Columns by Florian Deltgen, who talks about fascism, then William Rowell, who talks about short people and Keith Throckmorton, who talks about the importance of donating blood.

Terms, Concepts, Reality, and Truth

By Florian Deltgen

When Kung Fu Tse’s was asked what he would do first if he were made governor, he replied: 

“I would define the terms correctly … If terms are not correct, then speech does not accord with reality and truth. If speech does not accord with reality and truth, then affairs cannot be accomplished successfully.”

In the medieval world, a debate evolved in Europe about the nature of general abstract concepts and the terms for them. How do we obtain concepts like ‘horse’ or ‘tree’, which is supposed to refer to the “essence” of what makes a horse a horse? The essence of what makes a horse a horse, i.e. ‘horseness’, cannot be derived from observation of reality, since we can only observe individual horses. 

After decades of debate, driven by enlightenment and natural science, a view of the nature of general terms and concepts evolved, which was called “Nominalism”: We observe reality, compare properties and characteristics, and form general classes of objects, to which we assign general names or terms. In epistemology, we distinguish between object, concept and term. Objects may be objective reality (e.g. ‘stone’) or abstract human thought (e.g. ‘fear’). Concepts describe the essence of objects; terms are names for concepts.   

Example: term > disease; concept > disturbance of the human body or mind that causes discomfort, disability, or death; objects >  flue, cancer, cholera, etc. 

You can see how important it is for humans to communicate successfully about management of reality, to use the correct terms for the correct concepts, and the correct concepts for the sectors of reality they are attempting to manage.  

Today, the terms “Nazi” and “Fascist” are thrown around in political disputes. And they are mostly used incorrectly. Let’s start with ‘NAZI’, a sticker that socialists like to put on conservative nationalists. 

The acronym comes from “Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei”, National Socialist German Workers Party, Hitler’s Party. The German nickname for “Socialist”, written “SOZIalist” in German,  was “SOZI”. Mimicking this, the Germans coined “NAZI” as a nickname for Hitler’s National Socialists. In the German language, ‘national’ is a qualifier in this context for ‘socialist’ – like an adjective to a noun. Red apples, green apples. National socialism, international socialism. In other words: Hitler and his Nazis were first and foremost socialists. They rejected the Soviet type of international socialism and preferred a national German socialism. Read the 1920 Party platform. Hitler added anti-Judaism as a product of his sick mind. The term NAZI refers primarily to Socialism with a national flavor, not nationalism. The sticker would therefore probably be more fitting for Socialist Democrats today than for nationalist Republicans. 

Fascism was invented by the Italian Duke Gabriele D’Annunzio as a revival of the virtues of the old Roman republic. The symbol he chose for his movement was that of a bundle of sticks wrapped around an axe. The sticks were called “faces” in Latin and “fasci” in Italian. They were carried by the 12 lictors, the bodyguards of each Roman Senator. The sticks and the axe symbolized corporal and capital punishment. Together, they symbolized the power of the state to enforce law and regulate society. 

Mussolini was a Communist, born to Communist parents. He started his political career as the editor of the Italian Communist Party newspaper “Avanti” (Forward). Then he joined the Fascisti. These developed initially within the Communist Party and later became a separate political organization. The Fascists interpreted the stick bundle as a symbol of the superior power of the collective and of the state, which for them was the highest form of the collective. Mussolini wrote: 

“The State is an absolute, before which individuals and groups are relative … for the Fascist, all is within the State and nothing human or spiritual exists, and even less has any value, outside the State.” 

In short: Fascism mutated into pure socialist statism. The Nazis were only Fascists to the extent they were also statists. Anti-Judaism was absent in the original Fascism.  

Socialist statism describes the views of those who want an ever more powerful state to regulate ever more aspects of human life. This concept is diametrically opposed to the intent of the Jeffersonian American Constitution (minimize government / maximize individual liberty) and certainly closer to today’s Democrat core values than to those of Republicans. Today’s Democrats are Socialists, Socialists are statists, and statists are Fascists. 

I guess Kung Fu Tse was right. Be careful what terms you throw around, what concepts they refer to, and what you call others, lest your words may “not accord with reality and truth” and you accomplish nothing except to make a fool of yourself. 

A resident of Tyrrell County, Dr. Florian Deltgen holds a Ph.D. from Cologne University, Germany, with a focus on comparative linguistics and anthropology. He is fluent in five languages with a working knowledge of six more, including several non-European languages. Following several years of lecturing and engaging in research, as well as serving in executive positions for multiple international corporations, including leading translation and localization firms, he co-founded Apex Translations in 1998.

Rowell’s Words: Don’t Sell Us “Short”

By William Rowell

I was an anemic baby at birth and survived infancy mostly by a miracle. The good news is that I did, but the bad news is that I was undersized for my age. I was blessed, though, with my father’s agility and was a decent athlete. I was too small for football and too short for basketball, but held my own in baseball and track.

My social life left something to be desired during my school days. Dating was less than desired, as girls had unwritten rules that worked against me. First, they would not go out with an underclassman. Secondly, dating a guy shorter than she was another “no no”. This limited my field considerably. 

I eventually accepted the fact that I would never be a second coming of Rudolph Valentiino, or hit a baseball 350’ like some of the guys.  However, I could go from first to third on a single up the middle and they couldn’t. That put me in an easy scoring position, and a run is a run. Maybe, just maybe, God did not shortchange me, only gave me different, and just as valuable, talents.

