Author: ​Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR).   Full article available- click here

​What exactly is Fascism? Properly understood in historical and modern contexts, it is an ideology, strategy, and tactical approach to change that pushes hate and political violence.

More specifically, it is an all-consuming belief in one – only one – pure and unalterable political ideology, to the point of intolerance for all others. It embodies a strategy that seeks to delegitimize other views, laws, institutions, groups, and protections.

Based on the unwavering conviction that one centering ideology is true and must be spread, it works to delegitimize different views, laws, institutions, groups, and protections. Fascism uses proven tactics – including persecution, harassment, denial, cancellation, fear, and violence.

Finally, to keep the ideology unchanged, strategy in motion, and tactics rolling, a fascist movement or regime will stoke prejudices, hate, and demonization based on differences in people.

These differences might be racial, religious, ethnic, socio-economic, geographic, educational, or just invented or interpretive – but are used to divide people, justifying political vilification and ultimately political violence, with the long-term aim of centralizing power.

Compare Fascism with the views of Conservatives versus so-called Liberals/Democrats.

The range of political options for governance spans from totalitarian (Fascism, Communism) to limited government (Libertarianism).

​FASCISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Excerpts from Article on American Thinker


​Conservatives:

… Advocate “viewpoint diversity,” “free marketplace of ideas,” “religious diversity,” “individualism,” and “fair and open” exchange of non-violent ideas in business, government, and on campuses…reject “one pure and unalterable ideology.

… Respect – yet recognize limitations on – legislative, executive, and judicial powers exercised by the government, understand the state-federal balance, and honor the nation’s long-held military mission, namely war-fighting and deterrence.

…Honor Supreme Court rulings, traditional understandings of procedural due process, equal protection, and the national aspiration to equal opportunities for all Americans – a chance at “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

… Argue for less government, more freedom and self-reliance, self-restraint, self-discipline, and the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Tenth Amendment rights.

Liberals/Democrats (Fascists?):

… Hold an ideology against “viewpoint diversity,” a “free marketplace of ideas,” “religious diversity,” “individualism,” and “fair and open” exchanges.

…Try to intimidate Supreme Court justices, undermine institutions and the military mission, and seek to transform society by subverting established meanings, due process, and equal protection.

…Cancels and silences debate of opposing ideas, including traditional, individualist, family, religious, government-limiting, solvency-advocating, or contrarian views.

… Aims to solve problems by aggregating power, attacking Americans on the basis of their race, class, economic, religious, geographic, gender, parental or another status, swapping rule of law for violent riots, destroying history, condemning others as “enemies of the people.”


…Supports activists (BLM, Antifa, Democratic party base) who are increasingly violent, radicalized, and purist, and more closely resemble the worst actors of the past century.

Conservatives can rightly reject all charges of Fascism from the radical left.   When the radical left makes such charges, it's another example of projection.  Accuse your opponent of doing what you are doing.  Classic leftist tactic.