"Homeland" Uber Alles?

In a recent post by Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com, he uses the line “…still creepy phrase ‘Homeland Security’…” Boy, howdy, amen! The first time I heard this phrase, I cringed big time. All I could think about at the time it was introduced was the similar use of the word “fatherland” to describe the German Nazi regime. It has a whiff of “Let me see your papers!” I keep waiting for black leather trench coats to become the uniform of the day for those in Homeland Security.

As for “fatherland” here is the Wikipedia description of the word:

Assuming a specific Nazi usage of the term ‘Vaterland’ (which in fact never existed), the direct English translation "fatherland" featured in news reports associated with Nazi Germany and in domestic anti-Nazi propaganda during World War II. As a result, the English word is now associated with the Nazi government of Germany (unlike in Germany itself, where the word means simply "homeland"). The word is not used often in post-World War II English unless one wishes to invoke the Nazis (emphasis mine), or one is translating literally from a foreign language where that language's equivalent of ‘fatherland’ does not bear Nazi connotations.”

For me, as “fatherland” is cited above, “homeland” also represents fascist thinking. Notice that in German the word literally means “homeland.” Hmmm…

I propose that this word be banned from ever being used to describe our country in any way, shape or form. As with Mr. Greenwald, it really does creep me out upon hearing it to this day.