I feel very similarly Emma. The gratuitous thuggery and lawless violence is awful enough. Hunting out asylum seekers with intent to murder is a whole other level.
One of the things that makes me wince is when we talk about "defeating" and "fighting" racism. (I'm not criticising your use BTW. There are constant references online). I think it's because it's hard to formulate a strategy and action plan around terms like "fighting racism" because what's the specific objective?
I wonder if the starting point for dealing with fascism and racism is to be far more precise about what' we're trying to achieve? Is it not to eradicate/ end fascism and to eradicate/ end racism?
In the UK, we made huge progress towards addressing racism following the publication of the MacPherson Report. Work stalled as far as I can tell in 2010 with Cameron's election. MacPherson wasn't designed to deal with Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. But that's the logical extension that follows implementing the MacPherson Report in full.
We also have a framework/ mechanism for dealing with fascism/ racism in the SDGs; specifically goal 16: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal16. That said the SDGs don't in my view sufficiently address racism and we're way behind on gender equality which is a counterpoint to fascism. Nor were the SDGs (as far as I know) designed to deal with the rise of the far right. So what I'm wondering is whether we need is to double down on what we have - MacPherson and the SDGs - while designing (and actioning) something that's complimentary to the SDGs which is aimed specifically at bringing an end to racism and fascism?
A candid statement of helplessness by an excellent author. My two cents: these mobs are not ideological. Follow the link between fascism and organised crime
It’s multifaceted: our economic model doesn’t work well, relying so much on immigrant labour, poor housing, a hard right that knows how to use social media, mainstream right wing that flirts with the extreme right, some resistance to integration among some ethnic groups. It’s complicated. It requires hard graft, and I’m not sure an ‘iron chancellor’ with a balanced budget mentality is going to help.
It’ll be tough going for a party elected on 34% of the vote
I feel very similarly Emma. The gratuitous thuggery and lawless violence is awful enough. Hunting out asylum seekers with intent to murder is a whole other level.
One of the things that makes me wince is when we talk about "defeating" and "fighting" racism. (I'm not criticising your use BTW. There are constant references online). I think it's because it's hard to formulate a strategy and action plan around terms like "fighting racism" because what's the specific objective?
I wonder if the starting point for dealing with fascism and racism is to be far more precise about what' we're trying to achieve? Is it not to eradicate/ end fascism and to eradicate/ end racism?
In the UK, we made huge progress towards addressing racism following the publication of the MacPherson Report. Work stalled as far as I can tell in 2010 with Cameron's election. MacPherson wasn't designed to deal with Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. But that's the logical extension that follows implementing the MacPherson Report in full.
We also have a framework/ mechanism for dealing with fascism/ racism in the SDGs; specifically goal 16: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal16. That said the SDGs don't in my view sufficiently address racism and we're way behind on gender equality which is a counterpoint to fascism. Nor were the SDGs (as far as I know) designed to deal with the rise of the far right. So what I'm wondering is whether we need is to double down on what we have - MacPherson and the SDGs - while designing (and actioning) something that's complimentary to the SDGs which is aimed specifically at bringing an end to racism and fascism?
A candid statement of helplessness by an excellent author. My two cents: these mobs are not ideological. Follow the link between fascism and organised crime
Very good piece of writing. How many times on the Left do you hear 'I don't know'?. Will wait a fortnight....
I am working hard on staying optimistic. Some good may come of all this in the longer run.
It’s multifaceted: our economic model doesn’t work well, relying so much on immigrant labour, poor housing, a hard right that knows how to use social media, mainstream right wing that flirts with the extreme right, some resistance to integration among some ethnic groups. It’s complicated. It requires hard graft, and I’m not sure an ‘iron chancellor’ with a balanced budget mentality is going to help.
It’ll be tough going for a party elected on 34% of the vote