The 14 characteristics of fascism, as defined by Dr. Lawrence Britt, are as follows:
- Powerful and continuing nationalism,
- Disdain for the recognition of human rights,
- Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause,
- Supremacy of the military,
- Rampant sexism,
- Controlled mass media,
- Obsession with national security,
- Religion and government are intertwined,
- Corporate power is protected,
- Labor power is suppressed,
- Disdain for intellectuals and the arts,
- Obsession with crime and punishment,
- Rampant cronyism and corruption,
- Fraudulent elections
See anything you recognize?
The US has long been on a path to fascism and there are numerous examples for every one of these characteristics (sans fraudulent elections), especially in the Trump era. Perhaps the most relevant and timely of them all is #3: Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause.
Since the start of Trump’s second presidency, seven immigrant students have been arrested, await deportation, or have had their visas revoked: Yunseo Chung, Ranjani Srinivasan, Mahmoud Khalil, Momodou Taal, Badar Khan Suri, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Mohsen Mahdawi.
Their transgressions? Voicing their dissent over Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. Opposing the bombing of hospitals, schools, and displaced persons camps. Advocating against starving children and spraying white phosphorous.
All of these students were residing in the US legally. Two of them were permanent residents. There is one reason, and one reason only, why these students are facing this penalization: Trump doesn’t like what they have to say.
The government tries to justify its actions by saying that these protestors are promoting terrorism in the US, but in reality, they’re just advocating for a stop to the brutal Israeli occupation of Gaza.
The US lauds itself as a beacon of free speech. It’s right there in our constitution; the very first amendment of our Constitution states that “congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble…”.
Trump likes to act like he’s an advocate for free speech, making sure that there’s a space for hate speech to be shared on social media platforms. Calling the ‘libs’ sensitive for not standing by as offensive language is thrown around. In reality, Trump has already proven that his commitment to free speech is a complete front , and in fact he’s the sensitive one who can’t bare activists sharing opposing views.
Trump has been abusing his control over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and he’s using them as a pawn to advance his and Netanyahu’s interests. The first amendment has been thrown out the window in favor of protecting Bibi’s feelings and it promises disastrous things for the future of protest and free speech in our country.
He is taking these innocent people, these students, and scapegoating them. He is painting them as terrorists and dangers to society when, in reality, they are just exercising their right to peacefully protest.
They are targeting immigrants because they are an easy target. Right-wing messaging has indoctrinated people into thinking that immigrants are dangerous criminals; Trump knows this and is using it as license to deport them.
Trump wants to desensitize the public to the possibility of facing imprisonment or even deportation for voicing their opinions. He wants you to start justifying these actions, reasoning that these people are radicals and are supporting terrorists. He wants you to think that you could never be in their position, that you could never have to protest to make your voice heard.
As our country continues to trend to the right, eventually the rhetoric will become too radical for even the most apolitical among us. Eventually, you will feel the need to protest. Eventually, you will be the one whose voice Trump wants to silence.
Please do not think that just because the protestors who have faced this targeting are immigrants or pro-Palestinian and you aren’t, that you will be safe. If we are compliant with this descent into fascism, it will come back to bite you at one point or another. If we do not act now, it might be too late.
I’ll leave you with a poem by pastor Martin Niemöller that was written as a reflection of the fascism of Nazi era Germany:
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
