My Take: The causes of fascism

Historians have not only identified common tenets of fascism, but also its causes. Both are exhibited by the current Republican Party.

Inequality: Fascists disagree with Jefferson’s statement that all “are created equal,” promoting a “we” versus “they” mindset.

Extreme nationalism: My country right or wrong. Can’t discuss the wrongs in schools. It’s called White Christian Nationalism. Their definition of what it means to be an American excludes Democrats and other religions, ethnic groups, and skin colors.

Real or feigned national humiliation: A lost war caused it. Trump’s claims of “American carnage” and “America never wins anymore” are based on perceived humiliation.

Economic distress: Wealth inequity, high unemployment and high inflation cause economic distress. Fascists claim democracy has failed, “I alone can fix it.”

Chaos/social unrest: Though fascists claim to support law and order, they use chaos, that they often cause, to undermine trust in democratic institutions. Note the current attack on the FBI. Trump creates chaos/violence even encouraging it.

Deadlocked democratic governments: Today’s GOP is the party of no to popular proposals addressing America’s needs. They blame Biden for inflation yet obstruct Democratic attempts to combat it.

Fear and scapegoating: Fascists create fear of communists, socialists (the two are NOT the same), and vulnerable minority groups, blaming them for difficulties.

Tactics used: Fascists use propaganda, promoting “The Big Lie.” They use control of elections to win and then to never lose. Now claiming elections are fraudulent they are undermining faith and trust in democratic institutions. They encourage and use paramilitary groups who are willing to use intimidation and violence.

America fascists have never embraced “liberty and justice for all,” but do embrace being “one nation under God,” citing the Bible, with many claiming to be doing God’s will.

Using the Bible’s acceptance of slavery, they enshrined it in our Constitution and used scripture to justify our genocide of “heathen” Native Americans.

It took our bloodiest war and constitutional amendments to end slavery. American fascists still oppose these amendments which call for equal rights.

After the Civil War, racists North and South used laws which when implemented discriminated against Blacks. Wealthy White Southern Fascists, supported by poor whites, and with the Supreme Court’s approval established segregation of the races, completely denying Blacks the franchise and preventing their economic advancement. Numerous White riots, such as the one in Tulsa, destroyed Black lives and wealth. Terror was used without fear of state punishment well into the 1960s and is returning today. Today we witness White Fascists’ opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement and their killing of Blacks with the stated purpose of igniting a race war.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s unregulated capitalism failed us. Spurred on by economic despair, the emergence of Fascists in Europe and the threat of communism, American Fascists became emboldened. Organizations such as the Christian Front, KKK, and the American Bund, held Fascist rallies attended by thousands. Only after FDR’s use of socialistic laws giving people hope and after Americans witnessing Hitler’s gas chambers, the logical end of Fascist ideology, did American Fascism become less appealing and go somewhat underground.

After Democrats, with some Republican help and liberal Supreme Court rulings, passed the civil and voting rights laws in the 1960s, Blacks switched to the Democrats and the racist South joined the GOP. The GOP then began its decades-long Fascist-like attacks on minorities, culminating in recent times with the conservative Supreme Court’s gutting the civil and voting rights laws under the guise of “states' rights.”

The presidency of Obama and four years later with Georgia’s turning blue were traumatic events for American Fascists. When Black-over-white turned their view of the world upside down, they turned to and elected Trump who encouraged and emboldened them as “good people.”

The only force that stopped the Fascist-like discrimination against minorities was the federal government. Fascists are now attempting to gain control of that government, using all the tactics listed above. This will guarantee future wins for generations for those who oppose equality just as they have done for generations since the Civil War in the states they control. Unless Americans vote in Democratic majorities, equal rights for minorities will stall for generations. Then violence, weakening America such as we saw in the 1960s, may be the only path to restore equal rights.

Nearly 74 million Americans voted to reelect a Fascist in 2020, and that’s scary. The GOP is now a fascist party built around its cult leader, Donald Trump. Trump failed in 2020 because of incompetence and a few Republicans loyal to the Constitution, who are now being removed from positions of power. The next fascist GOP president will not repeat Trump’s mistakes.

— Don Bergman is a resident of Park Township.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: My Take: The causes of fascism