Thank you so much for this important newsletter. I do intend to share it out as widely as possible. You aleady know where I stand on this, as, yes, the mother, not of a teenager, but of a 20-something non-binary adult, and mother-in-law to their amazing partner. My kid has just begun Physician Assistant school, with the hope of specializing in trans Healthcare. Their partner is teaching financial skills to Special Ed seniors at a virtual HS. I'm incredibly proud of them, and I worry for their safety and physical and mental health every day.
Rob, thank you, as always, for your focus on this topic. Blessings to you and your family.
Denise, I cannot imagine the stress that recent legislation and attacks on this community have created. Their is no humane explanation of the tragic willingness to put people who are different at risk. I am reminded of a PBS Show World on Fire that depicts a family with a child at risk during times when an element of the German society felt those who have a disability needed to be eradicated. It feels to me that our current environment in some parts of the country are denying the reality of people who are different. Here is a link to my State District Representative testifying before the Colorado House in March. She spoke eloquently about Republican efforts to move forward with ant--gay legislation: <iframe width="640" height="360" style="border:1px solid #e6e6e6" src="https://www.9news.com/embeds/video/responsive/73-c9dd7423-d85c-4792-a172-8c28196e667a/iframe" allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
Thank you John, I appreciate the link. I believe Rep. Titone was my representative until I moved away from Jefferson County in 2020, and eventually to N. California. I'm pleased that she is still doing the hard work in Colorado.
Excellent newsletter tonight Robert. The call it action is important. When we hear DeSantis claim he will lead a "war on woke" and "consign it to the trash heap of history" as he did this past week, we can know that Civil War II, which has been going on for awhile, has gotten a lot less "cold" as their rhetoric heats up. The threat of MAGA to the United States is existential. As James Comey pointed out this morning in an interview with Jen Psaki on MSNBC, the Founders never contemplated a "rogue president" in office. If Trump returns to the White House in 2024, they will start the deconstruction of the United States on Day 1, and there is little the system can do to a leader who refuses to recognize any of the system's limitations. The next 18 months are going to determine if the United States remain a constitutional democratic republic or falls as other republics have to those who abandon the republic in favor of taking power.
I was speaking to a neighbor yesterday. We are both politically active in the Democratic Party.
The thing is, there is all this conversation about fighting for democracy up to the 2024 election, and taking back control from the thugs.
But, what about after that! My friend and I felt like that won’t be the end of it and we will continue with all this chaos and fighting forever. It won’t stop, even after the orange idiot dies, or loses the election. We will still have the cronies working to destroy the country-if you don’t succeed the first time (orange idiot), then try, try harder (DeSantis, or another stand-in, wannabe).
I have read enough from the participants comments in this newsletter to know there are none of you who want to do this for the rest of your lives. I don’t now if I can bear to continue with all the stress, heartache, and hate has become normalized. I don’t know if I can bear to witness the end of the country I have loved.
Hi. Your feelings of exhaustion are understandable. But hold on to this: we need not collapse all of our future struggles into the present moment. We need only make it through the challenges we face today, and then deal with tomorrow's challenges when they come (if they do). I am not saying we should not engage in long term planning, but we have all the strength we need now. That is enough.
Amen! Robert is right, as is IdoCodeBlues. It will be a lifetime effort for many, perhaps all citizens who care. First, I want to reinforce Roberts observation to take it one day at a time, give ourselves a lot of credit for the good efforts that we see on the part of many eagerly addressing these horrific legislative efforts to deny people their being. Second, while we do need to recognize the long view, I'd offer two caveats: A. It is the result of our failure as a country to more fully address the topic of racism and bigotry serious efforts to heal our nation since the Civil War times. To that end I encourage a reading of Jon Meacham's work "The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels." (Available on Amazon audio or print.) He made it abundantly clear that the hate and anger has never been fully addressed since the 1800s. Moreover, to placate southerners unfortunate concessions were made. B. We must create communities of solidarity to help us in times of stress and heartache while never succumbing to the amoral attacks on our humanity, our oneness as people. That is why Today's Edition and our sharing of feelings, angst and resources to take action are so abundantly critical. Thanks for being so honest in sharing your feelings. I can relate.
I believe the fight for democracy is, and will be, ongoing. There will always be those who are drawn to authoritarianism who will try to destroy democratic norms.
And yes, it is daunting to think we have to keep fighting to secure our freedoms, and to ensure these freedoms for all Americans. What keeps me going is knowing that if we do not fight back and fortify our democracy each and every step of the way, the stress and danger to our collective & personal well-being under autocratic rule will far, far outweigh the stress of taking the actions needed to prevent the destruction of our democracy.
