Thank you for your editorial, “The nature of the “war”” on Feb. 14. I would like to call out New Ipswich Select Board member Jason Somero for what he and his fellow soldiers in the “culture war” are actually supporting. They will likely take umbrage over my suggesting that “fighting” woke issues is primarily a fascist tactic, but calling out organizations that support LGBTQ+ organizations strikes at the heart of firing the first shot.

They’re playing on your fears. Let’s understand that fascism uses culture war targets, the disenfranchised and the vulnerable who are trying to find their way. A trans youth is trying to cope with their life, and politicians are now medical professionals denying them the right to be who they truly are, wrongly thinking that this somehow protects them and/or “us.” 

Ron DeSantis now threatens educators who want to discuss the Black experience in college sociology classes. How are these students to learn with critical thinking skills how to navigate these waters? Fascists target these groups as the “other.” Now teachers are literally clearing classroom bookshelves for fear of running afoul of these laws designed to control the “other.” It’s working.

Americans seem to view fascism as extermination camps and “Hogan’s Heroes” Nazi buffoons. But that’s not how fascism works. From Thom Hartmann: “It almost always starts with what people think are ‘only culture wars. Hitler began with a campaign to ‘defend the children’ and ‘preserve German culture,’ and integrated both into his ‘Law and Order’ government systems. He purged schools and libraries of books and then went for literature and textbooks by prominent Jewish authors.”

Now the authors are Black, brown and gay. Time to call it what it is – fascism.

Lee Janko

Peterborough

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