From the Flag to the Cross: Fascism American Style

(Paperback)

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Has fascism arrived dressed in stars and stripes This anthology by seven prominent socialists offers a sharp analysis of American authoritarianism: how we got here, how to organize, and how to resist.

"Gangster capitalism," that's how Henry Giroux describes the system where a billionaire class controls the institutions that shape our lives-the media, corporations, universities, courts, and government. But does this centralization of power on behalf of the super-rich mean that fascism has taken over the United States Certainly, the signs are there: Individuals not charged with a crime are picked up on the street by masked police and "disappeared." Right-wing strongmen like Javier Milei of Argentina or Nayib Bukele of El Salvador are embraced warmly on the steps of the White House. The aptly titled Trump v. United States Supreme Court ruling just handed the president broad immunity for "official acts." And Elon Musk, the president's scourge of government inefficiency, gave repeated fascist-style salutes at Trump's inauguration rally.

So is this fascism, oligarchy, authoritarianism-or all of the above Is there a special brand of American fascism And, if so, what direction is it likely to take, and how can it best be resisted In From the Flag to the Cross: Fascism American Style, seven prominent American socialists interrogate these questions. They come at the issues from different angles in an enlightening spectrum of opinion. But on one point, they are in unison: Trump is not the disease. He's the symptom. The real threat is a violent, deeply embedded system-fueled by capitalism, white supremacy, Christian nationalism, and authoritarian rule-that long predates the 47th president.

Contributors: Chris Hedges, Richard Wolff, Dianne Feeley, Henry Giroux, Bill Mullen, Margaret Kimberley, And Kshama Sawant.

Author Bio

Michael Steven Smithis a retired attorney and the founder and cohost of the radio show Law And Disorder. He has testified on the rights of Palestinians in the United States Congress and the United Nations. He's the author or editor of several books, including "Lawyers for the Left" and "Imagine: Living in a Socialist USA".

Zachary Sklaris best known as co-writer, with Oliver Stone, of the Academy Award-nominated screenplay for the filmJFK. He has edited numerous non-fiction books, including the number-one-bestsellingOn the Trail of the Assassinsby Jim Garrison,Moving the Bar: My Life as a Radical Lawyerby Michael Ratner,Profits of Warby Ari Ben-Menashe, andDeadly Deceits: My 25 Years in the CIAby Ralph McGehee. He teaches screenwriting at the Harlem Dramatic Writing Workshop and is the author of a book of personal essays,The Work: A Jigsaw Memoir.