Fascism, A Real Threat To American Democracy
The word, "fascist", is abused. On more than one occasion, I've wanted to reach out across the internet and say, "um, actually you're referring to an anarchist", or "that's just a protest". Today, because America is in danger of losing its democracy, I write my own concise definition of the word:
Fascism
An authoritarian, ultra nationalist, ideology that uses some aspect of supremacy to achieve political and economic goals.
You can visit Wikipedia for a more complete definition, with historical context, but I think my definition encapsulates the essence of it. Also it's worth pointing out that if you care about democracy, though the distinctions between authoritarianism, despotism, autocracy, oligarchy, and a myriad other ideologies and political practices is valuable knowledge, the key point is that these ideologies and political practices are anti-democratic!
When the president of the United States references Napoleon Bonaparte and says "He who saves his Country does not violate any Law" in order to justify his actions in shutting down the government, that's an example of authoritarianism. When the president tells the governor of Main -- who said that she is complying with state and federal law -- that "We are the federal law. Well, you better do it, you better do it, because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't", that's an authoritarian speaking.
Trump said "I've stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America" when in fact he has done exactly the opposite. By rounding up foreign students and teachers who say things he doesn't like and either detaining or ejecting them from our country is the height of censorship. Yet another example of what you expect from an authoritarian regime.
When the president of the United States threatens to invade Panama because he disagrees with the fees they charge vessels passing through the canal or with Panama's trade relationship with other countries like China, that's an example of ultra-nationalism. Ultra-nationalism is also exemplified by suggesting we may take over Greenland because we want its resources and "need" it to enhance our security. Ultra-nationalism is exemplified by suggesting we will make Canada the 51st state even though Canadians have no such desire. Ultra-nationalism is telling our democratic allies in Europe that it's America First or nothing. And renaming the Gulf Of Mexico to the Gulf Of America is an example of a childish ultra-nationalist.
When the president of the United States says "I deployed the US military and border patrol to repel the invasion of our country.", you should be very afraid. It's hyperbolic oratory gymnastics to equate migrants to invaders and using the military within domestic borders is arguably unconstitutional. Taken with other comments Trump has made about legal and illegal immigrants in our country, clearly he views these people as a threat and this is what he communicates to his followers. THEY are the enemy, the reason your groceries cost too much, the reason there is crime in your community, the reason health care is so expensive, the reason anything wrong is wrong. It's always THEY. History is replete with THEM being the reason for every problem. The worst aspect of fascism is supremacy, this notion that there is something wrong with the other side, that they are inferior and akin to a disease. Supremacy characterizes what Hitler did when he vilified and terrorized Jews in Germany, leading to the murder of millions. A demagogue like Trump uses populism and tropes to turn one segment of the population -- his followers -- against another. You often hear Trump and his political cronies say they have a mandate, that because a majority voted for their agenda, they should get their way. But that is not how our democracy is supposed to work. Our constitution aims to protect minorities. It's one of the reasons, for example, that every state -- regardless of population -- gets two senators. The last thing we should want in America, is a society where the minority has no say, because that can lead to a very dark place. When Authoritarianism is mixed with populism and supremacists views, that's when people start to disappear.
We now have a president who thinks pluralism is a bad thing, who uses DEI as cover to discriminate, who lauds despots around the world while attacking democratic allies, who is an authoritarian, an ultra nationalist, and a supremacist. Donald Trump is the poster child of the modern day fascist.
--urthsong 3-21-2025