Fascism Doesn't Always Creep

There appears to be two lines of thought developing about how to deal with fascism that has become a part of Trump’s election strategy. One is that we don’t address it now as it may affect Sander’s electoral chances and the other is that we tackle it head on now. Spoiler alert - I am a firm believer of the second approach.

A bit of personal history - I grew up in seventies Britain, London to be precise, and opposing fascism was a big part of my life. At the time I gave it little thought but many of my weekends were spent taking part in demonstrations and counter demonstrations against fascism. It wasn’t that fascism was a big problem in the UK at the time - much less of a problem there then than it is here, even prior to Trump’s adventure. Britain’s Fascist party at the time was the National Front and they were tiny and politically irrelevant but they demonstrated and marched a lot.

We just regarded it as our duty to oppose fascism - it was as natural a thing to do as go to a soccer match. The purpose was to keep the fascists (and nationalists -often but not always one and the same) as marginalized as possible within society. They had to be opposed at every turn - wait and see was not an option.

You see, 20th century European history had taught us that fascism doesn’t come to your door carrying a nice bottle of wine and politely asks if it can come in - it comes in the middle of the night with a battering ram and a Molotov cocktail. Our continent’s history is littered with tragic tales of those who thought they could let fascism ride for just another month, just another week or even just another hour.

We learned that it was worth fighting, with ideas, with our voices and if necessary with our fists to stop fascism gaining even the smallest breakthrough. Rule number one was to do everything in our limited power to make sure that being a fascist was never socially or culturally acceptable.

Back to the current situation. Unfortunately Trump has already moved the window of acceptability. It is now OK for a leading contender in a US election to goad his supporters into acts of violence towards those who disagree. The American population is beginning to accept violence at political rallies as normal. I cannot begin to describe just how much of a chill this sends down my spine.

Nazi Germany was before my time but I grew up watching the history of world war II on the TV and in books. It seemed like ancient history then even though it was only a mere twenty years after the fact. I spent my youth thinking that Europe had moved on, that differences could all be handled politically. Then Yugoslavia happened - A beautiful country with many wonderful people that I had visited several times the decade before was now being ripped apart, mainly due to underlying tensions but in no small part due to a narcissistic blowhard Slobodan Milošević who, in many respects, was not all that different to Trump.

When fascism takes over a country several things tend to come together:
Nationalism is acceptable (The US has always been especially susceptible to this)
A morally bankrupt leader who is capable of inspiring a following
A weak ineffectual press
A compromised police force -often with nationalist sympathies/tendencies.
No specific unified opposition

The US is in a perilous place as these conditions are already in place. The one answer is for every group to come together to fight fascism. We do not have to agree on anything else whatsoever. Only one thing should matter and that is an opposition to fascism. I would happily stand shoulder to shoulder with conservatives, communists, anarchists, and every other political philosophy. This doesn’t mean that we neglect our own causes it’s just that if we don’t tackle this one our causes could be rendered moot.

Shorter version: If you are considering putting the fight against Fascism on the backburner please think again.

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Martha Pearce-Smith's picture

in another thread.... but it is appropriate here...

How many times have you heard, "Why did ordinary people not stop Hitler before he rose to power?" Then you wonder why people are protesting?

Oh! And I almost forgot! NOW Trump is telling his people to bring their guns to the polls...

bring your guns.png

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stevej's picture

The lack of awareness of just how fast things can turn really bad if nothing is done is a huge problem. The opposition needs to form fast and now. Really pleased that Sander's supporters, BLM, OWS, and Move on are already on this. They get it.

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

detroitmechworks's picture

Bring weapons. When confronted, attack opponents with DEADLY force and fall back on "I felt my life was in danger"

American Cowardice.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

a Chicago-based author, journalist, and entrepreneur.

Link below to his recent piece (on the cancelled Chicago Rally), if anyone wants a perspective from 'the other side.'

Illinois Campaign Dispatch, Part 3: How Violent Marxists Shut Down Donald Trump’s Chicago Rally, March 12, 2016

Whew!

Mollie
elinkarlsson@WordPress


"To maintain pure discipline is to do away with pretense and concealment." Milarepa
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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Haikukitty's picture

What year is this - 1960?

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detroitmechworks's picture

Of the second half of the twentieth century. One where the other side won.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

everything you need to know, LOL!

I have a feeling that his rhetoric is 'tame,' compared to what we'll be seeing (before all is said and done).

*Sigh*

Have a good one!

Mollie
elinkarlsson@WordPress


“If a dog won’t come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.”-- Woodrow Wilson
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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Haikukitty's picture

But I almost feel like that over-the-top rhetoric might hurt them among the relatively sane 70% of the electorate. They'd do better to tone it down to believable charges vs. hyped up red Commie stuff. But shhh... don't tell them that.

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stevej's picture

Derogatory terms based on left of center philosophies don't carry the weight that they used to. Suspect most will tune out at the first reference to "violent Marxist"

Also, on an optimistic note, more and more people are doing basic research as a matter of habit now and a thirty second search will unearth this author's deeply disturbing views.

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

TheOtherMaven's picture

Expect a reconstitution of the House Un-American Activities Committee very soon. We already have a neo-Joe McCarthy.

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.

Haikukitty's picture

But to me the 1950's are always "Reds" or "Commies," whereas Marxists sounds so 60's counterculture to me.

