Yesterday, on August 4, Patrick Crusius shot up a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 22 people. More are hospitalized, and the death toll will continue to rise. This is not a one-off event, but is part of a wider trend including events like March’s Christchurch massacre, April’s Poway synagogue shooting, and July’s Gilroy garlic festival shooting . As fascism continues to rise, we will continue to see these tragedies happen more and more often.
When they happen, don’t let capital’s mouthpieces convince you that your “thoughts and prayers”, or impotent public condemnations, will stop the rise of fascism. Don’t let these mouthpieces tell you not to “politicize” these tragedies — as if these tragedies are disconnected from political contexts, as if they happen for no reason. And don’t let them gaslight you into thinking that they have no part in it, that they’re not stoking the hatred that leads to these acts of terror.
This photo was liked on Twitter by Patrick Crusius, the main El Paso shooting suspect.
We must recognize that these massacres happen by design: the decomposition of capitalism necessitates the rise of fascism, and it must find ways to direct people’s anger away from the capitalist class and towards convenient scapegoats. Islamophobia, antisemitism, and xenophobia have proven great tools in this regard.
We must also recognize that capitalism isn’t a ‘force of nature’ that ambiently radicalized these shooters. People like Ben Shapiro and Candace Owens, whom Brenton Tarrant (the Christchurch shooter) claimed inspired him, are, in their constant Islamophobic and xenophobic rhetoric, working hard to cultivate these murderers; they are the the instrument through which capitalism begets fascism. This happens not just through the media, but through the government as well, as indicated by Crusius’s manifesto, whose talking points are ripped off of congresspeople and President Trump.
Image by Brandon Friedman. Source: Twitter (click to enlarge)
Yet these same people continue to blame “mental illness” for the environment their words have created. This constant incitement to violence can affect any one of us; we may all end up in the crosshairs of some “crazed gunman” committing acts of “senseless” violence.
If you believe that we must prevent the rise of fascism, if you believe that we must stem the tide of hatred against Muslims, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and all other marginalized groups, get in touch and get organized. It’s all One Struggle!
