Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization
Posted4 months agoActive3 months ago
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AntifaDomestic TerrorismUs PoliticsFascism
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Antifa
Domestic Terrorism
Us Politics
Fascism
The White House has published a statement designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, sparking controversy and debate among HN users about the legitimacy and implications of this move.
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Sep 22, 2025 at 7:16 PM EDT
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America should be fighting fascists!
My point is that calling out “fascists” in particular is intended as an ad hominem - you’re attacking the person, not the ideas.
Frankly, the specific opinion someone holds is irrelevant here. It’s both wrong and unproductive to label someone and then ignore their concerns because of the label you applied.
I legitimately think that Donald Trump is behaving like a fascist and the only things that are keeping him in check are the few laws he hasn’t been brazen enough - or perhaps hasn’t cared enough - to openly challenge. Their are objectively fewer laws and precedents checking his power than there were in his first term, and he has certain ideas and policies that if you support them I will describe you as supporting fascism.
I don’t know why you’re trying to enforce some made up rule that we are not allowed to call people fascist without it immediately being an ad hominem.
If I call someone a racist for saying racist things, I’d say they earned the label. This is no different.
In good faith - are you confused about the difference here, or trying to find the specific dividing line?
Does it? Or does it call for the Trump administration to be overthrown?
Shifting the focus on that talk is rethoric, this talk is unimportant and inconsequential compared to Jan 6.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definition_of_terrorism
That was apparently fine, but antifa calling for it (if that even happened) is terrorism?
Politicians call for governments to resign/quit etc on a regular basis. Happened here in New Zealand last week.
From an outsider’s perspective they ARE asking for a democratically elected government to be overthrown.
It's not even frightening - just comical.
The “terrorist” designation of drug cartels is the excuse they’re using (and currently getting away with) for the 4 boats they’ve bombed into oblivion in the Caribbean.
It’s kind of funny in its stupidity. But it’s also frightening how impactful that stupidity has been.
Then again it is so funny that there is a country that just literally banned anti-fascism and that country is not Russia or North Korea… but USA.
Yes, I know.
They're busy preparing for Venezuela now.
1. The concept of "domestic terrorist organization" not a thing under any US law. Further, there exists no such organization in observable reality.
2. "All relevant executive departments and agencies shall utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations" is … nothing, because that's what federal law enforcement is already charged with.
>Russia outlaws ‘international LGBT public movement’ as extremist
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/30/russia-supreme...
>Russia’s top court bans nonexistent ‘Satanist movement’
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-supreme-court-bans-sa...
The real struggle is i have true believers and apologists in my own family, and its just so... unreal how unreachable they are. For all the talk of what to do about it, i feel for people who havent really explored the depths to which many reasonably intelligent and reasonably kind people have fallen. And just wandering what if anything will shake them out of it.
Now they're best buddies exchanging tips on how to oppress minorities. Wtf?
I was more referring to the regular folks who saw communism and soviets as the big bogeymen everywhere.
Now they're admiring Putin and saying how everything is amazing in Russia because there are no LGBT people in there.
http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/action-against-ant...
Also others have linked to other orgs later in this comments
2. Not incoherent. Seems pretty specific: All relevant executive departments and agencies shall utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations — especially those involving terrorist actions — conducted by Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa, or for which Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa provided material support, including necessary investigatory and prosecutorial actions against those who fund such operations.
It is the sitting president of the United States stating that a political ideology that stands against fascism is illegal and directing the executive - the most powerful and only functional branch of the government under the GOP "unitary executive policy" - to take punitive actions against this thought crime.
True, there are groups that have claimed to be anti-fascist and have protested the administration's actions. But much of this activity has been spontaneous rather than organized. The word "Antifa" is more of a derogatory term from the right than a term used by an organized group with countable members.
Because of the fuzziness of what Antifa actually is and who counts as a member, this EO gives the federal government the ability to label people as domestic terrorists using a very broad definition. Given this administration's habit of pushing the bounds of its interpretive authority, I worry that this will have a chilling effect on protected political speech and protest.
Can you notify them that they don't exist?
I don't think that's necessary, but it might give you some perspective. Perhaps you'll appreciate America more after spending some time away from her, and if not, "self-deportation" might ultimately prove to be of mutual benefit to the country and those most contemptuous of it.
Can't wait to be told to also stop reading Twitter (never have anyway) but like genuinely, once you see a legal resident deported illegally without due process, how could you feel safe as an immigrant? I really don't think i could
Certain countries people will not talk bad about their leaders for fear for their lives. Others are happy to talk to you and are paid $1 per hour or $1 per day.
Maybe it can put some perspective on things.
If they think it is an actual organization, then they’re confused and acting based on memes. It would be incompetence backed by the full force of the US government.
If they know it’s not an actual organization, then this is a ruse to slap federal prison time on protesters, if they’ve ever liked a blog post calling for the dismantling of fascism, etc.
Yeah, that pretty much describes U.S.A. 2025-20?? - R.I.P.
He does not allow politic posts.
Hackers have a natural curiosity for the world, and that includes politics too.
From phrack and cult of the dead cow, to chaos computer club and even pg's own writings, none can be described as completely a-political.
The ability for an increasingly authoritarian leader to wave a hand and ban a mostly exaggerated threat is exactly the type of dystopia hackers have been writing about for years. I may not see it that way but surely that is interesting and worth discussing!
The flagging and flame war suppression mechanisms do us a disservice by silencing these topics and relegating them to an unseen graveyard.
Also, it's not an organisation, but a mindset that all people who oppose fascism share. And most of those oppose fascism in peaceful ways that don't hurt anyone.
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