Antifa and the Rise of Global Authoritarianism
As commander in chief, President Donald Trump made a solemn vow to defend the United States against all threats, foreign and domestic. And now, with radical, violent, far-left extremists on the rise throughout the United States and abroad, it’s high time for the president to do just that.
Thankfully, the U.S. government recently took the first step to defeating the pandemic of leftist political violence: acknowledging its existence.
On Aug. 17, 2019, Trump tweeted that his administration is seriously considering declaring Antifa — the ironically fascist “anti-fascist” group — a domestic terror organization. And just a few days later, the president voiced his personal opinion that the group was indeed engaging in terrorism.
Predictably, the move sent the left into a state of apoplexy, as the media rushed to defend the Antifa mobs as morally justified and largely peaceful. But Trump’s announcement came on the heels of yet another round of violent Antifa protests, obliterating the left’s narrative.
Whether it’s destroying property on the Berkeley campus, assaulting journalists, or firebombing ICE facilities, Antifa has become notorious for the devastation left in its wake.
And their most recent protest was no exception.
For anyone paying attention, the so-called “anti-fascist” group has become synonymous with political violence and authoritarianism. Antifa doesn’t tolerate opposing points of view, and they’re not interested in having rational discussions. If you don’t support their cause, then you are the enemy. They won’t hesitate to take any and all measures to ensure that your voice is silenced.
This authoritarian mentality, destructive as it is, has nevertheless experienced a creeping resurgence around the globe. In Canada, the increasing radicalism of the all-too-Orwellian Human Rights Tribunal poses a legitimate threat to the country’s freedom of speech.
Indeed, Antifa isn’t an outlier organization; it’s merely the next step in the left’s descent into state-run socialism. In fact, the Canadian government is indirectly funding their efforts up north and with Canada’s immigration policies and our current border relationship; Antifa is using Canada as a base of operations to launch attacks into the United States.
And for those curious about where this authoritarian trend is taking us, look no further than China.
The Chinese government represents the epitome of leftist authoritarianism. Tragic as it may be, the people live to serve the interests of the state. Its citizens (perhaps “subjects” would be a more apt descriptor) have few, if any, individual rights. The authorities don’t tolerate dissenting viewpoints, and the media is state-run, tightly controlled and heavily censored.
True to form, China is a leftist dystopian nightmare — and it’s attempting to extend its authoritarian influence across the globe. That fact should terrify every freedom-loving American because, by all accounts, China appears to be succeeding.
What, then, can be done to stem the rising tide of global authoritarianism? The answer is to take the ideology’s standard-bearer head-on. Simply put, the United States must contain China.
While the Chinese are a formidable economic threat, they are no match for America’s military dominance. We need to keep it that way, and that starts with adequately funding our country’s national defense.
Thankfully, President Trump has already expressed his desire to do just that, rejecting the Democrats’ defense budget proposal that would have cut funding to essential national security programs. But Democrats, with their National Defense Authorization Act proposal, have remained insistent that substantial budget reductions must be made.
Most notably, Trump objected to the proposed changes to the Air Force’s National Security Space Launch program — the initiative created to assure America’s access to space. If the Democrats had their way, the NSSL would be entirely restructured, leading to massive delays in creating viable space launch technologies. According to the Air Force, that process would reduce the program’s competitive standards and decrease its overall effectiveness.
The United States cannot allow China to gain a substantive edge in any military theater, actual or potential. And make no mistake, China considers space to be the next warfighting frontier. To contain China’s authoritarian tendencies, America must be prepared to match and exceed the country’s military endeavors.
As such, Trump’s decision to oppose the NSSL adjustments is absolutely the right move. In the fight against authoritarian China, space is a domain the United States can’t afford to lose.
To stop the trend of global authoritarianism, America must address it directly. And while Trump was correct to label Antifa a terrorist organization, the left’s growing radicalism is only a symptom of a greater problem.
The resurgence of state-run socialism — led principally by China — is the foremost threat to the free world. Sadly we are closer to its effects than we think. And America, the remaining bastion of personal freedom and individual liberty, must rise to face it.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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