A panel from Sintesi Fascista by Alessandro Bruschetti
Fascism begins as something in the air. Stealthy as smoke in the darkness, easier to smell than to see. Fascism sets out an ethos, not a set of policies; appeals to emotion, not fact. It begins as a pose, often a deceptive one. It likes propaganda, dislikes truth, and invests heavily in performance. Untroubled by its own incoherence, it is anti-intellectual and yet contemptuous of the populace even as it exploits the crowd mentality. Fascism is accented differently in different countries, and uses the materials – and the media – of the times.
Fascism is hostile to egalitarianism and loathes liberalism. It champions ‘might is right’, a Darwinian survival of the nastiest, and detests vulnerability: the sight of weakness brings out the jackboot in the fascist mind, which then blames the victim for encouraging the kick. Fascism not only promotes violence but relishes it, viscerally so. It cherishes audacity, bravado and superbia, promotes charismatic leaders, demagogues and ‘strong men’, and seeks to flood or control the media. Even as […]
Fascism (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism. (dictionary.com)
It seems to me that the left is screaming fascism at traditional Americans while the big corporations that control the media, internet technology, agriculture, business, medicine, and the government bureaucracy actually are implementing fascism.
I live in Central America and the country that I live in does not let anyone stay here without approval. Many foreigners, especially from Africa, come here trying to get to the US for
free welfare. They are sequestered at the border until they can be deported. They are receive
minimal help here.
US Americans, who come here on 90 day tourist visas, have to go to the border and stay 3 days before they can come back in. There is little tolerance for those who do not comply.
I do not see fascist intentions at all from Trump. I think he is truly an advocate for the middle class. Freedom to pursue economic well being was the strength of the US constitution. It rescued ordinary people from feudalism. I hope that he will address the monopoly issues that are strangling personal liberty.
It seems to me that Trump is trying to avoid the war that enriches the power elite and impoverishes those that are the brunt of US aggression.
This article makes a mockery of the term libertarian which by definition includes respecting the rights of others and rejecting the initiation of force or threat of force. I’d say fascism is alive and well in the U.S.A. because it has been fostered by the oligarchy behind the red NOT-Sees and blue NOT-Sees. The repressive laws and corporate purchased regulations and legislation certainly were not primarily enacted by libertarians. Labeling someone libertarian does not make them so. Where are the true libertarians in government? Their party is effectively locked out of the federal election process and they are marginalized elsewhere just like the Green party and everyone else with a different idea of how to live in peace. I find it ironic that what is properly called libertarian today was once referred to as classical liberalism. Liberalism as we know it today has no resemblance. I understand and appreciate the spirit of this article but the looseness of terminology is problematic.
I especially laughed at the bold quote:
“Libertarians loathe political correctness because it puts the brakes on bigotry, restricts racism, reins in sexism”
Shouldn’t that read Bigots, racists and sexists hate political correctness!? The author even clearly states elsewhere “some libertarians are horrified by the racist nationalism of the alt-Right”. Political correctness masks problems by masking the truth. When you deal with things out in the open then it is easier to identify the problem and address the problem. We all need to respect each other and come together to focus on the future that we want instead of throwing around labels, dividing, distracting and working against freedom from violence and freedom to live as one chooses. Government will continue to divide us and promulgate force, so I do not see it as a vehicle for achieving peace, love and prosperity for all.