We cannot stop. Those coming along after us cannot stop either.
We've had PTSD since the orange menace came down the golden escalator. And I hold MSM largely responsible for giving voice to hateful rhetoric in the guise of "presenting both sides". And Comey . . . I despise him - he knew exactly what he was doing nine days before that election. Would love to follow that money trail.
It was Comey's publicizing the re-opening of the investigation against Hillary Clinton shortly before the election that doomed her campaign and ushered Trump into the White House. The deconstruction of the U.S. began on that Day 1.
Your prediction regarding the possible indictment of the Orange Idiot this week is cause for celebration! The Champagne is on ice! Let's keep the ball rolling! Enough of this waiting BS!!
I have loved children since I was four years old and begged to babysit Bobby and Jimmy across the street. So we worked out that they would come to my house with an adult homer while I played with them. That was the beginning of a long career from from becoming an Educational Therapist and receiving a Master’s Degree in Child Development. From mother/toddler groups to directing the preschool for the Psychoanalytic Institute, to Child Guidance Clinics, to beginning an elementary school focusing on social intelligence, to teaching Child Development at a City College... I have joyfully committed myself to children and young adults.. this work spoke to my heart and filled me with love. What a blessing it is to have deeply touched a child in th most positive way. The cruelty I now see around me and gun violence is beyond intolerable.PLEASE DO Not VOTE for ANYONE WHO IS NOT FOR GUN SAFETY and excellent thought provoking education for our children. Every young child is depending upon you as are their older brothers and sisters.
Jun 5, 2023·edited Jun 5, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
While Fascism is mostly a phenomenon of the Right, it is actually a subset of a form of "personalist" strongman rule, necessarily authoritarian, which uses the TOOLS of classic fascism to achieve glorification of the leader. These include the demonization of first one Other, then another Other. Because of usual mantra of "country, religion, order, loyalty, purity" it usually appeals to the Right who want to return to a "golden era" where those of their "kind" were (imagined or not) in complete control. It thus has a very cult-like quality, even if the cult involves thousands or millions of people.
I'm reading Strongmen by Ruth Ben-Ghiat which details historical examples of the Strongman regimes from Mussolini on. It's very revealing of the patterns behind all these movements. The economic structure supported by the movement isn't nearly as important as the tools used to gain power. The dichotomy isn't Fascism/Communism--Stalin certainly used these tools. The dichotomy is much more "strongman"/democracy- (the latter in the sense of people having a voice in their governance, whether as "democracy" or "republic." Many on the right think they've solved something by saying we are "not a democracy but a republic.")
People who support such movements often pooh-pooh the term "fascist" because they think it has to involve Final Solutions and genocide and they aren't proposing THAT, surely not! It's too bad we don't have a single word for "user of fascist tools" because they would have a much harder time denying their support of such tools. Maybe MAGAt will do it. Or to make it international: M*GAt
I'd observe that we did not have a strongman in DJT, we had and have a sick, unbalanced person who has fostered an environment building upon fear. Of course, he was terribly aided by the ignorance of Tucker Carlson's replacement theory nonsense.
It may be that Americans need instruction about Fascism and its dangers. I suspect, though, that Americans think of Fascism as foreign, European. We need an American word to get us there. Joe Biden showed an understanding of that need when he called out MAGA Republicans. MAGA Republican is a pretty good perjorative.
Leonard: Hopefully, the increasingly extreme positions the "Republican" contenders will take during the upcoming primary season will provide lots of educational material for political analysts and the public. They will expose themselves: their undemocratic and unpopular positions. Two quotes come to mind as being relevant..."Hoist by your own petard" (Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4). And also..."You talk so big, you make yourself look small." (From a play whose name I can't remember, but the phrase has always stuck with me!)
I tend to agree that we need to find a more American term. "Fascist" does seem a bit distant and perhaps overused. It's an invective used by the other side as they use projection to try to confuse things. I'm not sure that "MAGA Republicans" (I prefer "MAGAts") is good either, because it perpetuates TFG's misappropriated slogan. But fascism is certainly an accurate description of the behavior and apparent beliefs of many on the other side.
All that said, it's important to be honest and call things what they are. In that way, terming things as "fascist" or "fascism" is appropriate. But we should avoid the natural tendency of making it personal. So when we use the term, "fascist," it should only be used as an adjective. While it may be accurate, calling a person a "fascist" is not likely to have the desired effect.
Hi, Bob. I almost always agree with everything you say. Here, I fundamentally disagree. It is uncomfortable being called a fascist or racist. That's the point. It should be personal. Their attacks on gay teens and transgender people is deeply personal. We should not sanitize their actions by creating one degree of separation between who they are and what they do by describing their actions as fascist without saying they are fascists.
