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The '''"Antifa"''' (short for "Anti-fascist action"), also known as the '''ARA''' (short for "Anti-Racist Action") is the militant arm of the [[Cultural Marxist]] movement causing violence and mayhem in the streets of America and Europe. Despite its name, the Antifa movement is an [[Liberal intolerance|intolerant]] hate group that uses [[fascism|fascist]] tactics and direct quotations from [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNMAp8kXWrc</ref><ref>Knighton, Tom (July 10, 2017). [https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/07/10/anti-fascists-applaud-speech-made-completely-of-hitler-quotes/ 'Anti-Fascists' Applaud Speech Made Completely of Hitler Quotes]. ''PJ Media''. Retrieved August 21, 2017.</ref> It has also been described as a domestic terrorist group.<ref>Kassam, Raheem (June 30, 2019). [https://humanevents.com/2019/06/30/antifa-terror-faction/ AntiFa, Terror Faction.] ''Human Events''. Retrieved July 2, 2019.</ref> They are also anti-American in outlook, as when descending on an otherwise peaceful protest on Berkeley Campus in 2017, one chant demanded "No U.S.A. at all!"<ref name="Washington Examiner" />

The '''"Antifa"''' (short for "Anti-fascist action"), also known as the '''ARA''' (short for "Anti-Racist Action") is the militant arm of the [[Cultural Marxist]] movement causing violence and mayhem in the streets of America and Europe. Despite its name, the Antifa movement is an [[Liberal intolerance|intolerant]] hate group that uses [[fascism|fascist]] tactics and direct quotations from [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNMAp8kXWrc</ref><ref>Knighton, Tom (July 10, 2017). [https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/07/10/anti-fascists-applaud-speech-made-completely-of-hitler-quotes/ 'Anti-Fascists' Applaud Speech Made Completely of Hitler Quotes]. ''PJ Media''. Retrieved August 21, 2017.</ref> It has also been described as a domestic terrorist group.<ref>Kassam, Raheem (June 30, 2019). [https://humanevents.com/2019/06/30/antifa-terror-faction/ AntiFa, Terror Faction.] ''Human Events''. Retrieved July 2, 2019.</ref> They are also anti-American in outlook, as when descending on an otherwise peaceful protest on Berkeley Campus in 2017, one chant demanded "No U.S.A. at all!"<ref name="Washington Examiner" />

Although Antifa has been promoted by [[CNN]] as the elite Trump resistance movement since 2017,<ref>[https://www.dailywire.com/news/46554/cnns-chris-cuomo-antifa-good-cause-ryan-saavedra CNN's Chris Cuomo: Antifa Is 'A Good Cause'], By RYAN SAAVEDRA, ''The Daily Wire'', April 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2017/08/20/seriously-cnn-changes-headline-on-story-about-antifa-because-they-didnt-like-be-n2370907 Seriously? CNN Changes Headline On Story About Antifa Because They Didn't Like Being Called Violent], Matt Vespa, ''Townhall'', Aug 20, 2017. </ref><ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/07/01/nolte-cnns-brian-stelter-downplays-antifas-brutal-beating-of-andy-ngo/ CNN’s Brian Stelter Downplays Antifa’s Brutal Beating of Andy Ngo], JOHN NOLTE, ''Brietbart'', 1 Jul 2019.</ref> the concept of anti-fascism, especially as a far-left ideology, existed as early as World War II for propaganda purposes, where Stalin referred to the USSR as "anti-fascist", with the obvious implication that the USSR and Stalin were "morally better" than the Nazis and Hitler, using the misapplication of Nazism and fascism as being of the far right instead of being of the far left.<ref name="Washington Examiner">https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/why-you-should-never-use-the-term-anti-fascist/article/2632847</ref>

