User blog:YNot1989/Wrapped in the Flag and Carrying a Cross

Following the first world war, Germany found itself in a state of economic depression and hyperinflation. In 1921 Adolf Hitler Became head of the Nazi Party, an organization that had less than 60 members one year ago. With skillful oratory and the use of ethnic minorities (jews, the Roma people, homosexuals, etc.) as a scapegoat for the present economic troubles, Hitler was able to recruit thousands to his cause and eventually gain election to the highest office in the land.

Today the United States finds itself in defeat, at least in the minds of the majority of Americans, in Iraq; the economy, while recovering steadily at 5.5% growth, is to many still in a state of near depression, and as seen in the recent Arizona immigration legislation and growing calls in other states for similar laws, as well as the behavior of certain political organizations, their is a growing anger towards ethnic minorities. And one person is energizing a political movement with now thousands of members that grew from obscurity by blaming the economic troubles of the day that were so clearly the fault of the previous administrations, on the present one.

I ask you this, is it possible, that with this perfect storm of irrational blame, economic recession, and the sense of military defeat; that someone could come to power to blame the present circumstances on a minority ethnic group(s) and use that scapegoat as a way to consolidate power for themselves?