"5. Besides, disagreement is a sign of diversity. Ur-Fascism grows up and seeks for consensus by exploiting and exacerbating the natural *fear of difference*. The first appeal of a fascist or prematurely fascist movement is an appeal against the intruders. Thus Ur-Fascism is racist by definition."
### Commentary
Gosh, it hardly seems to need comment. For such a mongrel country, we're right up there with the best when it comes to fear of difference. We had it with the original inhabitants, the Black slaves, the Chinese workers, "wetbacks," gays, Jews, etc. etc. et tedious cetera. Benjamin Franklin even feared (perhaps "disdained" would be a better word) swarthy Germans.
Certainly American leaders exploited that fear. However, that became less allowable. Atwater Interview
In recent years, it's become allowable again. More: Trump and company have gone all-in on "exacerbating the natural fear of difference." For the most part, it's directed at cultural foreigners ("they're eating the cats and dogs") and "sexual deviants" (lighter on anti-gay fearmongering than in the early 2000s; heavier on the new boogeymen of trans bathroom users. But give them time.) Notable is what seems to be a normalizing of anti-Indian sentiment. ("Indian" in the sense of the subcontinent.)
One thing that Eco doesn't mention is that a characteristic of fascism is an intermingling of fear and superiority. It's been widely remarked that the fascist's enemies are simultaneously weak/degenerate *and* a relentless power. Thus, people on the left are simultaneously feckless "soy boys" and Machiavellian schemers who can destroy a good person's life on a whim.