Late Summer for Hitler in Madison

I was up in Madison, Wisconsin over the weekend and so were the Neo Nazis or whatever it is the brown shirts are calling themselves these days.

I call the sexually confused victims of child abuse in search of authority figures in a wolrd they find frigtening because of the perceived lack of order. But who am I to judge?

Now, since I have a shaved head and a goatee, I felt a bit uncomfortable cavorting about the mall around the Capitol, thinking someone might mistake big ol' neurotic me for a Nazi sympathizer. Then I realized that in a college town, the look is as common as dreadlocks and birkenstocks, which seemed to be a look of choice of those present heckling the boys in brown.

By the way, the wannabe Hitlers were up on the steps behind a chain link fence as there detractors detracted from a good 50 yards away and a bevy of black-clad cops in riot gear looked bored.

Who shows up to yell at nutty Neo Nazis anyway? What's the point in taking them seriously?

I suppose you could make the case that we owe it to the memories of those the Nazis slaughtered to shout down even the most ludicrous gathering.

Yet, what would happen if no one showed up? Isn't that what these dysfunctionals rally want anyway - the attention?

And saying you're against Nazis when there are plenty of other things in the world to rail against right now seems more than a bit pointless. Saying you wanted to uses a squirt gun filled with urine (as one charming coed claimed was her plan) is almost as nuts as the Nazis, too.

Then I thought of the perfect plan - instead of getting all angry and yelling, why not use humor to battle the bellicose?

Have a rally where no one faces the sexually ambiguous brown shirts, but instead stages a local version of Springtime for Hitler from The Producers - the more flamoboyantly gay and over the top the better.

In fact, every time, anywhere Neo Nazis gather, the production number should be the required counter demonstration, where each rally tries it tip the last with its fabulousness. Have a chorus line of Hitlers in fishnet stockings kicking up their high heels.

The Neos won't know what to make of it. And it will be more fun than making signs with magic marker and recycling ideas from prior protests.