When Dealing With Neo-Nazis

North Miami Beach, Florida 2-6-2000 Aaron H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
WHEN DEALING WITH NEO-NAZIS

I note that certain governments are jumping on the bandwagon to condemn the
government of Austria. The cause is, of course, the integration of a
right-wing party led by an avowed lover of Nazi ideology into a democratic
administration. We do not have the whole picture of the man, Jorge Haider,
or a complete rendition of the words, ideas, or actions that have led to
such speedy action. But, that action is correct.

When dealing with neo-nazis you must not equivocate. You cannot deal with
them. Dealing with NEO-nazis today is the same as when former Prime
Minister Chamberlain tried to deal with the original Nazi, Adolph Hitler.
The dealings of this duo led to what has been called a policy of
"appeasement" or letting greedy totalitarians have what they first ask for
in the hope that they will be satisfied. This did not work then and is not
working with dictatorial regimes that exist today. All it does is allow the
schemer more time to consolidate and then come back with new demands.

We hope that when demands have risen high enough for the democratic nations
to reach a level of discomfort, that it should also be enough for the one
who is making demands. Usually forgotten is what this kind of dance does to
the people who are in the middle and are part of the demands. During the
late 1930's Hitler's successful aggression against Austria and
Czechoslovakia led to the partition of Poland in a deal with Russia giving
him time to work up to the invasion of the low-lands and war against a
united France and Britain. Appeasement did not work then and it cannot work
with militaristic or monopolistic bullies today.

In speaking with a convinced Nazi you find he has an agenda. One demand
either for acceptance or for agreement leads to others and finally you find
out what he really wants. You must submit. I think that the actions of
countries against Austria are correct. We should remember that an Austrian
leader was elected head of the United Nations despite his Nazi past and this
period of time in that organization's history was one of shame. What do you
think?
Carol's Evaluation: 8 out of 10.