Fascism 2

I've written a little bit about the concept of fascism on here before but it's been on my mind lately as I've been reading on the topic so I feel like discussing it a bit more. So many people look at the world, history, and philosophy through a simplified black and white lens. They think of things as cut and dry, this and that, but the unfortunate fact is that when talking about complex subjects such as fascism, the answers are never simple and are painfully elusive. Many people look back at world war two and think that every nation involved was either completely pro freedom, or completely pro fascism and tyranny. The sad truth is that is far from the case. While fascism cemented power in Nazi Germany and Italy, throughout the century it had grown to prominence throughout all the dark corners and crevices throughout the world. There weren't just German and Italian fascists. There were French sympathizers who came to power under the establishment of the Vichy, there were Yugoslavian supporters that came to power under the Ustashe, and there were, shamefully, a sizable amount of American sympathizers who followed George Rockwell and the American Nazi party. What am I trying to say by this? I'm trying to say that fascism isn't an ideology that was confined to the borders of the Axis powers. It wasn't something that died when they surrendered. It's alive and well throughout the world to this day. Nations can be defeated by bombs and bullets, but ideas are much harder to kill. Cancerous ideas such as fascism are crafty and know how to change form. That's the scariest thing about them. Many people these days support aspects of fascism without even realizing it. They support racism, discrimination and ultra nationalism, but it's not as obvious now as it was back then. Very few people in the United States, for example, would outright call themselves fascists. Very few people are out goose stepping in the streets or giving roman salutes, but don't let that fool you into thinking the danger is dead. It's lurking in the shadows, yearning to take hold, and it's finding new ways to reach new people each and every day. But how can it be defeated? Truth be told, I don't know if it's even possible to defeat an ideology. That's like saying there's a way to defeat fear or anger, or any of the other lesser demons of human nature. However, that's not to say it can't be combatted. It can be fought anywhere it tries to emerge, it can be struck down with enlightenment and knowledge, but that's easier said than done. Like I said, as I'm sure many of you have seen in recent days, many people are finding themselves drawn toward aspects of the ideology without even realizing what they're getting mixed up in. They are being drawn towards something dark and sinister that's been repackaged as a sense of strength, security, and national unity. That's what makes it most dangerous, and that's what makes the ideological battle so hard to fight. However, there's no battle more worthy of fighting. I'm in no way exaggerating when I say it is a battle for the very heart and sole of humanity. It is a battle that countless people have already fought and died for, and that countless more will continue to do so. But again, it's not just a physical battle. It's a philosophical one and it disheartens me to know that far too many people don't understand what that really means. Don't get me wrong, while I know the counter protestors who have physically attacked fascist demonstrators have their hearts in the right place, I fear that many of them believe that the battle can simply be won by brute force. It can't. While some instances certainly call for physical action, I believe that discretion needs to be a crucial factor to consider. The larger crowd of the political spectrum looks at things like that, simply sees chaos and will be quick to condemn everyone involved regardless of the underlying philosophical intentions. "Violence can only spur violence. Hate can only spur hate. But love, democracy and enlightenment are spread by the means of words and persistent philosophical advocacy." Is something many would say and I agree with it to a large extent, but as you can probably tell by now, I tend to avoid absolutism like the disease that it is. Alright, I know this entry must look like a cluster fuck of idealistic rambling, and that's what much of it is, but I just felt I needed to get it off my chest. I'll finish by saying this; very few things, especially battles concerning ideas, are ever simple or easy to win, but it's absolutely crucial that we do anything and everything to keep on doing everything that we can to get there and keep the fight going. Again, there has been no battle more worthy of fighting, than that against bigotry, intolerance, and hatred.