{"id":22412,"date":"2024-08-15T10:05:55","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T15:05:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/?p=22412"},"modified":"2026-02-09T08:28:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T14:28:35","slug":"the-ongoing-work-of-anti-fascism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/2024\/08\/15\/the-ongoing-work-of-anti-fascism\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ongoing Work of Anti-Fascism"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An anti-fascist sticker. Photo by unsplash.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Do you remember where you were in August 2017? At the time, I was living with my aunt and uncle in San Diego before I could move onto campus at Point Loma Nazarene University and start classes again. I remember sitting by their pool in the sun, my 19-year-old hopeful innocence about the world shattered again (this would happen many times over the next few years).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was shaken over the news, reading about Charlottesville. August 2017 was dubbed the \u201csummer of hate.\u201d On August 11 and 12, the Unite the Right \u201crally\u201d in Charlottesville turned into a riot. Neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, the KKK, and others from alt-right groups assembled, killing one person and leaving many more injured and traumatized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emboldened by President Trump (who said there were good people on \u201cboth sides\u201d), the alt-right came out of online chat rooms and into the streets. I felt, and continue to feel, an immense responsibility, particularly as a white person. Resisting fascism and white supremacy in this country will be a long-haul of a fight and will continue my whole life, no matter where I am. Being American means being born into this context, and I cannot escape it or wish it away. As someone who is continuously aiming and working to be anti-racist in how I live, I must commit my life to this work of resisting oppression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, some of this work has included writing about topics surrounding anti-oppression and justice, particularly in my journalism and in the people I interview. It\u2019s being outspoken and having conversations, sharing resources and food and prayer and presence in community and learning from local activists. The work of anti-oppression is never done; I continue to try and learn and fail. But I\u2019m not alone in it \u2014 part of writing about it here is holding myself accountable, too. We do this in community and hold each other up. We each bring unique gifts and passions, and all of this is necessary as we create and imagine a world without fascism. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Cover of The Writing on the Wall<\/em> by Eric Martin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I recently read The Writing on the Wall: Signs of Faith Against Fascism<\/em><\/a> by Eric Martin. It\u2019s an excellent book about fascism in the U.S. right now, and what resistance looks like for people of faith. Martin writes about being part of the anti-fascist resistance in Charlottesville in 2017. His presence, and that of those resisting alongside him, was steeped in their faith and their traditions of nonviolence. They were truly walking the walk. It\u2019s inspiring and challenging in all the best ways\u2014I\u2019m really grateful that this book exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are lots of stereotypes against anti-fascists used in American media (referring to them as \u201cAntifa\u201d)\u2014that they destroy property, they are \u201cterrorists,\u201d and more. These stereotypes distract from the overt and very real violence that is fascism and white supremacy. Antifascism, Martin writes, is really an ethic of love. It\u2019s an ethic of calling out white supremacists and fascists and stopping them from gaining power. Loving our enemies means not allowing them to espouse these violent views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martin also writes about methods of prayer. Perhaps most vital is praying with our feet \u2014 putting our bodies on the line, taking concrete actions in our ethic of love. Prayer in community is also important \u2014 we need to be in community with one another, building networks of trust, knowing our neighbors by name. It\u2019s also necessary to be grounded in a prayer life where one can encounter God in solitude, knowing your worth and identity is in God \u2014 a power of Love outside of yourself \u2014 to know you\u2019re never alone and these systems of oppression do not have power over you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growth only happens in discomfort \u2014 this is a truth I\u2019ve come to learn. It\u2019s a good time to reflect: Is how I live aligned with my ethics and values? What small or large act can I begin to do that will make it more so? How can I confront the sticky discomfort of wealth and privilege, and how can I give it away? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

O God, in our time spent alone and in community, as we discern our vocations and where you are calling us, may we never be satisfied with cheap answers or cheap grace. May we be in this fight for justice and anti-oppression for the long-haul. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Messy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cassidy Klein<\/strong> is a journalist, writer, and editor based in Chicago. She has worked as an editorial assistant at\u00a0Sojourners\u00a0magazine and\u00a0U.S. Catholic\u00a0magazine. She grew up in Denver, Colorado and studied journalism and philosophy at PLNU in San Diego. Find more of her work at\u00a0cassidyrklein.weebly.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Do you remember where you were in August 2017? At the time, I was living with my aunt and uncle in San Diego before I could move onto campus at Point Loma Nazarene University and start classes again. I remember sitting by their pool in the sun, my 19-year-old hopeful innocence about the world shattered...","protected":false},"author":149585910,"featured_media":22415,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[698755605],"tags":[6722,698756730,698756729,698755375,698756654,512126,214,698755374,853,698756731,414728],"series":[698756626],"class_list":["post-22412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-racism","tag-activism","tag-anti-fascism","tag-antifa","tag-book-review","tag-cassidy-klein","tag-charlottesville","tag-christianity","tag-community","tag-prayer","tag-the-writing-on-the-wall-by-eric-martin","tag-white-supremacy","series-messy-jesus-business"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/antifa-protesters-scaled.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/feed\/podcast\/messy-jesus-business","embedCode":"

The Ongoing Work of Anti-Fascism<\/a><\/blockquote>