Dear John,

By now, we know about Trump’s Big Lie that the 2020 election was “stolen,” and how dangerous it is.

In over 60 court cases, Trump and his allies made these claims, and in every case, even up to the Supreme Court, judges determined the allegations were without merit, leading to the inescapable conclusion that President Biden won the election by millions of votes.

Now, with Trump extending his lead over all other 2024 Republican presidential candidates, YouTube has announced it will no longer remove videos making these false claims. They will let the Big Lie stand -- playing into the hands of Trump and his MAGA supporters.

Tell YouTube to accept that it is their responsibility to stop the spread of dangerous misinformation on their platform. Sign the petition now, and demand YouTube remove videos that falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen.

YouTube’s decision is not only dangerous and irresponsible. It could lead to further violence on the scale of the January 6 insurrection -- or worse. Such anti-democratic means are fully justified in the MAGA vision of an America that is not just authoritarian, but ultimately fascist.  

Fascism goes beyond Trump’s promises to increase “stop-and-frisk,” deploy the military to fight crime and deport immigrants, and gut the federal workforce of the “deep state.”

Fascism stands for a coherent set of ideas different from -- and more dangerous than -- authoritarianism. Drawing on the work of cultural theorists, historians, political scientists, and diplomats, I have identified five elements that distinguish fascism from authoritarianism.

These five elements involve: the rejection of democracy in favor of a strongman; fomenting rage against cultural elites; nationalism based on a dominant “superior” race; extolling brute strength and heroic warriors, and the disdain of women and non-standard gender identity and sexual orientation.

MAGA ideology falls firmly under fascism in all five realms.

These five elements of fascism draw on and reinforce each other. YouTube’s decision to allow dissemination of the Big Lie on their platform supports this fascist ideology, and supplies Trump and the radical right with a basis for the violent overthrow of the government.

“In 2016, I declared I am your voice,” Trump said at his first 2024 campaign rally in Waco, Texas. “Today, I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.”

Trump has positioned himself as the strongman and heroic warrior, the White Christian movement as the superior race, women and the LGBTQ community as the enemy. We cannot let this vision for America prevail.

Sign the petition today, and let YouTube know they bear a responsibility to remove dangerous lies from their platform, in order to uphold the fabric of a free society.

Thank you for taking action. These dangers are anything but trivial, and must be confronted.

Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action