The new F-word: Why are we still afraid to call Trump a fascist?

[steve2470]

https://www.salon.com/2017/10/13/the-new-f-word-why-are-we-still-afraid-to-call-trump-a-fascist/

Donald Trump is a fascist and a racial authoritarian. For several years, I have tried to warn the readers of my essays here at Salon and those who listen to my podcast of this fact. Trump has revealed his core values to the world at almost every opportunity. Yet somehow, too many Americans appear stuck on a treadmill of daily shock at his behavior. It is sad to watch. Why is any of this a surprise? Trump is a crude man. He has never been subtle in terms of sharing his values and beliefs.

For example, Trump signaled his presidential aspirations by accusing Barack Obama of being a black usurper born secretly in another country. Perhaps even more insulting to Barack Obama -- and by implication to Black America -- Trump even dared to suggest that the first black president of the United States was a fraud whose accomplishments and intelligence were the result of imagined unfair advantages somehow (against all empirical evidence to the contrary) granted to black people in the United States. In essence Donald Trump told a black man in the 21st century to "show me your papers," as though the latter were a slave and Trump a paddyroller on some dusty road in the antebellum South during the early 19th century.

During the 2016 campaign and now as president, Donald Trump has met almost every criteria of a fascist leader adapted to fit American society.

He has contempt for democratic norms and procedures, and has repeated undermined them;

He has threatened violence against his political enemies;

He espouses militant nationalism;

He is patriarchal, hyper-masculine and misogynist;

He uses racism, ethnocentrism and bigotry to advance his political goals;

He lies compulsively in order to twist reality to his will and keep supporters enthralled;

He stokes a sense of racial grievance and victimhood among his voters;

He acts with contempt and utter disregard for the law;

He uses his position as president to personally enrich himself, his family and his political allies;

He openly admires authoritarian leaders from other countries;

Through voter purges and other means, he is trying to ensure a permanent Republican majority and de facto one-party state;

He believes in "blood and soil" racism;

He is trying to remove any regulations or other types of restrictions on corporations;

He appears to be a malignant narcissist who believes he is above the law;

He grants pardons to his political allies;

He has utter contempt for freedom of the press and the concept of "checks and balances";

He views intellectuals and artists as his enemies;

He is trying to destroy labor unions;

He encourages police and other paramilitary forces to abuse racial and ethnic minorities;

He has been acclaimed by white supremacist and other right-wing fascist groups as their leader.

[raging moderate]

1. He believes the "rich guys" should control the government...

at least, the government money, because they are the only guys who are "smart enough" to handle it.

[Scruffy1]

2. i amm not now or ever was afraid to call him and his followers fascist bastards.n/t

[Moral Compass]

3. Im not afraid

I’m not afraid to use that particular “F” word.

He is, as the author notes a fascist by every definition.

[BlueMTexpat]

5. +1!

I use it all the time. As you say, it fits!

[relayerbob]

4. Who is this "we" Salon refers to

Been saying it since the middle of the election cycle

[yurbud]

6. I would if he had the support of the establishment. He doesn't.

If he were more reliable, especially on starting wars when told to, he could be become very dangerous, and the media might suddenly start treating him like FDR and Lincoln rolled into one.