Study shows 44 percent of Americans are cowardly protofascists

This study from Cornell University found that a staggering 44 percent of Americans polled would favor curtailing the civil liberties of Muslim Americans.

This is how fascist dictatorships get started, of course.

1. Instill fear in the populace and irrational "patriotism at all costs";
2. wave the flag at every rally (or football game, or NASCAR event, or fricking Wal-Mart sale) to the point of it becoming a mere prop for the repressive policies of the government;
3. wage never-ending wars in far-off lands and glorify the militarization of the country at all opportunities;
4. scapegoat and demonize a "scary" ethnic group and use the fear of this group to justify your repressive policies;
5. curtail said group's civil liberties, imprison them with little or no legitimate pretense, and eventually lock them up for the good of the fatherland.

These are fascist policies folks, and it's pretty sickening that almost half of the people in the country seem to be open to at least some of them.