Reductio ad Hitlerum: One in a Long, Long Series

"We thought Hitler was a bad fella … these guys could show him a thing or two—and they're creeping up on us quietly without guns or anything like that, but the poison is there."

Who might "these guys" be?  Terrorists? Detroit auto execs? Nope: Companies that make genetically modified canola. According to Margaret Fulton, in an official Greenpeace edition of her True Food Guide, these guys will soon "control the world."

Of course, the word canola itself is a whitewash. It's really oil made from rapeseeds. And you know what Nazis sometimes did? They raped people. Coincidence? I think not.

Michael Moynihan chronicled Naomi Wolf on the best of all reductios just last week.

Via CCF and Leo Strauss

Comments

[Andrew]

The hilarity of the article, coupled with the picture, combine for what may be my favorite Hit & Run post ever.

Besides, Hitler was a vegetarian, right? So these canola oil guys are worse! WORSE I SAY!

[Elemenope]

The picture wins.

[Episiarch]

I don't know if I can handle this much Godwin-ing. Even jokingly.

[Paul]

And I'll bet some of those companies even have Jews on the board.

[Brandybuck]

Does Adolf like fried chicken too?

[Nazi]

Both women were reluctant to relate these incidents and thereby challenge the master narrative of the Holocaust that doesn't include women's sexual victimization.

But it isn't part of the master narrative!

[Ken Shultz]

My understanding was that corn syrup, regardless of whether it's GM, was already destroying the planet.

Did I miss another memo?

[Paul]

Did I miss another memo?

There's always another memo.

[chuck goolsbee]

Canola makes the best BioDiesel, so when I drive my car I'm truly raping the planet! 😉

[damen]

A pretty funny post, but I have to disagree with some other comments: That _repetitive_ Hitler clip was pretty annoying.

[Hazel Meade]

Yeah, there was an anti-GMO article today in my local "alternative" paper. (The same one that's published in almost every city).

Amusingly, the article screamed about the dire threat to the planet that these crops posed. Without actually specifing what that threat could possibly be, or providing any evidence for it. Only that it was "impossible to imagine".

Yeah, it is impossible to imagine how GMOs could destroy the planet, all right. At least if you have a minimal education in genetics it is.

[D.A. Ridgely]

Pure win!

[joe]

It's good to know that someone's keeping an eye our for subversive anti-capitalism in the cookbook genre.

You can't be too careful.

[Hazel Meade]

What does anti-capitalism have to do with the insane anti-scientific ravings of a bunch of luddite cave-dwellers?

[KidCarnivore]

"Bad fella"? Governor Palin?! Is that you?

[joe]

What does anti-capitalism have to do with the insane anti-scientific ravings..

I've often wondered that myself. I'm tall it's all connected somehow. "Watermelons," doncha know.

...of a bunch of luddite cave-dwellers? Can't we go a single thread without dragging Sarah Palin into it?

[Hazel Meade]

Joe ...

well, considering you were the one who made the connection, I suspect you're the most familiar with the logic.

I just wish more "liberals" didn't see the connection themselves. The problem is that so many of them DO make the insane leap from "I hate capitalism!" to "Genetic engineering is dangerous and evil!" as if there WAS some innate connection between the two concepts.

[John]

Hazel,

Forget it. Nothing about liberalism, no matter how embarassing bothers Joe. He is truely without shame on the subject. Ignorant liberal luddites make war on useful products that could save lives and help end hunger and Joe makes a Palin joke. He knows nothing else to say. His mind cannot comprehend that anyone on his side of the political debate could ever be wrong about anything. It wouldn't surprise me if he thinks Palin is behind the article. When it comes to what is wrong with anything left, he lives in a fantasy world. Don't waste your time.

[Elemenope]

John has a joe fetish.

Srsly.

[wage slave]

for those who don't know who she is, Margaret Fulton is an Australian version of Julia Child. So this is sort of like seeing your grandmother slip on a Che t-shirt and tinfoil hat - disturbing yet compelling entertainment.

Joe on the other hand...

[joe]

well, considering you were the one who made the connection

Uh, yeah, Hazel. Novel concept on my part; environmentalists as commies. None of you trademark that before my letter gets to the post office.

I just wish more "liberals" didn't see the connection themselves. Most don't. When we see conservatives going on about watermelon and the great global warming conspiracy, we do that thing where you make a circle motion around your ear with your finger.

Don't worry, John will save you.

[joe]

John has a joe fetish.

Srsly.

Gee, you think?

More than that, he's laminated his Sarah Palin photo. So it can stand up to more...attention.

[Les]

While this post illustrates an example of leftist scientific nonsense, there's no reason to think that it's more prevalent on the left than it is on the right.

For every leftist who's afraid of genetically engineered food and vaccines, there's a social conservative who's afraid of evolution and homosexuals.

Willful idiots abound all around us.

[joe]

So what you're saying, John, is "This is no laughing matter. This is serious. Knock off that cracking wise, or so help me, I will stop this car!"

Yes, Dad.

[Aresen]

For every leftist who's afraid of genetically engineered food and vaccines, there's a social conservative who's afraid of evolution and homosexuals.

I agree, Les, except there is a sizeable subset of social conservatives afraid of evolution, teh gays, GM food and vaccines.

[mark]

Who might "these guys" be? Terrorists? Detroit auto execs?

Climate alarmists?

[juris imprudent]

joe sez Yes, Dad.

Which takes that fetish to a whole new and even more disturbing level.

[eoj]

Watermelon is a racial code word.

[Arkady]

Dear John,
Sarah Palin jokes are funny. Please do not pretend that they aren't.

Dear joe,
Huffington Post-types getting lathered up over Sarah Palin is also funny. Not because Sarah Palin isn't a dolt, but because seeing anyone with their feathers that ruffled warms the cockles of our impish, contrarian hearts.

We love you both.

[Les]

I agree, Les, except there is a sizeable subset of social conservatives afraid of evolution, teh gays, GM food and vaccines.

This is very true. So much of right-wing foreign and domestic policy is based on fear. They're just a bunch of fraidy cats.

[Hazel Meade]

For every leftist who's afraid of genetically engineered food and vaccines, there's a social conservative who's afraid of evolution and homosexuals.

Indeed. It's just freaking wierd that a faction that prides itself on being intellectual, elite, and educated, harbors idiots like the anti-nuke, anti-biotech brigades. Without a trace of irony, either.

[Rex Rhino]

For every leftist who's afraid of genetically engineered food and vaccines, there's a social conservative who's afraid of evolution and homosexuals.

The difference is that my circle of acquaintances involves almost no-one who is afraid of homosexuals or evolution, but a lot of obnoxious people who are afraid of GMO and vaccines. The right wing agenda is something entirely abstract to me, the intolerant left wing retards are very very real to me.

Perhaps if I lived in Alabama, I would feel differently, but for me the right wing social agenda is filed under the same personal threat level as a Sleestack. On the other hand, there isn't a day goes by that left-wing anti-technologists don't negatively effect my life.

I agree, Les, except there is a sizeable subset of social conservatives afraid of evolution, teh gays, GM food and vaccines.

They are called "Crunchy Cons"... and there is nothing on the planet more annoying than "Crunchy Cons"!

[Les]

It's just freaking wierd that a faction that prides itself on being intellectual, elite, and educated, harbors idiots like the anti-nuke, anti-biotech brigades. Without a trace of irony, either.

You're absolutely right. That does make their stupidity a little more annoying.

The difference is that my circle of acquaintances involves almost no-one who is afraid of homosexuals or evolution, but a lot of obnoxious people who are afraid of GMO and vaccines.

I'm kind of in the same boat, except for the obnoxious part. A lot of my family lives in rural Missouri, so I see a lot of both extremes.

[If I were a journalist... or a]

HEADLINE:
Innocent cooking oil Victimized by British Empire left-overs. Canucks kill rape-seed, Australians abuse canola.

In the 1970's Canadian producers changed the name of their product, rape-seed oil, to canola due to the negative connotations of the "r" word associated with it. Now, canola producers have been ravished by Australian food writer Margaret Fulton and other Greenpeace associated cookists. (insert links to story and Reason piece here)

This writer's opinion:

Much of this (probably subsidized) crop is grown in Western Canada, and as kids (in Alberta) we were rather proud of the endless fields of yellow that supported the fact/belief that Canada, at the time, was a/the major producer of rape-seed oil. In fact it was de rigeur to have a bottle of rape-seed oil in the kitchen with which to deep fry stuff... show off to the neighbors, and support local agriculture.

And note that can-ola (Canada oil) has a reputation of being one of the "good" food oils, and therefore reflects positively on the commonly accepted "green" reputation of Canadians and all they do.

So HAH! Take that, my beloved, but hypocritical Canada - GM canola ain't gonna be quite so well accepted, and will be a stain on your precious "green" reputation.

