On Monday, just one day after the Republican Party staged a Horst Wessel-style memorial for Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating “antifa” a “domestic terrorist organization.”

The order claims that antifa is a “militarist, anarchist enterprise” that uses “illegal means to organize and execute a campaign of violence and terrorism nationwide.”

Antifa, as even FBI Director Christopher Wray was forced to admit in a September 2020 congressional hearing, is not an organization but a broad current of opposition to fascism. “Antifa is an ideology, not an organization,” said Wray, who also testified that the bureau had no data showing any lethal violence committed by the organization.

Since antifa as a formal organization does not exist, Trump’s executive order amounts to a blanket authorization to brand political dissent and opposition to his fascist regime as “terrorism.”

    • Jaysyn@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Just today Stephen Miller claimed that calling the Trump regime “authoritarian” was terrorism.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Lol “designating “antifa” a “domestic terrorist organization.”

      It’s the same game Bush played with The War on Terror or Reagan with the War on Drugs. Write orders so vague and all-encompassing that virtually anyone could qualify based on a police officer or prosecutor having bad vibes.

      Trump’s running on a very time tested playbook

        • DarkFuture@lemmy.world
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          7 days ago

          Holy shit you’re dumb.

          Both the “war on drugs” and Trump’s Antifa move use intentionally wide nets so they can catch whatever they want and spin it however they want.

          Now, the “war on drugs” is far enough in hindsight that we know it was a failure and we know it was a ploy by the Reagan admin to make it look like they were accomplishing something and gain support. What Trump is doing is the same, but far, far more dangerous.

          You can’t be this stupid. I mean you can, and are, but goddamn.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          7 days ago

          Different time, different subjects completely.

          Same subjects - the poor, the marginalized, the minorities.

          And “different time” is such a fucking cop out. It’s always a “different time”. What difference is that supposed to make? It’s the same policy.

    • IamSparticles@lemmy.zip
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      7 days ago

      This is just one more step in labeling anything opposed to the Trump administration as enemies of the state. If you don’t see that you are either ignorant or complicit. The fact that it’s so badly defined is why it makes the perfect boogeyman. They can attribute any characteristics they want to “Antifa” and then anyone who espouses those characteristics is under suspicion of being a terrorist.

      • nuggie_ss@lemmings.world
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        7 days ago

        We should still get our facts straight and not rely on hyperbole, which just opens us up to being corrected and looking like idiots who don’t bother to verify what they spout.

        If it really is as bad as you say, then we shouldn’t need to embellish it. Stick to the facts and let people form their own opinions.

        spoiler

        It’s sad this needs to be spelled out for so many of you, but it just goes to show how few of you paid attention in social studies or had extremely poor teachers.

        • DarkFuture@lemmy.world
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          7 days ago

          Look at this pseudo-intellectual telling us to educate ourselves while ignoring an extremely bright neon red flag that looks a whole hell of a lot like a common tactic used by fascist regimes to label anyone they want an enemy of the state.

          How about you stop trying to educate us and educate yourself, champ.

          • nuggie_ss@lemmings.world
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            7 days ago

            Most of them react like you when faced with their incompetence.

            Sorry bud. Everyone doesn’t get a gold star this time.

    • bluesheep@sh.itjust.works
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      7 days ago

      Guys. being against “antifa” doesn’t not equal being against “anti-fascist”. They’ve got yall spun around

      Well, at least you’re accidentally correct about this one

    • nuggie_ss@lemmings.world
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      7 days ago

      Thanks for this sanity check.

      I looked at the source and noticed, well, it wasn’t anything reputable that I recognized like AP. That usually means they have very little journalistic integrity and have no problem sensationalizing headlines to get clicks.