The problem is fascism
JVL Introduction
Liz Fekete argues that the recent upsurge in mob racist violence should be named for what it is – Fascism.
But, she explains, this did not appear from nowhere. It grew in a seed bed fertilised for years by the indulgence and promotion of racist, Islamophobic and anti-migrant voices. No one doubts the need to confront those who are threatening communities across England but the solution is not mass surveillance tools which, past experience tells us, will be deployed against anti-racists at least as vigorously as against fascist thugs.
The way forward lies with ending the austerity programmes which have harmed the lives of all poorer communities and challenging the politicians and their media megaphones who collude with racist fantasies.
George Mombiot also addresses these issues in today’s Guardian These riots are more than thuggery: they’re the outcome of 14 years of Tory race-baiting
UK racist riots: open letter to Keir Starmer from 80 anti-racist and migrants’ rights organisations
MC
This article was originally published by Institute of Race Relations on Mon 5 Aug 2024. Read the original here.
Stop changing the subject – the problem is fascism
These far-right riots and the ensuing racist and Islamophobic violence are unparalleled. Yet the government’s response is to focus on ‘violent disorder across the ideological spectrum’. This dissimulation cannot go unchallenged.
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This is an excellent piece as is the piece by George Monbiot helpfully linked in the introduction; however, this is due to more than the 14 years of Tory austerity, crucial though that is. When 9./11 happened, we already knew that it was crucial to make a public stand that Muslims were not to blame, ie Musims as a whole even though that time, those who flew planes into the twin towers were Muslims. This generalisation of Muslims, Black and Brown people, gypsies and travellers as “other”, “not really belonging”, “not quite like us”, as well as all the allegations of criminality and/or terrorism, etc has been part of the dominant narrative for decades. This is hardly surprising given the racism of past British governments and rulers.
While the perpetrators are by no means mainly young people, some younger people have been involved in the violence. It is worth noting that for at least five years, teachers have not been allowed to discuss the racist history of Britain (yes even under the progressive in most respects post war Labour government, the colonial attitudes, racist exclusion continued much as under previous governments). And youth work has been dramatically reduced which is a setting where views are challenged and explored so that young people have the opportunity to question their assumptions (or perhaps their parents’ assumptions. We have to deal with those who are guilty of violence or instigating it and we have to start rebuilding in every sense of the word.
“even though that time, those who flew planes into the twin towers were Muslims”
Muslims who were radicalized by a western backed extremist, Osama Bin Laden.
“yes even under the progressive in most respects post war Labour government”
The same one that was trying to smash anti-colonial struggles abroad.
“And youth work has been dramatically reduced which is a setting where views are challenged and explored so that young people have the opportunity to question their assumptions (or perhaps their parents’ assumptions”
As someone who accessed what could be described as youth services, I’m not sure it’s as simple as that. Yes, they can provide a good environment for youngsters, but more than that s needed – what good is it if a teenager can go somewhere to safely play and meet people, but can’t get a job or accommodation and everything around them is crumbling ?
Lastly, social work, which youth work is closely related, tends to attract a lot of middle class people, and when you look at its history in the Victorian era, there’s a problem in terms of its power dynamics – wealthy women going into slums to tell working class and poor people how to live.
Whatever the merits of this piece what we have seen in the past week or so is not fascism and simply labeling it is not very helpful. Fascism is typified by a contempt for democratic institutions and an adulation of a ‘strongman’ leader; think Franco, Mussolini and Hitler. Tommy Robinson and his ilk do not fit into that mould.
The people who are going to jail are being punished for what they have done, not what they think. You may disagree profoundly with them, but in a free society we do not punish people for what they think. If we want to be able to express our own views freely the best way of doing it is to protect the rights of others do express theirs.
I disagree with Les. I think Tommy Robinson and the likes of Nigel Farage DO fit into this mold and if they were in power ,God forbid, they would form a ‘democracy’ like we are seeing in Israel and we saw in Germany late 1930’s. After all Hitler was voted in as was Netanyahu. So yes it is Fascism it’s just that the ordinary people involved are being duped because they are hearing what they think they want to hear.
When I was teaching 20 years ago we had an exciting and robust multi cultural curriculum…what happened to that I wonder.
I doubt that what we have seen in the past ten days or so can be attributed to a single cause. Assertions like ‘its fascism’ tend to reflect the prejudices and world view of the writer. They provide single factor answers to what are often complex problems. Similarly in the minds of some people it is a ‘law and order’ problem and for others it is a problem of ‘disaffected white youth who have gone through the school system without being socialised’.
It might be a good idea to talk to some of the perpetrators and find their explanations for their actions before rushing to judgement.