Fascism in America is not new. In her recent best-selling book, Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism, MSNBC News anchor Rachel Maddow "charts the rise of a wild American strain of authoritarianism that has been alive on the far-right edge of our politics for the better part of a century.". But today fascism poses a greater threat than ever. Social media has not only enabled fascist groups to organize and grow, it has provided an outlet for lies and conspiracy theories to flourish.
America is on the precipice of the unthinkable: An authoritarian president. If Donald Trump wins the election in November, he will surely unravel our democracy so thoroughly that it's unlikely it will ever be restored. He has stated his intention on camera: "I will be a dictator for one day (wink wink). Recent articles in prominent publications have expressed the terrifying prospects of a Trump presidency:
The Boston Globe: "Donald Trump goes full fascist in his rhetoric."
The Independent: Inside Trump's 'fascist' dreams for a second term
The New Republic: Inside Trump's Fascist Plan to Control All Federal Agencies
Vox: When Trump tells you he's an authoritarian, believe him
Salon: Donald Trump is possessed by a fascist mania
Fueling these alarms, a vast number of Americans are craving authoritarianism. Their dissatisfactions and complaints may be legitimate, with some suffering chronic unhappiness, others who believe that the government and society are not giving them what they deserve, and still others angry that people they despise are thriving. Tragically, they do not understand that a fascist "messiah" will not deliver salvation, that in fact, such a leader will make their lives far worse than they can possibly imagine.
The extent of ignorance about how our democratic republic works was revealed in a 2022 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center: "Less than half of U.S. adults (47%) could name all three branches of government, down from 56% in 2021 and the first decline on this question since 2016."How could the astonishing 53% unable to name the three branches understand the workings of fascism and the consequences of abandoning democracy?
Novelist H. G. Wells famously wrote in 1920: "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." Never has that insight been more critical than for the upcoming presidential election.
That's why a national teach-in is an essential intervention to wake up the public to the dangers of fascism. Citizens need to learn about examples of historical and present abuses typical in authoritarian regimes. And they should hear testimonials from present-day victims of authoritarian regimes-- reports like the one on January 18, 2024, that a man in Thailand was given a 50-year prison sentence for criticizing the monarchy. Or a 33-year-old Russian artist and musician was sentenced to seven years in prison for replacing price tags in a supermarket with ones that criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Unfortunately, the audience that desperately needs to hear and learn about the dangers of fascism is not tuned in. That could change with a national month-long teach-in on democracy vs. fascism at media outlets, colleges, high schools, religious institutions, town hall meetings, street corners, and wherever Americans gather.
To make this vital teach-in a reality, leaders in the media and other domains with influence and outreach who cherish democracy must get on board before disaster strikes.
