Preface

If the title of this work caught your eye, Dear Reader, then perhaps you have picked up on the same vibe – the same vague unease, the same sense of incipient danger – that led me to write it.
For those of you standing in a bookstore aisle, here is the gist of it: Though it may seem at present to be gathering momentum, America’s slide into greater fascism and more vicious repression is not inevitable – it can in fact be prevented, even reversed. We can identify the root causes of fascism, work to eliminate the conditions that facilitate its development, and take systematic action against its specific manifestations as they arise.

Not all of this work is “political” in the traditional sense; some of it is cultural, and a surprising amount of it is personal. A lot of it is even fun. After all, if fascist regimes feed on fear, terror, isolation, and unquestioning obedience to authority, then anything that promotes joy, humor, and individual and collective creativity undermines it. Hence, our title – which is not meant to minimize or make light of the deadly seriousness of our situation, but rather to suggest the possibility – and importance – of taking a different kind of approach.

Speaking of countering isolation, another point of this book is to show that there are already many individuals and organizations already engaged in this work – though they may not see what they are doing as being part of “preventing American fascism” (and it may be just as well that they don’t).

But the most important message of this book is simply that this work is doable. It is not impossible or even daunting – though it does carry many challenges, and those who undertake it will no doubt encounter frustrations and setbacks.

I should also note that this work will be ongoing. So while we will make some assessments based on the situation here in 2008, in this book we will not dwell overlong pondering “Just how fascist is the Regime of George W. Bush, anyway”? There is no shortage of other works exploring that question. The underlying dynamics of potential fascism pre-date the Bush Regime, and the conditions promoting it will likely still persist long after George W. Bush and his cronies have faded like a bad dream from American consciousness. It is my hope that this book will prove useful for a generation or so at least.

The title specifically mentions “Preventing American Fascism” – I don’t have the specific knowledge to discuss the struggles against fascism in other countries, though I do hope that the general principles distilled here might be applicable, mutatis mutandis, to those in different political systems.

The forces of fascism count on the power of intimidation and despair, and try to create a sense of invulnerability and inevitability around their rise to power. If we can be made to feel too scared or powerless to even attempt to take action, their job is made much easier. And if we can be coerced into cooperation or complicity, their job is complete.

But their job is also made complete if we confront them with rage and violence. One of my greatest concerns as I write these words is that someone will attempt to stem the continued loss of our rights and freedoms by the use of force. Such an attempt would not only be likely to fail, but would in fact give the forces of fascism precisely the kind of opening they need to gain popular support.

But if instead we face those forces without fear, wisely, calmly, and even joyfully… if we gain understanding of their tactics and goals … and if we can devise and implement creative and effective countermeasures, then I believe we will find the threat of fascism can be held in abeyance. I do not think it can ever be completely eliminated – though I would love to be proved wrong on this point – but I do think it can be contained.

Let’s get to it.

Skip Mendler
Honesdale PA
Summer 2008