Nothing says patriotic like good old-fashioned Fascism, at least according to the president of the Greater Fort Bend County Tea Party, James Ives. As reported by the Texas Tribune, Mr. Ives’ title before he joined the Tea party was quite different: the director of propaganda for the American Fascist Party (AFP). When confronted with this information, he wisely did not deny, but what he did say was far more revealing:

From my point of view, it was all pro-Constitution, pro-America. I never did anything. There really weren’t enough people involved to be a gathering, let alone a rally. It was basically a scattering of people across the continent just complaining.

However, checking on the organizations message board one finds this gem from Mr. Ives [formatting from original post]:

Gentlemen, first let me say that I am proud to be a member, no, VERY proud to be a member of the American Fascist Party. In the growth of this group over a short time, there can truly be said to be signs of light in the tunnel of recent national history. THE VERY FACT THAT SUCH A GROUP CAN GET TOGETHER AT ALL, AND FLOURISH, SAYS THAT THERE IS STILL LIFE IN THE FURROWS AND HILLS, THE BAYOUS AND GLENS OF OUR AMERICA!

Seth (referring to Seth Tyrssen) has done a masterful job of grooming and nurturing the Party, and it is upon this rock that we shall grow and define the coming age. If we take this time seriously, if we see it as the seedling of the time-to-come, then anything will be possible. Here in Texas, there is a great mistrust of the current state of affairs in government, be it local, statewide or national. But also there is old-fashioned patriotism. This calls into play the great burden of the non-stop media indoctrination of the minds of the land, the incessant voice that says if you are against the status quo, then you are against America. Well, WE know this to be utter nonsense, but it will be our greatest challenge, and our sweetest victory, to finally surpass this dark menace, this numbing threat from the shadows, and replace it with the pure sunbeam that is our Fascist Faith, our Fascist Truth.

I will, in any way, help the Party to reach its’ goal of a better America, and a better future for our people. Let our cry be of FAITH in the future, love of FAMILY in this present desert of the emotions, and always NATION as the beacon of our lives, and the touchstone for the security of our children.

FAITH, FAMILY, and NATION!!!

In turn, you can find key phrases from this used in Tea Party rhetoric, as well as in other Fascist and racist groups. These phrases are code-words, saying, “It’s safe here; it’s friendly for you here.”





James Ives even appeared in AFP advertising, such as this video promoting Fascist values (he is at the 0:36 spot) under the slogan “Fascism Forward”:

Wrapping hatred in patriotism is nothing new. The tobacco industry, in collaboration with the Koch family, have used this tactic for decades. Even Fascism has been presented as American as apple pie in the past, as this Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden demonstrates; sporting pictures of the founding fathers, filled with the American flag, and talking about how this nation was founded on the principle of Fascism:

The rhetoric of wrapping a hate movement in patriotic symbolism is a time-tested and proven system. It’s how many radical organizations rose to power over the years, from the Sovereign Citizens to the Nazi party, the tactics are the same. To explain this strategy, we will turn to none other than right-wing firebrand, Glenn Beck. On a show about effective brainwashing of people to radical ideology, he explained the methodology in terms of conspiracy theorists:

James Ives now is distancing himself from his years with the American Fascist Party, which has since been consumed by the greater American Fascist Movement. Ultimately, the failure of the AFP was not its message, but its packaging. If they only renamed themselves, perhaps after a historical act, like the Boston Tea Party…

Oh wait, they have.

This false-patriotism, this anti-American movement, continues to exert power and influence in the government. Their new agenda, to eliminate the right to vote for women, even to eliminate their rights as human beings, is all in the name of patriotism. The worst part is, most of them are unable to realize they are the puppets of Fascist propaganda machines, fed by men like James Ives.

A reminder of what Fascism stands for, and how this movement has worked to wrap itself in the flag of the United States in order to appear as patriots while they seek to subvert the Constitution, this documentary titled, simply, “Nazi America,” is a good resource to share:

Nathaniel Downes is the son of a former state representative of New Hampshire, now living in Seattle Washington.

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