It Can't Happen Here!

It Can't Happen Here!

2013, Society  -   71 Comments
7.39
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Ratings: 7.39/10 from 176 users.

There are many perfect examples in our recent history which undoubtedly show that dictatorial regimes impose subjection, blackmail, servitude, intimidation, abuse, persecution and execution upon innocent people. However, many Americans are strongly convinced and assuredly assert that such a thing could never happen in the United States. But is this just desirous reasoning?

Or, is there something essentially disparate about the United States that makes it resistant to the despotic abuse that has afflicted every other considerable empire in history? The primary step in scrutinizing the assertion that it can't happen here is to recognize and describe what "IT" is. Many people have distorted, almost comic-book-type, impression of dictatorship.

In the real world autocracy has always crept in under the pretense of safeguarding the nation, defending the people, and establishing law and order. A dictator, in order to acquire and hold power, must demand the support of the people. An effective oppressor cannot publicly display malevolence and desire for power but must design his approach so as to persuade the people that his goals are righteous, that he wants honesty and fairness to abound, and that the most desirable way to make that true is to give him or her dominance and authority.

Tyrannical governments develop by abusing people's fears - economic uncertainty, crime, foreign aggressors and so on and persuading the people that the quick-fix is for a political leader to be legally given absolute jurisdiction so he can shield the people from the wickedness of the world. This is always the pattern out of which autocracy is born.

No matter how cruel or bloodthirsty regime becomes those in charge will persist to claim noble intentions and will dictate that an extreme government powers are required to protect the people and to create justice and order. Every time mankind has taken a step away from democracy and towards autocracy it was done in the name of defending the country and the people.

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John Chan
John Chan
3 years ago

In the real world of nowadays, every time mankind has taken a step away from liberty, equality, justice and towards autocracy it was done in the name of defending the democracy, freedom and human rights by the West.

Sandra
Sandra
5 years ago

Oh, America is too busy killing people around the world, especially guarding our extrication of oil in Middle Eastern countries, to be bothered about turning the military's guns on armed American citizens. The photos of Obama were in abundant view in the sinister insinuations that the American government was about to subdue its citizens. Now I have a lot of problems with Guantanamo Bay where Muslims are detained for decades without trial. America is no model of democracy by any means, but, so far, its better than all the other forms of government. When the oil starts to runs out in a few decades, all bets are off.

Urban dweller
Urban dweller
6 years ago

To have the type of freedom we all want would require a collective mental shift ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE. That's not likely to happen in our life time or as the present day specie of mankind. Either we will continue to destroy (most likely), shift mentally (in another 2000 years), an intervention from an alien species, or the advent of Super AI.

Urban dweller
Urban dweller
6 years ago

I always know a message is from the alt. right when they consistently point to President Obama. As though he and he alone is to blame for the mess and "old boy network" he inherited and had to deal with in the American government.

Urban dweller
Urban dweller
6 years ago

This has already happened in the United States...it's called slavery and jim crow laws. And guess what? MOST Americans (whites) did nothing about it.
Being Black in the United States has been and continues to be like the Jews in Nazi Germany who had to wear yellow bands with the Star of David around their arms. With Blacks the color of their skin serves as those bands! So now it's not just Black Americans but all those who are not making more than several million dollars a year. In America it's all about money, i.e. POWER!

Ron lemons
Ron lemons
6 years ago

how can I buy the DVDs

john smith
john smith
6 years ago

Please, when you make this films don't talk over the on screen captions.Just have silence.
It's annoying, as it's difficult to read the text and listen to your voice at the same time.

WoW
WoW
7 years ago

It already basically did in the US. NATIVE AMERICANS, guys. They were slaughtered.

