So, you're a fascist? Well, bless your heart.
Seventy-seven years ago, my parent's generation fought against fascism in a world war and successfully defeated it. The greatest generation, as they have been called, grew up in the great depression, fought that war, and created the most booming economy the world had ever seen.
Now, seventy-seven years after the end of that war, fascism is alive and well, springing from within my parent's own country, and growing at a robust pace. What has happened?
Both Democrats and Republicans are pointing fingers at each other, with Democrats declaring the other side are fascists, and Republicans claiming to battle the tyranny of a culture war. I hope they are both incorrect, but for a moment let's consider it.
On the right, Republicans are leaning into the demagoguery of former president Trump, and all his conspiratorial theories. The ultra-nationalistic wish for purity, stoking fear about immigrants and unsecure borders seem at the heart of their complaints. To any rational observer, Trump's denial of election results is ludicrous, having been challenged in court over and over again with the same outcome. He lost. Yet, his cult of followers still will not accept or believe anything less than the election was somehow stolen. Election theft is becoming the rallying cry for every Republican who loses an election. Additionally, there is an embrace of authoritarian figures such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. If Republicans are going to be hostile to fair elections, continue to follow leaders like Orban and Trump, and continue hostility toward liberal democracy, isn't it fair to call it fascism? The recent reveal of mishandled top security documents, the January 6th events, the activities of former high-level people in Trump's orbit, all point to an unbelievable level of corruption, treason, and espionage. I wonder if we will ever truly know the extent of it all.
The left has issues too. Wokeism and political correctness can at times remind us of McCarthyism, or even the Salem witch-trials. The ideas have merit, but maybe it is best if we view things through the lens of the poor.
Climate-change is a problem. Going green is a good idea, but...what about the poor scrounging money for gas to drive to work? They can't afford Tesla's or solar panels. When the left talks of equality, it sounds more like payback. Is it fair to make the current generation pay for the sins of the long dead from past centuries? Class matters too. Plenty of wealthy, well-connected whites use their advantage to step over poor whites as well as minorities for top-tier schools and positions.
Maybe we are morally bankrupt. Whether you identify as Democrat or Republican, danger lurks in censorship, banning, blacklisting, and battling over social justice. We are lacking in fairness and remain stuck in a rigged system run by an oligarchy and ruled largely by a gerontocracy.
We need change for sure. I don't think the change we are receiving is the one we want. These are dangerous times and our democracy as we know it is in peril. I have hope that the young people will improve the mess we leave them. I have hope we don't fall under the spell of authoritarian leaders or faux saviors. The ignorance of some of our elected officials is simply astounding, and I worry about the electorate who vote them into office.
Well...bless their hearts.
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