Internal Enemies of the Fascists

Do not allow yourself— or your children — to be used as pawns

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“Pornography in public school libraries”

As mentioned previously, Wally Daudrich, a candidate for leadership of the Progressive Conservative party of Manitoba, has made false claims that there’s “pornography in schools” in our province. During the February PC leadership debate, Daudrich made outrageous claims about school library books containing pedophelia, incest, and beastiality. He confidently stated he had “seen the books” to which he referred, but could not name their titles, nor specify which school libraries they were from.

As CBC reporter Ian Froese wrote, another parent approached him after the debate, showing him a copy of Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human, a graphic novel with sketches that include depictions of genitals, intercourse, and masturbation. It turns out the book was taken from a South Central Regional Library, which has five branches in southern Manitoba, but none in any elementary or middle schools.

It also turns out this “concerned parent” was none other than Patrick Allard. Allard himself spoke about his conversation with Froese in a video he posted to social media the following day.

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Internal enemies and easy targets

Appealing to parental anxieties is one of several tired tactics, overused by politically-motivated actors. In this case, dramaturgical techniques are being employed in the service of right-wing ideologies — namely, homophobic and transphobic beliefs which fuel indignation about inclusive literature and curricula.

Much bigger than the issues of “parental rights” or diversity and inclusion, these book-banning and anti-2s+LGBTQ crusades help pave the way for aspiring authoritarians. As I will demonstrate, these are not merely the worn-out ravings of right-wing bigots, they are movements which are readily co-opted by tyrannical leaders.

In some cases they are intentionally put to work as part of a larger fascist campaign, while in others, opportunistic despots use them to their advantage, expanding upon and promoting them to further their own political agendas.

The pertinent strategies are:

1. dramaturgia;

2. astro-turfing; and

3. internal enemies

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