To both Robert and Bob, As I noted in a previous comment, whatever term we use we must call out descriptively the actions that fascist and MAGA Republicans are taking. Let it be clear what the ugliness and inhumanity of their efforts are. Be not shy, but boldly speak truth to those who are so incredibly willing to denigrate people who are different.
We'll have to agree to disagree, to a point. It is uncomfortable being called a fascist or racist, but that often leads to unhelpful escalation. I guess I'm too much of a moderate to take the ad hominem approach (with a few notable exceptions). Thanks for your thoughtful reply, though. That's one of the things I really like about this community you've established.
Good point, Leonard. The word fascism is very loaded, even though true as described by HCR last week. MAGA Republicans is a start but we must, I believe, include descriptive language that identifies and calls out their actions. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this excellent newsletter, Robert! It is very much in line with Heather Cox Richardson's piece this morning putting Ron DeSantis smack in the middle of the fascist movement. It is also very much in line with a very powerful and important part of the service at my Unitarian Church yesterday. One of our members, who is transgender themselves, gave a moving summary of how much suffering they had gone through from childhood into their 40s when they finally received a gender affirming care. They began to enjoy life instead of wanting to end it.
They also stessed the fact that in supporting and advocating for the rights of transgender people, we are also advocating for all their friends and family members who also suffer greatly from the attacks on and diminishing rights of their loved ones.
Robert, thank you so much for shining a bright light on the dark issue of fascism in America, and for sounding the alarm for the LGBTW+ community. You are a staunch and wonderful ally. Hitter did target gay people first. Maga hate must be taken seriously and defeated or we are all in danger.
When it comes to freedoms, marginalized individuals have played important roles in history that have not been acknowledged or celebrated.
Two such luminaries are Pauli Murray and Bayard Rustin. Both were "Negro," deeply religious (Episcopalian and Quaker), part of the LGBTQ+ community, and active in nonviolent activism that led to the major advances in Civil Rights.
For anyone who has not heard their names and important roles in the 20th Century,
I suggest the following documentaries:
My Name Is Pauli Murray
and
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin.
Then share their lived experiences with others who have not heard their names.
I think of fascism as 'surviving at the cost of others'. That is indeed a part of human history, and most of us have it in our background. For women that can have children it may even be legitimate.
'The strongman' may be a center of interest, but the tendency 'to go with the winner' is what may capture a lot of us. As Swedish I think of this when it comes to WWII: Sweden was 'neutral' because a lot of those who wanted to join the war, wanted to go with Nazi Germany. As it became evident that Germany was losing, there was some talk of 'maybe shifting foot', and after the war Sweden was embracing 'America' more than most European countries.
There is a particular irony in attacking sexual varieties, as a small and vulnerable group, at a time when humanity is pouring out hormone disturbing substances at an unprecedented rate.
While examples of history may serve to explain, I consider these patterns to be archetypal and belonging to both prehistory and the present.
Far right populists in Denmark and Norway have reached positions in government, but the 'Sweden Democrats' have not. The Danish and Norwegian parties have had women as leaders, whereas SD has not yet discovered the advantage of female legitimacy of fascism.
Thank you for bringing awareness to the danger of discrimination against the LGBTQ communities. We must call it what it is - fascism As a proud mother of a 28 year old gay man I can tell you I have been on high alert since the election of Trump . The LGBTQ community saw the writing on the wall long before everyone else . My son and his friends have all gotten or updated their passports “ in Case “ they need to flee the country . My God can you believe this is 2023 and they have to live in such fear on a daily basis ? I still have hope that we have the power and ability to turn this around . Thank you for being a part of the movement that will help make that happen.
As a new Florida resident, today's newsletter reminded me of how cruel and controlling hatred is. In a few days, I'll celebrate my 79th birthday. As a 14yr old in 1958, I was riding on a Liberty Street bus bound for downtown Houston. I noticed an elderly woman using a cane struggling to get up the steps into the bus. As she began walking to the "back of the bus" I stood up and offered her my seat. The bus driver, who was a big as a refrigerator, stopped the bus, stood up from his seat and yelled at me as if he were an outraged football coach...."Boy, you sit back down. All "N.....s" sit at the back of the bus." I was petrified. Bingo! My introduction to racism began. That memory has guided my actions towards, and for, the rights of all people of color and folks with special needs. The current torrid pace of hateful political animus that rejects any difference, MUST be challenged "with all deliberate speed." (Thurgood Marshall 1964). Mr. Hubble, your relentless advocacy for political balance continues to inspire me. Thank you.
