The Fascism Barometer
The Fascist Emergency Playbook and Electoral Fascism
Oct 11, 2024
Ash-lee Woodard Henderson, an Afro-Lachian activist and co-executive director of the Highlander Research and Education Center, shares her insights on how fascists exploit emergencies to gain power. She discusses Ejeris's Fascist Emergency Playbook and highlights the dangerous manipulation of elections by these movements. The conversation emphasizes the rise of authoritarianism and the importance of fighting for marginalized rights. Henderson calls for grassroots activism, strategic voting, and mutual aid as essential tools to empower communities against impending threats.
49:00
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Quick takeaways
- Fascists exploit emergencies, manipulating crises to gain power and restrict civil liberties, which poses a direct threat to democracy.
- Growing disillusionment with electoral processes, particularly among certain demographics, signals a concerning normalization of electoral violence and unrest.
Deep dives
Understanding Fascism and Its Nuances
Fascism is defined as a far-right movement aiming to take over government and society, often through violence and the scapegoating of marginalized groups. It operates on a belief that certain communities are undesirable and must be eliminated to restore a fictitious past perceived as better. The discussion highlights that fascism is not a static ideology but rather a process that can mutate depending on the local context, with particular characteristics manifesting in different countries. In the United States, fascism manifests as patriarchal, anti-immigrant, and anti-Black sentiment, attacking communities that fascists deem as threats.
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