One of the things that distinguishes a fajita from a fascist is the habit of the one to sit on your plate, aromatic and steaming, and of the other to goose-step past the Fuhrer. Despite such differences, the two words are ultimately related to one another: both derive from an Indo-European source that meant bundle. That ancient source, pronounced something like bhasko, evolved into the Latin fastis, also meaning bundle, which then became the Italian fascio, meaning duster or group. In the early 1920s, this Italian word inspired fascism, a term denoting a political party that privileges the group over the individual. The Indo-European bhasko also developed into the Latin word fascia, meaning bandage, which then became the Spanish faja meaning strip or girdle. From this Spanish word the diminutive fajita was formed, probably in reference to the strips of meat that are grilled and seasoned before being rolled into a tortilla.