Carol and I are supporters of the Southern Poverty Law Center that, like the Simon Wiesenthal organization, keeps track of Far-Right (REACTIONARY) groups.  We get their publication, Intelligence Report, that does a fantastic job of chronicling Nazi, Skin-heads, KKK and other ultra-conservative, anti-Liberal and anti government activities.  The SPLC currently reported on the frightening phenomenon of these groups behaving like mainstream Americans.  They supply records of music, T-shirts, memorabilia and dolls for the kiddies – all supporting anti-holocaust propaganda, anti-Semitic and anti-black ideas and suggesting quite openly the violent behavior that, to them, creates martyrs.

What really made my mouth go dry and caused me to look over my shoulder was the notion that little kids are given Hitler dolls and there is one of Heinrich Himmler that is also available. Not all conservative groups are active in proposing the idea that the American Government is in the hands of Jews and other Liberals and needed a good shaking up like new deaths of abortion advocates.  The dolls are well done and have clothing sewed like traditional action figures. I wonder if Chinese or South American workers turn out these “dolls” and if they have any idea of the ideology they support.

The remarkable thing is that “normal” may be a record whose words are not really clear but whose music will get some person to listen and like it and never really understand the message within. Dolls are dolls but “Hitler” and other dolls that make heroes out of monsters are the creation of canny ideologues who can make money off the gullible who think they are being – what?  Do they think they are avant-garde or on the cusp of trendy stuff that if you buy and flaunt it you are really cool?

Shirts that proclaim your membership in a group whose name looks good for the logo is inventive should shout out: “FOOL”. However, the reality is that so much that passes for culture is mindless. This new pop-hate sends out a message that some will get. It will reach out to revive agony that should have been buried along with the bones of the betrayed.  The catalog that SPLC recreated in its latest publication is frightening because some items like the barbecue sauce displayed has on its label the words that proclaim the Holocaust was not finished and “serve up some more Jews” - (p.s., there was never any Holocaust ).

There are not many things that frighten me anymore.  I am too old to fear the Holocaust that took place over 50 years ago.  I DO fear what the merchants of death are serving up as children’s toys, today.