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The Irony of Fascism: Exploiting Liberty to Destroy It

Genuine neo-Nazis and fascists in America exist paradoxically within the free world. Some of the most prominent groups include:

  • National Socialist Movement (NSM): One of the largest neo-Nazi organisations, openly promoting anti-Semitic and white supremacist views.
  • Atomwaffen Division: Known for its extreme violence, Atomwaffen advocates racial warfare and apocalyptic accelerationism.
  • The Base: A neo-Nazi accelerationist group that encourages violent actions to destabilise society for a white supremacist agenda.
  • American Nazi Party (ANP): Founded in 1959, the ANP is one of the oldest neo-Nazi groups in the U.S., endorsing Nazi and white nationalist ideologies.
  • Patriot Front: A white nationalist group known for its rebranding efforts to appear more palatable, while still promoting neo-Nazi and white supremacist ideologies. It frequently uses euphemisms in its messaging but maintains an active presence through public demonstrations and propaganda campaigns.
  • Blood Tribe: Founded in 2021 by Christopher Pohlhaus, this explicitly neo-Nazi organisation is notorious for its violent rhetoric and demonstrations. The group openly displays swastikas and has engaged in confrontational activities at public rallies.
  • Goyim Defense League (GDL): A network spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories and propaganda. They have collaborated with groups like the Blood Tribe for joint events and rallies.
  • Aryan Freedom Network: This group focuses on recruiting online and has held in-person conferences. It claims members across multiple states and engages in traditional white supremacist activities.
  • National Socialist Movement (NSM): One of the oldest neo-Nazi groups in the U.S., it has rebranded over the years but continues to advocate for white supremacy and Nazi ideology.
  • Vinland Rebels: A smaller group that shares connections with other extremist groups like the Blood Tribe. It operates regionally and participates in public rallies.

All of these groups will invoke specific parts of the U.S. Constitution to justify their views. They rely on the First Amendment, which guarantees free speech, free press, and free expression, and the Second Amendment, which upholds the right to bear arms. They also rely on the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Fifth Amendment’s guarantees of due process, protection against self-incrimination, and double jeopardy, the Sixth Amendment’s promise of a fair trial, and the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishment. These amendments are frequently exploited by extremists, who champion fundamental American rights while advocating ideologies that fundamentally oppose those same principles.

These extremists laud the likes of Hitler, seemingly blind to the fact that his totalitarian regime in Germany was the antithesis of America’s founding values. The Nazis stripped citizens of the right to bear arms, executed those who spoke out against the regime, and eliminated freedoms of the press and protest, among other atrocities. Similar contrasts can be drawn with other Western countries that uphold human and civil rights through their constitutions and bills of rights. Even the United Nations has its own declaration, though many member states ignore it, which is perhaps why it remains a declaration rather than binding international law. There is a grim irony in using the right to free speech to promote ideologies that, if enacted, would destroy the very freedoms they now exploit. This is yet another example of troubled minds distorting history to romanticise a political system they find appealing—a system that, were they to live under it, would likely make them regret their apologism. While fascist groups do not fully represent the rise of the radical right, it is essential to examine the parallels between these factions: their beliefs, rhetoric, and values, and how much they resemble right-wing movements that have surged across the USA and the broader West. The original fascists of Mussolini and Hitler’s Nazi Party were driven by insidious disinformation, their intent to deceive the populace, and their obsessive hatred of leftist ideals, particularly communism. The radical left, embodied by the 20th-century communist states, achieved its own brand of totalitarianism—and many of the communist countries that persist into the 21st century remain tyrannical. What those on the far ends of the left and right spectrum fail to recognise is just how similar they are, however vehemently they’d like to deny it.

*This essay is featured in the book, The Rise of the Radical Right.

*This essay was written in 2023-24

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