All week, I’ve seen Far Right supporters on social media encouraging ‘patriots’, ‘football supporters’, ‘football hooligans’, ‘lads’ and ‘crews’ (their terms for football hooligans), to come to London this weekend to ‘defend our statues’, ‘fight the Antifa communists’, ‘fight for Queen and country’ and ‘fight the BLM scum!’ (ALL of these are direct quotes). I’ve reported at least 20 of these posts – to group admins or to Facebook….. but the majority have remained!
The threats (and promises) of violence were very clear to the extent that the organisers of the Black Lives Matter movement cancelled their planned London protest. Yes, a relatively small number of BLM supporters still protested and some were involved in violence. But we should be very clear about what happened today……
This was a co-ordinated display of racism and violence by many thousands of Far Right supporters from around the country. Supporters of all our main Far Right groups were there (with flags and insignia visible): Britain First, the English Defence League, the Democratic Football Lads Alliance, the banned Neo-Nazi National Action and others.
Standing next to (they say ‘defending’) Churchill’s statue, making Nazi salutes….. it goes way beyond irony! The sheer ignorance is breathtaking and, for all anti-racists and decent people, utterly, desperately upsetting.
I’ve read and watched news reports which – whilst some have called it for what it is – have included descriptions of these violent, racist thugs as ‘counter-protesters’, ‘activists’ and even ‘Churchill defenders!’ What a joke!
I’m not posting any images or videos of these violent, racist thugs in action (I’m sure you’ve all seen enough of them).
THE TABLOID MEDIA, POLITICIANS AND THE GOVERNMENT MUST ALL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!
The last 5 years in particular has seen the Brexit debate descend into the most appalling, xenophobic, hate-filled rhetoric (across tabloid front pages and spouted by poundshop Hitler Farage, the Leave campaigns and some Tory ministers).
We have seen the racist policies of a racist government – Windrush, Grenfell, the ‘Hostile Environment’, ‘Go Home’ vans, the NHS Surcharge…. and even now, the hiding of the Covid-19 report section on the disproportionate effects on the BAME community which highlights structural racism.
And we have elected a Prime Minister with a long history of racism. Plain, simple, inexcusable, disgusting racism!
Racism and white supremacy has not just been allowed to grow, but actively been encouraged by the media, by certain politicians and by the government.
Of course, they won’t take responsibility. Part of the struggle is to make them!
WE MUST NOT IGNORE CLASS!!
As well as the obvious racism issues, at the heart of this there is a class issue. The majority of racists and Far Right supporters are working class white people who, in the last 10 years, have seen their communities disintegrate through lack of investment, their wages stagnate, their jobs become insecure, their public services cut and removed and their lives become increasingly difficult.
Essentially, they have two options in terms of who they blame. They can blame the system of capitalism and Neoliberalism which exploits them and has destroyed the very fabric of our society (such as those support services); a competitive system of ‘survival of the fittest’ based upon massive class-based inequalities which have grown exponentially; a system in which there are, ultimately, a small number of immensely wealthy ‘winners’ and a large majority of ‘losers’.
Or they can blame ‘foreigners’.
The capitalist class (i.e. those who actually have any significant capital), the ruling class (i.e. those who, through generational privilege are easily able to achieve positions of power) aided by their billionaire media-owning accomplices have made absolutely sure it is the latter!
Let us be under no illusions: those with wealth and power have ‘used’ racism as a means to maintain their position.
LET US FIND THE POSITIVES
It’s very tempting to assume the majority of people in the country are racist; to assume that we are headed for a US-style shift into ultra-capitalist exploitation and the oblivion of a failed state; that racism and hatred will prevail over love and humanity; that climate change will soon render our planet uninhabitable; that incessant wars are unavoidable and may even lead to nuclear annihilation.
I don’t want to believe those things….. but they are all things that REQUIRE opposition, that REQUIRE action, that REQUIRE fighting against.
I have never felt so clearly that US-led Neoliberalism and modern ultra-capitalism will cause the kinds of devastation and destruction outlined and must be opposed through education and an invigorated struggle towards socialist solutions.
In the past two months, due to Covid-19, we have seen an unprecedented hiatus in our destruction of the planet, allowing Mother Nature to somewhat replenish her beauty. We must learn and build upon that! We must demand this!
In the past two weeks, we have seen a worldwide movement against racism and injustice. We must learn and build upon that! We must demand this!
In both examples, young people have led the way – through Climate Crisis protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. I have faith in our young people to lead us to a better place; to a fairer, more just society.
These are images of hope:
With thanks to Andrew Dunne. Photo credit Molly Weldon.
ATTACHMENTS – RIVAL ECONOMIC IDEOLOGIES
I’m attaching a warning! Much has been written about Neoliberalism and ultra-capitalism, but this is the most disturbing warning I have read. This is what’s happening in the US….. and, with the Conservatives in charge, the UK is well on the way to joining them! It’s a long’ish article about economics, the role of government in managing society, the economy and public services. IMO, unless we understand this is what is happening and fight against it, we are doomed.
In contrast, in the comments beneath this, I’m attaching three articles (two about great economists with more progressive ideologies and one with the views of a great political commentator) who argue for a different way of managing the economy and society – above all, a way which tackles inequality.
Perhaps our future as a human race depends on which of these economic ideologies prevails?
Tom Lane
