Left:
History is a Vast Early Warning System
Chaz Maviyane-Davies
Digital Print, Circa 2015
Cambridge (Massachusetts, USA)
47185
Right:
Free Our Future Abolish ICE
Micah Bazant
Digital Print, 2018
California, USA
81104
Since Donald Trump's second inauguration last week, the world has been reeling from his onslaught of executive actions. From the absurd to the unconscionable, Trump and his new government have made clear they were ready to hit the ground running to reshape the United States in their image. CSPG’s first Poster of the Week focuses specifically on the growth of Nazi-like, fascistic ideology that is enabling mass arrests and deportations of migrants in the U.S. and around the world. Note, this poster was designed a decade ago! Our second featured Poster mobilizes against family separation.
Fear and dehumanization of migrant communities is a staple tenet of fascism. In Europe, far-right parties have gained power by stoking fears of growing migrant communities from the Middle East and North Africa over the past two decades. Elon Musk, who donated millions to Trump’s campaign and performed what many have identified as the “Seig Heil”, or Hitler, salute twice at the inauguration rally, has also endorsed the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), Germany’s extreme far-right party.
AfD aims to “eliminate the free democratic basic order,” sees migrants (particularly Muslims) as invaders, has declared Germans should be “proud” of their World War II soldiers, opposes homosexuality, advocates for traditional gender roles, denies climate change, and at least 15% of AfD supporters believe the Holocaust was myth.
Musk’s endorsement of a Nazi-like party in Germany must be of major concern to the U.S. and the world. Trump, already demonstrably fascist, now has Musk as a primary advisor, funder, and media mogul. From Day 1, Trump has issued a slew of anti-immigrant Executive Orders including: directing the secretary of defense to seal the U.S.-Mexico border, ending refugee admissions and applications, ending birthright citizenship (currently halted by a judge), and deporting anyone in the U.S. without legal status.
Trump also labeled normal and necessary levels of immigration as “an invasion” and invoked the centuries-old Alien Enemies Act. This Act enables him to bypass normal immigration law to quickly detain and deport noncitizens. On Sunday alone, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested over 1,200 people.
The coming weeks, months, and years will test every human right we take for granted. But fascism is not strong or permanent; it requires fear, disorganization and obedience. Overwhelming us with change is a deliberate tactic intended to immobilize. But CSPG’s Posters of the Week illustrate how to learn from our history, and how to look towards a liberated future.
Get angry, get focused, and RESIST
Just as it is important to understand the issues and challenges that we are faced with, it is equally important to observe successes. Therefore, CSPG’s Posters of the Week will begin to feature pieces of both concern and celebration. We hope this new occasional segment of our newsletter inspires our community to hope-filled action.
Leonard Peltier is Free!
Freedom For Leonard Peltier
Juan Fuentes
Silkscreen, 1991 (originally printed in 1976)
San Francisco (California, USA)
29521
In more positive news, Leonard Peltier was granted clemency by President Biden in the final hours of his presidency. The 80-year-old Indigenous activist and political prisoner had been in prison for 48 years for the alleged killing of two FBI agents in 1975. It is surprising, however, that while Trump and the corporate press has focused on other Biden pardons, Peltier’s has not received the attention one would have anticipated—of course, we don’t watch Fox News!
While Peltier was not given a full pardon, and must live under house arrest, he is now able to enjoy the rest of his life in relative peace and dignity with his loved ones
Sources:
Immigration Raids Begin as Judge Halts Unconstitutional Birthright Citizenship Order | Democracy Now
Resources:
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