As I aged I also matured and recognized that, in addition to certain limitations, I was blessed with abilities that others did not have. This was the first step in accepting me for what I was and moving on. There is definitely a place for all regardless of physical size. It is the size of the heart that matters. As someone once said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight. It’s the fight in the dog that counts.”

Stop and look around you. Napoleon almost conquered Europe and he stood about as tall as a water hydrant. He finally met his “Waterloo,” but that was not due to his physical stature. I think that had something to do with his ego, which has caused men twice his size to fail.

Going back further in time, we recall another military defeat that was not decided by size or brute strength. Of course, I am referring to the Biblical tale of David defeating the giant, Goliath. Had there been a Las Vegas at the time, can you imagine the odds you could have gotten by betting on the poor little shepherd boy against someone whose name has come to mean a giant?

Unless you just got here from another planet, you have had to watch The Wizard of Oz many times. We sat through the long feature about the journey to see that huge, magical giant who ruled the land with a powerful hand. Do you remember the disappointment when we finally got to see this little wimp behind the curtain?

One of the characters in the musical hit on Broadway and the movie My Fair Lady sang the hit song A Little Bit of Luck. He did not plead for a big bit of luck, just what was needed; i.e., a little bit.

In closing, let me share this thought with you. It is not the size of the mountain being climbed that causes one to fail. It is simply the “little” grit that is in their shoe.

I could go on and on; but, feel that you get the picture. I must say that I also feel a ‘little” better in having said it.

God bless and have a great day.

A columnist whose works have appeared in newspapers near and far, William Rowell is a sage and wise thinker.

My Journey with Basic Life Support and the Importance of Donating Blood

By Keith Throckmorton

Matthew 22:39 (KJV)“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

The opportunity to donate blood is the gift of life to someone. Learning Basic Life Support (CPR) is another way to save a life. It may be your loved one or a stranger.

My professional passion has always been law enforcement, enforcing laws, and serving our communities. However, I developed another passion later in my career.

As police officers, we were required to take a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) class through the American Heart Association (AHA). Along with learning CPR, the course involved education on reducing disability and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke by learning about associated risk factors. I was a dedicated student, worked hard learning, became a CPR Instructor and Instructor Trainer, and was ultimately appointed as an American Heart Association Virginia State Affiliate Faculty member. I was later appointed as AHA State Chairman for Basic Life Support, which included professional healthcare providers.

The Masonic Grand Lodge of Virginia appointed me the Masonic Community Blood Program Chairman, advocating blood donations. Through these times, I continued to study heart and lung function and reduce disability and death from cardiovascular disease and stroke by lowering their risk factors. I was a regular lecturer on these subjects, taught CPR, and monitored rescue squads and hospitals for AHA training center compliance. I was a Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy staff instructor and participated in many health fairs. I also owned a part-time CPR business, “Keith & Annie.” (Annie was a CPR training manikin) As a devoted blood donor, I donated 2 gallons of whole blood and made 251 platelets (clotting) donations over 20 years. In addition to my law enforcement career,  I felt this was the ultimate in community service, as I gave the gift of life and taught others about prevention.
The purpose of blood is to carry oxygen. Therefore, there are two types of death: sudden and biological. Sudden death occurs when the heart stops pumping blood. Such techniques as prompt CPR or electric shock, along with advanced medical care, may reverse it. Sudden death quickly progresses to biological death, which is final. Biological death begins approximately 4 to 6 minutes after the heart stops pumping blood. During this period, brain cells start to die. After about 10 minutes, the brain is dead. Death is final. There is no reversal.

Many people have looked for ways to serve their fellow man but felt they did not have the financial or other means. Donating blood products is the answer, as I found it to be. The purpose of blood is to carry oxygen to all body parts, sustaining life and preserving body organ function. For example, the average heart beats (expands and contracts) approximately 100,000 times daily, pumping 2,000 gallons of blood.

Studies show that one out of every ten persons will require donated blood before age 70. Care of one transplant patient could require blood products donated by as many as 60 to 80 donors. One critically injured patient may require 40 to 60 units of blood products in hours.

There are several health benefits to donating blood. For example, donating blood 2 or 3 times each year can reduce heart attacks for some people by as much as 50%. The reason is that Hemoglobin/Iron levels are reduced. Hemoglobin is the Iron-containing oxygen transport content in red blood cells. Hemoglobin in the blood carries oxygen from the respiratory organs to the other organs and tissues of the body. High levels significantly contribute to clogging arteries, causing heart attack and stroke. Another reason for donating is to reduce the possible risk of colon cancer, lung cancer, and possibly bladder and esophagus cancer. Excessive blood iron has been linked to these cancers.

Give the gift of life by donating blood and participating in a CPR Course. Remember that many heart attacks occur in the household bathroom in the early morning. The victim could be your loved one.
The need for blood products is always great, and they are in short supply 24/7, especially this time of year.

Keith Throckmorton, Fairfax County Police (Retired Lieutenant and Chaplain), Past State Chairman, Virginia American Heart Association Basic Life Support Affiliate Faculty. Past Chairman, Committee on Masonic Community Blood Program, Masonic Grand Lodge of Virginia. Past Member Virginia American Heart Association Basic Life Support Task Force.