Common Sense Journalism

Tag: far-right

  • The far-right’s weaponisation of tragedy

    The far-right’s weaponisation of tragedy

    As with all British politics, any major events or shocking tragedies reflect poorly on those in government. Outside of the grieving and the pain caused to local communities and families, these events have a direct effect on politics. For example after the 7th July terrorist attack in London, Tony Blair was forced to introduce the 2006 Terrorism act. As a leader of a country you are held responsible for tragedy. However, what happens when a tragic event, is used to promote and evidence a political belief or manipulated against a political rival?

    Murders, violent attacks and hatred is a daily occurence not just in the UK but around the world. It has become engrained and defined a feature of human nature. However certain incidents stand out. For the Far-Right, any violent attack from a person of colour, an immigrant or someone who is different from themselves, becomes an oppurtunity to utilise.

    That is not to say that these crimes are not horrific, nor is it to deny that action should be taken against violence on our streets. However the problem is criminals commiting crimes, not their race, ethnicity or religious choices. There is a very clear distinction between the two. Which Far-Right indviduals tend to blur.

    For example with the recent murder of university student Henry Nowak. An awful and preventable tragedy. Yet the riots that emerged were against Starmer, the Labour government, policing and immigration. That is not a memorial. It is the manipulation of someone’s death to be used as a political tool for violence. Those rioters, some of who included neo-nazis and white nationalists, caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to Southampton, their own city. That is the issue.

    Equally the other day, a man in Belfast was brutally attacked by a sudanese man. However the fact that he is sudanese is virtually irrelevant to the case. He was a criminal commiting a crime. What followed was violent attacks on family homes, and innocent people. How can we as a country condone attacks on families as defending rights and standing up for justice?

    It becomes apparent that certain groups and indviduals, prey upon the pain and grief of these tragedies. Manipulating it as evidence of uncontrolled immigration or poor political choices. The colour of someones skin cannot and should not be used as an indicator for a whole group.

    The catalyst of these responses comes in the form of its leaders. Both Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson have both directly and indirectly called for protests and anger in response to events such as these. Anger in a place full of pain does no good deed. If anything it increases the volatility of the situation and makes immigrants and POCs targets for hate crimes.

    In these times of sorrow and mourning, after violent and cruel attacks, weaponising the victims and the perpertrators as examples of political failings and cultural change, is extremely harmful. Not only to the families of those who have lost loved ones, but the innocent people who make our country a better place to live in. They should not be used to promote ones political views on immigration. Criminality is individual not a representation of a whole group of people.

  • Stigma around politics: Why marginalising the Far-Right increases extremism

    Stigma around politics: Why marginalising the Far-Right increases extremism

    Recently there was another Tommy Robinson led anti-immigration march in the UK. What banner they say they march under, is very different from the reality of the protest. The supporters of Robinson, and other Far-Right figures, all have different motivations and reasons for going to such an event. The issue is, not what these supporters say or advocate, but the responses to this. Which the majority of the time is negative and demeaning.

    The point of this article is to express that Far-Right beliefs have always exsisted in a miniority, yet the reason they become mainstream sources are because of societies’ marganlisation of their views.

    A range of views became apparent within these groups, some believe immigration is draining the economy, some believe that politicians have let them down, and some are indeed racist. The question arises, how can such a diverse collection of ideas all accumulate into hate towards immigrants? and by condmening and isolating these people, will it change their attitiude towards extreme beliefs?

    The underlying reasoning plays a large part in attempting to answer these questions, and to an extent some overgeneralisations must be made to supplement the argument. These factors include, under education, poor economic backgrounds, cultural and family traditions and misinformation. These factors all feed into the support base for the Far-Right, positioning a singular and relatively minor problem, as the sole cause of all their personal issues.

    Yet how can those who are educated, judge others who are not so? The ability to make sound and reasonable political judgement stems from research, education and interaction with opposing beliefs. Many people have not been provided such a privilege. Therefore they are susceptible to misinformantion, fearmongering and the attractiveness of hate.

    In my opinon, the followers of Far-Right doctrine are for the most part normal people, who have been abandonded by the system, destined to shift towards extremism. That is not to say that evil does not exist within these groups, but those who are there, in regard for personal reasons, should not be shunned by society.

    They do not know any better.

    It is for this reason, that I believe that the stigma against Far-Right supporters, pushes them further into extremism. When faced with a group that provides them answers, and a group that blames them for their circumstances, it becomes clear how extreme views garner mainstream support.

    The solution is simple; empathy. Not to judge by their words, but to try and think how they think, to understand why they say what they say. Only then can we begin to re-educate, to teach others, and to rebuild a truly United Kingdom. Isolating a volatile and abandoned group, makes them only more volatile and abandoned. The solution to ending Far-Right extremism, is to see them as people.