How to Talk to a Fascist

If you must...

Generally speaking...don't.

Remove yourself from the situation without a word. If pressed, “I do not keep company with bigots” will suffice as you leave.

The reasons for this are direct. Fascists are not really interested in a substantive conversation. They will simply keep repeating their talking points, will not acknowledge any adverse evidence or arguments, and will insult you incessantly. Who needs that?

Even when they are attempting to sound reasonable, their “argument” will be based on unverifiable assumptions, lies and ridiculous oversimplifications. How can I be so sure of this? Simple. Every last real world fact, every logical inference is against them. Therefore, they lie.

For them, this is not a problem. They live in a world where the truth is what they want it to be. If you attempt to debate them, you are giving them a dignity that they do not deserve – being taken seriously by people of good will.

And this is what they desperately want. If you give them any consideration at all, you are giving their garbage talk status as a point of view that should be seriously considered. You are normalizing them. They do not deserve this. They will not, they can not argue in good faith. Therefore, they do not meet the conditions of substantive discussion – truthfulness, willingness to consider adverse positions and respecting the dignity of their opposition.

So what do you say, if leaving isn't really an option? Just sitting there in silence can be implied to be consent. So don't do that.

As I said, you can't engage in significant discussion with them. You can pile up facts to the pivot of the sun, and they will simply continue to vomit forth their bigotry and their hatred. As any rhetoric teacher will tell you, if you are explaining, you're losing.

So don't do that. Simply respond with an obvious truth. That what they're saying is racist, bigoted nonsense, treasonable garbage and beneath any consideration. If they come with bigotry against LGBTQ people, or immigrants, or women, simply say, “That's bigoted rubbish.” Don't explain, every person in the room who has any chance whatsoever of being a decent human being already knows it. They just don't want to say it. You say it.

Note carefully the form of the objection. You are not saying “You're a bigot.” You are saying “that is a bigoted thing to say.” The difference is significant. Let the audience draw their own conclusions.

This happened to me recently when I was at dinner with someone who was going on about how Putin was doing the world a favor by invading Ukraine to “stop the Nazis.”

I said, “You're repeating Russian propaganda, and endorsing war crimes. That's disgusting.” I didn't tell him that Ukraine has had free and fair elections for decades, or try to engage him on the nature of war crimes, he would have simply repeated the lie that Ukraine was a Nazi state. I didn't point out that even if that were true, invading still would have been morally and legally unconscionable.

Don't be baited into answering questions, especially slanted ones. Simply repeat, “You're arguing in favor of a war crime that has led to the deaths of thousands of people. That's vile.”

If they were to start ribbeting about trans folks, don't engage them on the social construction of gender. You'll just look foolish trying to explain biology to a bigot. Just say, “That's bigoted nonsense.” Repeat as necessary.

You are going to have to accept that the Fascist will claim that you are being unreasonable, and refusing to engage them. Fine. The key is to let them, and everyone listening know that bigotry, no matter how dressed up in phony phrasing, is not worthy of engagement, or serious consideration. What do you care what a bigot, or anyone who is persuadable by their nonsense, thinks of you?

They want you to behave as if their poisonous rubbish is just another point of view. Don't do that. They don't deserve it. And you don't deserve to look like a fool for trying to engage in a debate with a bigot. They don't deserve to be treated as if their garbage is socially acceptable.

Dismiss their garbage with contempt. Nothing more.