The Ultimate Fascism

by Andrew Vachss
Originally published in Expo, No. 1, 1996 (Sweden)

Also available in French (http://vachss.com/av_dispatches/disp_9600_f.html)
and
German (http://www.vachss.de/mission/dispatches/disp_9600_a.html)
and
Russian (http://tinyurl.com/h8qjsg9)

The ultimate fascism is child abuse. Its victims are Prisoners of War without a Geneva Convention to protect them, hostages to terrorism. As in all concentration camps, some prisoners imitate the oppressors. No surprise that the uninterrupted transgenerational abuse of children produces the most fervent followers of fascism.

And make no mistake, most fascists are followers—violent sheep "led" by a handful who are, in turn, driven as cattle by the actual leaders, the apolitical profiteers.

What is there to say about a belief system which, carried to its logical conclusion, worships degeneracy? How will fascists achieve their "pure" race without inbreeding? Because their ideology is a celebration of incest, it is easy to understand the fascist tolerance of all forms of child sexual abuse.

And that truth compels another: Righteous war against oppressors of humanity is the highest calling of our species.

But when it comes to the skinhead movement, it's not that simple. Skinheads are joining the only club which will have them. Because instead of competing for the attention and allegiance of such youth, we are dismissing them as racist, moronic thugs. Some fit that description, but most do not. And while liberals retreat into self–congratulation, the fascists happily recruit what others have ignored. Young people need causes. They are the natural warriors of our human family. Given a fair opportunity, most would stand with us, leaving only the psychotic misfits to lurk in the darkness.

Fascism is the politics of the sociopath. It cannot be combatted by reasoned debate. The liberal seeks the "hearts and minds" of the electorate, while the fascist laughs behind his predator's mask, disdaining the very concept of self–determination. But we must never imitate the oppressor, for then we become him. To kill a Hitler would be a high act of humanity. But to torture such a creature would be to validate his foul view of humanity.

Our course is clear. If we truly want to halt the poisonous blooms of fascism, we must start at its root. If we don't act to save the children, we cannot save ourselves.

© 1996 Andrew Vachss. All rights reserved.

U.S. lawyer and crime novelist Andrew Vachss is one of the most well known and outspoken fighters against child abuse and violence against children. As a lawyer he accepts only children and youth as clients, because "they don't have a voice of their own in society." Violence against children is also a continuing theme in his crime fiction, where Vachss has gained a worldwide reputation with novels such as Flood, Sacrifice, Shella and others.