Steve
Steve
8 years ago

Wow what a bunch of moronic comments. This clown has never read the 2nd amendment with well regulated militias. In addition the fantasy of a peaceful separation of the south? Really fort sumner was peaceful. Hey Waco was just a bunch of peaceful pedophiles right.... Dude you have totally bought the conspiracy industry's line. Fox News has done its job well.

bb!
bb!
9 years ago

I grew up in a small closed christian cult within the US. I left at 18, sensing that something was not right. It took me many years to realize how brainwashed I was there. And then I started to realize that everyone "out here" - while not evil as we'd been taught - were living under the same delusions I had been living in, despite the differences in definition. I have childhood friends still living there I am unable to contact, but even if i could, I'm not sure i'd tell them to leave. The re-acclimation is really difficult, and leaving the comfy brainwashed state is very hard work and requires much bitter reflection. ...The literature on the difficulties leaving a cult, ptsd, denial, and on the tendencies within a cult, and their leaders, etc., it can all be transposed to the national level, certainly in places like Belarus or N Korea, and this awesome (if sometimes redundant) documentary makes it obvious that we. too. could benefit from learning about how cults work, and why leaving is so difficult.

mycial
mycial
9 years ago

AWESOME, this documentary explains it all. Sadly, so much information to digest if your not aware of these oppression issues then you won't believe anything. I no longer have hope for the two legged dumbed down sheeple. From cradle to the grave they have US OUR OWNERS. We OBEY except GMO FOODS FLOUIRDE IN OUR WATER AIR & FOOD. We except the CHEMTRAILS VIDEO RECORDING & AUDIO RECORDING everywhere we go. Email text phone recordings all in the name of keeping us safe. OUR OWNERS HAVE US FAT & LAZY JUST WAITING TO BE HURDED INTO THE FEMA CAMPS. Take care peace & much love.

Peter Wilson
Peter Wilson
9 years ago

This documentary presents the most pressing issues facing individuals today. Many of the commenters are confused about the following. "I don't like it" is a valid opinion. "I don't like it" is not a valid counter-argument.

MediaOps
MediaOps
9 years ago

This is just another deceptive load of far-right Tea Party paranoia masquerading as a super-patriotic warning about the imaginary threat that Democrats are somehow going to take away the 320 MILLION guns in America & throw conservatives into FEMA concentration camps & swallow the keys.

Your first clue that this is a bogus documentary, designed to persuade rather than inform, is the ominous soundtrack, typical of this kind of PR film. No legitimate documentary designed to inform would use this devious 'negative ad' technique.

The narrator starts off sounding reasonable, warning about tyrants who use fear to persuade people to give up their rights. But before long he is doing exactly what he warned about: using fear to persuade the audience that democratic representative government is the enemy and that "we the people" need to shut it down & get rid of public funding for education, Medicare, Social Security, etc. The standard right-wing rant.

These films are produced by conservative PR firms & contractors & financed by groups like the NRA & the Heritage Foundation. I know, because I used to work in TV production, and often did PR spots. Working closely with PR contractors was a real education into the kinds of methods & techniques used in PR to influence & manipulate public opinion.

Top Documentary Films should not distribute these ersatz 'documentaries', since they're not really documentaries at all.

noboundryman
noboundryman
9 years ago

Simple minded childish right wing conspiracy theorist lunacy. The fear of erosion of freedom is real, but the solution isn't to destroy government. It's to educate people, so they can take control of their own government. The people of the United States have every advantage as a result of our industrial, agricultural, military expansion, and indeed our constitution. Sadly however people spend more time vegetating on beer, weed, NASCAR, NFL, NHL,NBA, Baseball, Dancing With the Stars, Duck Dynasty, Honey Boo Boo, eating Cheetos cheesy puffs, and porn than they do learning about the realities of congress, the state legislatures, the environment, and science. The people of the U.S. have for the most part abdicated their authority, and responsibility to participate in governance by sheer slovenliness, and childish shirking of adult responsibilities. They feel somehow that all those other people, the smart people, the hard working responsible people ,will take care of everything. That all goes great until you find out they've been securing everything for themselves, and not you.

farbertwo
farbertwo
9 years ago

let's try targeted boycotting.

Doobie Wa
Doobie Wa
9 years ago

Wow, that's a negative light on ol' Abe.

Lastviewer
Lastviewer
9 years ago

I ain't no US citizen but I feel thast it went a bit overboard with Lincoln. A fews true things but if he was shot, it got be because he didn't complied with the expections of the crooked mind.
They all get shot in do time in the US.

