People Should be Terrified by the Normalization of Right Wing Hate Groups
These groups cry "free speech" as they try to intimidate others. They claim to be non-violent while enacting the murder of socialists.
Trump and the alt-right support them, pander to them, and make excuses for them.
In a time when right-wing hate violence is on the rise, the Justice Department has removed white-nationalists from their watch list, choosing to focus on "black identity extremists" (a term manufactured to pretend that groups like Black Lives Matter are more dangerious than neo-Nazis).
But those aren't the main reasons to be terrified.
Be terrified because mainstream Republicans and mainstream conservative media no longer speak against these groups. They no longer do a guilty denial that these groups support them. They are bringing these groups into the fold. Like Hitler and Mussolini, they are using these groups as body guards, pulling these groups in to their party, and making excuses for them. They are hosting events for them, like they just hosted the Proud Boys in New York.
Worse, between the alt-right, Fox News, Trump, and now mainstream Republicans, they are twisting the dialog about white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and other right-wing hate groups.
Conservative talking points, from right-wing blogs to the Whitehouse to TV news, are selling the false equivalence that liberal protesters and right wing hate groups are the same. They say that fascists (who promote violence, discrimination, and totalitarianism) and anti-fascists (who exist as a group only to fight fascism) are they same.
Now, they are expanding to blame Democrats for right-wing violence.
If you read the comments on any article about the Proud Boys or similar groups, you will see that a lot of moderates have bought into their racist propaganda. You will hear that antifa is the same as the fascists they fight, because they both use "fascist tactics". You will hear that unarmed protesters deserve to be beaten or killed for "inciting" hate groups or "infriging on their free speech".
I am not saying we will turn to a fascist state, but this is not a "potential sign of fascism". This is fascism - pulling hate groups in the mainstream politics to bolster those in power, while intimidating and delegitimizing the opposition.
The fact that average Americans are more upset about those opposing hate groups than the hate groups should terrify everyone.
At best, it will normalize increased violence and reduce people's ability to protest Trump's racist, lawless administration. More innocent people of color will be attacked. More liberal protesters will be attacked. More houses will be burned for having liberal lawn signs. And racists will be handed the microphone by mainstream conservatives.
At worst, it is a bold step on the road towards democracy giving way to tyranny. All to the cheers of Fox New viewers and disaffected internet trolls crying "freedom!"
