The claim that there is a growing presence of fascism in the United States.

It's been nearly a year, or perhaps exactly one year, or maybe just a bit over a year—I'm writing this in December. Let's just say it's been approximately a year since the strangest day in recent American history. During this time, things haven't been particularly pleasant. The far-right appears to be growing in power and influence under the Biden administration, and in this episode, we will delve deeper into this issue because it poses a concerning omen for the future of American politics. Let's begin.

First, let's address the title : The claim that there is a growing presence of fascism in the United States. This is a fairly evident statement for most people, especially for the audience that frequents my channel. Fascism has been on the ascent for a while now, to the point where this claim has become the subject of numerous op-eds. Not too long ago, the highest office in the land was occupied by someone who repeatedly echoed fascist narratives, embraced white supremacist organizations, and employed armed forces and a militarized police to suppress anti-fascist protest movements. These are just a few among many telltale signs of fascism. There are numerous arguments regarding whether Trump is a fascist, a proto-fascist, a neo-fascist, or not a fascist at all, and frankly, after over four years of debate on this topic, we're all weary of it.

This article aims to explore how the United States as a whole is trending towards an even more pronounced form of fascism. To clarify, when referring to fascism, I'm employing a definition that encompasses elements such as palin genetic ultranationalism—palin genetic indicating a belief in and a yearning for the violent rebirth of a nation to overcome perceived moral decay, and ultranationalism signifying an overwhelming loyalty to a distorted vision of one's country, often tainted by bigotry and racism. While fascism encompasses more than these aspects and can vary by the cultural context in which it emerges, for our discussion on overarching trends in our shared discourse, this definition serves as a useful reference point.

Now, returning to January 6th, that day marked a pivotal moment for the American far-right, particularly in the months following the events. On one hand, it represented a rare instance where a crackdown targeted white nationalists and their associates so vigorously. As of my writing, over 700 individuals have been arrested and charged in connection with the Capitol riots. Several trials are ongoing to identify key figures and hold them accountable. Groups like the Proud Boys, who gained notoriety in 2020 (remember "stand back and stand by"), witnessed a decline in membership in 2021. This drop could be attributed to their banishment from mainstream online platforms and internal divisions that arose when their leader, Enrique Tarrio , was revealed to be an FBI informant. However, this decline in specific far-right groups is just a small part of the story.

Contrary to what one might expect, public displays of far-right strength have increased, white supremacist elements have infiltrated law enforcement agencies to an even greater extent, and the overall trajectory of the far-right movement in the United States has been one of significant growth. The reason behind this growth is the successful convergence of several key narratives within the far-right movement that have managed to gain traction within American political culture. While the Proud Boys may have lost some of their influence, the larger American right has stepped in to fill the void. A telling indicator is a clip from a community meeting in Shasta County, California, where a vocal participant openly threatens that peaceful times will not last and that a movement is organizing, with or without law enforcement's cooperation.

This is a disturbing discourse, and while it might appear as an isolated incident, there is substantial evidence that suggests such beliefs are not confined to fringe militia groups with peculiar names. These sentiments are becoming deeply ingrained within the broader conservative base. For instance, a statistic from the GWU Program on Extremism reveals that only around 13% of those charged in the Capitol riots were formal members of militant organizations like the Proud Boys, Three Percenters, or Oath Keepers. The remaining 87% represented a mix of typical Trump supporters and independent far-right extremists, attending either with friends and family or as lone participants. These individuals do not fit the stereotypical profile of far-right extremists; they align more with the demographics of the Republican constituency.

In essence, the mainstream Republican Party has not only embraced violent elements of the far-right but has also absorbed these elements, making them an integral part of the party. However, this didn't happen overnight; it's the result of years, if not decades, of underlying trends and failures within the neoliberal era. Factors such as economic insecurity, the decline of unionized labor, vanishing job opportunities, and recurrent economic crises have created an unstable environment in which opportunistic figures have thrived. These figures are willing to preserve the capitalist economy at any cost, even if it means descending into authoritarian ultra-nationalism. The emergence of narratives like the stolen election, the Qanon conspiracy, and the great replacement theory has exacerbated this trend, pushing fascism into the forefront of American politics.

In conclusion, while recent events, like the Capitol riots and Charlottesville, have been significant, they should not be seen as isolated incidents or anomalies. Fascism has had a presence in the United States for decades, if not centuries, and it has often found support within both conservative and progressive political circles. The failures of the neoliberal era have created fertile ground for fascism to take root, and it has been on the rise due to the convergence of various narratives and trends within American politics and society. This situation demands vigilance and critical examination as we move forward, as the mainstreaming of fascist ideology presents a significant challenge to the nation's democratic values and institutions.