Although Antifa has been promoted by [[CNN]] as the elite Trump resistance movement since 2017,<ref>[https://www.dailywire.com/news/46554/cnns-chris-cuomo-antifa-good-cause-ryan-saavedra CNN's Chris Cuomo: Antifa Is 'A Good Cause'], By RYAN SAAVEDRA, ''The Daily Wire'', April 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2017/08/20/seriously-cnn-changes-headline-on-story-about-antifa-because-they-didnt-like-be-n2370907 Seriously? CNN Changes Headline On Story About Antifa Because They Didn't Like Being Called Violent], Matt Vespa, ''Townhall'', Aug 20, 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2019/07/01/nolte-cnns-brian-stelter-downplays-antifas-brutal-beating-of-andy-ngo/ CNN’s Brian Stelter Downplays Antifa’s Brutal Beating of Andy Ngo], JOHN NOLTE, ''Brietbart'', 1 Jul 2019.</ref> the concept of anti-fascism, especially as a far-left ideology, existed as early as World War II for propaganda purposes, where Stalin referred to the USSR as "anti-fascist", with the obvious implication that the USSR and Stalin were "morally better" than the Nazis and Hitler, using the misapplication of Nazism and fascism as being of the far right instead of being of the far left.<ref name="Washington Examiner">https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/why-you-should-never-use-the-term-anti-fascist/article/2632847</ref>

In the [[United States]], Antifa is an effort the counter the rollback of [[socialist]] "progress" during the [[Obama administration]]. Socialists consider all forms of [[capitalism]] as "fascist," and the repeal of the [[Obamacare]] [[individual mandate]] was a devastating blow to "socialist progress."  

In the [[United States]], Antifa is an effort the counter the rollback of [[socialist]] "progress" during the [[Obama administration]]. Socialists consider all forms of [[capitalism]] as "fascist," and the repeal of the [[Obamacare]] [[individual mandate]] was a devastating blow to "socialist progress."  

The organization can be traced to the “[[united front]]” of the [[Soviet Union]]’s Communist International ([[Comintern]]) during the Third World Congress in [[Moscow]] in June and July 1921. The idea of the united front strategy was to bring together left-wing organizations in order to incite [[communist]] [[revolution]]. The Soviets believed that following [[Russia]]’s revolution in 1917, communism would next spread to [[Germany]], since Germany had the second-largest communist party, the KPD (Communist Party of Germany).

The organization can be traced to the “[[united front]]” of the [[Soviet Union]]’s Communist International ([[Comintern]]) during the Third World Congress in [[Moscow]] in June and July 1921. The idea of the united front strategy was to bring together left-wing organizations in order to incite [[communist]] [[revolution]]. The Soviets believed that following [[Russia]]’s revolution in 1917, communism would next spread to [[Germany]], since Germany had the second-largest communist party, the KPD (Communist Party of Germany).

It was at the Fourth World Congress of the Comintern in 1922 that the plan took shape. Moscow formed the slogan “To the Masses” for its united front strategy and sought to join together the various communist and workers’ parties of Germany under a single ideological banner that it controlled. Both the communist and fascist systems were based on [[collectivism]] and [[economic planning|state-planned economies]]. Both also proposed systems wherein the individual was heavily controlled by a powerful state, and both were responsible for large-scale atrocities and [[genocide]]. In addition, the term "anti-fascism" was originally used by Stalin and the USSR prior to and during World War II as part of propaganda purposes to make the USSR seem mainstream by comparison to Nazi Germany.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/why-you-should-never-use-the-term-anti-fascist/article/2632847</ref><ref>Davies, Norman: ''No Simple Victory''<br />"Anti-Fascism" did not offer a coherent political ideology. In terms of ideas, it was an empty vessel, a mere political dance....It gave the false impression that principled democrats believing in the rule of law and freedom of speech could rub along fine with the dictators of the proletariat, or that democratic socialists had only minor differences with Communism. What is more, it opened up a wonderful arena for the activities of disciplined activists, whose training in the Leninist techniques of splitting and dividing adversaries would run rings round wooly intellectuals....If you were a French trade unionist, tired of the wrangles of the Left, or a British Empire loyalist baffled by the complexities of modern politics or a Christian peace worker hoping to avoid another war, anti-Fascism was for you! Only in the background was the unspoken dialect that, if Fascism was to be Bad, the Good had to lie with the originator of anti-Fascism -- Joseph Stalin's USSR. </ref>

