To Defend Democracy, Don’t Call Trump a Semi-Fascist
Using explosive language will distract attention from the true threat posed by supporters of authoritarianism.
Language matters.
Photographer: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
President Joe Biden plans to give a prime-time speech Thursday about democracy. It’s a good idea. Democracy is under threat in the US from those who reject the results of the 2020 election, some of whom might consider resorting to violence to have the results overturned. It’s appropriate that the president describe the threat, part of his obligation to defend the Constitution.
But what most people are probably wondering is whether Biden will use the term “fascism” or, actually, “semi-fascism,” to describe former President Donald Trump and his allies, as Biden did last week. I hope he doesn’t, although the question is far from an easy one.