Trump vs. Antifa: Spoiler Alert, History Already Picked a Side
Receipts from history: antifascism = heroism. Share it everywhere.
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In this issue:
THE HISTORY Trump doesn’t want you to know: Antifa is a people’s tradition.
Shareable GRAPHICS + CLIPS to shred the regime’s lies and mock their fearmongering.
ACTIONS you can take right now to organize locally, fight fascism, and show Antifa pride.
1. THE HISTORY
You know you’re living in a clown show when standing against fascism, something as natural as breathing for the “Greatest Generation,” gets you branded a “terrorist” by President Trump, a man whose bravest act is waddling to a golf cart. Since when did “standing against Nazis” become a crime worthy of a presidential meltdown?
Antifa, short for “anti-fascist,” not “satanic anarchist danger club,” was never a “shadowy Soros-funded cabal.” Sorry, QAnon, it’s not even a club; it’s barely more organized than Trump’s legal team. Antifa is an idea, older than “Make America Great Again” hats and older than the dye dripping down Trump’s cheeks on live TV. Anti-fascism erupted as the most basic moral response when Mussolini’s goons and Hitler’s brownshirts tried to stomp out democracy in the 1920s and ’30s.
And who were the original Antifa? Actual heroes: Italian “Arditi del Popolo,” German workers in the Antifaschistische Aktion, and union organizers on Cable Street in London who beat back blackshirts so hard their descendants still need orthopedics. These were people who thought, “Hey, defending your neighbor against jackboots might be cool.” They fought, sometimes with their fists—because fascists never ask nicely—to keep democracy alive while much of the world cowered behind appeasement.
Fast forward a few decades, and now Trump wants Americans to believe “anti-fascist” equals “terrorist.” Never mind that his executive order carries the legal force of a Trump University diploma. A president cannot declare antifascism an illegal organization any more than he can outlaw gravity—mainly because Antifa is not an organization. It’s an idea, a mindset, a bare-minimum promise to never let the world repeat 1942.
Let’s be real: if opposition to fascism counts as terrorism, then sign everyone up. That definition would place WWII veterans, civil rights leaders, and every decent human being in the same camp. Trump’s tantrum isn’t about safety; it’s his usual routine: find a scapegoat, scream “enemy of the people,” and hope no one notices the fraud trial on his calendar.
So, here is a suggestion for Trump and his fear-peddlers: if “anti-fascist” is the enemy, they should take a long look at their own platform. The rest of us should wear our Antifa badges with pride—hell, print them on red hats, golf visors, and subpoenas—because history is on our side. And Trump? He’ll still be rage-tweeting at 3 a.m., trying to criminalize an idea he’s too cowardly to face.
2. Shareable GRAPHICS + CLIPS
An important message from the president of Antifa 😂
Stand up for WWll heroes!
Ah, the pesky facts about Antifa
3. Take Action Against Fascism!
Join the Fight Locally: Find or start a pro-democracy group. Grassroots is where fascism loses. Grassroots Directory / RepresentUS
Back Antifa Organizing: Connect with movements resisting authoritarianism. Refuse Fascism
Educate & Agitate: Host teach-ins, panels, or street events to expose fascism and build defense. Action Network
Fuel the Resistance: Donate to groups fighting in courts and communities for democracy’s survival. State Democracy Defenders Fund
Read or watch to learn about successful anti fascism movements throughout history.
Well this sort of breaks my 76 yo progressive heart - what other progressive organizations are there that I can support?
The dye was dripping down Rudolph Giuliani’s cheeks, not Trump’s, but this is good otherwise. 😉