Brett Harper

What Is Liberal Fascism?

By: Brett Harper

I don’t think we need to clarify that the Far Right seems to be mostly comprised of far right Nazi like fascists that are authoritarian and heavy handed in nature. We understand that the current administration is a fascist dictatorship, a shameless oligarchy, a government ruled by the rich and the powerful for the 1%, by the 1%.

However far less is known about or talked about so called “Liberal Fascism” or “Blue Fascism” and yet, it exists and enables Right Wing Fascism. I think this is because to observe the effects of Liberal Fascism we must look in a mirror and that sounds disagreeable to most. They would rather point the finger and never face a mirror. However when you point a finger three point back at you, as my grandmother would say.

Many people are familiar with Joe Biden and he may call himself a “Progressive” but his record is anything but that of a true blue Progressive Democrat. Joe rose to power in politics and eventually became POTUS. Along the way he sponsored legislation like The Rave Act, which gave cops, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies the green light to conduct raids on raves like this one in Utah:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYfJT-W3fXc

Bill Clinton was for a mass expansion of police and had a “tough on crime approach”. Their 94 Crime Bill is still having devastating affects on many minority groups today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0iAkKSW1K4

Now I get it. Drugs are bad. Crime is bad. Violent drug crime is even worse. However in the 90s Democrats like Bill Clinton and Joe Biden over corrected. They supported a surge of police which have lead to a surge in police brutality incidents. A huge surge in the number of Americans detained. A huge surge in the number of homeless who can’t find a job or housing because they have a record now and nobody will give them a second chance. These laws, enacted in the 90s, under Democrats, are still hurting people today, but you won’t hear the news talk that much about it. Will you?

Its time we on the Left look in the mirror, confront our sometimes authoritarian approaches to things in the past, and make a pledge, amongst ourselves, with ourselves and our communities to do better and to fight fascism wherever and whenever we see it rear its ugly head not help fascism out of fear or dread. We must be better than the alternative; better than the other side.

I think its high time that Democrats and those on the Left get behind prison reform especially private prison law reform. We can unite around protecting prisoners, giving them better opportunities for the ones that want to make something of their lives after prison. We can reduce mandatory minimum sentencing, because no drug crime should be a life sentence unless it takes the life of another. These cops should be busting dealers not addicts. We should be getting addicts into clinics. People aren’t trash. They are human living breathing beings with a soul and they can be rehabilitated and redeemed in many cases.

So I finish with this. Blue Fascism or Liberal Fascism very much exists and has existed it just isn’t as talked about. We must reject fascism no matter what color or form it comes in. We must unite as antifascists to oppose authoritarianism and fascism no matter what package it comes in.