Anti-Racism as Procedure
JVL Introduction
Labour has published its predictably box-ticking and potentially dangerous ‘Action Plan for Driving out Antisemitism in the Labour Party’ in response to the EHRC.
As it happens the best response to this depressing political minefield comes in an article from a new US Jewish magazine ‘Protocols’.
With a commendable and angry intransigence Michael Richmond exposes the roots of official state ‘antiracism’ of which the EHRC is a diluted remnant.
He exposes the self-regarding humbug about British ‘traditions of tolerance’ as a crude and unconvincing prettification of a past and present rooted and drenched in colonialism, slavery and racism. ‘The age of top-down “anti-racism” and “diversity” is the age of Brexit, police killings, prison expansion, and refugees dying in the Channel.’
He denounces ‘the white supremacy of a “top-down anti-racism” that uses Jews as human shields to thwart other liberation struggles’. He quotes Alana Lentin that the “official, top-down anti-racism” — so crystallised by political and media approaches to “Labour antisemitism” — “sets antisemitism up as the threat to end all threats. This does not … result in an end to antisemitism. Rather, antisemitism is left intact while all other racisms within the racial state are denied.”
Richmond concludes that ‘A weakness in recent years has been a widely held expectation that the Labour Party could ever be a meaningful vehicle to fight racism. In movements and organizations that are ours, we can make mistakes, do the political education, and grow together. We can hold each other accountable. It is struggle, and only struggle, that has shown the capacity to force change from the white supremacist state. Social movements, class struggle, and insurrection are where hope lies — and solidarity is all we have.’
SM
This article was originally published by Protocols on Thu 17 Dec 2020. Read the original here.
Anti-Racism as Procedure
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This is a long and rather rambling piece that contains much good stuff but falls down in my view on a fundamental point by arguing contradictory standpoints – that antisemitism has been weaponised against the left but the left has much antisemitism.
Richmond writes: ‘A discussion of antisemitism and, specifically, “Labour antisemitism” always needed to occur.’ Really? He also says: ‘Britain is a deeply racist and antisemitic country.’ Really? Racism to a large extent but less so today, and not antisemitism, surely.
Yes, historically Labour and the labour movement have harboured much prejudice, but it has lessened year by year and we are in better shape on the left than ever, having led on anti-racism constantly for many years.
Richmond’s main point about uniting all groups in class struggle and antiracism is of course sound but the article loses its way in several places.
I found this confusing I am probably easily confused but I find that I must basically disagree with one of his themes. I utterly refute the concept that Labour has any more culpability for antisemitism than the whole British public.
Any suggestion to the contrary is unacceptable! Labour has the same level of AS as has the rest of Britain, no more, and probably less.
To suggest otherwise just panders to the “witch hunters” and I agree with Dave that he seems to contradict himself by on one hand berating “A.S. weaponisation and at the same time seeming to blame Labour members for this situation.
I hope that I do not leave anyone confused!
Whether JVL posts this remains to be seen? I don`t get stressed either way.