RIP Juan Guzmán Tapia; The Importantance of Prosecuting Fascism

[Milchshake]

Looking at recent history, defeating Rightwing Authoritarians seems to be more of a rare thing.

Today we lost one of the modern heroes who prosecuted the fascism of the Right. It is worth noting with the rise of fascism in the United States that sometimes people do realize the error of their ways and become determine to make up for the damage they caused and the horrible people they supported. Guzmán did more than any other single person to try and bring Pinochet to justice.

Juan Guzmán Tapia, judge who battled Chilean dictator, dies at 81



Juan Guzmán Tapia, a Chilean judge who was the first person to prosecute the country’s onetime military ruler, Augusto Pinochet, using novel legal strategies to hold him and members of his regime accountable for killings and human rights offenses in the 1970s and 1980s, died Jan. 22 at age 81.

Chilean newspapers, including La Tercera, reported his death, which was confirmed by his family to Spanish-language news services. Other details were not disclosed, but Judge Guzmán lived in Santiago and had dementia, said a friend, Peter Kornbluh, the author of “The Pinochet File.”

Judge Guzmán, who was the son of a Chilean diplomat, said he and his conservative family celebrated in 1973 when Pinochet and his military supporters overthrew Salvador Allende, Chile’s democratically elected socialist president, in a coup. It took years before Judge Guzmán understood the full extent of the terror that was then unleashed by Pinochet, his secret police and other henchmen.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Judge Guzmán led an often risky legal campaign to redress rampant human rights abuses that left thousands of Chileans dead.

“He has become the iconic pursuer of justice in Chile — the first judge to indict and began a legal process to bring Augusto Pinochet to justice for crimes against humanity both within Chile and elsewhere,” said Kornbluh, who is director of the Chile Documentation Project at the National Security Archive.

Hopefully other Democracies follow in his footsteps.

[Themius]

Well, it seems so far the USA hasn't learned to maybe not do regime changes with Biden not helping.

[Krakan]

You realize how deeply insulting and disgusting it is to compare current day politics to what he was up against right?

It always saddens me a bit when people do these absurd comparisons.

[Endus]

You realize how deeply insulting and disgusting it is to compare current day politics to what he was up against right?

It always saddens me a bit when people do these absurd comparisons.

Most of us would rather nip latent fascism in the bud rather than waiting for the genocides and police states to emerge before taking action.

That should be pretty fucking obvious.

[Krakan]

Most of us would rather nip latent fascism in the bud rather than waiting for the genocides and police states to emerge before taking action.

That should be pretty fucking obvious.

Just like the communist scare in the cold war...

I would rather wait for proof of something before hunting for witches. An authoritarian view isn't the same thing as destroying civil liberties.

[Ashleyxoxo]

Another rich suit dead, who cares? He didn't.

[Endus]

Just like the communist scare in the cold war...

Wrong.

Stop making bullshit pies and asking others to eat them.

And yes; authoritarianism fundamentally and irrevocably attacks civil liberties. They're antithetical concepts.

[Calfredd]

Another rich suit dead, who cares? He didn't.

Another World History dropout.

[Krakan]

Wrong.

Stop making bullshit pies and asking others to eat them.

And yes; authoritarianism fundamentally and irrevocably attacks civil liberties. They're antithetical concepts.

True but like anything their are degrees to it. To try and compare the states with the topic at hand is still an absurdity.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

True but like anything their are degrees to it. To try and compare the states with the topic at hand is still an absurdity.

I have a fair bit to say, but I don't feel like I can find the right words to get my feelings across. However I have come across an artist who managed to convey it quite clearly, since he spoke much more eloquently than I feel I can at the moment I'll just defer to his words.

The video does contain some profanity (felt like I should give fair warning for anyone watching it around children/in public, without headphones on)


I'll quote the most relevant lines from the video to what I'm referring to, for anyone who doesn't feel like watching the video.

Truth is if not for COVID, Trump would've won re-election in a landslide
So we evaded armageddon, for good old store brand oppression
But if a leader more savvy, and less sociopathic with true fascist aspirations come along, it's gon' be tragic
74 million proved if the right rhetoric is used
We could end up on the wrong side of World War II 2

Frankly speaking the whole song is highly relevant, but these lines are the ones I think most pertinent to this specific thread.

[Dezerte]

Definitely some form of neo-fascism going on in the US, at the very least. It needs to be nipped in the bud as mentioned.

[PosPosPos]

True but like anything their are degrees to it. To try and compare the states with the topic at hand is still an absurdity.

It was always absurd until millions upon millions of people got killed by you and your ilk.

[Machismo]

Just like the communist scare in the cold war...

I would rather wait for proof of something before hunting for witches. An authoritarian view isn't the same thing as destroying civil liberties.

Umm, that's exactly what it is. Authoritarianism is literally an adherence to a strong government at the cost of civil liberties.

Let's show an example. What country are you from, and what party do you support?

[Endus]

True but like anything their are degrees to it. To try and compare the states with the topic at hand is still an absurdity.

Not even a little bit absurd.

The argument you're making is always "C'mon, they're not like the Nazi Reich in 1943! That's ridiculous and unfair!"

But that's not what people mean when they liken them to Nazis. The Nazis existed for a much longer period of time. The time period people are pointing at isn't the early '40s, it's the early '30s. At this point, the USA is arguably at a similar point as the November 1932 election in the Weimar Republic. The Nazis had a major loss in that election, after a few years of strong support by the people.

