EDITOR:

One way to diminish the power or influence of a word, a movement, a group or a philosophy is to use it to describe a totally different circumstance. The “Black Power” movement was diluted when “Power” was added to describe “Gray” (elderly people), “Green” (environmentalism) “Gay”, “Women”, “Fill in the blank… Power”. Anything “… Gate” has suffered the same fate. These terms have been so diluted they have become benign.

There are some terms that have been “adopted” to describe situations removed from their original meaning. There is one term which, over the past century has been corrupted to express evil at the highest scale.

I recently had occasion to interact with a broad age group of people. I asked them if they knew the derivation of the term “NAZI”? To my surprise and disappointment only one in about twenty could at least recognize one of the words. It is shameful that people do not know that NAZI is the short form for “National Socialism”, the operative philosophy of Adolph Hitler.

His “socialism” was properly defined as “governmental control of the means of production and distribution of goods and services”, and even though he denounced Communism, “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need”, he still adopted a corruption of it, to take from one group (the Jews) and give to his military to advance his world view.

Historically, Nazism was a form of socialism and called itself such. To be a NAZI was to adopt the socialist philosophy for the nation.

The term NAZI, instead of being diluted has been misconstrued in its use and applied not to Socialists, but to Capitalists. It is expressed through government regulatory control of the production of everything from cars to refrigerators, and the ultimate distribution via “carbon neutral” methods. Taxation and class warfare seek to redistribute wealth.

Self-identified Socialist like Bernie Sanders strive for that philosophy to be spread nationally via the political process. Those who identify with Sanders (Biden, Harris, Soros, AOC, Warren, and others) have tacitly accepted the use of the term NAZI as applied freely to members of the Trump administration and free marketeers.

I defy you to show valid proof that anyone in the current administration is an advocate for National Socialism and therefore should be termed a NAZI.

If you have children in primary or secondary school, I challenge you to find in their text books or lesson plans the true representation of Nazism as it was created prior to the Second World War. Start with the German perception of the Treaty of Versailles and it’s effect on the German psyche.

If National Socialism seeks to control through political and anarchistic means, then those who espouse the message should proudly proclaim their devotion to Nazism.

Let’s start calling out the true Nazis for who they are, and condemn their philosophy and methods. Educational materials should be scanned for historical accuracy.

Michael A. Glass

Nahma