Speaking up

I started this blog as a space to talk about important issues. I wanted to share my socially liberal, progressive views. I wanted to talk about national and global finance and how we could invest in the society we ought to be.

Today I want to do something more basic. I want to say some things because there's government pressure not to talk about these ideas. I'm in a position of privilege, relatively immune to economic blackmail, corporate pressures, political threats against my business. Others, less privileged, may believe the same things I do, but may not feel free to say them.

So: I should.

One: I am anti-fascist. That's not some organization I'm part of. It's a deep belief that fascism is bad, and must be defeated. A key part of the fight is declaring the fact: I'm anti-fascist.

Here's a reasonable definition of fascism:

Fascism is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived interest of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.

A plain reading of the text convinces me that Donald Trump wants to be a fascist, is making progress toward fascism, maybe still has some work to do but has people on it.

I am anti-fascist.

Two: Violence, including political violence, is abhorrent. The society we want to be abjures it. I abjure it, by anyone, under any circumstance. I call on our nation's leadership to join me in that declaration.

Three: US domestic terrorists are mostly right-wing extremists. Most political violence comes from the right.

I believe the President when he says that speech incites that violence. Charlie Kirk called Democrats, presumably including me, "maggots, vermin and swine." There are far too many instances of President Trump using slurs against his political opponents to count, but just for example, calling his political opponents "demonic" and suggesting reporters be shot are excellent examples of language that incites that violence.

Four: The state, rightly, has a monopoly on violence. The state, though, must use that awful power fairly, with restraint, with favor toward none. The creation of a "domestic private army," able to arrest, imprison and punish anonymously and without due process, is profoundly anti-American. The use of the Justice Department to harass, indict and try political enemies of Donald Trump and his MAGA enablers ought to offend every American. What is happening now at the DOJ is profoundly wrong and deeply alarming.

I believe all these things. I declare them here. Treason? Make the most of it.