Fascism in America is always here. It may be well hidden, due to political pushback, but it never really goes away. There are many here who like what Trump and his unsavory cohorts are doing. They may not say so aloud, but support his agenda, most importantly with their votes. There are always going to be those who support brutality, racism and an oppressive government, and you can see this happening worldwide. That is why it is so important to voice your rejection of this kind of destructive behavior, regardless of where it is being generated. Silence and complacency are the enemy of a free and progressive society, and history keeps showing us that if can resurface and spread. Hopefully in November, our votes will amend much of what is happening. Our freedom depends on this, and I can only hope that most Americans will see the urgency of this moment.
Exactly - we must continue to call this out and refuse to normalize it. Right wing propaganda should NEVER be second nature to us -- it must be disrupted and permanently uprooted from our country.
When it comes to American history, it is amazing how we are brainwashed from childhood to believe our own hype. Land of the free, home of the brave. Manifest Destiny. The greatest country in the world. It is all part of the American myth. So none of what we are seeing now is new or surprising. It is just a continuation.
The fact is, human nature is exactly the same as it has always been: willing to blame "the other" for their problems. In fact, the government encourages this behavior because if you can blame someone else for your problems you won't blame the real cause: the people who are actually controlling your life.
Honestly, I liked the myth. As I grew older and saw the cracks in that narrative, I still liked the myth. I liked the way we aspired to it, even though at times we fell short. If we have achieved any greatness as a nation, it has been in our efforts always to form a more perfect union, to recognize our failings in the fullness of time, and to address them.
And that is precisely what this pack of grifters, fascists, racists, and sociopaths intends to give up. Make America great again? They're flushing any greatness we've ever had down the drain of history.
Many believe in the goals of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution and, at the same time, understand we have a long way to go. Those are the people that are standing up for correct historical markers at important national sites. Those are the people that marched in Black Lives Matter protests. Those are the people in Minnesota helping and standing up for their neighbors. Those are the independent and Republican voters who are voting against the Trump regime in historic swings.
The Trump regime is going bigger and stronger on these fascist propaganda BECAUSE people still believe in the ideals of the United States. Not because they are dead ideals. Or because they are mere myths....
The Trump endorsed DHS "detention centers" need to be called what they are. They are the 21st Century Concentration Camps, and they are right here in this country. We dismantled them and freed the remaining prisoners after WWII and now our leadership is repeating history. This is one more step closer to fascism.
Unfortunately, much of the widest read/watched media has been compromised. Individuals and corporations that own the media outlets either are Trump's sychophants, or else have other operations under their roofs that need his support. They will not give adequate attention to the human rights violations.
Your article clearly pointed out that if it quacks like a duck....it is a duck. I have been trying to tell people for over 5 years that these images and dog whistles are on the dark side, and people refuse to learn from history. the more I study racial issues, the more I realize how deeply embedded white supremacy and exceptionalism is in our national history. The most important point you made, I think, is that these images and comments and priorities are recruiting tools, and are giving permission for others to advocate for fascist beliefs and ideology. They must be named and called out for what they are, even if the majority of people think the "hearkening back to the good old days" is just a comfortable exercise. Our lives depend on it, people are getting way too desensitized to the dehumanization of categories of people in our nation.
Exposed and ripped up these horrors may be. But, our fellow Americans have often demonstrated short attention spans and deep pockets of forgetfulness. We "learn" our lessons and then forget them when the wind changes direction.
There is only one way to deal with Fascists, to resist and fight them. That's the same way Ulysses Grant suppressed the first KKK by sending in the army; or the Allied forces in WW2 crushed Nazi Germany, miltarist Imperial Japan; and Fascist Italy. Franco's Spain and Salazar's Portugal had to wait a longer time for freedom as the U.S. decided it needed them against the Soviet Union. They changed when the people had had enough.
Fascism is like a malignant force. Even though we beat it back and it stays gone for a while like Zelda said the ripe forces that come forward tend to nurture it. Exactly like cancer. Even if it has been treated once it is never completely gone.
This is a brilliant piece, clear, hard-nosed and single-pointed.An American, long resident in France, I take instruction from the struggles which happened here under the Nazi Occupation. Check out, 'The Army of Shadows' by Joseph Kessel, and "Weapons of the Spirit' by Pierre Sauvage on the power of non-violent resistance. 'These are the times that try men's souls'
It's strange to me that the current proponents of American Fascism have to reach back 90 odd years to echo the proper symbolism to convey their intent. It does seem purposeful but sort of uncreative.
