Ugh.
Like so many other people, I have registered specifically to respond to this thread...
First of all, I use the Fascist patch in Civ2 as my standard game. I think it's a good mod, many excellent ideas (some of which seem to have actually been worked into Civ3). I also think in the civ2 patch, the gov't form is balanced. I also think, however, that it overstrengths Fascist units so I toned them down for my play... whatever...
From what I've read of the Civ3 patch, it sounds unbalanced. I'll design my own Fascist gov't form, thanks.
Now on to topics of political correctness....
You know what? The website disturbed me when I first went there. I'm under the impression that while Steve Strayer may not be a Fascist or a racist, he probably admires the Nazis... The site reeks of such admiration... But I'm not into "boycotting" the patch, or into flaming Strayer. Just openly discussing our impressions.
Finally, let's get REALLY politically correct, let's get down to business.... How do you feel about Fundamentalism as a gov't form? Guess what? It's f$#&ing RACIST. Representing arabs as crazy fanatics, how wonderful. I don't care if it was racially sanitised or not, it still played on stereotypes of muslim extremism. That's exactly why it's GONE from Civ3: it's racist. And lame, to boot.
And as for "fascist governments".... It can easily (and pretty convincingly if you marshal the facts together) be argued that the good old UsofA beats Hitler hands down for brutality when it comes to their foreign policy... George Bush Sr. and Ronald Reagan are (unconvicted) war criminals. GB Jr. might be too... So let's not just pick on Nazis and Stalinists here for their repression...
Personally, I'm more upset that they took the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower out as wonders... And we need CANADIAN wonders -- like the CN Tower and West Edmonton Mall... What's with the predominantly Euro/American-centric stuff, sheesh?
My too bitz worth...