But you are probably correct - despite the term used, the vibe is MUCH more 1950's/McCarthy-era

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stevej's picture

Just in case anyone even thinks about taking him seriously:
The Case Against Female Self-esteem

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

TheOtherMaven's picture

Wacko

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.

stevej's picture

The screed is actually worse than the title - a deeply disturbed individual

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

Unabashed Liberal's picture

if anything, I'm left of the late Howard Zinn! Not being familiar with you Guys, you may have misread my intent.

I posted this link because it was 'what came up' when I 'Googled' to see what I could find about Trump calling for his supporters to carry guns to the polls.

And, as far as I can tell, the call for toting guns was this Dude's idea.

Right now, we have too many major business and personal matters, to get involved in protests and/or much activism.

But, hey--'Good luck' to you Guys, if you should do so!

Wink

(BTW, I often post links and pieces for information, but that doesn't mean that I endorse the content. Certainly, I did not in this case!)

Have a good one, All.

Mollie
elinkarlsson@WordPress


“If a dog won’t come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.”-- Woodrow Wilson
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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

stevej's picture

I would be extremely surprised if anyone here would give him the time of day.

To reiterate - I agree wholeheartedly with this

How many times have you heard, "Why did ordinary people not stop Hitler before he rose to power?" Then you wonder why people are protesting? - See more at: http://caucus99percent.com/content/fascism-doesnt-always-creep#new

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

Haikukitty's picture

My comment wasn't directed at you - but at the headline of the linked story.

Sorry I wasn't clear - I just figured it would be assumed - cos we're all on this site, right? Smile

Sorry if it seemed otherwise.

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detroitmechworks's picture

I loathe these guys for the same reason they love me.

I'm a single father, their "Unicorn". Their PROOF that society is weighted against men.

If they would just take off their fucking blinders for a minute, they'd see that society is weighted not against single fathers, but against ALL parents who take care of children.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

nickydale's picture

There seems to an inversion in the narrative pertaining to the rise of fascism, specifically Hitler. It was ordinary people who swept him into power. The failure was in the inability of extraordinary people to halt the nightmare. Deja Vu.
Cats. The inability of independent people to form a herd. Hitler understood this and targeted those that would oppose him simultaneously in a general way, and in a specifically targeted way.You know, The Marxists, the Democratic Socialists, the anarchists, (that last is not capitalised, because that is the vibe) etc .
Ordinary people, like anarchists, do not tend to become obsessed with political thinking. They go about their own lives, tend their own gardens, deliberately oblivious to the political world. Their focus is their own pursuit of happiness. The ordinary people only unify when the political world, and the battles of that world inflict such collateral damage upon them that they respond in a herd like way to a rebel out of the blue offering what is sold as an immediate gratification remedy to their suffering.
Anarchists, unlike the bulk of the extraordinary respond in a different way. They tend to attempt to disrupt deliberate strategies of not only the status quo, but also any oncoming wannabes seeking to replace the status quo with yet another repressive regime, unlike the other splintered sub herds of humans. To them overlords are overlords. Isms are brands of boots used to mash into the faces of subjugated peoples.
When any wannabe tyrant tries the Hitler trick, what they do is sell an attitude.A horrible nihilistic attitude. Like the Trump attitude, like the Daesh attitude. The only cure is the anarchist's attitude. The punk rock attitude. The attitude that I will die fighting anyone interrupting my personal party, trying to plant their boots in my face. the footwear of the anarchist leaves scant footprints because they are not organized in that way. Perhaps the rest of the cats need to follow the lead of the anarchists in those times when that kind of attitude and disruption is needed, rather than try to thwart them.
As I have said, anarchists tend to leave scant footprints. It is difficult to follow their lead, because there functionally is no lead, or they would not be anarchists.All you need is the attitude, the attitude of the individualist. Trust your instincts, you will know what to do.When you show up where you need to be, you will find the others already there.

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reborn evolved

Gerrit's picture

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

stevej's picture

I have been reading your thoughts over the weekend and they went some way to prompting this quick essay.

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

Shockwave's picture

One of the key ingredients of fascism is authoritarianism and this trait was waiting for a leader. This is a very good article to understand the magnitude of this component of American society; The rise of American authoritarianism

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The political revolution continues

stevej's picture

increases when individuals and families feel that their security is threatened - can either be economically (e.g. Germany 1930s) or by outsiders (e.g. GWOT post 9/11). It is no coincidence that US govt is expert at manipulating the latter type as this makes population more pliant imo.

Will read the Vox piece later - thnx

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

if that idiot comes here to Seattle, and we hear about a protest, we're going. I'm a little nervous about it with the violence, but enough is enough. And the ugly thing for us is we have family that support that freak. Ugly thing for too many of us I suspect.

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

stevej's picture

I really do think that showing up is incredibly important.
More power to you.

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire

detroitmechworks's picture

It's not because I lack the courage of my convictions.

I'm the sole caregiver for an 11 year old and a 13 year old.
Add to that I'm already on a terrorist watch list.

An arrest would infinitely outweigh the benefit my protesting would provide. Especially because the media doesn't give a shit about single dads.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

stevej's picture

having dependents changes everything.

I am fortunate insomuch as I have a very understanding wife who would be the first to push me out of the door to protest -we are basically in agreement on this.

I stopped posting on Dkos when I was applying for citizenship just in case it worked against me as this would have affected other peoples lives if it went wrong. Most I'm likely to face protesting now though is a night in a cell and some temporary discomfort.

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“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire