Fascism as urgent task (was Re: [Marxism] Re: Pearl Harbor, etc., correction

["Carlos A. Rivera" <cerejota@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carrol Cox" <cbcox@xxxxxxxxx>

> It is not good for Marxists (especially when talking among themselves)
> to distort history for a passing rhetorical effect.
> But there are many kinds of authoritarian state and
> fascism is by no means the most common form.

I agree completely with everything that comrade Cox establishes and debates
regarding conspiracies, the south, and Jim Crow. Her comments are completely
undebatable IMHO, as it is the historical record as it stands. There where
indeed conspiracies in that period, including that of early seccesionists
who wanted to return to the Articles of Confederation, but

Yet I disagree with this:

> Nor is it the form [fascism] that
> most threatens us now.

While I strongly disagree with comparing Bush with Hitler, I do believe he
is somewhat analogous to Heinderburg. Or rather, his people are little
Hienderburgs like the corporate hitmen of the WTC were little Eichmanns.

If we define "fascism" not only as form of *excercising* State power, but as
a reactionary method and movement to *attain* State power. as "reaction on
the march", then it is obviously a clear and present danger:

1) Most of the Republican Party cares little about abortion, gays, religion,
faith-based anything, regardless what we might think. They care about money
and the American empire. The nod to faith-based stuff is realy part of a
privatization program, the religious involvement in the Republican Party is
not different from that in the Democratic Party. An they oppose Roe v Wade
not because of abortion, but because it is based in the 14th amendment, and
establishes a broad right to privacy that extends beyond property, something
opposed by law and order Republicans. Gay marriage is in essence a nod to
medical insurance companies who don't want to all of the sudden provide
familiar discounts to a relatively large section of the population. Forget
the rhetoric, concentrate on what is really at stake. When prejudice becomes
political its almost always economic.

2) Yet this essentially (neo)liberal party, in seeking to attain power, has
created a strategic alliance with a section of the voting population to whom
Theocracy is an ideology and with an ultra-nationalist, racist, militant,
disposition. This people number, according to various figures between 3
million and 5 million votes, which means they are probably around 10% of the
total population but even as much as 25%. These people are christian
fascists. The RCP is correct in attacking them as such (they are not correct
in teleologizing this and blowing it out of proportion as if they were the
main enemy).

In creating this alliance, the Republican Party is allowing fascism of a new
type to creep in, much in the same way the Christian Democrats and
nationalists in Germany opened the door to nazism by doing government with
them.

That the analogy is not precise is a matter of the different goverment
structures.

Coalitions in goverment happen in the two main parties in the USA (hence the
old saying that the primaries tend to be the most important election). The
Republican Party is in coalition with fascism. Granted, minority partners
etc etc etc, but this is true. And the Democratic Party stands crumbling at
the Juggernaut.

Fascism, reaction on the march, is a growing, militant, and clear and
present danger. It is not the main enemy yet, but I have said many many many
times: if Trotsky was right with something it was the anti-fascist line. We
have to crush the fuckers before they put us all in camps.

sks






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