Thank you for this newsletter. So important on all your topics, but I'll focus for now on the first part. You are so right to mention HCR's May 29 essay on the Army pamphlet on Fascism. I'm currently rereading "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" by Timothy Snyder. Published in 2017 it is crucial reading for this moment---a small book about big issues. He wrote it in light of the rise of Trump---in the historical light of the rise of fascism, Nazism, and communism in democracies in Europe. The parallels he cites, and the ones that will hit you in the middle of one of his sentences, are more than alarming---they are a call to the front lines. If we don't think that Trump will do exactly what he claims if he becomes president, history is a grim reminder. Prof. Snyder also has a sub stack focused on the war in Ukraine and the history of the Ukraine. Brilliant. From the back cover of Tyranny: "The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of he Twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or to communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience."
In the vein of information being power, I highly recommend Madeleine Albright's fascinating history of fascism: "Fascism: A Warning." In this highly readable study, former Secretary Albright traces how multiple fascists in history rose to power. But even if no other chapters are of interest to the reader, Chapter 15 will be in its focus on Trump's demonization of selected minority groups. Unfortunately, former Secretary Albright passed away before DeSantis's fascist efforts in Florida, or she would be speaking out about him. We must all be vigilant again any attempts to limit personal freedoms or attacks on minority groups or ideas. As Albright beautifully points out, it starts small and gradually grows to monstrous levels if we do not act against it early and often.
I mentioned this book in a comment yesterday. I have read it three times and then passed it around to friends. Albright is brilliant; sad she is no longer with us.
It is no wonder that the comments today are of a length and fervor that reflect my feelings about this issue of critical importance. I wish to address what I believe is a necessary corrective for the future of these United States and big "D" Democracy world-wide. Simply put, fascism needs to be defined in a way such that when it appears we know it, can respond with immediacy and can legally repudiate it without fear of infringing on the rights of free speech. When Trump began his campaign in 2015 and began to spew his hateful remarks, it was clear that his intention was to garner the support of the most fringe population of our citizens as he was successful in identifying their sense of alienation as well as the roots of their anger and disenfranchisment. He knew these people were churning with internal violence.
It was then, at the outset, that legislation was needed to assist in distinguishing between legitimate political speech and hate speech. This is not an easy task. Germany has long-standing laws against hate speech, misogyny, extremism, and misinformation. “We are making it clear that anyone who posts hate messages must expect the police to be at the front door afterward,” Holger Münch, the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, said after raids in 2022 in which over 100 homes were investigated."In doing so, they have flipped inside out what, to American ears, it means to protect free speech. The authorities in Germany argue that they are encouraging and defending free speech by providing a space where people can share opinions without fear of being attacked or abused."
“There has to be a line you cannot cross,” said Svenja Meininghaus, a state prosecutor who attended the raid of the father’s house. “There has to be consequences.” Publicly displaying swastikas and other Nazi symbolism is illegal in Germany, as is denying or diminishing the significance of the Holocaust. Remarks considered to be inciting hatred are punishable with jail time." This had become a common cause in light of an assassination of a well-liked political operative who in 2019 suggested that if anyone disapproved of Germany allowing immigrants into the country, they should leave. He was shot the next day.
Still, Germany struggles to not go too far. They are always on the alert for 'over-defending'. However,
"Daniel Holznagel, a former Justice Ministry official who helped draft the internet enforcement laws passed in 2017, compared the crackdown to going after copyright violators. He said people stopped illegally downloading music and movies as much after authorities began issuing fines and legal warnings. “You can’t prosecute everyone, but it will have a big effect if you show that prosecution is possible,” said Mr. Holznagel.
I find myself impatient and angry that there is any temerity about calling MAGA Republicans fascists. I don't think it's an extreme term to describe the isolationism, the anti-immigration rhetoric, anti-minorities of any kind politics, and general disregard for the rule of law that Republicans have shown increasingly over the past 8 years. I have just asked myself again and again - with great frustration and anger - why has it taken so long to acknowledge it? Fascism in the United States is not new, nor is it in our distant past. All you have to do is read about the political fights of the late 1930s to realize that we are having the same battles today. Lynne Olson has written an excellent history of late 1930s America called "Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh and America's Fight Over World War II 1939-1941". It is one of four histories she has written about the period of World War II , and I highly recommend all four.
Thank you so much for this important newsletter. I do intend to share it out as widely as possible. You aleady know where I stand on this, as, yes, the mother, not of a teenager, but of a 20-something non-binary adult, and mother-in-law to their amazing partner. My kid has just begun Physician Assistant school, with the hope of specializing in trans Healthcare. Their partner is teaching financial skills to Special Ed seniors at a virtual HS. I'm incredibly proud of them, and I worry for their safety and physical and mental health every day.
