According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of "fascism" is as follows: "A political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition."
For the past few months (at least since the election), there have been many people in the media, as well as in the social network sphere, comparing Donald Trump's actions, decisions, and demeanor to fascism. Here is a breakdown of the definition of fascism:
Extreme Nationalism
Superior Race
Autocratic Government
Dictatorial Tendencies
Economic and Social Regimentation
Suppression of the Opposition
I'd like to add another point - Collaboration Among Associates to Combat Unflattering Facts With Lies.
Now, let us examine our current political situation and explain the ways in which the Trump administration has been doing similar things to that of a fascist government.
Throughout all the election, Trump heavily campaigned on patriotism and nationalism. He extended this style into his inauguration address by saying,
"When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice,"
"From this day forwards, it's going to be only America first - America first,"
and, "America will start winning again, winning like never before."
By saying these things, it simplifies problems that don't have simple solutions because they are issues that have been ingrained into American society for a long time. Implying that if we all unite as Americans under the flag, our problems of racism, sexism, and xenophobia will all disappear because "there is no room for prejudice." It is a cop out of admitting there are problems and coming up with real, viable solutions. Instead, his idea to solve these problems is by proposing all Americans should hold hands under the star spangled banner and sing the national anthem.
The idea of a "superior race" can be loosely seen in the succession of power if something happens to the president. The first eleven successors are older, white men. The twelfth is former republican candidate, Ben Carson. There also seems to be a lack of diversity every time Trump is seen signing an executive order:
America has a history of having celebrities in the White House. From Ronald Reagan to the Bush family to Donald Trump, America seems to relish in the idea of having someone who is charismatic and "out-there" in the White House. A few examples of leaders with big personalities are Hilter, Mussolini, and Napolean. These leaders rallied "for the people" and tapped into the vulnerabilities of the lower classes and convinced them that only they could "save them". History has a tendency to repeat itself.
It is too early to tell what exactly the economy is going to do. Will he bring back millions of jobs as promised? Will he follow through with all of his campaign promises? As of right now, The Wall is planned to be built, and the American people are expected to pay for it by paying 20 percent tax on imported goods from Mexico. President Trump claims that Mexico will "reimburse the U.S.," but there seems to be no sight of approval from the Mexican government.
The biggest and scariest correlation between the Trump administration and fascism is the attempt to suppress the opposition and the collective falsehoods being spewed from the White House. There are spokespeople like Sean Spicer and Kellyanne Conway who have claimed that the crowds at the inauguration were bigger than they actually were and saying they were bigger than the record-breaking Women's March the day after. They have also started to claim that there was mass voter fraud throughout the country from illegal immigrants, double registered voters, and dead people. These claims have been proven to be false over and over again, but they still accuse the media of being biased and dishonest when the facts and evidence are all there.
Who is responsible when the White House starts to lie to the media, lie to the American people, lie to the world? Everyone needs to do their part in order for democracy to continue to work. We must think critically and thoughtfully. We must read and hear things intentionally and we must always be double checking the facts. We must recognize internet sites that are made specifically for one narrow political viewpoint and what is real, good, authentic journalism. We must all come together and reach across each other's tables to progress forward even though many are pushing us back.
America is a democracy - and I'll be damned before I see that changed.
