So what exactly is this entity called Antifa? Let’s break it down.
We know “anti-” pretty much means “against.” What about “fa”? Isn’t that just a musical syllable in the song about “Doe” a deer” etc.? Of course not! In this case, “fa” is short for fascism – or fascist.
Well, what exactly is that? Glad you asked ...
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, fascism is “a political philosophy….. [and] stands for a centralized aristocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader ... and forcible suppression of opposition.”
Fascists (those who espouse fascism) believe that political violence and war are the answers to reviving a nation. (Like maybe “make …. great again”?) Some of the characteristics of this political philosophy are:
- Disdain for human rights (Some folks are more equal than others)
- Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause (Blame them, not me.)
- Corporate power is protected (We need their contributions.)
- Labor power is suppressed (Do not let them organize.)
- Disdain for the intellectual and the arts (That is all fake.)
- Rampant cronyism and corruption (You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours.)
“Antifa is a moniker, not a single group with a clear organizational structure or leader. It is a decentralized network of activists who don’t coordinate. Their common ground is opposing anything they think is racist or fascist.” (Washington Post, 6/2020)
Antifa stands for anti (against) fascism. WW2 soldiers fought the proponents and leaders of fascism, so could they not be called antifa? Couldn’t anyone who is against fascism be called antifa?
Antifa is to be feared because ...? I guess that depends on whether or not you espouse fascism.
