One Difference Between France And The United States Is That We've Actually Got A Fascist Government Here, They've Avoided It So Far

The emerging picture of the mass murderer who attacked the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center, killing eleven and injuring more, shows that he's a fan of Donald Trump and the French neo-fascist Marine Le Pen.  Le Pen has yet to control the government of France, which they can take some comfort in.  We, in the United States, aren't so fortunate.

But he came across as intelligent to his peers, and joined the chess club at Laval University, where he studied anthropology and political science.   

Bissonnette appeared to enjoy discussing politics with select classmates at university. Jean-Michel Allard Prus, who took a politics class with Bissonnette, said they often debated with each other on Facebook.

Muslim leaders find it difficult to ignore tensions that preceded shooting
In these debates, Bissonnette expressed fairly mainstream conservative views. A hunter, he opposed gun control and was pro-Israel, but otherwise didn't bring up more divisive issues such as Muslims or immigration.

But that was a year ago.

"I think … something happened. He radicalized a lot," Prus said. "He seemed just a normal right-wing individual."

As Bissonnette began to espouse more radical views, he stopped interacting with his fellow students. He took part in at least one informal discussion group, but quickly found its members too moderate and stopped attending.

"He was not interested by our politics meeting because we are conservative and moderate right wing," said Éric Debroise, a Laval University student and member of the discussion group.

"He is more far-right or alt-right."

Trump, Le Pen political idols

Debroise described Bissonnette as nice but anti-social. In their meetings, he said, Bissonnette often spoke admiringly of U.S. President Donald Trump and the French far-right politician Marine Le Pen Trump enjoys the support of the alt-right, a loosely defined political movement that includes white nationalists and white supremacists.

The alt-right is known, too, for its army of online trolls who circulate racist memes and virulent attacks on perceived opponents.   

Within activist circles in Quebec City, Bissonnette has been considered an extremist troll in his own right. 

In a Facebook post, a refugee support group said Bissonnette is "known to several activists in Quebec City for his pro-Le Pen and anti-feminist positions."

The group said Bissonnette is fond of using the term "feminazi" — alt-right slang for those who advocate women's rights.

First, let's call the "alt-right" what it is, FASCISM.  To use the fascist Steve Bannon's own invented euphamism for his own fascism is to cooperate with his fascism.  Our media has shown it is entirely willing to cooperate with it.  That is when it's more accurate to call it neo-Nazism.   Second, let's stop helping them by pretending that they are just some other political ideology which deserves to be allowed to air their views and propagate them BECAUSE AN INTRINSIC PART OF THEIR POLITICAL POISON IS TO KILL, OPPRESS AND DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE.    That certainly transforms them into something which normal people should not ignore, pretend is innocuous and allow the same rights as those who favor equal rights, economic justice and a peaceful, decent life for all people, a right, the denial of which defines the politics of fascism.

Anyone who insists that fascists, Nazis, white-supremacists, male-supremacists, Marxists, etc. who advocate inequality, oppression and murder of other people deserve an equal hearing so those intended victims can stand a chance of being oppressed and killed is a total asshole no matter what Ivy League law school they came from or what eminent newspaper or magazine hires them to write such crap.   Only, these days, it's TV and radio and the internet that pushes that nonsense.  I say let the advocates of such false equality put their rights, their lives, the rights and lives of their loved ones on the line for the absurd, nonsensical and entirely irresponsible and unnecessary pose.  I'm sure if it were possible to make them the focus of the fascist "alt-right", setting them up to be those in front of their automatic weapons they'd quickly drop the crap.   Those who oppose universal liberty, equality and good will have no legitimate claim to it for themselves.  You might forgive them their errors but you have no right to risk them putting it into effect to target others.