The most hideous, poisonous products of the modern politics in recent years is the blotting out of the truth. Some call it censorship, others call it propaganda— no matter the name, the fruits of it is bitter and deadly to a democracy.
A democracy works best when its citizens are fully informed and freely find truthful information. This censorship and propaganda feed the cancer of fascism. Fascism is a cancer that has always been around but was not labeled well until Mussolini and Hitler fashioned it onto Italy and Germany. Fascism is the model of where one individual can do no wrong and all the glory is centered upon him as the spirit of the nation state. Some in our present-day United States of America have fashioned this cancer of fascism around Donald Trump. For example, his supporters will not face the truth that he encouraged and supported the overthrow of our democracy on Jan. 6, 2021. He can do no wrong in some individual's eyes.
The cancer of fascism feeds on our meanest impulses. The ideas that feed this cancer of fascism, the greatest being racial hatred and religious intolerance. This was true in the 1930s and 1940s and is true today.
If people do not show up at the ballot boxes and vote against this cancer, it will continue to flourish, take root, thrive, and bear fruit until there is no ballot box.
This cancer of fascism if given the opportunity will strip our democracy of wisdom, of our freedoms and of our kindness.
While many will debate which parts are cancerous fascism and which are our just ideas, maybe this will help:
• If a group has anyone connected to it that supports or flies the Nazi flag , that is a literal red flag of the cancer of fascism.
• If a group seizes upon racial pride to divide you from your neighbors, that is the cancer of fascism. See white supremacy as an example.
• If a group aims to install one religion as part of the government, it is the cancer of fascism. I am referring to any religion that burns books or allows Donald Trump to deliver the Christmas sermon rather than talking about Jesus.
• If a group supports a violent insurrection at the capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power in a democracy, that is the cancer of fascism.
While this is not all the signs of the cancer of fascism, it may help you spot it and the candidates for office who support this cancer.
Please vote for the candidates who do not support fascism so that we may continue to have a democracy and the power of the vote.
Editor’s note: Joseph McCain is the editor and publisher of the Winston County Journal, Webster Progress Times and Choctaw Plaindealer. He may be reached at 662-773-6241 or 662-803-5236 or email newsroom@winstoncountyjournal.com.
