For the Monitor
Published: 1/29/2021 6:30:40 AM
Humor has always been a useful tool of the far right to make fascism palatable to the general electorate. Don’t believe me? Google “Nazi Propaganda” or “Jewish caricature,” which is what I assume Rep. James Spillane was doing before he posted to the (now defunct) social media site Parler, a former haven for the alt-right due to its lack of community guidelines or usage standards.
That’s why I cannot accept Rep. Dawn Johnson and Spillane’s “apologies,” which is a charitable description in any case.
The modern alt-right flourishes in online forums, spaces cloaked in the anonymity of the internet, and how do they cover their tracks? “It’s just a joke!” Avoiding accountability at all costs, they deem their threats of fascist violence humorous to deflect responsibility. Not only does this allow them to continue to spew hateful rhetoric, but it also provides them a powerful vessel to induct young people into their ranks.
The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma does an excellent job illustrating how neo-fascists reach young people – particularly young men – and slowly but steadily spoon-feed them conspiracy theories and bigotry. As we’ve seen in New Hampshire, we have not one but two members of this school of thought in our very State House – a structure the citizens of New Hampshire trust to protect them, preserve them, and serve the public.
I appreciate Johnson’s removal of the post (I cannot say the same for Spillane) and her subsequent apology. However, I cannot forgive and forget this act of hatred without even the barest shred of humility. Listening to Rep. Johnson’s tirade on the Laconia School Board Zoom call, it was clear to me that she is absolutely unwilling to acknowledge the harm she has caused. A true apology would acknowledge the nature of the post, the nature of the source it came from, and would be followed by a resignation and a commitment to educating herself on the history of genocide, which is clearly a blind spot for her.
If we are to truly move forward with unity and better the lives of Granite Staters, we must have humility and accountability. These are the key characteristics of any effective public servant.
Rep. Johnson, if you want to heal the wound you have caused by your role in spreading harmful rhetoric, you must resign and work to regain the trust of your community. If you can do so effectively, there’s nothing stopping you from running again in 2022, with a true commitment to justice and equity.
Rep. Spillane, if you have any decency, you must resign. The best time to do so was after you called for the vandalization of your constituents’ homes for the mere act of standing up for their Black neighbors; the second-best time to do so is right now after propagating vile conspiracy theories about Jewish people.
Gov. Chris Sununu and Speaker Sherm Packard, if you truly represent the interests of Granite Staters, you must demand the resignation of these two representatives. Other things you can do, should they refuse to resign: expel them from your caucus, strip them of their committee assignments (something Speaker Packard has proven himself willing to do), or introduce legislation invoking real, material consequences for public servants who threaten the lives of their constituents through hate speech. Show that you have the moral backbone to lead this state by doing the right thing. Granite Staters’ lives depend on it.
(Leah Cohen lives in Moultonborough.)
January 29, 2021 at 06:32PM
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My Turn: It always starts with a joke - Concord Monitor
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