It was at the Fourth World Congress of the Comintern in 1922 that the plan took shape. Moscow formed the slogan “To the Masses” for its united front strategy and sought to join together the various communist and workers’ parties of Germany under a single ideological banner that it controlled. Both the communist and fascist systems were based on [[collectivism]] and [[economic planning|state-planned economies]]. Both also proposed systems wherein the individual was heavily controlled by a powerful state, and both were responsible for large-scale atrocities and [[genocide]]. In addition, the term "anti-fascism" was originally used by Stalin and the USSR prior to and during World War II as part of propaganda purposes to make the USSR seem mainstream by comparison to Nazi Germany.<ref name="Washington Examiner"/><ref>Davies, Norman: ''No Simple Victory''<br />"Anti-Fascism" did not offer a coherent political ideology. In terms of ideas, it was an empty vessel, a mere political dance....It gave the false impression that principled democrats believing in the rule of law and freedom of speech could rub along fine with the dictators of the proletariat, or that democratic socialists had only minor differences with Communism. What is more, it opened up a wonderful arena for the activities of disciplined activists, whose training in the Leninist techniques of splitting and dividing adversaries would run rings round wooly intellectuals....If you were a French trade unionist, tired of the wrangles of the Left, or a British Empire loyalist baffled by the complexities of modern politics or a Christian peace worker hoping to avoid another war, anti-Fascism was for you! Only in the background was the unspoken dialect that, if Fascism was to be Bad, the Good had to lie with the originator of anti-Fascism -- Joseph Stalin's USSR.</ref>

The 2016 annual report by Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), notes the same point: From the viewpoint of the “left-wing extremist,” the label of “fascism” as pushed by Antifa often does not refer to actual fascism, but is merely a label assigned to “[[capitalism]].”

The 2016 annual report by Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), notes the same point: From the viewpoint of the “left-wing extremist,” the label of “fascism” as pushed by Antifa often does not refer to actual fascism, but is merely a label assigned to “[[capitalism]].”

While leftist extremists claim to be fighting “fascism” while launching their attacks on other groups, the report states the term “fascism” has a double meaning under the extreme-left ideology, indicating the “fight against the capitalist system.” Antifascism is a strategy, not an ideology. They argue that the capitalist state produces fascism, or at least tolerates it. Therefore, anti-fascism is directed not only against actual or supposed right-wing extremists but also always against the state and its representatives, in particular members of the security authorities.<ref>https://www.verfassungsschutz.de/de/service/glossar/_lA#antifaschismus </ref>

While leftist extremists claim to be fighting “fascism” while launching their attacks on other groups, the report states the term “fascism” has a double meaning under the extreme-left ideology, indicating the “fight against the capitalist system.” Antifascism is a strategy, not an ideology. They argue that the capitalist state produces fascism, or at least tolerates it. Therefore, anti-fascism is directed not only against actual or supposed right-wing extremists but also always against the state and its representatives, in particular members of the security authorities.<ref>https://www.verfassungsschutz.de/de/service/glossar/_lA#antifaschismus</ref>

An Antifa group, "Refuse Fascism," organized what it announced would be a series of major rallies in U.S. cities that would last until President Trump and Vice President Pence stepped down.<ref>Parke, Caleb (November 3, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/03/antifa-apocalypse-anarchist-groups-plan-to-overthrow-trump-regime-starts-saturday.html Antifa apocalypse? Anarchist group's plan to overthrow Trump 'regime' starts Saturday]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 4, 2017.</ref> Rather than millions of people, as it intended, the protests saw very low turnout.<ref>Bokhari, Allum (November 4, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/04/antifail-low-turnouts-at-multi-city-antifa-apocalypse/ ANTIFAIL: Low Turnouts At Nationwide ‘Refuse Fascism’ Protests]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 4, 2017.</ref><ref>Parke, Caleb (November 7, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/07/antifa-leftwing-anti-trump-protests-nationwide-turned-out-to-be-dud.html Antifa, leftwing anti-Trump protests nationwide turned out to be dud]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 7, 2017.</ref>

An Antifa group, "Refuse Fascism," organized what it announced would be a series of major rallies in U.S. cities that would last until President Trump and Vice President Pence stepped down.<ref>Parke, Caleb (November 3, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/03/antifa-apocalypse-anarchist-groups-plan-to-overthrow-trump-regime-starts-saturday.html Antifa apocalypse? Anarchist group's plan to overthrow Trump 'regime' starts Saturday]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 4, 2017.</ref> Rather than millions of people, as it intended, the protests saw very low turnout.<ref>Bokhari, Allum (November 4, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/04/antifail-low-turnouts-at-multi-city-antifa-apocalypse/ ANTIFAIL: Low Turnouts At Nationwide ‘Refuse Fascism’ Protests]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 4, 2017.</ref><ref>Parke, Caleb (November 7, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/07/antifa-leftwing-anti-trump-protests-nationwide-turned-out-to-be-dud.html Antifa, leftwing anti-Trump protests nationwide turned out to be dud]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 7, 2017.</ref>