What Mark Bray Knew in 2017

This week we revisit a conversation from 2017 with Mark Bray, historian and author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.Since this interview, Bray has faced escalating death threats and was forced to leave his position at Dartmouth after being falsely portrayed as a terrorist for his scholarly work documenting anti-fascism. After being called “Mr. Antifa” by Turning Point USA, the threats intensified to the point that he relocated to Spain. We’re replaying this conversation as a reminder of what anti-fascism actually is—and what happens to those who document it.We discussed:* The historical roots of anti-fascism — tracing the movement from 1920s Europe through the Spanish Civil War to modern militant organizing in the 1970s-80s* What anti-fascists actually do — the investigative work of tracking extremists online, alerting employers and communities, and why physical confrontation is typically a last resort* The “no platform” principle — why anti-fascists view fascism as violence incarnate rather than just another political opinion to be debated* Self-defense vs. “both sides” narratives — how media coverage often misrepresents defensive actions at counter-protests, especially when police protection is absent* Who becomes an anti-fascist — the evolution from punk scene defenders to a broader coalition including queer activists, union organizers, and Black Lives Matter participants* Why the threat was underestimated — drawing parallels between dismissing Mussolini and Hitler as “preening and goofy” and early responses to TrumpThis episode is free to all listeners, but please consider becoming a paid Magic + Loss subscriber. Thanks for reading Magic + Loss! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.com/subscribe