In the end, that docu simply state what US citizen are living through is the exact same faith as all human being on earth.
Only the intensity or the means differ a little.
When 90% of a nation is fed up with the 10%, that 10% may well have arms; late or soon that 10% will fall.
It's only a matter of how many had enough.
And history tells us that the 10% rarely realise, when it got to stop.
Wont be in the next coming year.
I hope.

jimmy smith
jimmy smith
9 years ago

Why is it that when ever I hear words like the four horsemen ,ArmageddonT-5 Thunderbird,and days end,it calls to mind rolex watches and twrists in sleazy motel rooms.The only significant negative change that has occurred is in the last 5,000 years is industrialization,weapons of mass destruction and private and state owned properity,

Kansas Devil
Kansas Devil
9 years ago

All it takes is enough people willing to abdicate their responsibility to another, to allow dictatorship to creep in.
And the US is full of people who want to hand over that job to someone else so they have more time for other things.

CapnCanard
CapnCanard
9 years ago

There is a lot to agree with in this film. But he does come across strong as Libertarian, almost like a Tea Party member. The film does point out that any state can become a tyrannical fascist, authoritarian state. In other words, any state can become an Authoritarian tyranny and most will. I believe the true problem is 'Authority' and the best answer is Anarchism. But honestly, I don't see any system capable of avoiding the inevitable careening collapse into tyranny. Having laws against any such collapse is quaint, cute, and just an excuse to make new laws to counter a constitution that would seek to avoid tyranny. whatever the government, but by and large I agree that nearly every governmental ideology can become Authoritarian and tyrannical.

Hussain Fahmy
Hussain Fahmy
9 years ago

There are groups of misguided people who strongly believe that out of Chaos comes Order.

Fabien L'Amour
Fabien L'Amour
9 years ago

Ok, he doesn't want the US Federal government to regulate education, healthcare, food, retirement plans, air travel, trains, cars, alcool, tobacco, drugs, firearms, explosives, gambling, electronic communications, etc. because that wasn't specifically written in the constitution. Some of these things didn't even exist when the constitution was put in place.

Then if the Federal government can't regulate these things, who will? Would you trust the airlines, car companies, tobacco companies and alcool distillers to auto regulate themselves? If zero country wide regulation is the only way to avoid tyranny, get ready for chaotic freedom.

Where are the Republicans pictures at 33:50?!?! The patriot act wasn't originally pushed down the throat of the American people by Clinton, Obama or Biden.

Norman Van Rooy
Norman Van Rooy
9 years ago

Listen to this guys (the writer/narrator) absolutist statements. He vilifies Lincoln thoroughly. Makes broad sweeping generalities. Being a media guy for a long time I am sensitive to propaganda whether it comes from from politicians, the media of any kind, and or the various religions. This film touches on many good points, but alas has given its heart to stirring up the viewers emotions...a tempest in a teapot.

Richard Masters
Richard Masters
9 years ago

Haven't you been paying attention? It's already here. this isn't the '30s with blackshirts and truncheons. The world has evolved, and tyranny has evolved along with it. The people pulling the levers are ever so much more subtle these days. They control 99% of the news media, so they control what's discussed and what's NOT. They frame the dialog, and they substitute propaganda for news. Meanwhile, They erode legal protections which workers have bled and died for and keep most of the population in severe economic uncertainty. People are so distracted with the struggle just to get by that they have no stomach for resistance. Whistleblowers are "traitors" and spies, and are either in exile or in jail. The NSA snoops on everything you do or say. Get out of line, and you can be labeled a terrorist, which instantly strips you of your civil rights. Those gun nuts who have been stockpiling weapons and ammunition to fight guv'mint tyranny are a day late and a dollar short. Game over.

