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People tend to equate Fascism with corporatism, state control of corporations and to an extent- in an economic sense- this may be true, although I would argue perhaps that it's the other way around... corporate control of the state (at least as far as America is concerned). Politically, however, there's a difference. America was set up as a democratic republic under which rights and liberty are derived naturally- they're inherent by virtue of God's beneficence. With these freedoms and rights are responsibilities that we, as individuals, are responsible for policing our own actions. Fascism, conversely, sees the state as an organism of which each individual is a cell owned as it were by the state. Rights, therefore, are a "gift" derived from the generosity of the state. Given the current political situation in the US, it could be reasonably argued that what we have is more akin to Fascism than a democratic republic. Why is this relevant?
Under the Aktion T4 program in Nazi Germany, institutionalized (hospitalized) people with physical or mental disabilities were "allowed" to die by starvation. In 1939 Adolph Hitler signed Gradentod (Merciful Death) into law legitimizing euthanasia of those unable to care for themselves. It is important to note that this was a policy that was brought about by the medical community, not politicians. In the same year Hitler authorized the Reich Committee for the Scientific Registering of Serious Hereditary and Congenital Illnesses... designed to weed out children who would likely become a burden to the state. The very name itself is so subjective that it throws the door wide open for almost any interpretation... "serious hereditary and congenital illnesses can include almost anything (in contemporary America, perhaps things like autism, ADHD, etc.).
When you put this in the proper perspective- it was done to "save the taxpayers money," in what could easily be construed as a prescient sustainable development program. After all, if someone is unable to contribute to the society as a whole, what conceivable use are they to a Fascistic regime? Remember, under Fascism the citizen is just a cell, a part of the overall organism- and for an organism to remain healthy, unhealthy cells must be purged. And now this humane therapeutic Fascism is visited upon the United States.
A Florida hospital, following the lead of Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado Vermont and Washington DC has threatened to withhold food from a 33 year old victim of a gunshot wound... over the objections of his family and pastor, by whom the decision should ultimately be made. After the ventilator was removed, again against the wishes of his pastor and family, the victim, Joel Zuniga, began breathing on his own and had done so for 2 days as of this article. Now the hospital has unilaterally decided whether or not Zuniga should live or die... once again a decision for the family. According to an article in LifeNews...
"The family finally convinced doctors to give Joel an IV, but they still refuse to adequately feed Joel. Health care providers have also tried to pressure Joel’s parents—who speak only Spanish—to sign a form that would only give Joel “comfort” care and nothing more in an attempt to withdraw all treatment, including food, water, and antibiotics.
'Joel is 33 years old and he was shot in the head. He survived the gunshot and was on a ventilator at Memorial Hospital for two weeks. When he was taken off the ventilator, he immediately began breathing on his own. Joel is even able to make eye contact and he understands us. Joel’s physician has decided to withhold all food from this patient because of Joel’s projected “quality-of-life.” Alex, his brother recorded a conversation of the doctor refusing to provide treatment for Joel. This is clear euthanasia. The staff at Memorial Hospital is starving him to death and we are so thankful that Legal Defense Foundation is willing to fight for Joel’s life.' — Fr. Dave Nix"
Without turning this into a religious issue, it is Nature, God, his family, anybody else except the state who has a vested interest in Joel's recovery who should be making this decision. Anything else is nothing more than Fascism... state ownership of individuals.
