True dat. Preach it sister.
"He'll never leave": Why Trump's dynasty, built on corruption and violence, won't end with him
No, you’re not being hyperbolic if you say MAGA is a fascist movement. You're just being accurate. That was one of the biggest points made by NYU historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of the book "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present," during our recent "Salon Talks" conversation.
Ben-Ghiat explained that Donald Trump is leading a “right-wing counterrevolution against the loss of white male privilege,” aimed at taking America back to the time when women, nonwhite people and non-Christians “knew their place.”
But what truly defines MAGA as fascist, Ben-Ghiat said — rather than just right-wing — is its use of violence. “Fascists believe that violence is the way to change history,” she told me. We saw that clearly enough on Jan. 6, 2021, with the attack on the Capitol mean to keep Trump in power despite his loss in the 2020 election.
What is most worrisome going forward, Ben-Ghiat suggested, is Trump’s defense of the Jan. 6 attackers as “hostages” and his promises to pardon them, which seek to change "the perception of violence." Trump’s message to his loyal followers, she said, is that “violence is sometimes morally necessary and even righteous, and even patriotic.” That, she added, is “what we call sacralizing violence, giving violence a kind of ritual, religious tone.”
Ben-Ghiat sees Trump’s promise to pardon the Jan. 6 insurrectionists as intended to inspire his supporters to commit future acts of violence if that can help him win. The implied promise is that if they commit violent acts and Trump regains the White House, he'll pardon them too. That's straight out of the autocrat's playbook, Ben-Ghiat says: "All authoritarians use pardons” and manipulate the justice system to maintain power.
Ben-Ghiat says she's not trying to scare us, only to prepare us for what we're likely to see between now and November — and for a good while after that if Trump wins. Too many Americans still don't believe, Ben-Ghiat warns, that "it can happen here" — "it" being a fascist takeover. History tells us those people are wrong.
"He'll never leave": Why Trump's dynasty, built on corruption and violence, won't end with him
No, you’re not being hyperbolic if you say MAGA is a fascist movement. You're just being accurate. That was one of the biggest points made by NYU historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of the book "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present," during our recent "Salon Talks" conversation.
Ben-Ghiat explained that Donald Trump is leading a “right-wing counterrevolution against the loss of white male privilege,” aimed at taking America back to the time when women, nonwhite people and non-Christians “knew their place.”
But what truly defines MAGA as fascist, Ben-Ghiat said — rather than just right-wing — is its use of violence. “Fascists believe that violence is the way to change history,” she told me. We saw that clearly enough on Jan. 6, 2021, with the attack on the Capitol mean to keep Trump in power despite his loss in the 2020 election.
What is most worrisome going forward, Ben-Ghiat suggested, is Trump’s defense of the Jan. 6 attackers as “hostages” and his promises to pardon them, which seek to change "the perception of violence." Trump’s message to his loyal followers, she said, is that “violence is sometimes morally necessary and even righteous, and even patriotic.” That, she added, is “what we call sacralizing violence, giving violence a kind of ritual, religious tone.”
Ben-Ghiat sees Trump’s promise to pardon the Jan. 6 insurrectionists as intended to inspire his supporters to commit future acts of violence if that can help him win. The implied promise is that if they commit violent acts and Trump regains the White House, he'll pardon them too. That's straight out of the autocrat's playbook, Ben-Ghiat says: "All authoritarians use pardons” and manipulate the justice system to maintain power.
Ben-Ghiat says she's not trying to scare us, only to prepare us for what we're likely to see between now and November — and for a good while after that if Trump wins. Too many Americans still don't believe, Ben-Ghiat warns, that "it can happen here" — "it" being a fascist takeover. History tells us those people are wrong.
