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Russell Brand, Henry Giroux and Brad Evans on Fighting Fascism

The left must embrace education as a tool against fascism.

In this interview between actor, activist and comedian Russell Brand and Henry Giroux and Brad Evans, there is a wide-ranging and robust discussion about the meaning and the rise of fascism in the United States, the necessity of the left to address it, what it takes to move from a demonstration to a movement, whether there is any room for spirituality in the discourse of resistance and what might be termed the failure of the left around the importance of education as a central feature of politics. Also discussed are the changing registers of violence, populism, the importance of popular culture as a site of resistance, and how the war on the imagination might be countered with a new understanding of a militant and educated notion of hope. While these are some of the central themes addressed in the dialogue, this spirited discussion touches upon a number of other issues, all the while attempting to rethink both the diverse forces at work in the current assault on democracy and the necessity for new forms of critique coupled with a language of possibility.

We’re not backing down in the face of Trump’s threats.

As Donald Trump is inaugurated a second time, independent media organizations are faced with urgent mandates: Tell the truth more loudly than ever before. Do that work even as our standard modes of distribution (such as social media platforms) are being manipulated and curtailed by forces of fascist repression and ruthless capitalism. Do that work even as journalism and journalists face targeted attacks, including from the government itself. And do that work in community, never forgetting that we’re not shouting into a faceless void – we’re reaching out to real people amid a life-threatening political climate.

Our task is formidable, and it requires us to ground ourselves in our principles, remind ourselves of our utility, dig in and commit.

As a dizzying number of corporate news organizations – either through need or greed – rush to implement new ways to further monetize their content, and others acquiesce to Trump’s wishes, now is a time for movement media-makers to double down on community-first models.

At Truthout, we are reaffirming our commitments on this front: We won’t run ads or have a paywall because we believe that everyone should have access to information, and that access should exist without barriers and free of distractions from craven corporate interests. We recognize the implications for democracy when information-seekers click a link only to find the article trapped behind a paywall or buried on a page with dozens of invasive ads. The laws of capitalism dictate an unending increase in monetization, and much of the media simply follows those laws. Truthout and many of our peers are dedicating ourselves to following other paths – a commitment which feels vital in a moment when corporations are evermore overtly embedded in government.

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