Task Force Butler

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In the face of America’s rising authoritarianism, for some, saying “that’s fascist” or “they’re fascists” is a way to ring the alarm. For others, it’s a bad faith effort to numb us to evil. When the goal of authoritarians and their sympathizers is to make people numb so they shrug and say, “if everyone’s a fascist, no one’s a fascist,” how do we agree on what makes someone a fascist? History helps. Studying historical fascists helps us spot the common elements that span multiple movements. Our collective memory rightfully focuses on the horror of Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Nazi Party, but Franco’s Spain, Peron’s Argentina, and Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists shows us a key truth: Fascism exists on a spectrum, and it’s not a distant historical phenomenon. Task Force Butler exists to shine the light on authoritarians, and our community of veterans and volunteers are committed to using lawful means to stop them. But to stop them, we need to be able to spot them, and that’s why we have created WHAT IS FASCISM? @Kristofer Goldsmith @Common Defense

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WHAT IS FASCISM? is our summary of the common characteristics of fascist thought and behavior. Our response to the question “What is fascism?” focuses on four categories: Power, Control, Loyalty, and Grievance. This part 2: POWER The fetishization of power, and the creation of a powerful image, is paramount for a fascist leader. They will spare no expense in presenting themselves as unchallengeable both to foreign adversaries and domestic critics. The image of unquestionable power is often honed through a cult of personality, a reliance on militarism, and a carefully curated propaganda campaign fixated on the aesthetics of masculine strength. A fascist leader will be revered as a savior to the nation. The common archetype is that the leader is the only one who can save the nation from turmoil and decay. Through this portrayal, criticism of the leader is akin to disparaging the nation, as the man and country are perceived as one and the same. The cult of personality is used to unite the people behind one single leader and often serves as insurance for the leader as those deemed not loyal enough can find themselves open to reprisals. Fascist leaders need to present themselves as strong men who are unquestionably confident in their abilities to lead the nation out of the decline that it is currently experiencing. Everything they do - from how they speak and their body language to their wardrobe and surroundings - is specifically curated to keep them on brand. In Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler embraced what was called Führerprinzip, translated as “leader principle,” which was understood to mean that the Führer’s word was above all written law and could not be questioned. In Fascist Italy, there was a slogan which proclaimed “Il Duce ha sempre ragione” or “Mussolini is always right." The leader reached this state of near superhuman abilities due to a “divine right to lead.” This cult of personality is often cemented by a carefully curated propaganda campaign designed to make the leader appear infallible, often by blaming shortcomings of their leadership on others. The military is foundational to the leader’s need to both project maximum strength and maintain maximum control. If a fascist is to stay in power, they need to be intimidating to their adversaries, and this is why the ritualized showcases of militarized strength are universal to fascism. Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco, all former soldiers, wore military uniforms instead of traditional formalwear. Hitler was almost always pictured with his Iron Cross First Class from World War I on his chest and with his signature small mustache, a common style in the trenches that allowed the gas masks to seal properly on the wearer’s face. Mussolini was often photographed with his chest puffed out, chin up, with his arms folded, or with his hands on his hips to present himself as confidently and powerfully as possible. Hitler’s famous arm movements and body language during his speeches were all deliberately planned and practiced to make him appear more assertive and commanding. In addition to the deliberate clothing, speech patterns, and body language, the media’s propagandizing power is a common tool to project and preserve absolute authority. The best example of this is Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 propaganda film Triumph of the Will which shows Hitler and other Nazi leaders as they walk through an expanse of roughly 150,000 soldiers standing at attention and cheering crowds. The film depicts Hitler and the Nazi Party as overpowering and, notwithstanding its despicable origin and use, is regarded as one of history’s most powerful and successful propaganda pieces. #democracy #veterans #taskforcebutler #veteransoftiktok #antifascist #nonprofitsoftiktok #historytok #history @Kristofer Goldsmith @Common Defense @Task Force Butler

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Since I started posting on this channel, lots of folls have been asking how they can get involved in my antifascist veterans organization Task Force Butler. Well — we’ve got a big announcement coming on Veterans Day (November 11, 2024) that’s goong to massively scale up our organization, allowing us to recruit and train a whole bunch of new veterans. And there are ways that civilians can support us too. Check out this video to learn more! @Kristofer Goldsmith #democracy #veterans #taskforcebutler #veteransoftiktok #antifascist #nonprofitsoftiktok #historytok #history #january6 #uscapitol #seditionhunters #insurrection #fyp #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #fypシ #smedleybutler