*"Neo-Nazis can reach a larger audience than the original Nazis? Really? I think during WW2 and the decades following, most literate adults had a pretty decent understanding of Nazi ideology and the names of the major political figures involved in their rise to power."

*In terms of resources, I'd say they're doing pretty vs. a nation state with the likes of Himmler et al at their disposal.

It's not important for the people to know the roster or the stated list of bullet points. I doubt that 95% of voters know the details of the Republican or Democratic party platforms and a disturbing number of people asked on the street apparently don't even know who the current vice president is. If you doubt the ability of a small group of people to have major consequences, look no further than current events in the Middle East. I threw out the Neo-Nazis as an extreme example. I agree that the denizens of the Stormfront website aren't the primary problem. The problem is (aided by the the ability of technology to spread/legitimize kookiness) fringe ideas spread to infect the populace. Thus, fully 45% of Americans are at least unsure as to whether the President was born in the US.

Dictators don't hate the internet, it presents them with too convenient a tool. They hate the free internet and take measures to control it.

I may be too old to believe. I hope you're right, but i've seen too many innovations come and go without changing the fundamentals of human nature to think that this one will be any different. Your points are well made though.

Ah well, Godel's (?) law has been fulfilled, Nazis have been mentioned, so I'll give it a rest and vote present.

"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H. L. Mencken