Rob, thank you, as always, for your focus on this topic. Blessings to you and your family.
Denise, I cannot imagine the stress that recent legislation and attacks on this community have created. Their is no humane explanation of the tragic willingness to put people who are different at risk. I am reminded of a PBS Show World on Fire that depicts a family with a child at risk during times when an element of the German society felt those who have a disability needed to be eradicated. It feels to me that our current environment in some parts of the country are denying the reality of people who are different. Here is a link to my State District Representative testifying before the Colorado House in March. She spoke eloquently about Republican efforts to move forward with ant--gay legislation: <iframe width="640" height="360" style="border:1px solid #e6e6e6" src="https://www.9news.com/embeds/video/responsive/73-c9dd7423-d85c-4792-a172-8c28196e667a/iframe" allowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
Thank you John, I appreciate the link. I believe Rep. Titone was my representative until I moved away from Jefferson County in 2020, and eventually to N. California. I'm pleased that she is still doing the hard work in Colorado.
Excellent newsletter tonight Robert. The call it action is important. When we hear DeSantis claim he will lead a "war on woke" and "consign it to the trash heap of history" as he did this past week, we can know that Civil War II, which has been going on for awhile, has gotten a lot less "cold" as their rhetoric heats up. The threat of MAGA to the United States is existential. As James Comey pointed out this morning in an interview with Jen Psaki on MSNBC, the Founders never contemplated a "rogue president" in office. If Trump returns to the White House in 2024, they will start the deconstruction of the United States on Day 1, and there is little the system can do to a leader who refuses to recognize any of the system's limitations. The next 18 months are going to determine if the United States remain a constitutional democratic republic or falls as other republics have to those who abandon the republic in favor of taking power.
I was speaking to a neighbor yesterday. We are both politically active in the Democratic Party.
The thing is, there is all this conversation about fighting for democracy up to the 2024 election, and taking back control from the thugs.
But, what about after that! My friend and I felt like that won’t be the end of it and we will continue with all this chaos and fighting forever. It won’t stop, even after the orange idiot dies, or loses the election. We will still have the cronies working to destroy the country-if you don’t succeed the first time (orange idiot), then try, try harder (DeSantis, or another stand-in, wannabe).
I have read enough from the participants comments in this newsletter to know there are none of you who want to do this for the rest of your lives. I don’t now if I can bear to continue with all the stress, heartache, and hate has become normalized. I don’t know if I can bear to witness the end of the country I have loved.
Hi. Your feelings of exhaustion are understandable. But hold on to this: we need not collapse all of our future struggles into the present moment. We need only make it through the challenges we face today, and then deal with tomorrow's challenges when they come (if they do). I am not saying we should not engage in long term planning, but we have all the strength we need now. That is enough.
Amen! Robert is right, as is IdoCodeBlues. It will be a lifetime effort for many, perhaps all citizens who care. First, I want to reinforce Roberts observation to take it one day at a time, give ourselves a lot of credit for the good efforts that we see on the part of many eagerly addressing these horrific legislative efforts to deny people their being. Second, while we do need to recognize the long view, I'd offer two caveats: A. It is the result of our failure as a country to more fully address the topic of racism and bigotry serious efforts to heal our nation since the Civil War times. To that end I encourage a reading of Jon Meacham's work "The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels." (Available on Amazon audio or print.) He made it abundantly clear that the hate and anger has never been fully addressed since the 1800s. Moreover, to placate southerners unfortunate concessions were made. B. We must create communities of solidarity to help us in times of stress and heartache while never succumbing to the amoral attacks on our humanity, our oneness as people. That is why Today's Edition and our sharing of feelings, angst and resources to take action are so abundantly critical. Thanks for being so honest in sharing your feelings. I can relate.
I believe the fight for democracy is, and will be, ongoing. There will always be those who are drawn to authoritarianism who will try to destroy democratic norms.
And yes, it is daunting to think we have to keep fighting to secure our freedoms, and to ensure these freedoms for all Americans. What keeps me going is knowing that if we do not fight back and fortify our democracy each and every step of the way, the stress and danger to our collective & personal well-being under autocratic rule will far, far outweigh the stress of taking the actions needed to prevent the destruction of our democracy.
We cannot stop. Those coming along after us cannot stop either.
We've had PTSD since the orange menace came down the golden escalator. And I hold MSM largely responsible for giving voice to hateful rhetoric in the guise of "presenting both sides". And Comey . . . I despise him - he knew exactly what he was doing nine days before that election. Would love to follow that money trail.
