By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A recent Nazi march in Columbus, Ohio, highlights the city’s persistent struggle with white supremacy, despite its progressive image. The march, claimed by a St. Louis group but possibly connected to local rivals, underscores the entrenched nature of these ideologies within the community. This contrasts sharply with the city’s response to other protests, indicating a disparity in treatment based on race. Ultimately, condemnation alone is insufficient; concrete action is needed to address the issue and prevent future incidents. The city must move beyond performative gestures to create an environment genuinely hostile to such extremism.
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We should stop pretending that the Nazis always come from somewhere else. The notion that Nazism is a foreign disease infecting only other nations is a dangerous and inaccurate delusion. American exceptionalism, that belief in our inherent immunity to such ideologies, blinds us to a harsh reality: American Nazis have existed for over eighty-five years, a fact often conveniently ignored. The 1930s saw a thriving Nazi movement in the United States, culminating in massive rallies and a palpable atmosphere of anti-Semitism, anti-immigrant sentiment, and virulent racism. This wasn’t some fringe element; it was a significant movement within our own borders.
We should stop pretending that these extremist groups are a distant threat. They are not lurking in some faraway land; they are our neighbors, coworkers, and members of our communities. The idea that confronting Nazis means engaging only with anonymous internet trolls is a profound misunderstanding. The fight against Nazism, and other forms of violent extremism, requires engaging directly with those who hold such views in our immediate surroundings, however uncomfortable that may be. This isn’t about blaming individuals; it’s about confronting the realities of hateful ideologies that can take root and flourish within our own societies. The masks worn by these individuals, hiding their identities, only emphasize the insidious nature of their beliefs and actions.
We should stop pretending that this is someone else’s problem. We can’t simply sit back and wait for some external force to solve this issue. The existence of American Nazis, and other extremist groups, demands immediate and sustained action. To do otherwise is to be complicit in their continued growth and influence. The historical context of Nazism is important; Hitler may be dead, but the ideology he embodied is alive and active. Dismissing it as a relic of the past, an issue confined to other countries, only allows it to spread and become normalized. Nazism presents a clear and present danger, and it demands a response that matches its severity. The comparison to groups like ISIS, in terms of the threat they pose, is not hyperbolic.
We should stop pretending that the current political climate is entirely unrelated to the rise of these groups. While it’s inaccurate to claim all right-wing individuals are Nazis, it’s undeniable that a significant number of Nazis operate within the right-wing political sphere. The rhetoric used by certain political figures, the casual acceptance of hate speech, and the normalization of extremist views all contribute to an environment where such ideologies can thrive. This is not about assigning blame to a single party or individual; it’s about acknowledging the role that broader societal and political factors play in the resurgence of extremist groups. This isn’t simply a matter of “freedom of speech”; these are dangerous ideologies, and their spread should be actively countered.
We should stop pretending that we understand the full extent of this problem. We need to move beyond simple morality arguments. Viewing this purely through a moral lens fails to adequately address the scale of the issue. Instead, we must approach this as a social contagion – a disease spreading rapidly through society. Our current social structures, including the ways that social media algorithms amplify divisive rhetoric, are exacerbating the problem. The tribalism inherent in modern nation-states is a crucial element that must be examined and understood to effectively mitigate the dangers of such extreme ideologies. The ease with which hate groups can exploit this tribalism is worrying.
We should stop pretending that this is a new problem. The “It Can’t Happen Here” mentality is both naive and historically inaccurate. The idea that the United States is somehow immune to the rise of authoritarianism ignores the existence of previous extremist movements within our own history, including the KKK and various Nazi sympathizer groups. These groups have always existed within our borders, and their continued existence demonstrates a need for greater awareness and vigilance. Focusing solely on foreign threats while ignoring the domestic ones is a dangerous form of self-deception. It is time to confront the harsh reality that we are not immune to the very evils we so often condemn in others. The fight against extremism is one that requires ongoing commitment, and pretending the problem doesn’t exist within our own country is a grave mistake.