🎧 American Fascism: Then and Now

Episode summary: David and Helen talk with historian Sarah Churchwell about the origins, uses and abuses of the idea of American fascism. Where does American fascism come from? Does it follow a European model or is it something exceptional? What role do white supremacy and anti-Semitism play in its development? How close has it got to power? Plus we ask the big question for now: Does it make sense to call Trump a fascist? Talking Points: Trump’s decision to hold a rally in Tulsa on 19 June is an act of clear provocation to African Americans, especially at this moment. - 19 June 1865 was the day the last slaves were emancipated, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. - The symbolic deferral, the fact that white people were actively denying black people full rights and citizenship, is what Juneteenth came to represent. - Tulsa is where the worst race riot in American history occurred in 1921. The white population of Tulsa descended on a thriving black community. - The Trump campaign was forced to move the rally a day.…