Fascism in America

In a recent letter in my local newspaper a Professor at Southern Connecticut State University gave a textbook definition of Fascism and applied it to President Trump. He believed that the President was as much a Fascist as notorious dictators Hitler and Mussolini. However, he overlooked aspects of Fascism in America right under his own nose.

When I saw images of rioters and looters smashing store windows along New York City’s posh Madison Avenue, it brought to mind Kristallnacht, the most famous window smashing in modern times. On the night of November 9, 1938 bands of Nazi thugs smashed the windows of Jewish owned businesses all over Germany. Police looked on but did not interfere.  

The windows were smashed not just to harm the business owners but also to strike fear into all Jews in Germany. More than that, mob violence was a tactic used to cower an entire population into silence. Nazi party members never made up more than 10 percent of the population in Germany but mob violence was one way to gain control over the majority.

The Nazis have been branded as Fascists but Fascism began earlier in Italy as Italian strong man Benito Mussolini rose to power. Mussolini admired ancient Rome and took from Rome a symbol of power and authority. Years ago in first year Latin class, I learned about the fasces, the symbol of Roman police authority. 

In Latin fasces just means a bundle of sticks tied tightly together. Alone, a slim stick had no power. It could be easily snapped or broken. But a number of sticks held or bound together tightly could not be broken and could be a powerful weapon like a rolled-up newspaper.

Fasces

Mussolini’s message to his followers was clear. Working alone, they had no power but if they banded together, they could be formidable even if only a small minority. Working alone a protestor or activist could be easily handled by the police, but a mob was a different story. Extremists, whether Fascists, Nazis, or Communists have used mob violence to gain power over entire populations.

What other tactics do Fascists employ? They limit or restrict the dissemination of ideas that they dislike. Fascists are not supporters of free speech. What is it but Fascism when newspapers, websites, and TV news channels will not broadcast opinions with which they disagree? During the recent riots prominent editors of large newspapers were dismissed because they allowed opinion pieces on their op-ed pages that differed from the prevailing politically correct orthodoxy. 

Originally, Op-Ed pages were designed to carry opinions that disagreed with the opinions on the editorial page, but no more. My local newspaper repeatedly urges readers to let their voices be heard but conservative voices are routinely censored out. 

What is it but Fascism when gangs of protestors on college campuses band together to shout down invited speakers whose views they will not even hear? In Nazi Germany renowned Jewish professors were dismissed from their positions. Many were forced into exile or worse. How many conservatives are on the faculty of Southern Connecticut State University? Is it possible for a conservative to even be considered for a position no matter what their qualifications?

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