Free Speech, Fascism, and Fear

Is writing this, and much of what I’ve written before, going to get me killed?

I have no idea. If you do, I’d appreciate some insight.

One never knows quite how a fascist takeover is going to shake out.

It’s possible that, because they take control of everything, they won’t care about random nobodies online spouting ineffectual dissent. It’s also possible that, because they are petty, vindictive, and insecure, they’ll jail and summarily execute anyone who’s ever made a negative social media post about them and their ilk. They could also just be content with shutting down the means of communication and free speech, not bothering with dissenters themselves, but censoring them and erasing their presence.

That third outcome could be the most likely. Depressing as it may be, I’d certainly take it over the first.

I very much don’t want to be jailed and/or murdered. Or to have any such similar

assaults be inflicted on my loved ones.

My fiancee has fears of stormtroopers or brownshirts kicking down our door in the night, riddling me with bullets, she and our dogs being collateral casualties. Or else trussing us up with bags and zip ties, shipping us off to a gulag or labor camp. I may be starting to fear that too.

Is it prudent to stop writing, and delete everything I’ve written that could get me disappeared by fascist squads? Is doing so giving into pressure for self-censorship and thus doing the work of the fascists for them? Does it matter?

I always wished more people read this shit I write, that it made some difference, that it mattered. Now I take some comfort in my measly number of followers and weekly readers. However much I care about any given topic, I care about the people I love and my own life more. It sure would be some bullshit to get executed for something of so little impact.

As of now, I don’t know whether I’ll go on with this. Don’t know whether these little writing exercises, let alone broadcasting my opinion to a tiny audience, is worth it. Weighed against the possible dangers, it sure isn’t. It certainly doesn’t favor the argument for persistence, the fact that the platforms I and others use to share information and opinions are corrupted, in the pants of the fascists. I at least won’t be sharing links on Facebook or any other such cesspool run by collaborative whores anymore.

I wonder to what extent others are feeling this, especially those that actually do have substantial audiences. Are the people who’ve made it their careers and lives, challenging the powerful, the wealthy, the evil, the destructive, or simply stating publicly unflattering facts about them, afraid for their lives? Will they be targeted first because of their large profile, or will that attention and relative power protect them? Either way, I suppose when I hear about any of them being disappeared, or simply don’t hear anything from them, it’ll be the cue to get the fuck out of dodge, if it’s not already too late.