America, meet abyss; abyss, America.
In a little under three weeks, America will conclude a referendum on fascism.
I would love to say something more subtle. But there isn’t anything subtle to say.
There is a carnival barker wannabe autocrat, increasingly unhinged and unraveling, at the top of the Republican Party’s ticket. More disturbingly, there are tens of millions of our fellow citizens who, having been abundantly exposed to his madness, are all in.
Just today, I read in The New York Times that Olivia Troye, once the homeland security adviser to Donald Trump’s own vice president, Mike Pence, is so concerned about her own and others’ basic safety in a second Trump presidency that she is shopping around for foreign countries that would grant her a backup citizenship.
What we are witnessing is, as The Ink has tried to say early and clearly and often, is fascism, with all the elements of racial supremacy, the threat of state violence and encouragement of private violence, and the pillaging of democracy for a dear leader.
We learned about it in school. Elsewhere. We were taught it was the kind of thing that only happens elsewhere. Now it’s very here.
The good news is that we have the power to beat it back. If we choose to exercise it.
The other day, CNN, to its credit, aired a screenshot of Merriam-Webster’s definition of fascism:
We in the media still struggle at times to find the language to be clear about all this. We describe what Trump is doing and offering as “extraordinary” and “unusual” and “unprecedented.” But often, as a profession, we have struggled to call it by its name.
Fascism.
It’s a word that needs to be said again and again, and a word that needs to be spread.
Today, I’m unlocking for all of you, subscribers and non-, all of the below posts from our archives, in which we explored this word and its connection to the moment.
Share them with your friends and those in your lives who are on the fence about a candidate — or about voting itself. Help them plainly see the fate we must avoid.
And here, a note of thanks for supporting independent media that is free to call things by their name. Our promise to you is, whatever happens in November or beyond, The Ink will go on calling things what they are.
Thank you for doing this today, Anand! It's so important that the word gets out!
As always Anand, thank you for your words, but more importantly, thank you for call to action. This election goes so far beyond "politics;" it really is about our way of life, our country and our individual rights and freedom. This is a message that I wish more corporate executives would understand and then be more vocal like the good folks from Patagonia. Their message is not partisan, as its about voting for the planet. But it makes very clear what's at stake. And what will be lost. As a gay married man, I am in fear of what could happen to not only my rights, but our personal safety. Yet, we've seen so many companies stay silent when they were once vocal allies. And we've witnessed many retreating from their once stronger allyship, giving in to a MAGA influencer. So yes, we all have a job to do -- call it by it's name, but also get more people to do the same, and work like hell over the next 20 days.