@OaklandElle has a really good Twitter thread about antifascism. I captured them here with her permission so it's easier to share, particularly outside of Twitter.
So I think there may be some misunderstanding of what "antifascist" even means, both tactically and ideologically.
Ideologically, antifascism is actually really, really very simple:
Fascism and genocide are bad, stopping them is good. That's it.
Tactically, antifascism can be damn near anything which seeks to prevent, circumvent, or otherwise hinder fascism and/or genocide.
Antifascism is not inherently anarchist, and does not belong exclusively to a single political ideology.
While I would argue that you cannot be anarchist without being antifascist, nearly any political identity can also be antifascist.
And while, tactically, punching nazis is certainly antifascist, there are a whole wealth of other tactics which also serve antifascism.
Antifascism can be anything up to and including refusing to go with the flow under a fascist regime.
Hugging people who are different from you, and swearing to protect them (as long as you actually live up to that oath) is antifascism.
If you're a decent human, engaged in your community, there's a strong chance you're already engaging in antifascist action without trying.
This next part is key, though: you need to resolve to keep doing what you're doing, even as you start to feel pressure to stop.
In fact, the more pressure you feel to cut yourself off from those who are different, the more important it is to increase your involvement.
Fascism preys on division, fear, and isolation. By refusing to give in to any of these, you're helping hold back the rising tide of fascism.
There is, of course, a lot of work to be done. Punching nazis is going to be part of it, & it's okay if you're not willing to do that part.
But it's time to start asking yourself: if you're not willing to throw a punch, are you willing to bandage the hand that did?
Another misconception I keep seeing is that antifascists are looking for a fight. I promise, we aren't.
While we certainly view fighting nazis to be an important act of community defense, we would really rather not have to fight.
In general, we would strongly prefer to spend our weekends with our friends and families, having BBQs, going to the beach, etc.
Unfortunately, we've reached a point where white nationalists are marching through the streets with torches, and we need to stop that.
We know what happens when nationalists mobilize, we know what happens when they're left to their own devices, & we'd like to prevent that.
We're not looking for a fight, we're just trying to quickly put an end to the one already begun so we can go back to enjoying our weekends.
I can't speak for everyone, but I'd much rather spend my Saturday nights in a karaoke bar than in the streets. Priorities, tho, you know?
FIRST we put an end to fascism and the movement for a white ethnostate, and THEN we enthusiastically sing pop hits from the 80s and 90s.
