skull genocide
There is a disturbing trend in American politics that involves attributing the vilest political ideologies to conservatives (or anyone who is right of Marx) regardless of whether that label actually applies or not.

Since Trump's electoral win in 2016, the Left has rediscovered their love of screaming the word Fascist (and racist and sexist and Nazi) at pretty much anyone whom the label doesn't apply to. Accept the right to keep and bear arms? Fascist! Accept there are only two genders? Fascist! Accept that free markets are the best way to increase the quality of life of everyone, poor and rich, black and white, conservative and liberal? FASCIST!!

Before the word loses all meaning (George Orwell wrote in 1944 that "the word 'Fascism' is almost entirely meaningless ... almost any English person would accept 'bully' as a synonym for 'Fascist,'") let's discuss what "fascist" actually means, where it comes from, and who are the real fascists in America.

Fascism originated in Italy in 1915 (though some of its ideological roots trace further back), and is historically tied to the political rise of Benito Mussolini -- an anti-Catholic (he was a vehemently anti-clerical atheist who accused Christianity of promoting resignation and weakness) Marxist Socialist who was ejected from the Socialist Party for his support of WWI (he wanted to use WWI as a catalyst to launch the worker's revolution). He was an ardent believer in Marxism, once declaring Marx, "the greatest of all theorists of socialism." Though Mussolini and Hitler were allies, and Fascism and Nazism are often treated as synonymous, Mussolini rejected the racist and anti-Semitic views of Hitler and Nazi Germany. Mussolini saw himself as a sort of savior to Socialism, fixing what he considered were "flaws" in an otherwise perfect system. Nationalizing the means of production and abolishing private property rights weren't necessary if instead you regulated them enough. The Socialist Party may have abandoned Mussolini, but he did not abandon socialist ideas or principles.

Fascism and Socialism are basically two flavors of totalitarianism. Both negate individual and property rights "for the greater good." Both reject free markets and individualism. Both advocate central planning by a strong, heavy-handed government acting in the contrived "best interests" of the people. Both are anti-religious in theory but subvert religion when it suits their agenda in practice. What makes fascism unique is its ultra-nationalist tendencies, which Marxists dismissed as "nationalist Chauvinism" -- pride in one's nation that bleeds into hubristic excess. "Pure" Communists felt that Fascists held more loyalty to their nation than to the "workers of the world" and that this ultimately hindered the global overthrow of the bourgeoisie and the superstructure and disrupted the worker's revolution. But in terms of its end goals, Fascism is a sort of proto-socialism, a system intended to use slightly different means to achieve the same ends as Marxist Socialism and Communism.

At this point you may wonder why Communism and Fascism are considered opposite extremes of the political spectrum (Left and Right) and why there is so much antipathy between the two. The animosity is simply explained as one between quasi-religious fanatics who believe their way of achieving utopia is the one true way, and that all "apostates" must be converted or purged. And the Left/Right convention used to describe the two is an archaic and meaningless reference to French parliamentary practice; it has zero application in American politics, where extreme far-right views would be Anarcho-Capitalist or Libertarian, and extreme far Left views would be both Communism AND Fascism.

So, what do Fascists in America look like today?

The Left is particularly fond of pointing to an article by Laurence W. Britt titled "Fascism Anyone?" consisting of 14 points that he considered warning flags of fascism. While Britt himself admits these are more indicative of a proto-fascist state that is at risk of becoming a fascist state, and while these points have been watered down or distorted over time to suit the Left's caricature of the Right, let's look at them, since the Left loves using them, and see who the real fascists are, shall we?

1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism
On the surface this seems like a clear indicator of the Right, but let's analyze this a little deeper. BOTH sides engage in some form of "nationalism" as Britt describes it. Of course, it's only nationalism when the other side does it. When your side does it, it's patriotism, right? Both sides claim to want what's best for the country, both sides revel in cynical patriotic pageantry when it suits them. Both invoke national security. If this is an indicator of Fascism, then both sides have Fascist streaks as a result.
2. Disdain for the importance of human rights.
The Left is notorious for using the language of inalienable rights when it suits their agenda, while simultaneously displaying public contempt for the concept thereof. The Government is the benevolent provider of rights, not Nature or Nature's God. And what the State giveth, the State taketh away. "Through clever use of propaganda, the population was brought to accept these human rights abuses by marginalizing, even demonizing, those being targeted." Gee, doesn't that sound like how the Left treats fetuses and gun owners? While both sides may disagree on what is or isn't a right, only the American Right accepts as a fundamental premise the existence of inalienable rights to life, liberty, and property, independent of the presence of government, whose sole purpose is to protect and defend such rights.



Comment: Scientific explanation for 'libtards'? Conservatives have more complex moral compass than liberals


3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause
When they're not calling conservatives terrorists, fascists, racists, or homophobes, the Left is telling their base that we're going to take away their healthcare, put black people back in chains, that people are going to die, and the world is going to end because of man-made climate change that we just refuse to stop. You could possibly argue the Right does this too with other groups, but it is far more prevalent amongst Leftwing demagoguery.
4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism
How many times do Left-wing vets trot out their service as a shield against criticism -- especially in a gun control debate? Yes, some on the Right do this too, but it's generally condemned and considered tacky by conservatives, who value challenging and championing ideas on the basis of merit, not based on who advocates them. It's also interesting to point out: Mussolini's military campaigns didn't start until 12 years after he took power. In the meantime, he financed many public works funded by foreign banks and national debt to boost Italy's economy. Like a big, fascist stimulus package, you might say.
5. Rampant sexism
Which is more sexist? The idea that men and women are equal, and also different? Or the idea that women are inferior and need government to coddle them and be as paternalistic as possible? How about the notion that conservative women are dumb bimbos who only listen to their husbands? Britt points to anti-abortion and homophobia as examples of sexism but ignores the fact that these weren't due to religious sentiment valuing life, but rather the idea that Italian women needed to crank out babies in an effort to bolster the number of workers and soldiers.

