Why did you become an anti-fascist?

[praxis1966]

What I was saying is that you can do both (anti-fascism and revolutionary leftism) at the same time. Further, I don't have any particular problem with fighting fascist movements which exist outside the state apparatus no matter what that movement's class background is. And while I don't doubt that anti-fascism doesn't necessarily equal leftism automatically, I don't see them as inherently oppositional either. That and as someone with I'd say (at least) a modicum of class consciousness I don't see myself as getting co-opted into some social democratic movement either. Shit man, as an anarcho-syndicalist I don't even believe in political parties let alone social democracy, lol.

At any rate, I basically agree with your second post, but I think Kadir is being a little myopic if he thinks that struggling against fascist movements is a bad idea... Then again, it's hard to surmise much from a post which consists of all of seven words, lol.

[bricolage]

I don't think it's about your individual political beliefs though, more the social role that anti-fascist movements (which, as opposed to individuals, is what I think we are generally talking about) tend to play. This has historically (and still today) led to either tacit or overt support for democratic parties of capital or repressive state apparatus. While you yourself may be against integration into such institutions, the political line of 'stopping' fascist movement x, y or z is more often than not translated into this. The most horrific example is that David Cameron as a signatory to Unite Against Fascism but there are countless others.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I sympathize with Dauve's points in W.I.D. but I also think that one can be a "anti-fascist" w/o buying into the whole sham that are "united fronts" against fascism, with the two particularly egregious examples in Germany and Spain. This is especially true if one lives in an area that's plagued by ultra-nationalism and violent bigotry. I live in Alaska, so I've never really had to deal with "fascists".

But I do think that the threat of fascism is still even in the present day dramatically exaggerated. As (I believe) Alexander Cockburn once said, the institution of public school represents an infinitely greater threat to the average black teenager than the KKK ever will.

[praxis1966]

But I do think that the threat of fascism is still even in the present day dramatically exaggerated. As (I believe) Alexander Cockburn once said, the institution of public school represents an infinitely greater threat to the average black teenager than the KKK ever will.

There was a time and a place where what you're saying was completely untrue, but that was at minimum 25-35 years ago. Cockburn's absolutely right about the public school system and his point could be extended to Latino/as and Native Americans as well. However, I'm pretty sure there's still some egregious shit that goes on in a wider societal sense that begins with schoolchildren and their inherited prejudices... Knowing what I do about the Deep South, it's more of a social problem these days than any form of organized white nationalism... Even still, organized white nationalism exists, and I see no problem crashing their little street parties when they throw them.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

I was born anti-fascist.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Where I grew up there were like 4 white families in the neighborhood, everybody else was Hispanic. So naturally most of my friends weren't white but a lot of white kids at school were racist assholes who would attack my friends(and me if I was there). Then they tried to recruit me to hate my own friends which didn't end too well so every once in a while they would try and jump me. I also lived on an Native American reservation for two months one summer and they faced numerous attacks by neo-nazis for some reason. My experiences with these people led me to be militantly antifascist before I was even a leftist.

[black magick hustla]

I sympathize with Dauve's points in W.I.D. but I also think that one can be a "anti-fascist" w/o buying into the whole sham that are "united fronts" against fascism, with the two particularly egregious examples in Germany and Spain. This is especially true if one lives in an area that's plagued by ultra-nationalism and violent bigotry. I live in Alaska, so I've never really had to deal with "fascists".

But I do think that the threat of fascism is still even in the present day dramatically exaggerated. As (I believe) Alexander Cockburn once said, the institution of public school represents an infinitely greater threat to the average black teenager than the KKK ever will.

i think the point is that anti-fascism as a political category is egregious. i think that is difference to fighting fascists as a matter of self-defense, in the same way fighting a bully, or cops, or whatever can be a matter of self-defense. this is utterly different than the plethora of anti-fascist groups today, especially in the US.

[Dogs On Acid]

My father.

Racist, Homophobic (except lesbians ), Anti-Semitic, Nationalist, Authoritarian, Patriarchal, never pays child support, abandoned my half-sister (never met her), Petit-Capitalist, Commodity Fetishist, Cocky, Arrogant, Liar/Delusional, Anti-Drugs, Social-Conservative, Verbally-Abusive and Piss-head.

Hence I refuse to visit him. He finds it strange...

[Die Rote Fahne]

Before I even realized what fascism was. I was always anti-nazi, and as I learned about fascism in school (World History) I grew to despise it.

Thankfully I had a teacher who was a Social Democrat, and sort of soft on Lenin. He liked the NEP, and was always very moderate on the USSR, questioning the motives of Boris Yeltsin, and expressing that he read Chomsky.

By grade 12 I was a full fledged anti-fascist, knowing what it actually meant.

[LegendZ]

I read about the Native American and his family that was assaulted. That was the final straw.

[black magick hustla]

I read about the Native American and his family that was assaulted. That was the final straw.

but racism has nothing to do with fascism. racism as we know it has existed since the rise of modernity, imperialism, slavery, etcetera.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

but racism has nothing to do with fascism. racism as we know it has existed since the rise of modernity, imperialism, slavery, etcetera.

The family was jumped by a bunch of skinheads who were shouting racial slurs at them while they attacked them. Are we really going to think these punks aren't neo-nazi fascists? And I've lived in the area before, attacks on Native Americans by neo-nazis is too common in Nevada and you'd be really surprised of how widespread these fascist views are there.

[Renno]

Hardcore-punk!

[Dr Mindbender]

My growing up in Northern Ireland inspired in me a hatred of bigotry in general. Ulster Loyalism has always struck me as another arm of fascism.

[The Stalinator]

How did I become an antifascist?
When I was like 13 I met a few fascists on the internet, and then I tried to imagine what my life would be like under fascism.

And then I thought "fuck that shit".

[Smyg]

Must've been around six or seven. The janitor at my school, who always was nice to everyone, was severely assaulted by a gang of neo-nazis. Afterwards, when he got better, he went around to every class showing photos of his wounds. It was terrifying.

I suppose that started it. And since my mother worked with immigrants and refugees most of my life, and was an active member of Amnesty International, I heard a lot from her. Specifically, about the horrible treatment of refugees from both state and people.

That's right people, emotionally scarring your children might make them antifascist.

[Red Future]

When I saw pictures of Auschwitz.

[Lirwin2]

The book "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" was my first step. I've always been interested in history, but this was life changing, my eyes had been opened. It's an entire movement based upon hatred of human beings, and that was when I realized I wanted to spend my entire life fighting fascism.