Fascist swine

I must once again ask people to please, please refrain from sending me emails describing some activity of a private entity, or even our current government, as "Fascist".  Fascism is an actual thing, not merely a synonym for authority you dislike, or even authority you believe is being abused.  Boycotts are not fascist, no matter how bad the cause.  Neither is firing an employee for having odious beliefs.  Roving wiretaps are not fascist.  Overzealous enforcement of petty laws are not fascist.  Barack.  Obama.  Is. Not. Fascist.

That doesn't mean that the things of which you disapprove are right.  But calling something fascist, when it does not really pertain to the totalitarian ideology which gripped various states during the early-to-mid-20th-century, does not add to the conversation.  It's an attempt to short-circuit logic by employing a word with a very, very high negative indice.  I'm more than willing to listen to your argument about how awful . . . well, whatever you're complaining about is.  But shouting and name calling are not arguments. 

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2008/11/fascist-swine/4359/