist at the same time. "But, but, but," interjected the older of the White protestors, "It was called the National Socialist German Workers Party." Yeah, well, it could also have been called The Official Shirley Temple Fan Club and it would still be fascist and still diametrically opposed to socialism. And I am not defending socialism here, I just wish people knew the difference or at least respected the difference.

The difference made no difference to our friendly local tea baggers, for that is what they were, with sign up sheets, literature and smarmy smiles. I cannot believe that there is this much anger simply because our government passed a law that made it difficult for insurance companies to deny coverage to those who need it most. The economy tanked before Obama and while I do not agree with everything he has done and proposes at least he is doing something other than nationalizing the banks and establishing Socialism for the wealthy.

I just wish people were educated enough to know what they are talking about when they take to the streets and level insane charges against a man who clearly won the majority vote for the presidency.