I haven't read it yet, so I can't tell you, although I believe that he tries to claim that he was never an anti-semite (and that that business in Cable Street was all a terrible misunderstanding, or something along those lines). So presumably he tries to tone down the fascist nature of his views. I have to say it's one of the autobiographies I'm most interested in reading, although it might not be very psychologically healthy to do so.
Which person(s) in history intrigue you the most?
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Sharwood
Rich, doctor nephew
I don't like them because they're witty, I just love the idea of a British Prime Minister being so crude. Same reason I love Prince Phillip.
Speaking of fascists, I must admit that after reading a little about Huey Long yesterday and today, I'm absolutely fascinated by him. I'll have to do a lot of reading over my upcoming holidays!
Odd possibly, but not uncommon. Both Mussolini and Hitler started their career as some sort of socialist and they presented their parties and ideas as novelties (which they weren't, obviously; not a lot of thinking going in fascist movements). Labour support should also not be disregarded in their rise to power.
I wouldn't know. I read Mein Kampf, from the university library; the only shocking thing about it is that it clearly outlines Hitler's plans with the Jews (and it was massively pubished in the 3rd Reich).
Big shame then Mr Bush is gone... Luckily Cheney is still around.
Sharwood
Rich, doctor nephew
Bush wasn't crude, he was what would happen if they ever made a film where one of the Stooges became President.
In my book, a person who has trouble spelling and thinks waterboarding is a fun activity is very crude a character indeed. He was made fun of yes, but having such a person as president of the US is just sad. (And comparing Bush/Cheny to the Three Stooges is an insult to comedy.)
e350tb
Stupendously Illogical Englishman
Winston Churchill, in my book. Despite his rather backwards mindset, he did have a great wit and made some great speeches.
He also insulted de Gaulle to his face.
He also insulted de Gaulle to his face.
People can villify Churchill all they want for his backwards right-wing views, he did make some serious misjudgements about the economy before he was PM, but ask yourself was the accelerated abdication of British power and responsibility in the empire a good thing in the end ? I look at his achievements more than his occasional off-color remarks or opinions as a true measure of his political leadership.
And the iron lady Maggie Thatcher, though she seems commonly reviled, had the misfortune of being in power during an economic downturn when trade unionism collided head on with the realities of globalization. I still respect her even if I don't agree with everything she said or did. It also shows that women can succeed in a democracy without embracing every extreme left-wing view of the world.
and btw I knew about the Lady Astor episode Sharwood, just not the 2nd more hilarious one about poison in his tea. As far as I'm concerned, Churchill's response was just part of the game of political defamation that he and his opponents all engaged in; he was just better at it
I have to say that that is not how I would characterise his attempt to adopt "Keep Britain White" as a campaign slogan for the Conservative Party. Churchill was one of the extremists in the relatively moderate mid-1950s who helped to make such racist views more acceptable and more mainstream from the late 1950s into the 1970s.
Hmmm.... I can see where this could lead to some deep divisions on the man, and on this thread. By today's standards, no that wasn't very cool. Back in the 50s, was a relevant time for Britons to consider whether a long-term policy of open immigration and integration with commonwealth subjects from all over the world, was what they wanted. Churchill was proud of British heritage and wanted it to stay that way. The rejected slogan "Keep Britain White" would have appealed to the baser instincts, but I cannot attribute an increase in racism to that. If Britain has gotten over it and everybody's living in perfect harmony, all the power to ya 
Hmmm.... I can see where this could lead to some deep divisions on the man, and on this thread. By today's standards, no that wasn't very cool. Back in the 50s, was a relevant time for Britons to consider whether a long-term policy of open immigration and integration with commonwealth subjects from all over the world, was what they wanted. Churchill was proud of British heritage and wanted it to stay that way. The rejected slogan "Keep Britain White" would have appealed to the baser instincts, but I cannot attribute an increase in racism to that. If Britain has gotten over it and everybody's living in perfect harmony, all the power to ya
Well, Britain hasn't got over it and everybody isn't living in perfect harmony. At the recent by-election in Croydon, which is not so far from where I live, the BNP got more votes than the Lib Dems. It would be absurd to put all the blame for that on Churchill, but he does take some of the blame. He helped to create the poisonous political and social atmosphere which still blights the country and from which we are still only slowly emerging. Being "proud of British heritage" is just a euphemism; if Churchill had been worried only about mass immigration, and not about the fact that those immigrants had dark skin, he would have chosen a different slogan. There were vast numbers of white non-Britons migrating to Britain at this time, such as from Ireland. But they, presumably, were all right - it was just the West Indians who weren't so desirable.
fugazi
King
My grandfather for I never met him. With every year that goes by and more and more stories reaching my ear at family get-togethers, it becomes more obvious that I am very very much like him.
That's a very valid point about the slogan, but I think it had more to do with perceived cultural differences than color, and I'm not sure why he would single out West Indians.
well give us a hint. What's he (you) all about ?
Sharwood
Rich, doctor nephew
Bah, the real problem is that they didn't have the guts to actually go through with it, like we Aussies did. Racism FTW!Hmmm.... I can see where this could lead to some deep divisions on the man, and on this thread. By today's standards, no that wasn't very cool. Back in the 50s, was a relevant time for Britons to consider whether a long-term policy of open immigration and integration with commonwealth subjects from all over the world, was what they wanted. Churchill was proud of British heritage and wanted it to stay that way. The rejected slogan "Keep Britain White" would have appealed to the baser instincts, but I cannot attribute an increase in racism to that. If Britain has gotten over it and everybody's living in perfect harmony, all the power to ya
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I actually prefer the "but I shall be sober in the morning" to "I'd drink it."
SS-18 ICBM
Oscillator
Jose P. Rizal. A consummate polymath and polyglot who demonstrated that the pen is mightier than the sword.
Cipher_101
Chieftain
Sir Isaac Newton, for his unparalleled genius in classical physics and his contribution to Calculus.
Albert Einstein, for his outstanding brain which led to the creation of General Relativity and Special Relativity, and his contribution in developing Quantum Theory which in turn shaped a whole new Science in this modern age.
Sun Yat-Sen, for his endurance and his persist faith in freedom to bring China out of darkness, and his love on his own people that make him a fighter of democracy and emancipation of the Chinese people.
Jesus Christ, for His gospel that shaped the history of the world; for His teaching, perfection, loves and justice that intrigued many famous people of history that, in turn, intrigued me.
Albert Einstein, for his outstanding brain which led to the creation of General Relativity and Special Relativity, and his contribution in developing Quantum Theory which in turn shaped a whole new Science in this modern age.
Sun Yat-Sen, for his endurance and his persist faith in freedom to bring China out of darkness, and his love on his own people that make him a fighter of democracy and emancipation of the Chinese people.
Jesus Christ, for His gospel that shaped the history of the world; for His teaching, perfection, loves and justice that intrigued many famous people of history that, in turn, intrigued me.
Richard Cribb
He does monologues
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Elaborate on this please. specially on what sort of socialist Hitler started his career as.
As for the topic; too many. Just for the sake of name-dropping Julius Caesar, Albrecht Eusebius Wenzel von Wallentstein and Josef Stalin are among the most prominent. For the moment I don't care to give any reasons why those are "intriguing".
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