In this episode of The Dugout Podcast, I’m diving deep into some heavy truths about the state and the reality of modern fascism. After years of organizing and watching the political landscape shift, it’s become clear to me that the U.S. government—whether under Democrats or Republicans—has consistently used repression, violence, and propaganda to maintain control. And that’s what this episode is all about: breaking down why I believe the state is inherently fascist.
I talk about everything from Kamala Harris’s dangerous rhetoric around militarism to the rise of Cop City and how the state weaponizes violence against Black communities. We’ll also get into necropolitics—how the state literally dictates who lives and dies—and look back at historic examples like COINTELPRO to see how these tactics are still being used against movements today.
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MEDIA MENTIONED
🔗 On Cop Cities: https://isyourlifebetter.net/cop-cities-usa/
🔗 On Necropolitics: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-is-necropolitics | https://anarch.cc/uploads/achille-mbembe/necropolitics.pdf
🔗 George Jackson on Fascism: https://www.blackagendareport.com/transcript-analyzing-correct-method-combating-american-fascism-george-jackson-1971
🔗 1917 US Gas Baths: https://www.vox.com/2019/7/29/8934848/gasoline-baths-border-mexico-dark-history
🔗 STOP THE SWEEPS 614: https://www.instagram.com/stopthesweeps614/
🔗 @lucretia_macevil video on HOW STATE IS LIKE A DOMESTIC ABUSER:
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EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
03:00 The US state is fascist
04:47 Why the DNC was a mess for aligning with Republicans
08:28 The Meme-ification of USA politics as a Smokescreen for state violence
10:38 How Democrats and Republicans are using the same talking points
12:30 The Weaponization of Social Movement language and Black Struggle in US politics
13:22 What is FASCISM + Looking at it through the lens of Anti-Blackness
19:55 Shared Qualities Between FASCISM and ANTI-BLACKNESS
24:13 What is REPRESSION, how it relates to FASCISM, and COINTELPRO
25:50 COINTELPRO and SECURITY CULTURE
27:16 What is NECROPOLITICS and how US democracy is fueled by death
30:00 How MILITARISM is an expression of US FASCISM
32:40 COP CITIES and POLICE MILITARISM as a sign of future repression
36:45 Hurricane Katrina as an expression of ANTI-BLACK VIOLENCE
38:15 Xenophobia as FASCISM and How USA Gas Baths Inspired Hitler
41:20 The Supreme Court making homeless illegal and anti-poor violence
45:17 Interview with Sam of STOP THE SWEEPS on state violence against people without housing
50:40 @lucretia_macevil on How We’re In Abusive Relationship With The Government
01:02:53 Why defining US state violence as Fascism matters
01:07:40 Outro
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SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
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