Elon Musk attacked German support for migrants and promoted a call to support the AfD, a far-right extremist political party

German here. Sorry bro, that was all just wishfull thinking. Actually fascism can come back anytime, anywhere if we don´t actively prevent it.

Nazism is still a shunned no-go, and the AfD knows that (and regularly accuses others of being Nazis). The way I see it, its officials are still Nazis though, but they get around acknowledging that by just positioning themselves as counter-culture opposition to progressive movements, which is great at mobilizing a united front of anyone who feels attacked by any part of progressivism. Meanwhile, they also covertly appease other Nazis and the extreme right through dogwhistles and the like. The anti-progressive voters just ignore or tolerate this. This combination sadly proves successful. When they start building the camps, of course everyone should've known they're Nazis, but no one thinks that far even though it's their policies' logical conclusion.

The internet was still a very different place 10-15 years ago.

Unfortunately we don‘t have enough left wing fist-fighters anymore, cuz „ArE yOu ReAlLy BeTtEr, If YoU pUnCh NaZiS?!“

I remember that we discussed this specific question at school. How dangerous it is to believe that "this can't happen here again because we all remember it and everybody is so well educated about it". That's when you start letting your guard down. That's also when people who may not identify as nazis (yet) start thinking :"Well, national socialism obviously can't happen again, therefore MY far right views can't possibly count as national socialism, therefore they're ok."

It's all bullshit. You can educate people all you want, there will always be a certain percentage of assholes and idiots and we've been far too tolerant of those for far too long.

There always has been a solid 15% of the German population that is lost to democracy and favours fascist and extremely right-wing politics. This “nazi” foundation has always been well established in many governmental bodies and economic branches as they were necessary to keep the country running after the end of WW2.

Now they are employing the same tactics as before 1945: stimulating fear among disadvantaged population groups (if factual or imaginative) and scapegoating minorities (migrants) for everything bad.

The perceived hesitation and disagreement of the current government doing their part, many of the „Bio-Germans“ who feel disadvantaged turn to the idea of „the new strong man“ that finally „cleans up the cesspool“ they imagine the current political system to be.

If nothing drastically changes, I see whole federal states go lost to the AfD that especially in eastern states are nothing more than a thinly veiled new NSDAP.

I thought the same 20 years ago. The positive outlook was common sense at the time, not an exaggeration. The overall vibe was inclusive, we had open borders in Europe since the 90ies, and German public opinion pro-European and progressive-leaning.

Neonazis were a thing, but a niche phenomenon. Angry young man. Not a part of mainstream society and everyone from conservative teachers to rock bands were 'against nazis', whatever this means.

The situation has changed indeed and it is somewhat scary. Right-wing (including fascist) talking points get significant air-time in the media. Politicians use language that appeals to far-right voters much more openly, dog whistles maybe.

The society is more divided these days. Bavaria votes next weak and you will see a strong divide between urban and rural. Trivial things like how to address groups of people including all genders are heated debates. Rational policies towards solving the climate crisises are stalling because change is seen as an attack on a livestyle. Better: Propaganda frames everything as a cultural war. Your vegan sandwhich, that's war against cattle farmers.

Source: German

"Getting hold of" can be interpreted broadly. While it’s not unrealistic that the next coalition might be conservative CxU + libertarian FDP + nazi AfD, it’s also very likely that the AfD gets banned until the next election, the responsible organization already has an eye on them. And a government with the AfD would be catastrophic (obviously), but it wouldn’t equal the creation the fourth reich. They would need a 2/3 majority to change/abolish constitutional laws and to change art. 1-20, which ensure human rights and such stuff, they would first need to change/abolish art. 79, which not even CxU and FDP would support. And here’s the fun part: if the AfD actually planned to do that, even without outright stating it, it would be enough to get them banned. The protecting mechanisms are there, the AfD can’t do anything about it and the other parties with coalition potential, even CxU and FDP, wouldn’t pave the way that far for another dictatorship.

So while it’s grim that a Nazi party is that popular, the damage they can possibly do is definitely below 1933.

For one, calling every person who is against migrants or refugees "a Nazi" is really bad. I don't know where this originally started, but people seem to use this word for all kinds of assholes.

Nazis were a political party and in Germany you learn about history of the Nazis and second world war. That's not the same as learning how to not be against migrants or something.

Nazi symbols etc. are still forbidden and even many extremely right wing people would be appalled if you call them a Nazi. These are two different things. And the inflationary use of the word is really stupid (not directed at you, I see it everywhere online for all kinds of things). You give them an easy way out because they will start a discussion about the word or try to push the narrative that only "real Nazis" are the problem.

The movement to the right you see currently in Germany has the same reasons as the movement to the right you see in other countries currently as well.

Not particularly well-off people and/or not particularly bright people and/or just greedy people are scared they will get left behind or become less wealthy if other people take or even participate in what they see as theirs. Refugees and migrants are by far the easiest target for these frustrations.

What is this old joke I've never seen?

Short form of Bernhard, "brave/hardy bear". As such it's "Bernie the Bread".

The platform will likely get blocked within the EU quite soon if it stays this way. After a devastating report about misinformation, they loosened oversight even more, meaning it actively does not conform to EU regulations (regarding hate speech for example) anymore. Facebook has already received hefty fines for less so I honestly don't expect Xitter to be around much longer.

You're assuming those accounts are real, and also assuming they're funded externally

Yes. Yes, I am proud, that my tax money saves lives. Fucking cunt

reading the whole comment is usually useful.

That was what I was trying to say.

I honestly thought he founded both companies back then. I don't know if that he just bought them was obvious/something everyone should know or if I was clueless. I guess maybe it is a mix of both.

His grandfather J. N. Haldeman was a staunch anti-Communist from Canada who in the nineteen-thirties and forties had been a leader of the anti-democratic and quasi-fascist Technocracy movement. (Technocrats believed that scientists and engineers should rule.) “In 1950, he decided to move to South Africa,” Isaacson writes, “which was still ruled by a white apartheid regime.” In fact, apartheid had been declared only in 1948, and the regime was soon recruiting white settlers from North America, promising restless men such as Haldeman that they could live like princes. Isaacson calls Haldeman’s politics “quirky.” In 1960, Haldeman self-published a tract, “The International Conspiracy to Establish a World Dictatorship & the Menace to South Africa,” that blamed the two World Wars on the machinations of Jewish financiers.

• New Yorker

Without oxygen /s

/s

Was gonna say, we should fulfill his wish. Shoot him up to Mars, he can be Emperor of the rocks up there.

Thiel for Prez 2028 do you mean ? Or is he just funding someone ?

The two are certainly buddies and very aligned

He can't run for president. You have to be born in the US, (or outside the US of US parents ie Ted Cruz, not 100% sure on the latter one).

He was born in South Africa iirc. Same reason Arnie can't run, Arnie would have waltzed it in if he could run