Fascism in America is always here. It may be well hidden, due to political pushback, but it never really goes away. There are many here who like what Trump and his unsavory cohorts are doing. They may not say so aloud, but support his agenda, most importantly with their votes. There are always going to be those who support brutality, racism and an oppressive government, and you can see this happening worldwide. That is why it is so important to voice your rejection of this kind of destructive behavior, regardless of where it is being generated. Silence and complacency are the enemy of a free and progressive society, and history keeps showing us that if can resurface and spread. Hopefully in November, our votes will amend much of what is happening. Our freedom depends on this, and I can only hope that most Americans will see the urgency of this moment.
Exactly - we must continue to call this out and refuse to normalize it. Right wing propaganda should NEVER be second nature to us -- it must be disrupted and permanently uprooted from our country.
When it comes to American history, it is amazing how we are brainwashed from childhood to believe our own hype. Land of the free, home of the brave. Manifest Destiny. The greatest country in the world. It is all part of the American myth. So none of what we are seeing now is new or surprising. It is just a continuation.
The fact is, human nature is exactly the same as it has always been: willing to blame "the other" for their problems. In fact, the government encourages this behavior because if you can blame someone else for your problems you won't blame the real cause: the people who are actually controlling your life.
Honestly, I liked the myth. As I grew older and saw the cracks in that narrative, I still liked the myth. I liked the way we aspired to it, even though at times we fell short. If we have achieved any greatness as a nation, it has been in our efforts always to form a more perfect union, to recognize our failings in the fullness of time, and to address them.
And that is precisely what this pack of grifters, fascists, racists, and sociopaths intends to give up. Make America great again? They're flushing any greatness we've ever had down the drain of history.
And of course, once blame is established, the problem is considered solved.
"Hmm, I think there is a problem...there, did my job, all is well now!"
Many believe in the goals of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution and, at the same time, understand we have a long way to go. Those are the people that are standing up for correct historical markers at important national sites. Those are the people that marched in Black Lives Matter protests. Those are the people in Minnesota helping and standing up for their neighbors. Those are the independent and Republican voters who are voting against the Trump regime in historic swings.
The Trump regime is going bigger and stronger on these fascist propaganda BECAUSE people still believe in the ideals of the United States. Not because they are dead ideals. Or because they are mere myths....
The Trump endorsed DHS "detention centers" need to be called what they are. They are the 21st Century Concentration Camps, and they are right here in this country. We dismantled them and freed the remaining prisoners after WWII and now our leadership is repeating history. This is one more step closer to fascism.
You are RIGHT. My colleague Tim Dickinson confronted this in his latest piece too. We have to expose this.
Unfortunately, much of the widest read/watched media has been compromised. Individuals and corporations that own the media outlets either are Trump's sychophants, or else have other operations under their roofs that need his support. They will not give adequate attention to the human rights violations.
Your article clearly pointed out that if it quacks like a duck....it is a duck. I have been trying to tell people for over 5 years that these images and dog whistles are on the dark side, and people refuse to learn from history. the more I study racial issues, the more I realize how deeply embedded white supremacy and exceptionalism is in our national history. The most important point you made, I think, is that these images and comments and priorities are recruiting tools, and are giving permission for others to advocate for fascist beliefs and ideology. They must be named and called out for what they are, even if the majority of people think the "hearkening back to the good old days" is just a comfortable exercise. Our lives depend on it, people are getting way too desensitized to the dehumanization of categories of people in our nation.
And we always wonder... which "good old days"? Which period of American history was enjoyable for us?
Exposed and ripped up these horrors may be. But, our fellow Americans have often demonstrated short attention spans and deep pockets of forgetfulness. We "learn" our lessons and then forget them when the wind changes direction.
There is only one way to deal with Fascists, to resist and fight them. That's the same way Ulysses Grant suppressed the first KKK by sending in the army; or the Allied forces in WW2 crushed Nazi Germany, miltarist Imperial Japan; and Fascist Italy. Franco's Spain and Salazar's Portugal had to wait a longer time for freedom as the U.S. decided it needed them against the Soviet Union. They changed when the people had had enough.
Fascism is like a malignant force. Even though we beat it back and it stays gone for a while like Zelda said the ripe forces that come forward tend to nurture it. Exactly like cancer. Even if it has been treated once it is never completely gone.
What blows my mind is how so many are just so brainwashed that they are incapable of rational thought.....................
Truly, how can anyone look at these direct inspirations and still deny it? Well...
This is a brilliant piece, clear, hard-nosed and single-pointed.An American, long resident in France, I take instruction from the struggles which happened here under the Nazi Occupation. Check out, 'The Army of Shadows' by Joseph Kessel, and "Weapons of the Spirit' by Pierre Sauvage on the power of non-violent resistance. 'These are the times that try men's souls'
.
Thank you, it is disturbing and angering...but in a way that motivates us to fight back. I hope others follow your lead!
It's strange to me that the current proponents of American Fascism have to reach back 90 odd years to echo the proper symbolism to convey their intent. It does seem purposeful but sort of uncreative.