It was Comey's publicizing the re-opening of the investigation against Hillary Clinton shortly before the election that doomed her campaign and ushered Trump into the White House. The deconstruction of the U.S. began on that Day 1.
TC
Your prediction regarding the possible indictment of the Orange Idiot this week is cause for celebration! The Champagne is on ice! Let's keep the ball rolling! Enough of this waiting BS!!
May I clarify! That was your post on HCR this morning!
And this truth is damn scary TCinLA! Thank you.
I have loved children since I was four years old and begged to babysit Bobby and Jimmy across the street. So we worked out that they would come to my house with an adult homer while I played with them. That was the beginning of a long career from from becoming an Educational Therapist and receiving a Master’s Degree in Child Development. From mother/toddler groups to directing the preschool for the Psychoanalytic Institute, to Child Guidance Clinics, to beginning an elementary school focusing on social intelligence, to teaching Child Development at a City College... I have joyfully committed myself to children and young adults.. this work spoke to my heart and filled me with love. What a blessing it is to have deeply touched a child in th most positive way. The cruelty I now see around me and gun violence is beyond intolerable.PLEASE DO Not VOTE for ANYONE WHO IS NOT FOR GUN SAFETY and excellent thought provoking education for our children. Every young child is depending upon you as are their older brothers and sisters.
While Fascism is mostly a phenomenon of the Right, it is actually a subset of a form of "personalist" strongman rule, necessarily authoritarian, which uses the TOOLS of classic fascism to achieve glorification of the leader. These include the demonization of first one Other, then another Other. Because of usual mantra of "country, religion, order, loyalty, purity" it usually appeals to the Right who want to return to a "golden era" where those of their "kind" were (imagined or not) in complete control. It thus has a very cult-like quality, even if the cult involves thousands or millions of people.
I'm reading Strongmen by Ruth Ben-Ghiat which details historical examples of the Strongman regimes from Mussolini on. It's very revealing of the patterns behind all these movements. The economic structure supported by the movement isn't nearly as important as the tools used to gain power. The dichotomy isn't Fascism/Communism--Stalin certainly used these tools. The dichotomy is much more "strongman"/democracy- (the latter in the sense of people having a voice in their governance, whether as "democracy" or "republic." Many on the right think they've solved something by saying we are "not a democracy but a republic.")
People who support such movements often pooh-pooh the term "fascist" because they think it has to involve Final Solutions and genocide and they aren't proposing THAT, surely not! It's too bad we don't have a single word for "user of fascist tools" because they would have a much harder time denying their support of such tools. Maybe MAGAt will do it. Or to make it international: M*GAt
I'd observe that we did not have a strongman in DJT, we had and have a sick, unbalanced person who has fostered an environment building upon fear. Of course, he was terribly aided by the ignorance of Tucker Carlson's replacement theory nonsense.
I'd agree. He was a strong man wannabe. But he and his enablers certainly use the toolset.
It may be that Americans need instruction about Fascism and its dangers. I suspect, though, that Americans think of Fascism as foreign, European. We need an American word to get us there. Joe Biden showed an understanding of that need when he called out MAGA Republicans. MAGA Republican is a pretty good perjorative.
Leonard: Hopefully, the increasingly extreme positions the "Republican" contenders will take during the upcoming primary season will provide lots of educational material for political analysts and the public. They will expose themselves: their undemocratic and unpopular positions. Two quotes come to mind as being relevant..."Hoist by your own petard" (Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 4). And also..."You talk so big, you make yourself look small." (From a play whose name I can't remember, but the phrase has always stuck with me!)
See my post a few minutes ago mentioning Timothy Snyder's small book "Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century"
On Tyranny was made into a YA graphic novel as well. It is excellent, if any parents are interested .
I tend to agree that we need to find a more American term. "Fascist" does seem a bit distant and perhaps overused. It's an invective used by the other side as they use projection to try to confuse things. I'm not sure that "MAGA Republicans" (I prefer "MAGAts") is good either, because it perpetuates TFG's misappropriated slogan. But fascism is certainly an accurate description of the behavior and apparent beliefs of many on the other side.
All that said, it's important to be honest and call things what they are. In that way, terming things as "fascist" or "fascism" is appropriate. But we should avoid the natural tendency of making it personal. So when we use the term, "fascist," it should only be used as an adjective. While it may be accurate, calling a person a "fascist" is not likely to have the desired effect.
Hi, Bob. I almost always agree with everything you say. Here, I fundamentally disagree. It is uncomfortable being called a fascist or racist. That's the point. It should be personal. Their attacks on gay teens and transgender people is deeply personal. We should not sanitize their actions by creating one degree of separation between who they are and what they do by describing their actions as fascist without saying they are fascists.
