We can learn from – and improve on – the past
JVL Introduction
We have much to learn from the mobilisations against racism and fascism in the past – there is much to applaud about organisations such as Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League. Here David Rosenberg gives full acknowledgement to the achievements but also notes the limitations and errors of those organisations. We can and must do even better. Furthermore, we are in very different times – social media can help and also hinder, for example and we are in an ongoing period of austerity but with much weaker working class organisations than in the 1970s.
One of the key things that those organisations “got right” and that we can learn from was their approach that “…sought to drive a wedge between the Hitler-worshipping leaders of the fascist movements and the more diffuse angry, frustrated, often unemployed young people who were prey to arguments that scapegoated immigrants for their misery.”
David also shows why there is more to fear from Farage and Reform even more than the Tommy Robinsons of this world. Who is pulling the strings (and no it is not Israel or Israel’s supporters even if some do support much that the far right stands for). Who benefits from the divide and rule tactics that are so dominant once again? Clearly it is the elite, the ruling class, the 1% however shocked they claim to be by the eruption of violence, this has been stoked for decades.
LL
This article was originally published by Morning Star on Sat 10 Aug 2024. Read the original here.
The past in not always our guide
DAVID ROSENBERG takes a look back to the days when the Anti-Nazi League and Rock Against Racism stood against against the thugs of the National Front, and sees some important differences to the anti-racism battles of today, which call for fresh thinking rather than transplanting the tactics of the ’70s
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As a veteran of the RAR/ANL era, and also elected Anti-Fascist Convenor for Hull Trades Council ~ what I’m very aware of is that someone has to take an initiative, for something to arise.
There’s a *call out*, at the weekend coming, for some such an initiative; let’s see if someting *gells* from that.
Meanwhile, online, there’s a good deal of *sniping* about the history of RAR/ANL. I well-remember various *left* groups attacking the initiatives at the time, and the IMG’s paper’s centre-page spread *Hats off to the SWP* ~ after the success of the first Carnival* ~ which caused much chuckling in *left* circles at the time.
Let’s hope [sic] it’s neither tragedy nor farce this time around.