Announcing an Anti-Fascism Project
By Mike Hersh, Mar 6, 2003

Anti-Fascism Project -- antifascism@mikehersh.com

Look what this country is coming to! Even before Bush bombs Iraq
we've already lost. We've already lost precious rights and freedom.

CNN.com and Reuters report: "A lawyer was arrested late Monday and charged with trespassing at a public mall in the state of New York after refusing to take off a T-shirt advocating peace that he had just purchased at the mall."

To be honest, I first thought this story was a hoax. I could not believe that in my own country, in "liberal" New York State, an attorney could be arrested. In front of his child. For wearing a T-shirt slogan famous for decades. But as the article reports, this really happened:

"Stephen Downs was wearing a T-shirt bearing the words "Give Peace A Chance" that he had just purchased from a vendor inside the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, near Albany." Albany is the capital of New York State, and hardly a bastion of intolerant right wing extremism.

Downs' experience is right out of Orwell's 1984, the old Soviet Union, or Saddam's Iraq: "I was in the food court with my son when I was confronted by two security guards and ordered to either take off the T-shirt or leave the mall."

After he refused, "police from the town of Guilderland were called and he was arrested and taken away in handcuffs, charged with trespassing 'in that he knowingly enter[ed] or remain[ed] unlawfully upon premises,' according to the official complaint."

'Peace' T-shirt gets man arrested, 3/5/03, CNN.com (link will expire 3/19/03): http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/03/05/offbeat.peace.arrest.reut/index.html.

Before I saw confirmation while watching CNN, I could not accept this actually happened. Even after all the heavy handed and unconstitutional actions I've read about. Even after a harassment / intimidation visit by the Secret Service to my home soon after I launched my first website, Bush Occupation.com. I still could not accept this actually happened. Not in New York. Not in America.

Famous Last Words: "It Can't Happen Here"

Well it is happening here. I've read the history of authoritarianism and wondered how could people let it happen? In every case I've studied, people refused to face facts. When those in authority told them they were under attack or threatened, they believed it and accepted "temporary emergency steps" in the name of "national security." Or when they didn't believe authority, they were too afraid to resist and risk accusations of aiding and abetting the enemy.

They refused to face the fascism growing in their midst, much less stand up against it. Many people knew about the arrests and intimidation, the loss of liberty and the rising fear of the abusive "authority." If even I feel stunned into disbelief, I know we have a real problem reaching "average Americans" who fear terrorist attacks so much Bush and Rove can play them for fools. Elected leaders shrink from attacks by Republicans operatives who equate dissent and wisdom with treason.

I'm not saying we should stop defending ourselves against actual threats. I'm saying the opposite. We should get serious about real threats, not provoke more threats while ignoring real priorities. We must improve our fundamental security while protecting, not wrecking our freedom. We should address the real threats. We must not waste $billions Bush is already squandering, as he prepares to attack Iraq and threatens to kill harmless innocents.

Innocents in America shouldn't have to face fears from terrorists and from "their own" government. People abused. Rights trampled. Speech silenced. When government does these things to us, and when we remain passive, then truly "the terrorists have won." Because they've gotten us to wreck our way of life.

We must never forget how this Bush Occupation came to power: Conceived in anti-liberal hatred from the ashes of the failed impeachment effort. Nurtured by a campaign of deceit and illegal racist computer-aided vote suppression. Then finally foisted upon us by an unconstitutional coup confirmed by five partisans in black robes against the wishes of the majority and the rule of law. A regime arising from such anti-Constitutional chicanery will not shrink from fascist tactics.

What can we do? I suggest we collect and publish a litany of these authoritarian actions our "own" government -- federal, state and local -- commits or encourages. Include actions and statements of harassment and intimidation committed by unofficial but well-connected agents of the Bush Occupation in the mass media.

Please join the effort. Email reports of abuses to antifascism@mikehersh.com. I will compile, update and discuss them on my website.

We should aim this effort to reach people who do not already know Bush is a venal, vapid usurper and an unqualified disaster. So, I'd limit the reporting to short recaps, (hopefully) active links to major news media websites, and other well documented examples.

I'd prefer to use mainstream sources for the trunk of the tree, and as much of the branches as possible. People are likely to accept the NY Times, Washington Post, and the BBC over sources they've never heard of. Remember, our target audience are people stunned and numbed into disbelief.

In a heartening post script, I'm pleased to report Marchers protest arrest of man for wearing peace T-shirt at Crossgates. 100 people "marched through Crossgates Mall at noon today to protest the arrest Monday of a man who wore a peace T-shirt while he shopped. These brave patriots defended the Constitution, free speech and Stephen Downs, the "Shopper charged after refusing to take off shirt that mall store made for him, bearing slogans 'Peace on Earth'and 'Give Peace a Chance'." Times Union story, by Carol DeMare, March 5, 2003: http://www.timesunion.com/aspstories/storyprint.asp?storyID=112222

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