By otakuyassine3@gmail.com 
It is only a matter of time before Donald Trump’s hateful fascist rhetoric incites some of his followers to engage in violence against immigrants, women, people of color, LGBTQ people, members of the news media, election officials and others who Trump thinks are standing in his way to get elected president again.
Trump will use that violence to spark January 6 kind of attacks in states he is likely to lose, as well as in the battleground states. He is holding rallies in states he is likely to lose as a way of pushing his base supporters to treat the election process as a threat. By doing so, Trump and his handlers hope to suppress voter turnout among Democratic and independent voters.
Wendell Griffen
His staff has requested that Trump be given increased military protection and Secret Service personnel between now and Election Day. Trump wants to use the military as a personal security force that will obey his authoritarian orders and threaten anyone who he considers an opponent.
Trump is falsely accusing immigrants, women, people of color, LGBTQ people, the news media, election officials and pundits who are exposing his fascist ideas and hateful comments of being diseased, corrupt and dumb.
Trump is making more wild claims every day that he, alone, knows what is true, best and fair for the United States, and that people who disagree with him or oppose him should be seized, jailed or thrown out of the country.
These are actions fascist politicians take to give themselves leverage to seize power by force, through intimidation, suppression of dissenting voices and demagoguery, because they cannot gain power by votes.
“Trump is making more wild claims every day that he, alone, knows what is true, best and fair for the United States,”
Here are some tips on how to defeat Trump’s fascist intentions during the upcoming election period.
Prepare your hearts and minds so you will not be intimidated. Call it a gut check, head check, tightening your belts, buckling up, whatever you like. The idea is that we prepare to work and fight hard to uphold democracy, protect one another and resist Trump and his fascist movement.
Vote early and encourage others to do so. Know the rules for voting by mail and absentee voting and follow them to the letter. If you vote in person, remember to carry your photo ID, dress comfortably, and be well nourished and hydrated.
Speak up calmly and confidently against lies and hateful rhetoric Trump and his followers are using but avoid arguing with Trump followers. You disagree with them about democracy and the direction our society should go. At this point, people who hold opposing views on those points are not going to be talked away from their positions. Respectfully disagree and move on.
Be brave. Fascism and fascist leaders thrive on stoking fear. Fear mongering and spewing false arguments are their chief weapons. Those weapons do not work against brave people.
Encourage and protect one another. Keep in touch with family members, neighbors and others who might be susceptible to anxiety, depression and despair.
Do not give in to fears. I know that is repeating what I wrote two paragraphs ago, but the repetition is deliberate. That is why the expression “Fear not” appears so often in sacred writings. Yield not to that temptation.
“Trump’s greatest fear is that we will not be bullied, frightened or fooled but will stand up to him.”
Remember Donald Trump is a fascist. He also is a sociopath who has no qualms about using fear, violence and deceit to grab power and use it. However, Trump’s greatest fear is that we will not be bullied, frightened or fooled but will stand up to him. So, keep in touch with people who will not be bullied, frightened or fooled. Listen to them. Read what they write. You will be strengthened by doing so, and so will they.
Remember 2020. Trump and his followers will claim he has won the election even if doing so is an obvious lie. They will make up lies about election fraud, poll workers, election officials and the media if Trump doesn’t win his bid to return to power.
And as in 2020, Trump will incite his followers to use violence to stop any process that will seal his defeat. Some of his followers will answer his call to use violence. Expect them to do it, but do not allow the threat of violence to overwhelm you.
Fight fear with courage, companionship and solidarity with other brave souls.
Finally, be alert for authoritarian-minded politicians, journalists and, yes, preachers as well, after the 2024 election is history. JD Vance, Ron DeSantis, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Robert Jeffress, Franklin Graham, James Dobson, John Hagee, the Heritage Foundation, Family Research Council and the monied interests behind Project 2025 are not going away, even if Trump is defeated in November.
Defeating Trump will not end the threat of fascism in the United States. Fascism operated openly in the United States — disguised as religious (Christian or other religion) nationalism — as a political ideology a long time before Donald Trump. Fascism will threaten our society — thanks to religious nationalism — even if Trump is defeated.
But if we defeat Trump, fascism will not be the ideology that directs the next presidential administration. That is the victory we must win in November.
Wendell Griffen is a retired Arkansas circuit court judge who serves as pastor of New Millennium Baptist Church in Little Rock, Ark.
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