Letter: Media's fear of 'F' word

America's mainstream media and our local newspapers are afraid of using the "F" word in complicit appeasement of America's slide into authoritarianism, out of fear they may offend the consumers of propaganda, lies, conspiracies and anti-democracy demagoguery.

These 14 tenets all have something in common with history's notorious despots like Hitler, Mussolini and Franco. 1) Christian nationalism - if you don't share their religious beliefs, you are unpatriotic. 2) Disdain for human rights-racism, xenophobia, sexism. 3) Identification of scapegoats - demonizing the opposition, be they liberals, racial or ethnic minorities. 4) Supremacy of the military - warmongering and use of military to attack peaceful protest, think Lafayette Park. 5) Rampant sexism - male dominated control of women's reproductive and economic freedom. 6) Controlled mass media - Fox news, cable TV and AM hate radio lies and propaganda. 7) Obsession with national security - fear and hate mongering of immigrants and legal asylum-seekers. 8) Government and religion intertwined - evangelical swindlers. 9) Corporate power is protected - court rulings in favor of profit over people. 10) Labor power is suppressed - destroying labor unions and opposing wage hikes. 11) Disdain for science, history and the arts - climate change denialism, CRT nonsense and Hollywood/Disney demonization. 12) Obsession with punishment - she must suffer the consequences. 13) Rampant cronyism - corporate bribery of Congress. 14) Fraudulent elections - gerrymandering, voter suppression, election subversion.

Notice the ideology of Republicans and Scotus? It's past time for the Fourth Estate to grow a spine and expose, excoriate and shame them with the F word.

There is nothing "semi" about MAGA fascism. Call them out.

Bob Janz

McHenry