Fascism is a far-right ideology which made its debut in Italy in 1919. What did that ideology entail and does the comparison between fascism and the dominant wing of today’s Republican party really check out? Vilify minorities, check. Hate homosexuals, check. Disdain for intellectuals, check. Burn books, check. Attack labor unions, check. Attack women’s rights, check. Appeal to the mythology of a past “better” time, check. Build a cult of personality around a charismatic leader, check. Claim that lost elections are fraudulent, check. Paramilitary force standing by to impose the will of the minority on the majority, check.
What could Republicans do to uncheck these similarities? To demonstrate respect for elections they could accept the results of elections their own hand-picked election officials said were free and fair. To demonstrate that no one is above the law they could heap the same scorn and vitriol on Donald Trump for mishandling national documents that they threw at Hillary Clinton. They could adopt a philosophy of confronting and compromising with opposing parties instead of the current strategy of defeat and destroy them. Most importantly, instead of enabling and embracing far-right white supremacy, they could call it out for what it is and stand up against it.
James Cole
Concord