Finally, the media, Democrats and some Republicans are calling a spade a spade. I think Donald Trump is a fascist, and they’re starting to see it. More precisely, Trump represents a proto-fascist tendency in that all the ingredients are there for it to take hold under the right circumstances — Trump being achieving the presidency a huge determining factor. What is interesting is that it is not all that diabolical in the way people have come to perceive fascism — i.e., Hitler and Nazi Germany, the typical characterization. This is a misperception of fascism that makes it seem remote to American politics and fails to see fascism emerging in a much more insidious and dangerous way than people might think.

Diabolical evil is aware of itself and deliberately does it anyway, which means it has the potential to be reasoned with, bought or converted and redeemed. But, the evil that underlies fascism is radically different. This radical evil is not aware of itself; as such, it is deluded in the conviction of the truth and righteousness of its position. It, therefore, cannot be reasoned with, but instead tends to develop a fanatical loyalty bond of the group — a cult-like nationalist defense posture reinforced by identifying all others outside its circle as threatening agents and/or conspirators. (In fascist nationalist consciousness it could be said that loyalty trumps truth. It’s a closed system — erecting walls to keep all others out and then proceeding towards a means to contain and expel all the foreign and unpatriotic infiltrators, critics and unbelievers. It’s the power of popular, mass delusion that makes this radical evil far more dangerous than diabolical evil in that it’s a community of true believers — not manipulated and controlled by a tyrant, but actively committed and engaged in the program — they are not authentic (for what it’s worth.)

Even Donald Trump does not think he’s a fascist (and even his white supremacist supporters eagerly rally to his brand). Historical circumstances can and do repeat themselves. The German people in the ’20s and ’30s just came out of war and depression. They felt like they had been humiliated, betrayed and used by their leaders. They looked to a strong man to “make Germany great again,” and to weed out the corrupt and infectious social and political elements. German democracy was not taken by these forces (there was plenty of resistance); it was given away in the name of democracy by weak, intimidated, disunited and opportunistic politicians, not unlike many American Republican leaders we see today.

The present situation and this election could not be more serious because, unlike the works of the ’40s, today’s world would not survive a fascist America.

Mike Kelly

Albert Lea