Dieselpunk + Steampunk Culture
Return of the Fascist Blackshirts in Italy?
It seems Diesel-Era Retrofuturist gear and Puttin' On The Reich ain't just in the ironic postmodern echoes of the Dieselpunk community.
It seems that Right Wing vigilante groups in Italy, soon to receive limited Government sanction to report crime, are sporting very overtly Squadrist and Fascist insignia.
Not-So-Crypto Fascism has lurked among Italian politics since the end of the War, but this more overt step is creating real worries of a return to the Squadrists of the past.
Thoughts?
Views: 7
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Larry on -
While I'm not an expert in European politics I understand that many European countries are struggling with the rise of extreme Right.
On a more superficial note, his uniform looks just plain stupid. Almost comical. But I guess that fits the mentality.
-
Permalink Reply by Damien Hewitt on -
Oh fuck. Who wants to help me organise a new International Brigade?
-
Permalink Reply by Tome Wilson on -
That will be 3 Euro for the shirt, and 57 Euro for the patches.
Thank you for shopping ReichMart. Where the Reich is always Right!
Can someone across the pond fill us in on what's actually happening in Italy right now? I'd like to know what kind of situation makes it okay to have these guys around.
-
Permalink Reply by Damien Hewitt on
-
I'm from your side of the pond, but Fascist politics has always been just under the surface in Italy. Sometimes it pops back up. In fact, a survey was done (I unfortunately don't have the survey, because it was ina prof's lecture slide) that showed that 65% of Italians would be fine with a Mussolini-style dictatorship coming back.
Tome Wilson said:That will be 3 Euro for the shirt, and 57 Euro for the patches.
Thank you for shopping ReichMart. Where the Reich is always Right!
Can someone across the pond fill us in on what's actually happening in Italy right now? I'd like to know what kind of situation makes it okay to have these guys around.
-
Permalink Reply by Pablo J. Alvarez on -
In europe, there are, from the extreme Right to the extreme left all kind of people. I think now, we have political mechanism to left them out of the power. By other hand, the people need to be sure, the politicians are honest, and in Europe this is very dificult.
-
Permalink Reply by lord_k on -
Well, real Squadristas sported a very informal appearance; a guy in the picture looks like an employee of some security company. Where's the MVSN elegance?
-
Permalink Reply by Cap'n Tony on -
LOL, he really does look like a tool. Reminds me of the right-wing "militias" we have here in the states which typically end up being "overweight drunken redneck gun nuts for Jesus" at best, outright neofascist criminals at worst.
The uniform looks like a comittee decision: "I wanna look MVSN!", "Well, I wanna look Brownshirt!", "I wanna look like a cop!", "SS for me!"..."Fine, we'll look like some of each."
Dr. Steel's fans have way more sense of style by far.
-
Permalink Reply by Hayen Mill on -
While it's true that fascist politics can re-emerge in Europe, it's not as alarming as some Americans might think ("oh darn, here we go saving europe again..."). I've heard about a lot of american investors. when travelling to europe (particularly my country) ask around nervously about when the social and economic collapse is expected, and when extreme-right ideologies will take-over. Seriously...
I think all of us, regardless of our political opinions, can understand what a threat fascist and national-socialist ideologies are. And I also think it would be important to shield Dieselpunks from any sort of association with these ideologies, but that's just my opinion. I just foresee that, given the economic downturn, a lot of people might start getting nostalgic and try to integrate dieselpunk with their ideologies.
-
Permalink Reply by Damien Hewitt on
-
Here here!
I have to say though, wouldn't it be really Dieselpunk if new International Brigades went over though? Diesel-era occurance done over again with that punk/modern fling?
Hayen Mill said:While it's true that fascist politics can re-emerge in Europe, it's not as alarming as some Americans might think ("oh darn, here we go saving europe again..."). I've heard about a lot of american investors. when travelling to europe (particularly my country) ask around nervously about when the social and economic collapse is expected, and when extreme-right ideologies will take-over. Seriously...
I think all of us, regardless of our political opinions, can understand what a threat fascist and national-socialist ideologies are. And I also think it would be important to shield Dieselpunks from any sort of association with these ideologies, but that's just my opinion. I just foresee that, given the economic downturn, a lot of people might start getting nostalgic and try to integrate dieselpunk with their ideologies.
-
Permalink Reply by Larry on
-
I agree Hayen. We have to be very clear in our opposition to fascism. I don't see dieselpunk ever being popular enough as a genre to be an issue but I can easily see someone use decodence as an element in the creation of a new form of fascism.
Hayen Mill said:I think all of us, regardless of our political opinions, can understand what a threat fascist and national-socialist ideologies are. And I also think it would be important to shield Dieselpunks from any sort of association with these ideologies, but that's just my opinion. I just foresee that, given the economic downturn, a lot of people might start getting nostalgic and try to integrate dieselpunk with their ideologies.
It would indeed Damien.
Damien Hewitt said:Here here!
I have to say though, wouldn't it be really Dieselpunk if new International Brigades went over though? Diesel-era occurance done over again with that punk/modern fling?
-
Permalink Reply by Damien Hewitt on
-
Well one thing that I personally am concerned about is that Fascists have a certain fondness, almost fetish, for military uniforms. With the heavy militaristic aesthetic influence present in Dieselpunk (something I personally enjoy), it seems like something that Fascists could jump into and try to spoil it for everyone else. Something they're known for doing.
So vocal opposition to Fascism and Neo-Nazism and White Supremacism and all that comes in that package is a must. Otherwise when one of us rocks a more military-influenced Diesel look, we can be sure that there is at least some understanding that we're not Nazi fanboys/girls.
Larry said:I agree Hayen. We have to be very clear in our opposition to fascism. I don't see dieselpunk ever being popular enough as a genre to be an issue but I can easily see someone use decodence as an element in the creation of a new form of fascism.
Hayen Mill said:I think all of us, regardless of our political opinions, can understand what a threat fascist and national-socialist ideologies are. And I also think it would be important to shield Dieselpunks from any sort of association with these ideologies, but that's just my opinion. I just foresee that, given the economic downturn, a lot of people might start getting nostalgic and try to integrate dieselpunk with their ideologies.
It would indeed Damien.
Damien Hewitt said:Here here!
I have to say though, wouldn't it be really Dieselpunk if new International Brigades went over though? Diesel-era occurance done over again with that punk/modern fling?
-
Permalink Reply by Cap'n Tony on
-
Fully agree. Part of what makes this "punk" is an opposition to violent authoritarian opression of individual thought and opinion. That's what I like about Dr. Steel's Toy Soldiers: all the jackboots, none of the stomping. Just have some fun.
© 2012 Created by Tome Wilson.