Janeen Clark
Janeen Clark
9 years ago

tyranny begins at the psychological thought level "internal conversation" where a person thinks of them self as a "good" guy and another person or group is the "bad" guy . once established the "good" guy can do any horrific think to the "bad" guy . this is called punishment. anytime any punishment is used on any level even just calling a person an a**hole this internal dialog thought process of using an enemy image is taking place. no one every killed or hurt or tortured someone else thinking to themselves "i am the bad guy, he is the good guy" this entire process is taught by society in every way possible so that people or groups in power can dominate and control the population .meanwhile the population dominates and controls within itself as well because this demented incorrect ignorant way of thinking has been beaten into their head since birth to the point where this sick process can repeat over and over.
in order to evolve beyond this nonsense, we would need to educate children (teach them accurate information not factory line school systems) that the use of reward and punishment and ideas of enemy imagery are only tools of domination and the least intelligent option to choose in any situation. children (and adults in society) need to be taught that domination tactics and socio-pathic tendencies are a demented brain and internal thought process. this first step can go along way to begin to stop humanity from its current course of extinction.
imagine if each cell in your body fought each other and tried to dominate the system. imagine if the cells in a tree leaf chose domination. we can look at any living system and realize that it is only diseased living system that cells dominate inside an organism.
these are facts that are inarguable not opinions. yet how many famous scientists in the spotlight bring these points up? are scientists or anyone else supposed to be critically thinking? what only critically think the topics that society puts its stamp of approval on? from where im sitting governement, money systems, jobs, work and even parenting in some cases where domination is used, is a replica of religion in that we dont question if they are valid based on science and the real world. to every atheist that feels a need to critically think religion , do you not know that money , government and false positions of authority are each a religion as well?

spidermongo
spidermongo
9 years ago

@DanCoutney.I think and hope that the 1% of 1% of the shot callers realize if they don,t change their wicked ways their necks will eventually be in a noose like the rest of ours is now.

Dan Courtney
Dan Courtney
9 years ago

Libertarian nonsense.

ediemeowgwick
ediemeowgwick
9 years ago

Wow. Pro south RACIST slavery supporting documentary. Thinks the confederacy was an admirable thing. What a horrible person.

ediemeowgwick
ediemeowgwick
9 years ago

Waaaa waaaa waaaaa. If there is ever civil conflict in the U.S. the worse thing that could happen to the world is right wing/christian/white/tea party/nut jobs are the only ones that are armed. I encourage all leftists to push for extremely tough gun laws to take guns away from those who make frequent threats to the government (i.e. crazy right wing nut jobs). Then I also encourage all leftists to purchase massive amounts of weapons, learn how to use them, and store them underground in hidden places all over.

That is the only possible good outcome if there is ever civil conflict in the U.S.

That is all right wing/christian/white/tea party/nut jobs have their guns confiscated in advance (most of them are paranoid conspiracy nuts, it shouldn't be hard to have most them committed with a few changes to the law).

And leftists get armed so we can take out the few right wingers who slip through the net.

Otherwise the world becomes a fascist corporate plutocracy.

Governance isn't the problem. Rich people and those that support their goal to concentrate their wealth through capitalism are.

Who wrote the FEMA camp law REX 84? OLIVER NORTH. Who did he write it for? REAGAN. Why? To lock up LEFTISTS in concentration camps for opposing his corporatists murder spree in Latin America.

You created the FEMA camps right wingers to stop our dissent. We will use them to eliminate you instead. You started it for the most evil of reasons. To prevent our rightful and righteous dissent against your murder for corporate profit. This is why we will rig the game so that we win.

ediemeowgwick
ediemeowgwick
9 years ago

I have no problem with guns being taken away from right wing anti government nuts. I don't want to ban guns. I just think only people who aren't idiots should be allowed to own them. Thankfully they can't take away our (the leftists) weapons. Our hearts. We will win in the end. Right wingers/tea partiers in the dust bin of history.

Janeen Clark
Janeen Clark
9 years ago

all governments are tyranny . all laws and police are tyranny. the use of money barter or trade is tyranny.the use of prisons and jail is tyranny. jobs and work for money is tyranny.public and private schools are tyranny. the use of authority and hence punishment in any way is tyranny.people are only taught otherwise none of the above institutions and practices are scientifically verified or critically thought about based on the real world they are all mind games to control.
what kind of free society would need a peice of paper to TELL them how free they are ,even if that piece of paper was followed and respected a free society would have no form of punishment, no form of subservience no form of authority. the humanity of earth functions at the psychological level of a 6 year old spoiled child. lets hope we can at least mature to adolescence before we go extinct from disgusting psychological games.

farbertwo
farbertwo
9 years ago

It might be too late, what means by which do we have to make change? voting and protesting are no good, I think targeted boycotts are the only thing left.