By Griffin Mancuso
My regular coping skill when faced with a potential looming dictatorship is to keep moving forward and find joy in the little things, but I can’t seem to escape reminders of that orange fuckwad. My dog sport club scrambled to buy all the equipment we might need for this year before the tariffs kicked in, my doctor stockpiled my medication just in case and my dad received emails trying to scare people into quitting their federal job.
I haven’t felt this level of despair since I was a teenager loaded up on Zoloft. Fear clings in the air like an overpowering Febreze air freshener. Everyone is overwhelmed and afraid.
The devil works hard, but fascism works harder. We must remain vigilant and strike a balance between staying informed and not letting Trump’s “shock and awe” tactic overpower us.
Trump’s Use of The Shock Doctrine
Naomi Klein explains in her book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, how political figures use times of crisis to push unpopular policies promoting corporate interests and leaving marginalized groups too overwhelmed to organize and resist. While some critics believe the book makes assumptions and oversimplifications of capitalism and its impacts, this idea of economic “shock therapy” mirrors Trump’s onslaught of executive orders.
Within his first couple weeks of office, he signed dozens upon dozens of executive orders, which impacted everything from access to gender-affirming care, immigration and citizenship, climate change, medical research, and more. In other words, throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. Executive orders, along with memos and proclamations, are ways for the president to shape government policy without going through the legislative process.
Executive orders are not laws, and they cannot be enforced in the same ways as laws. However, they do encourage change in the way federal employees interact with the public, resulting in inconsistent enforcement and further confusion. Executive orders also cannot be overturned or require approval from Congress. However, Congress can block some executive orders if they are considered to be unconstitutional or outside the president’s authority.
Power in Paranoia
Historically, fascism caters to the dominant cultural group and sells them the idea of victimhood and supposed loss. Trump tells his followers — many of them white, fundamentalist Christians — that immigrants, queer people, and liberalism are a threat to their way of life. By selling the narrative of oppression, he is able to foster a collective rage and fear against an imaginary enemy. The Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol are a result of this method. While he is generally a stupid, bumbling oaf, he’s unfortunately somehow managed to create a charismatic persona that allows him to sell the false promises of fascism.
Fascism cannot be sustained by one person or one oligarchy, but relies on the establishment of a panopticon. Citizens become their own enforcers, and citizens then behave as if they’re always being watched. On Jan. 22, federal employees received an email from the Trump administration requiring them to report any secret Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in their agencies, or face potential consequences. DEI offices in federal agencies exist to prevent discrimination in the hiring process and in the workplace, provide accommodations, host trainings, and more. Their services benefit everyone from LGBTQ+ employees to veterans. Fascism’s reliance on fear extends not only through the general public, but the employees within its government. With the removal of DEI in federal agencies, many Trump voters will realize that they were not a part of the dominant cultural group that Trump was catering to. They will be left in the dust.
How to Resist and Persist
Fascism has caused a lot of harm throughout history, but many fascist regimes have also fallen. We must continue to look out for one another, know our legal rights when interacting with federal employees and law enforcement, and promote the truth in the face of consequence. Truth is the foundation of democracy, and we need the truth in order to live as independent citizens.
It is nearly impossible for one person to keep track of all of the legislative changes happening right now, which is why it’s so important to share this burden with your community. Keep tabs on a handful of issues you really care about and exchange information with others. Take advantage of the resources available on campus, such as the Queer Resource Center or El Centro.
No one should expect you to find a silver lining right now. You don’t need to remain optimistic in the face of fascism, but you need to remain alert and prepared. It’s okay to feel upset or distraught or full of unadulterated rage. You can remain alert of all the what-ifs while still taking care of yourself. Apathy and passivity may seem like the easier option, but that is the poison to progress. Keep going and stay safe. There are people around the world cheering us on.
Griffin Mancuso is a journalism major and managing editor for The Lumberjack. He has written for every category in the paper and is an award-winning graphic designer. His goals with his writing are uplifting marginalized communities, keeping the public informed, and helping people see the light at the end of the tunnel.
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