To both Robert and Bob, As I noted in a previous comment, whatever term we use we must call out descriptively the actions that fascist and MAGA Republicans are taking. Let it be clear what the ugliness and inhumanity of their efforts are. Be not shy, but boldly speak truth to those who are so incredibly willing to denigrate people who are different.
We'll have to agree to disagree, to a point. It is uncomfortable being called a fascist or racist, but that often leads to unhelpful escalation. I guess I'm too much of a moderate to take the ad hominem approach (with a few notable exceptions). Thanks for your thoughtful reply, though. That's one of the things I really like about this community you've established.
Good point, Leonard. The word fascism is very loaded, even though true as described by HCR last week. MAGA Republicans is a start but we must, I believe, include descriptive language that identifies and calls out their actions. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this excellent newsletter, Robert! It is very much in line with Heather Cox Richardson's piece this morning putting Ron DeSantis smack in the middle of the fascist movement. It is also very much in line with a very powerful and important part of the service at my Unitarian Church yesterday. One of our members, who is transgender themselves, gave a moving summary of how much suffering they had gone through from childhood into their 40s when they finally received a gender affirming care. They began to enjoy life instead of wanting to end it.
They also stessed the fact that in supporting and advocating for the rights of transgender people, we are also advocating for all their friends and family members who also suffer greatly from the attacks on and diminishing rights of their loved ones.
Robert, thank you so much for shining a bright light on the dark issue of fascism in America, and for sounding the alarm for the LGBTW+ community. You are a staunch and wonderful ally. Hitter did target gay people first. Maga hate must be taken seriously and defeated or we are all in danger.
Thank you, Robert.
"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Fascism by any other name would just smell.
I have been known to call a spade a shovel.
The ‘Forth Reich’ maybe?
When it comes to freedoms, marginalized individuals have played important roles in history that have not been acknowledged or celebrated.
Two such luminaries are Pauli Murray and Bayard Rustin. Both were "Negro," deeply religious (Episcopalian and Quaker), part of the LGBTQ+ community, and active in nonviolent activism that led to the major advances in Civil Rights.
For anyone who has not heard their names and important roles in the 20th Century,
I suggest the following documentaries:
My Name Is Pauli Murray
and
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin.
Then share their lived experiences with others who have not heard their names.
I think of fascism as 'surviving at the cost of others'. That is indeed a part of human history, and most of us have it in our background. For women that can have children it may even be legitimate.
'The strongman' may be a center of interest, but the tendency 'to go with the winner' is what may capture a lot of us. As Swedish I think of this when it comes to WWII: Sweden was 'neutral' because a lot of those who wanted to join the war, wanted to go with Nazi Germany. As it became evident that Germany was losing, there was some talk of 'maybe shifting foot', and after the war Sweden was embracing 'America' more than most European countries.
There is a particular irony in attacking sexual varieties, as a small and vulnerable group, at a time when humanity is pouring out hormone disturbing substances at an unprecedented rate.
thanks for the historical perspective.
While examples of history may serve to explain, I consider these patterns to be archetypal and belonging to both prehistory and the present.
Far right populists in Denmark and Norway have reached positions in government, but the 'Sweden Democrats' have not. The Danish and Norwegian parties have had women as leaders, whereas SD has not yet discovered the advantage of female legitimacy of fascism.
Thank you for bringing awareness to the danger of discrimination against the LGBTQ communities. We must call it what it is - fascism As a proud mother of a 28 year old gay man I can tell you I have been on high alert since the election of Trump . The LGBTQ community saw the writing on the wall long before everyone else . My son and his friends have all gotten or updated their passports “ in Case “ they need to flee the country . My God can you believe this is 2023 and they have to live in such fear on a daily basis ? I still have hope that we have the power and ability to turn this around . Thank you for being a part of the movement that will help make that happen.
As a new Florida resident, today's newsletter reminded me of how cruel and controlling hatred is. In a few days, I'll celebrate my 79th birthday. As a 14yr old in 1958, I was riding on a Liberty Street bus bound for downtown Houston. I noticed an elderly woman using a cane struggling to get up the steps into the bus. As she began walking to the "back of the bus" I stood up and offered her my seat. The bus driver, who was a big as a refrigerator, stopped the bus, stood up from his seat and yelled at me as if he were an outraged football coach...."Boy, you sit back down. All "N.....s" sit at the back of the bus." I was petrified. Bingo! My introduction to racism began. That memory has guided my actions towards, and for, the rights of all people of color and folks with special needs. The current torrid pace of hateful political animus that rejects any difference, MUST be challenged "with all deliberate speed." (Thurgood Marshall 1964). Mr. Hubble, your relentless advocacy for political balance continues to inspire me. Thank you.