You had people at the time making statements like the following;

It is a hopeless misjudgement to think that one could force a dictatorial regime upon the German nation. [...] The diversity of the German people calls for democracy.
Theodor Wolff in Frankfurter Zeitung, Jan 1933

That's from just months after the Nazi loss, days before Hitler was made Chancellor. It was just months later when Hitler began to gather power and push towards dictatorship.

The USA is gifted the fact that its own ethnofascist faction are a lot less intelligent and organized than the Nazi Party was under Hitler. But they're working off the same playbook, engaging in the same tactics, and pushing the same rhetoric.

[Krakan]

It was always absurd until millions upon millions of people got killed by you and your ilk.

Same with communism or socialism. It is a simple mind that believes a simple political system is the cause of evil in men.

- - - Updated - - -

Not even a little bit absurd.

The argument you're making is always "C'mon, they're not like the Nazi Reich in 1943! That's ridiculous and unfair!"

But that's not what people mean when they liken them to Nazis. The Nazis existed for a much longer period of time. The time period people are pointing at isn't the early '40s, it's the early '30s. At this point, the USA is arguably at a similar point as the November 1932 election in the Weimar Republic. The Nazis had a major loss in that election, after a few years of strong support by the people.

You had people at the time making statements like the following;

It is a hopeless misjudgement to think that one could force a dictatorial regime upon the German nation. [...] The diversity of the German people calls for democracy.
Theodor Wolff in Frankfurter Zeitung, Jan 1933

That's from just months after the Nazi loss, days before Hitler was made Chancellor. It was just months later when Hitler began to gather power and push towards dictatorship.

The USA is gifted the fact that its own ethnofascist faction are a lot less intelligent and organized than the Nazi Party was under Hitler. But they're working off the same playbook, engaging in the same tactics, and pushing the same rhetoric.

I don't believe there is a strong enthnofascist element in the states. It's the equivalent of being afraid of the monster under the bed. It's the view of those desperate to blame their own failings on anything but themselves.

[Endus]

Same with communism or socialism. It is a simple mind that believes a simple political system is the cause of evil in men.

The difference being the rest of us are suggesting we take a path that doesn't lead to millions dead.

You're arguing for such a path.

I don't believe there is a strong enthnofascist element in the states. It's the equivalent of being afraid of the monster under the bed. It's the view of those desperate to blame their own failings on anything but themselves.

Then you're blind and willfully ignorant. It's always been present. They fought a civil war over it. It resulted in Jim Crow laws and segregation. Which were the inspiration for the Nazi's race laws, even. It led to black Americans being literal second-class citizens until within living memory. There are still marches pushing ethnofascist rhetoric. It was pushed by the 45th President of the United States, who just left office.

That it's a major factor isn't a matter of opinion or debate. It's observable reality.

[downnola]

I don't believe there is a strong enthnofascist element in the states. It's the equivalent of being afraid of the monster under the bed. It's the view of those desperate to blame their own failings on anything but themselves.

You've never been to a southern state then and you don't know what you're talking about.

edit* shit, I'm not even going to just single out the south, there were Klan rallies in my hometown in PA while I was growing up and they started doing them again during Trumps presidency.

[callipygoustp]

I don't believe there is a strong enthnofascist element in the states. It's the equivalent of being afraid of the monster under the bed. It's the view of those desperate to blame their own failings on anything but themselves.

Look at you helping to prove Endus' point. Nice guy.

[Milchshake]

Look at you helping to prove Endus' point. Nice guy.

It shows that our new DoJ has a lot of work ahead. I'm hoping they prioritize prosecutors willing to take on these guys.

[tehdang]

Looking at recent history, defeating Rightwing Authoritarians seems to be more of a rare thing.

Today we lost one of the modern heroes who prosecuted the fascism of the Right. It is worth noting with the rise of fascism in the United States that sometimes people do realize the error of their ways and become determine to make up for the damage they caused and the horrible people they supported. Guzmán did more than any other single person to try and bring Pinochet to justice.

Juan Guzmán Tapia, judge who battled Chilean dictator, dies at 81



Juan Guzmán Tapia, a Chilean judge who was the first person to prosecute the country’s onetime military ruler, Augusto Pinochet, using novel legal strategies to hold him and members of his regime accountable for killings and human rights offenses in the 1970s and 1980s, died Jan. 22 at age 81.

Chilean newspapers, including La Tercera, reported his death, which was confirmed by his family to Spanish-language news services. Other details were not disclosed, but Judge Guzmán lived in Santiago and had dementia, said a friend, Peter Kornbluh, the author of “The Pinochet File.”

Judge Guzmán, who was the son of a Chilean diplomat, said he and his conservative family celebrated in 1973 when Pinochet and his military supporters overthrew Salvador Allende, Chile’s democratically elected socialist president, in a coup. It took years before Judge Guzmán understood the full extent of the terror that was then unleashed by Pinochet, his secret police and other henchmen.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Judge Guzmán led an often risky legal campaign to redress rampant human rights abuses that left thousands of Chileans dead.

“He has become the iconic pursuer of justice in Chile — the first judge to indict and began a legal process to bring Augusto Pinochet to justice for crimes against humanity both within Chile and elsewhere,” said Kornbluh, who is director of the Chile Documentation Project at the National Security Archive.

Hopefully other Democracies follow in his footsteps.

Ironically, he was both right to support Pinochet in the overthrow and right to oppose the way in which he ruled afterwards.

The parallels to today are a little far-fetched. There is no KGB and ascendant Cuba supporting communist takeovers. Pinochet jailed, executed, and tortured. Those are more pursuant to human rights abuses that need judicial responses than we see today.