Meanwhile, female unborn are aborted at wildly disproportionate rates to males, a let's not forget Obama's wage gap.



Comment: Ah yes, the famous "wage gap" As to the charge of disproportionate female abortion, it applies in cultures where sons are more valued. If the author is critiquing western society, it doesn't have much applicability.


6. A controlled mass media.
Pretty much every major media outlet in America is left-wing. Media Matters, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, etc. all controlled by the Left, all regurgitating the same talking points and left-wing topics. And the Left doesn't deny this either, they merely try to spin it as "the facts are on our side" which rings false more often than not. Is it any wonder why the Left hates right-wing sources for news like FOX News or Internet news sites? I should also point out this isn't unique to fascism. The USSR, North Korea, and China, are all known for their controlling the media and crushing dissenting views. That they're all Communist further reinforces the notion that Fascism and Communism have far more in common with each other than Fascism and American Capitalism.
7. Obsession with national security
Both sides use this argument when it suits them. Either both sides are fascist for this, or neither are.
8. Religion and ruling elite tied together.
The Left loves to trot this out as evidence of Right-wing fascism. There are a couple of problems with doing so, tho. First, the Left will just as easily resort to religious language and views they clearly don't believe in, (or appeal to pseudo-religious ideologies like secularism, militant atheism, or humanism) when they think it will get them votes. Just like Hitler and Mussolini did. Second, Mussolini and Hitler were both anti-Catholic/anti-religion. Mussolini was a militant atheist, and his fascists assaulted and killed priests, just like Hitler did. Both would eventually try to woo, and later subvert the Church, which was a powerful ally against totalitarianism. Tensions between Fascism and Catholicism became so bad that elements of the Church bitterly denounced Fascism, with Cardinal Maffi referring to them as the "Race of Cain." The Fascist State banned various Catholic youth leagues, such as the Catholic Boy Scouts, because they taught morals contradicting Fascist doctrine. The Fascist government replaced Catholic youth leagues with Fascist ones, notably the Opera Nationale Balilla, similar to Hitler's Youth. The credo of the Balilla was deemed sacrilegious by the Church. Meanwhile, the Pope's denunciations and criticisms of Fascism were widely suppressed in the Italian press by the Fascist government.
9. Power of corporations protected.
Never mind that Mussolini banned incorporated businesses (incorporated workers and unions, on the other hand, were welcome), many of the policies the Left advocates actually favor corporate donors. Wal-Mart loved Obamacare because it would hurt competitors. Social media giants like Twitter, Facebook, and Google actively discriminate against conservatives while literal "mom-and-pop" bakeries are forced to close their doors for refusing to bake a cake. During the anti-Monsanto trend, Obama went out of his way to ensure that not a single one of the "common sense" regulations regarding GMOs were ever put into effect. Corporatism is openly favored by the Left, even when their rhetoric suggests otherwise.
10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated.
For starters, Fascists did not suppress Labor power. If anything, they promoted it in a syndicalist corporate state [one where workers, industries, and organisations be systematized into confederations or syndicates- ed] that Hitler and Roosevelt would both try to emulate with varying degrees of success. Unions were only punished when they organized against the perceived interests of the State, not for existing. In other words, it is the opposite of eliminating or surprising labor power, that resembles Fascism.

Remind me again: who pushes to help boost the political power of the SEIU and other Big Labor donors?
11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts.
Again, not unique to Fascist regimes. This was also inherent in Communist countries as well. In fact, I've written elsewhere how the Left undermines classical arts and intellectualism that disagrees with its agenda.
12. Obsession with crime and punishment.
One could argue this all depends on how you define "crime" and "punishment." To the Left, dissent is a "crime" antithetical to social justice, regardless of the law, and should be punished my any means available, including but not limited to destroying people's livelihoods and reputations.
13. Rampant cronyism and corruption 14. Fraudulent elections.
While both sides may accuse each other of "stealing" elections, there is very little evidence this happens...except when it does. (While purely anecdotal I do also want to point out: This last election my wife -- who is Hispanic, was offered extra ballots by Boulder County poll workers...for any "family members" who might not have gotten one -- presumably because they would not be legally registered or able to vote. The election before that, my vote for Romney wasn't counted because of "signature discrepancies." How convenient!)
Now to be perfectly fair, it's not so cut-and-dry. Pointing to one's political rivals and calling them Fascist or Nazi is the lowest form of political rhetoric, regardless who does it. But given the history of Fascism and how easily the 14 points the Left loves to trot out can be connected to the Left, maybe the Left should exercise a little more discretion when casting aspersion on the Right? Something about throwing stones in glass houses?

After all: Fascist is as Fascist does.