Big Tent Anti-Fascism

 




Years ago, I wrote about the prospect of fascism coming to the United States.  At that point, I was unsure.  But recent events make it more and more clear.  People like Steven Crowder are now openly saying that "We need fascism."  To some extent, of course, that's just trolling/bait/empty gestures in the desperate hopes to get people to click on his videos, but it's also a calculation that this is no longer something that will instantly end his career.  That, in itself, should be concerning.

But now I have to reiterate what I said then, even more forcefully: that if the fascist threat is real, then we must form a broad coalition to defeat it.  No potential ally should be prima facie turned away. 

Now, some people are convinced that the "political compass" is garbage.  Fine.  I myself can think of ways that it's not well-defined.  But it serves as clear enough means of communication for my purposes today.

Personally, I'm deep in the lower-left quadrant of the political compass.  Every time I take one of those tests that's where I find myself.  But I'm willing to work with the upper-left and the lower-right to defeat the upper-right.  Indeed, I believe in strengthening the bonds between people in all the quadrants besides the upper-right - increasing both empathy and organization.  So long as the rest of us remain atomized, the upper-right will win.  They have the money, and the power, and most of the guns.

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