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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