Collectivism, the main ideological concept adopted by both the Alt-Left and the Alt-Right. The idea of racial and cultural collectivism is polluting the local American political system. On one side, cultural Marxists harass and physically assault people just for looking like a “Nazi.” On the other side, white nationalists and American “patriots” vie for the preservation of “western culture.” Western culture is the main contention point of both and can be defined as the inherent histories and peoples within the European and Anglo culture group. From Rome to Great Britain, the western hemisphere has created some of the greatest civilizations and technologies.These grand events and technologies are few of the many all of the entirety of the civilized peoples have created. The point being made is that western culture may be distinct, but it is one of many of the civilized cultures of the modern world. The Alt-Right believes that it is under constant assault from Syrian migrants, their favorite destinations being Sweden and Germany. With the recent influx of migrants and the very recent terrorist attacks in Great Britain and Spain, it could very well appear that western culture is under attack. Anti-Fascists (ANTIFA) actively seeks to destroy modern “western culture” through communism and mass collectivism, or at least, that’s how it seems. They are both bad sides of a rotten coin, both ultimately leading to many beatings and about three deaths, all of which occurred at the now historical Charlottesville Incident. Two police officers lost their lives trying to quell the crowds from their helicopter while a protester was hit by another protester in a vehicle. Both sides are equally responsible for these highly devious and deadly actions.

Recently, ANTIFA has been on the move from the Charlottesville incident. They mobilized once more in the Second Battle of Berkley and met Bostonian protestors a hundredfold. The critical difference is that ANTIFA shroud themselves in black clothes and face masks, repeating phrases such as “by any means necessary” to oppose the supposed fascism of patriarchy practiced by the the United States. To the average citizen, ANTIFA could very well represent homegrown terrorism. In fact, New Jersey already considers it as a domestic terrorist organization. The Alt-Right takes a more “open” approach, if you could call it that. They show their faces and wave their more-than-infamous flags. They adorn themselves with the American flag and engage in “heated” debate with their violent counterparts. Now, I am not saying one is better than the other, but it is unfortunate that ANTIFA portrays themselves as so. Black masks and waving the black Anarchist colors may very well represent the turbans (not meant to be religious) and the Jihadist flags of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Their imagery invokes fear and a mass moving towards war, and one can allude their videos to the Spanish Civil War and current Venezuelan politics.

This is the poor condition of the United States’ political youth. Much like a Weimar Germany, there are supposed Fascists and Anti-Fascists. They clash on universities, in the streets, and on the battlefield. Hitler’s failed Beer Hall Putsch coup attempt came from this, and what came from his prison time was the beginning of Nazi Germany. Protests have gotten so bad you are either one or the other. Moderates are now at the burning stake; simply believing in either is not enough. If you support a stronger border, you are a Nazi. If you support a stronger welfare, you are a Communist.

This political climate is detrimental to our modern American youth. We as a nation are unique in the way we have approached voting and protest. ANTIFA has gone too far. They are slowly destroying the concepts of free speech as we know it with their hyper aggression and their blitzkrieg-like political tactics. The media and some states have given them free passes due to their “mainstream” appeal and their “cool and radical” protesting.

The impact is also felt on Sage Creek students. Silence and tension permeate the classroom whenever these topics come up. Students are afraid to be seen as a fascist or “Nazi” by their peers for simply having an unpopular or counter opinion. Why should we fear learning new ideas even though they counteract our own? Students should be able to feel free to speak about these controversial topics at length as long the discussion stays civil. It just doesn’t happen. The fear is too strong. I know from talking with many right-wing students that they feel oppressed due to having a currently unpopular idea and President. Demographically, they make up a very small amount of students and face persecution if another student finds their views too harmful.

Even as we set off into the wider world and college, many campuses are infected with anti-free speech movements and professors who teach their opinion as law. Yvette Felarca of Berkley’s By Any Means Necessary group has been recorded physically assaulting people who simply had a different ideology than her*. Just look at the name By Any Means Necessary. These people do not want to talk, they only want blood in the name of multiculturalism and hyper equality.

America is a nation built on freedom, equal economic opportunity, and laws that have protected both minority and majority rights. These values are being assaulted by both the Alt-Right and the Alt-Left. It is neither the white color or black color being purged. It is American values and the American people. Slowly, day after day, media is infused with news and information. Vox and Buzzfeed begin to feed us information in 5-second tidbits. Who knows about the facts when time span is all that matters. Suddenly, being politically active and being informed is no longer suitable. ANTIFA and the Alt-Right are discouraging those who would come out and protest peacefully. Those who would uphold our nation’s laws respectively and represent their voice in our republic, seek to destroy it, not grant its citizens “glorious revolution”.

So it seems that every day goes by and it just gets darker. This is the political and ethical ideology we must not give in to. This is the decaying and false-progressive mentality that infects us. Be proud of what we have become and strive to help the majority seek the greater good. For now these problems do not take up forms that directly affront our physical well-being as students, but we must strive instead to become hard-working, informed members of the community and apply this new knowledge to better understand the murk and mire of the seemingly pristine world. We must become educated with knowledge that has not been polluted by partisanship and develop our own individual thoughts. Strive away from this egotist collectivism and help bring about a newly informed youth of America that does away with the vagaries of the past.

This is the impact of modern day political activism in our community. It has spread across the west and east, from sea to shining sea. This breed of violent and turbulent political activism would make our forefathers cringe in disgust as our great nation would fall to itself once more in a Second American Civil War.

*Dinkelspiel, Frances. “Berkeley Teacher Yvette Felarca Arrested on Charges of Inciting a Riot.” Berkeleyside, 15 Aug. 2017, www.berkeleyside.com/2017/07/19/berkeley-middle-school-teacher-yvette-felarca-arrested-charges-inciting-riot/.