Art, thanks for sharing your personal experience.
Thank you for this newsletter. So important on all your topics, but I'll focus for now on the first part. You are so right to mention HCR's May 29 essay on the Army pamphlet on Fascism. I'm currently rereading "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" by Timothy Snyder. Published in 2017 it is crucial reading for this moment---a small book about big issues. He wrote it in light of the rise of Trump---in the historical light of the rise of fascism, Nazism, and communism in democracies in Europe. The parallels he cites, and the ones that will hit you in the middle of one of his sentences, are more than alarming---they are a call to the front lines. If we don't think that Trump will do exactly what he claims if he becomes president, history is a grim reminder. Prof. Snyder also has a sub stack focused on the war in Ukraine and the history of the Ukraine. Brilliant. From the back cover of Tyranny: "The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of he Twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or to communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience."
In the vein of information being power, I highly recommend Madeleine Albright's fascinating history of fascism: "Fascism: A Warning." In this highly readable study, former Secretary Albright traces how multiple fascists in history rose to power. But even if no other chapters are of interest to the reader, Chapter 15 will be in its focus on Trump's demonization of selected minority groups. Unfortunately, former Secretary Albright passed away before DeSantis's fascist efforts in Florida, or she would be speaking out about him. We must all be vigilant again any attempts to limit personal freedoms or attacks on minority groups or ideas. As Albright beautifully points out, it starts small and gradually grows to monstrous levels if we do not act against it early and often.
I mentioned this book in a comment yesterday. I have read it three times and then passed it around to friends. Albright is brilliant; sad she is no longer with us.
It is no wonder that the comments today are of a length and fervor that reflect my feelings about this issue of critical importance. I wish to address what I believe is a necessary corrective for the future of these United States and big "D" Democracy world-wide. Simply put, fascism needs to be defined in a way such that when it appears we know it, can respond with immediacy and can legally repudiate it without fear of infringing on the rights of free speech. When Trump began his campaign in 2015 and began to spew his hateful remarks, it was clear that his intention was to garner the support of the most fringe population of our citizens as he was successful in identifying their sense of alienation as well as the roots of their anger and disenfranchisment. He knew these people were churning with internal violence.
It was then, at the outset, that legislation was needed to assist in distinguishing between legitimate political speech and hate speech. This is not an easy task. Germany has long-standing laws against hate speech, misogyny, extremism, and misinformation. “We are making it clear that anyone who posts hate messages must expect the police to be at the front door afterward,” Holger Münch, the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, said after raids in 2022 in which over 100 homes were investigated."In doing so, they have flipped inside out what, to American ears, it means to protect free speech. The authorities in Germany argue that they are encouraging and defending free speech by providing a space where people can share opinions without fear of being attacked or abused."
“There has to be a line you cannot cross,” said Svenja Meininghaus, a state prosecutor who attended the raid of the father’s house. “There has to be consequences.” Publicly displaying swastikas and other Nazi symbolism is illegal in Germany, as is denying or diminishing the significance of the Holocaust. Remarks considered to be inciting hatred are punishable with jail time." This had become a common cause in light of an assassination of a well-liked political operative who in 2019 suggested that if anyone disapproved of Germany allowing immigrants into the country, they should leave. He was shot the next day.
Still, Germany struggles to not go too far. They are always on the alert for 'over-defending'. However,
"Daniel Holznagel, a former Justice Ministry official who helped draft the internet enforcement laws passed in 2017, compared the crackdown to going after copyright violators. He said people stopped illegally downloading music and movies as much after authorities began issuing fines and legal warnings. “You can’t prosecute everyone, but it will have a big effect if you show that prosecution is possible,” said Mr. Holznagel.
Thanks for the helpful context and thoughtful comment.
I find myself impatient and angry that there is any temerity about calling MAGA Republicans fascists. I don't think it's an extreme term to describe the isolationism, the anti-immigration rhetoric, anti-minorities of any kind politics, and general disregard for the rule of law that Republicans have shown increasingly over the past 8 years. I have just asked myself again and again - with great frustration and anger - why has it taken so long to acknowledge it? Fascism in the United States is not new, nor is it in our distant past. All you have to do is read about the political fights of the late 1930s to realize that we are having the same battles today. Lynne Olson has written an excellent history of late 1930s America called "Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh and America's Fight Over World War II 1939-1941". It is one of four histories she has written about the period of World War II , and I highly recommend all four.