Comments on: American Fascism?

By: Nori Travis

Nori Travis — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 22:46:00 +0000

Hi ,
I would like to know if you have any information regarding government sponsored gang stalking. They seem to know my location at all the time and able to hear me when ever speak in the vicinity of any phone. Usually I take battery off my phone, but that doesn’t help. This has been going on for more than two decades, but got much worse recent years. If you know of any lawyer that helps in this area please let me know. I live in new Haven CT.
Thanks
Travis
nori.travis@yahoo.com

By: Rafael

Rafael — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:33:00 +0000

Update: first was Arizona, then Georgia, Utah, Indiana and more recently Alabama. Every country and every state has the right to control illegal immigration and to enforce legislation accordingly of course. But according to the Alabama legislation anyone could be stopped, interrogated, and detained based on the “reasonable suspicion” of a cop. Any teenager who doesn’t have a driver’s license or other form of id showing his/her legal status (e.g., birth certificate or passport) could be handcuffed and taken to jail until the good officers of the state determine his /her status. The Spanish newspaper El País showed a photo of a pro-legislation demonstration in Alabama: a guy wields a baseball bat with a taped sign that says, “MEX get the hell out of my county!” Concerns about illegal immigration are legitimate. Demonstrating in favor of any legislation is the heart of democracy. Legally harassing anyone who looks Mexican is nauseating.

See USA vs State of Alabama: http://media.al.com/bn/other/U.S.%20Justice%20Department%20lawsuit.pdf

By: Rafael

Rafael — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:24:00 +0000

I agree. I am not sure if we are actually “bowling alone” as Putnam says (or working alone, etc.), but to the extent that we are, one would expect an increase in racism. The student in the example above began to question his racism only when dealing with Hispanic and black students (and professors and of course authors such as Frederick Douglass).

By: Rafael

Rafael — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:38:00 +0000

This is an excellent response. It never occurred to me that if fascism were to come to the U.S., it would come as anti-fascism, but this s really food for thought. It would have to appear “mediated” in the Hegelian sense, and indeed carrying and defending “core American virtues.”

By: Michael Corey

Michael Corey — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:31:00 +0000

I have a couple of personal experiences which convinced me that “racism” can be diminished in a couple of ways. One was as a part of a combat unit during 1967/68 during the Vietnam War. It was later during the war when racial tensions became a major problem. In that unit, many of of professionals were “Black” and Latino, and they commanded a lot of respect from virtually everyone else in the unit. Concerns about survival trump racial preconceptions. In the 1970’s through the 1990’s I saw how the construction and operation of new manufacturing facilities could transform racial relationships in the workplace and in the local community. Unfortunately, manufacturing operations are hard to build virtually anywhere in the United States, and their ability to transform relationships are diminishing. I really believe that significant progress can be made in addressing racial and ethnic problems if we are willing to once again become a country which makes things and takes advantage of our natural resources in responsible ways.

By: Rafael

Rafael — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:01:00 +0000

Thanks Michael. I also hope that most of this is just a reaction to the economic crisis, and not an actually emerging and collectively relevant sensibility, a shared vision of the future kind of thing (but “hope” is the keyword here).

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:37:00 +0000

Very insightful article. At the rate things are going in American politics, you would think that the word “fascist” might someday come to mean “someone who is in favor of a slight raise in taxes on the richest two percent.” The role of the state here is still implicit, and an “the idolatrous faith in the role of the state” might still be considered a primary criterion for classifying a “fascist.” On the one hand, it may seem peculiar why racists and neo-Nazis might seem so opposed to State power when they themselves might ultimately espouse a fascist ideology. I believe a quote, often attributed to Huey Long, is informative here: “If fascism ever comes to America, it will be call “anti-fascism.” Another variation is: “If fascism ever comes to American, it will be draped in a flag and carrying a cross.” It should be noticed that those currently most vehemently opposed to state-power (here I refer primarily to “extremists” and hate-groups) are primarily those out of power. If they should ever gain power, it is not beyond comprehension that they would implement draconian measures in order to “preserve liberty,” supposed against those that might seek to undermine it, as well as the nation, i.e. those not like them or not white, Christian, or ultra-patriotic. Which is to say I agree with Michael Corey, at least with respect to the term “Fascism”: it is primarily a tool with which to bludgeon one’s political opponents, whoever they may be.

By: Michael Corey

Michael Corey — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 02:29:00 +0000

Fascism and racism are still useful concepts when used in a thoughtful manner; however, in popular usage they have become delinked from their conceptual foundations, and are now used to delegitimize the credibility of others, usually others from an alternative perspective. For me, the object is to get behind the hostility, and deal with the sources of antagonism. My guess is that economic turbulence is fueling class tensions that are being acerbated by the legacies left behind by racism and fascist tendencies. Perhaps, if we can remove more barriers to improving “life chances” in the Weberian sense, then many things that appear to be racism and fascism will devolve leaving true racism and fascism more exposed. Once exposed, racism and fascism will be easier to address.