For the first time in U.S. history, a former president has been indicted. Donald Trump is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan on Tuesday, April 4th, when the full list of charges will be unveiled.
It is significant that Trump, who has always declared himself above the law and transformed the GOP and its base into a party of fascist lawlessness and violence – culminating in the January 6th coup attempt – faces serious charges and multiple investigations.
The joy felt by many at the prospect of seeing this fascist criminal face any accountability, for anything, and the hunger to see him behind bars is righteous. It reflects an enormous reservoir of popular sentiment that could be turned into necessary action to change history. But we must not pin our hopes on a mechanism that cannot and will not address the reasons we so badly want to see Trump locked up. Now is a time for vigilance, not complacency. Trump and the Republi-fascists have shown us again and again that they know how to turn a crisis into fascist opportunity. Trump’s popularity has risen since he went on the offensive ahead of this indictment, with his unhinged warning on Truth Social of “death and destruction” and his menacing, hate-filled campaign rally in Waco last week.
As of now, Trump remains the GOP frontrunner for the 2024 presidential elections. Key figures in the Republi-fascist party have rallied behind the lie that the New York indictment is political persecution meant to influence the 2024 election. This brazen disregard for facts reflects a totalizing fascist worldview insulating the Republi-fascist base from empirical truth. Not to be outdone, Trump’s main competitor for head fascist, Ron DeSantis, tweeted a blatantly anti-Semitic rant attacking the U.S. Constitution and rule of law: “The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney…is stretching the law to target a political opponent. Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda.”
This fascist movement has barely been named in the media, much less thoroughly repudiated by a mass movement of millions standing up against it. It is a vicious 21st century American fascism – in the most powerful and dangerous nation in the world – that has been normalized and accommodated for over seven years now. None of its leaders, including Trump, have yet faced the ultimate crisis: the people of this country taking over the public square and public discourse to delegitimize these fascists and drive them out of power. Yet, at these moments of crisis, when democratic norms are being ruptured and society is being further cleaved, the decent people are encouraged to retreat, remain passive, and prematurely celebrate an outcome that is far from inevitable. Every crisis Trump and his fascist party gets through strengthens the U.S. fascist movement, leaving a core of battle-tested and even more dangerous, genocidal, revanchist lunatics in power to set the terms for all of society. Look at what has happened to abortion rights in this country. Look at how they are gutting voting rights. Look at what they are doing to transgender people.
We must not be lulled into submission by this or future indictments and prosecutions of Trump. Whether or not Trump is able to remain the GOP presidential candidate, this indictment cannot and will not stop this fascist movement. That is up to us.
It is critical at this moment to spread the understanding of this fascist movement to the millions who righteously want to see Trump behind bars, and to actively oppose this fascism in every sphere of life.
Stay vigilant. In the name of humanity, refuse to accept a fascist America.