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by The 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇 of ROSACORP. . 1,603 reads.

Anti-Fascism, or, Why We Fight [2nd Edition]


ANTI-FASCISM,OR,WHYWEFIGHT
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The second to last week in April is the anniversary of the start of Warsaw Ghetto uprising, which, as the biggest act of Jewish resistance to the Nazi regime, should serve as a very important and powerful reminder why the fight against fascism cannot end until the last person is convinced of its dangers and of the need to stand united against it. This text seeks to examine and explain why the need to fight against fascism—in real life and in this game, with whatever means one has at one's disposal—is not only the morally, historically, and politically right choice, but an absolute necessity.

For this purpose several questions need to be answered:

What is Fascism?
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As with many terms, the definition of fascism is often academically contested, and while discussions in different academic and political contexts use different concepts of fascism, the definition for the practical purpose sees it as a right-wing ideology that seeks to establish a radically nationalistic authoritarian system; that is often based on racialist and racist views; that seeks to suppress social and political plurality by appealing to an exclusionary racial or national community; that has a concept of superiority and inferiority of ethnicities in an external context and of social groups in an internal context; and that seeks to institute policies that discriminate against groups that are traditionally marginalized, i.e., those that are further removed from social power structures than other groups—namely homosexuals, people who don't define their sexuality in heteronormative model, certain religious denominations, the socio-economically weak, women, minority groups, etc. Furthermore, fascism seeks to oppress—often to the point of physical annihilation—those who oppose it, including people who adhere to democratic principles; the left; people defined as, by their standards, belonging to the wrong religion; pacifists, etc.; as well as those who don't fit in their definition of a "national community," like immigrants or people defined as nationally or racially "inferior," or people who don't adhere to their model of how life should be led.

Fascism stands for oppression, curtailing political and civil rights, enslavement, discrimination, imprisonment, and political violence. Fascism is not an opinion, it is a crime.

Is it still dangerous?
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In many a discussion, people will remark that fascism has been over since 1945. However, historically, fascism has survived the end of the Second World War, unfortunately rather successfully: The fascist regime in Portugal ended in 1974; the Franco regime in Spain only ended in 1975; Pinochet's rule in Chile ended in 1990; regimes like Turkmenistan are still in power; and even in Europe, fascism has waged campaigns of political and ethnic violence reaching from pogroms in the first half of the 90s against immigrants in Germany to even more recent army conspiracy in Belgium to the letter bomb attacks by Franz Fuchs in Austria to killing sprees in Russia. Even today, aided by the recent economic crisis, fascism is on the rise in several countries in Europe and, on a smaller scale, in the US.

In Greece, the Golden Dawn Party with rhetoric, symbols, and policies taken directly from the historic Nazis, is gaining in popular support so far that if elections would take place right now, they'd be in third place. At the same time—and as reported by newspapers such as The Guardian—they have killing squads in the streets of Athens targeting immigrants, they have infiltrated Greek law enforcement, and in some places, they have attacked left wing demonstrations and institutions with such violence that it resulted in fighting in the streets with the army intervening.

In the US, the Southern Poverty Law Center reports that since 2008, the membership of fascist, white power, and nationalist groups increased eight-fold. The FBI had to intensify their watching of these groups because they consider them a sizable danger to the political and social system. From the Business Plot in 1933 over the KKK to McVeigh and Eric Rudolph, the phenomenon of fascist terrorism in the US is neither new nor not dangerous.

This and many more examples from all over the world prove the dangerous potential fascism still holds for contemporary societies and why anti-Fascism and the ANTIFA fight is something not only the left should be concerned with. All those who value freedom, civil rights, the right to exercise their religion freely, even proponents of the free markets or moderate nationalists must consider the danger of fascism to them. All non-fascists have the moral and political responsibility to stand united against this form of oppression and discrimination.

How do we fight it?
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With all appropriate means at our disposal, this includes, but is not limited to, education, information, social ostracization, demonstrations, the voting booth, legislation, and, where appropriate, the help of state authorities and other practical ways.

In a democratic society, the forefront of the anti-Fascist fight is education, informing people of its dangers, and emphasizing the obligation to oppose it while socially ostracizing those who adhere to it despite educational efforts. To prevent its spread, fascists must be confronted wherever encountered and deprived of any platform to spread their hatred and despicable ideology, either through legislation or by blocking them.

The argument, "What about free speech?", is often heard. However, this is a false equivalency. Even if one is not persuaded by the moral argument against Fascism, the law in effect in many democratic states makes it clear that Fascists' right to free speech, while not always completely revoked, is rightfully limited in many European countries. This includes laws against the advocation of violence or racial hatred and more direct measures such as in Germany, Austria, or France, which explicitly outlaw Nazi parties, for example. This falls well within the Convention of Human Rights and the European Human Rights Convention. The European Human Rights Court has ruled on several provisions by these countries, finding that when a danger to social and democratic order exists, the right to free speech can be reasonably limited. The examples provided illustrate the violent danger at the core of this ideology, which includes hatred and violence. Hence, in the interest of free speech and democracy, fascism must be opposed. Fascism, in this context, is akin to child pornography, representing a form of expression that fundamentally constitutes a crime and, therefore, is reasonably not protected by democracy.

The same principle applies to this game. The internet serves as a platform for fascists to disseminate their brand of hatred, and it is in the interest of all to prevent this movement of hatred and discrimination from expanding through recruitment here. Whether roleplayed or real, it doesn't matter; if it contributes to the spread of fascist ideas, it must be curtailed and denied a platform. While this game does not encompass the entire internet, we must utilize the means at our disposal to help hinder the spread of fascism, taking at least a small but significant step against the danger this ideology represents in real life. Banning the bully from the schoolyard to prevent harm to other children is not bullying; it's a responsible action.

The fight must continue until the last fascist is convinced that they are wrong, and until nobody can spread this ideology anymore, because it has become completely unacceptable in every way.

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ANTI-FASCISM,OR,WHYWEFIGHT

The text above was originally written by Socialist space republic, Admiral of The Red Fleet (Retired) and former World Assembly Delegate of The Internationale. In the real world, Socialist Space Republic is a Holocaust historian. Grammatical and typographical edits have been made, as well as a couple of minor content edits to maximize clarity.
It was originally posted on the Regional Message Board of The Internationale at page=rmb/postid=2906800. This post became known as the famous dispatch, Anti-Fascism, or, Why We Fight. Later, the post was redesigned by ROSACORP.

Text: Socialist space republic
Original post: The international working class
Design: ROSACORP/Rosartemis

rosa edit 1: Grammatical errors fixed in "How do we fight it?" and slightly changed structure.
rosa edit 2: Cleaned up BBcode.

NOTE: Not associated with the real life ANTIFA.
The inclusion of the ANTIFA symbol in this dispatch does NOT pertain to the real-life ANTIFA. Instead, it is a tribute to the highly esteemed Antifa, which dedicated over two decades to NationStates and even now continues to serve the community by destroying the fascist threat. Their tireless contributions significantly contributed to curtailing the proliferation of fascism in NationStates.

This dispatch is also in honor of The MT Army and its leader, Vippertooth33. Their lasting impact on NationStates is unforgettable, and their tireless commitment to combating fascism, from 2003 until their retirement in 2022, is a legacy that should always be remembered.

While the community continues to struggle with the spread of the hateful ideology, this revised dispatch aims to honor their legacy and rekindle the spirit of anti-fascism.



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