Is MAGA Fascist? Part III & Conclusion

Closing thoughts on the Fascist threat.

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This is the third and final installment of my “Is MAGA Fascist?” analysis. In parts 1 and 2, we discussed The Cult of Tradition, Appeal to a Frustrated Middle Class, Fear of Difference, and more. I suggest you read the previous parts (copied below), but the TLDR is the MAGA movement shares many similarities with the 14 characteristics of Fascism, as detailed in Umberto Eco’s essay Ur-Fascism. 

Is MAGA Fascist? An Analysis

Is MAGA Fascist? Part II

Characteristics #11 - #14

#11. Everybody is Educated to Become a Hero.

While in most ideologies Heroism is exceptional, in Fascism, Heroism is accessible to all. Or at least Fascist followers are made to feel that way. 

To be “Heroic,” one only needs to be willing to die for the cause, state, or leader. This is especially true for death in battle, though in MAGA terms, the “battles” are typically less than impressive. For example, followers can obtain heroism by insisting on going to Applebee’s during a pandemic, letting COVID ravage their unvaccinated respiratory system.

I’m starting to think it’s real easy to become a doctor.

This “Hero” obsession is reflected in the sub-set of Right Wing politics I call “operator culture.” Though it has roots in gun culture, “operator culture” is now distinctively different as it yearns for conflict and promotes the need to be “always ready,” even when shopping for My Little Pony dolls.

WTF are you expecting to happen in the Girls’ Toys aisle at Target?

While Trump did not create this Valhalla-seeking subculture, he did breathe new life into it by championing the Proud Boys and other armed militias. And of course, there are followers who would happily die for Trump, for reasons I cannot begin to fathom.

#12. Machismo & Sexual Matters. 

While the core of this characteristic is how the leader fancies himself desirable to women, it also disdains them, along with non-traditional sexual habits such as homosexuality and transgenderism.