Pssst... canola producers whatever y'all are doing, keep it up. I love the product. Butter and Olive oil are better for some things, but canola is a great all-round oil.

[Nemo]

I'm honestly dumber for reading your comments.

[Untermensch]

This is very true. So much of right-wing foreign and domestic policy is based on fear. They're just a bunch of fraidy cats.

Wasn't that "scientifically" proved? We've had at least two H&R articles about that subject.

I'm honestly dumber for reading your comments.

Well, we certainly wouldn't want you to be dishonestly dumber...

[joe]

All this time, I've been using the word "harbor" wrong.

[joe]

Dear joe,
Huffington Post-types getting lathered up over Sarah Palin is also funny.

Did I claim otherwise anywhere?

[ed]

Little known fact: Hitler's middle name was Hussein.

[joe]

How can you tell? Have you seen his real birth certificate?

I heard he was educated in a macaca.

[SugarFree]

"Wikihistory" by Desmond Warzel

Hitler, Time Travel, and Internet Comment Boards

[domoarrigato]

SF - nice one - very funny!

[Arkady]

joe,
Not in so many words, but the tone of this response made it sound like perhaps you didn't fully appreciate the [entirely non-partisan] humor of the situation.

joe | November 21, 2008, 4:01pm | #

John, you say yourself, proudly, that you like this and think it was a great idea purely because of the reaction it produced in people at the Huffington Post, and you're accusing other people of basing their political opinions on culture war, rah rah team crap?

Whatever.

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/130217.html#1148036

[joe]

Finding it silly that someone would decide a Sarah Palin interview was good because people at the Huffington Post were aghast is not the same thing as thinking they had a good reason to be aghast.

It's possible for Sarah Palin to do something really stupid, AND for people at the Huffington Post to freak out over it. In fact, I'd put money on both of those things happening.

[Arkady]

In fact, I'd put money on both of those things happening.

As would I. All I'm saying is that both were comedy gold, and can't we all just have a chuckle and be friends?

[joe]

The watermelon/Hitler gag is awesome.

[libertarian democrat]

SugarFree,

I saw wikihistory a while ago. I still absolutely love it.

[Stevo Darkly]

I think Jeff P. linked to "Wikihistory" a few weeks ago during a thread that discussed time travel and going back into the past to change it.

Ah! It was the Large Hadron Collider thread:

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/129089.html

[Kevin]

A lot of people don't realize that genetically modified crops don't just stop with the crops: They genetically modify YOU! They make you either want to eat more GM crops, or make you want to obey the President, or maybe make you fat and lazy. I'm not sure on the specifics. I haven't fully worked out my conspiracy theory yet. I'll get back to you.

[Robw]

I used to live next Margaret Fulton about 10 years ago, she stuck me as an old biddy who was past it then. Might know a bit about cooking, but the cookbook business now is all about celebrity chefs. Not sure that old Margaret is good enough with the f-word to write a success cookbook today but her views on GM are rather f-ed.

[Patrick Carroll]

After reading Jonah Goldberg's "Liberal Fascism", it's clear to me that far from being something to dear, the Nazis are actually Ms. Fulton's spiritual antecedents.

Had Hitler had his way, Germany would have been a smoke-free, drug and alcohol-free, vegan society. NTTAWWT, other than it would have come at the end of the barrel of a gun.

Mind you, Ms.Fulton's hysterical call to action is straight out of the Sorelian playbook. I'm fairly sure that, given her druthers, she'd be arranging torchlight parades where gallons of GM canola oil would be burned, preferably on a pyre in the shape of the peace symbol, or some such, with her, as el Duce, strutting back and forth on an overlooking balcony, inciting the crowds to riot.

Mmmm....fascistic.

[Malto Dextrin]

From the article in the Herald Sun:

With a green list of "goodies" - brands which avoid ingredients from GM crops - and a red list of "baddies" brands that may allow GM ingredients to contaminate their supply, the guide aims to help consumers actively avoid products containing GM Canola.

It's clear that Greenpeace's first priority should be opposing the bailout of the automakers.

[ThomasP]

"Watermelon is a racial code word." -eoj

Not in this context. In this context, it refers to (what I think is) a Limbaughism: green on the outside, red on the inside.

The reason some lefitsts see a connection between environmentalism and anti-capitalism is that they see environmental destruction as the reductio ad absurdum of capitalism. Privatizing profits, socializing costs. Something like that. Doesn't anyone around here have any Anarchist friends?