As a conservative living in the Bay Area, I have learned that free speech is not free for me, or people like me. My political remarks are often met by the hefty price of (usually) invalid criticism, loss of friendship and closed opportunities. I have simply come to accept this ultimatum. But as I stand amidst my chaotic country as two polarized sides engage in political warfare, I feel as though a sect of the left has become the evil they claim to fight.

First let’s give a simple definition of fascism: fascism is an authoritative and nationalistic system that uses its power to regulate individual rights and create a stronger state. When I googled “fascism” the first definition that appears categorizes fascism as a “right-wing system of government.” However, the definition found on Merriam-Webster has no reference to left or right.

Fascism is a philosophy founded by a dictator named Benito Mussolini. He is quoted saying, “Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy.” Mussolini firmly believed that “men are tired of liberty.” The philosophy was named after fasci, a bundle of sticks that are weak alone but strong together. The lack of individual rights, and a strong society were of utmost importance to Mussolini. And when put into perspective next to communism, fascism is right-wing. And alas, liberals and leftists now believe that they cannot be fascist because they are not right-wing. Unfortunately, this is not reality but an imaginary depiction of the world from a source of ignorance.

An article from The National Review gives this perspective:

“Nazis maintained (limited and often purely rhetorical) respect for private property! The Soviets didn’t! Therefore, the Nazis were not left-wing! Well, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders believe in private property a good deal more than the Nazis did. Does that make them right-wingers?” Senators Warren and Sanders are two of the furthest left politicians in United States today.

A perfect example of this is the destruction of a conservative event organized by the Berkeley Republican Club on Wednesday, Feb. 1, CNN reports. A group of 150 “anti-fascists” engaged in the fascist operation of shutting down individual speech rights. Around 1,500 protesters also crowed together for hours prior in an effort to protest the intrusion of their safe space.

Their signs read, “No Safe Space for Racists,” “This is War,” and “Hate Speech is not Free Speech.” And while people may disagree with someone like me, I am certainly not a racist nor the vast majority of conservatives and libertarians.

This is the terrifying message of the left; if you say something they don’t like, it is hate speech. Hate speech is any sort of speech a group finds offensive and all too often is simply a political disagreement on fundamental issues.

Another example comes from DePaul University where conservative libertarian journalist Ben Shapiro came to talk about Free Speech. When he arrived on campus, there were around 30 members of security to keep Shapiro from speaking on campus ,according to the Daily Wire.

The administration believed that Shapiro’s presentation on campus may threaten campus peace. If he took “three steps forward,” he would be arrested. For coming to the campus to speak about Free Speech! Back to the definition; a system (or administration) censoring individual rights (freedom of speech) for a stronger society (peaceful safe space.)

Compared to communist Russia and fascist Germany, subscribers of Neo-liberalism, and leftists alike are right-wing. Often times, fascism is viewed as the opposite of communism, but this is a false perception Rather fascism and communism were rivals in much the same way as Republicans and Democrats. Conservatism and Liberalism are certainly not opposite philosophies in the United States but rival arguments.

This section of the left that is predominantly on college campuses or among youth is nothing new as the Underground Weathermen, an extreme left-wing U.S. based organization, used methods such as bombings and violent protests back in the late 1960s and early 70s to combat the US involvement in Vietnam. These extreme authoritative tactics in recent years committed by extreme leftists closely resemble fascism. So within the political spectrum of “right,” and “left” in modern United States politics, fascism does not fall on the right side.