Searchlight on History repeats itself: 1942 SS - 2014 IS

This is the latest front cover of the long standing anti-fascist and anti-racist magazine "Searchlight".

I think we all know what it shows and compares. 

Tonight we heard of yet another cowardly murder of a journalist, Steven Sotloff.

Searchlight is absolutely right to compare the butchers of the Islamic state with that of the Nazi SS.

They are all the same - fascist scum and we need to stop them.

The IS are no more Muslims than the German SS concentration camp guards were Christians - they are all just fanatics and common murderers.

In Britain recently a number of respected Islamic scholars have declared IS a "heretical” and “an oppressive and tyrannical group... and religiously prohibited to support or join”. 

In view of the Nazi slaughter that happened in the lifetime of my father and mother, I don't think that those of us who are not Muslims have any cause to be complacent or smug.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2013

Today (27 January) is Holocaust Memorial Day.  This date is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945.

On Friday morning I was travelling through Liverpool Street Railway station and the statutes of the "Kindertransport" children next to the main ticket office, reminded me of the 9,500 children who were allowed to flee Germany before the Second World War and live in Britain.

Many of them arrived in Liverpool Street station from Harwich. The vast majority would have died in German concentration camps if they had not been able to flee. Many never saw their parents again.

While 80% of the children were Jewish, the rest were children of anti-fascists who also knew what would happen to their children if they did not escape.

Newham Council and the Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, held an event on Friday morning to unite communities and reflect on the horrors of Nazi atrocities.

On Saturday I received through the post, the latest edition of UK anti-fascist magazine, Searchlight.  Reading in the magazine the accounts of current fascist activity in the UK, you must be amazed and sickened, that there are still Nazi's in our country, such as the those in the BNP, who think there is nothing wrong with mass murder and turning dead bodies into lamp shades and soap.

Searchlight and Hope Not Hate

I've been a subscriber to the monthly anti-fascist magazine "Searchlight" for many years and supporter of its campaigning arm "Hope Not Hate". So I was concerned to hear that they had some sort of a dispute and have gone their separate ways. Taking on racists and Nazi's is difficult, stressful and even dangerous, so it is obvious that there will be tensions and problems from time to time. These things happen. Maybe it is a good idea to separate the research from the campaigning? I don't know.

Yet I was really concerned to read in this month's "Searchlight" a two page article criticising "Hope Not Hate". Now I do not know the ins and outs of the issues or personalities involved. But I cannot see how in any way this article helps anyone but our real enemies. 

Can these differences be sorted out in another way?

(as usual this is a strictly personal view)

Reflections upon Breivik and our own Far Right

Picture is from the front page of this month’s “Searchlight” (the anti-fascist magazine). It’s just over a year since the massacre in Norway and the verdict on Breivik is due out on Thursday. Searchlight has commissioned a number of articles on about him and the Far Right. Some very good (some a little odd).

It’s clear to me that Breivik is clinically insane. You don’t go around shooting children at close range while smiling and laughing without being deranged. It is also clear though that he knows the difference between right and wrong. This means in Britain that he would probably be found guilty of murder. The law in Norway is different and he might be found to be not responsible for his actions. Either way I cannot believe he will ever be released.

Searchlight make the valid point that in this country while we are concerned with the threat of violence from Islamic extremists we seem complacent about the threat from the Far Right. I’m sure this is true. There will be similar egotistic sociopath morons out there in our green and pleasant land who think that the only thing that Breivik done wrong was just not to kill enough people.

Hat’s off to the people and government of Norway for the way they have dealt with this appalling crime.

White Riot: The Violent Story of Combat 18

I have just finished this book by Searchlight editor, Nick Lowles. It is now a little out of date but I would recommend the book to those who like to believe that the fascists are only “nationalists” or even “patriots” when their political parties (BNP, NF) are clearly led by life long National Socialists (Nazi).

Combat 18 use to provide the body guards for BNP leaders such as Griffin before they fell out with him. It finally disintegrated after years of violence when they split over money and ended up fighting and even killing each other.

I was astonished to read in this months Searchlight (page 7) that two of the notorious fascists mentioned in the book, “crazed long time Nazi and Satanist David Myatt” converted to an extreme form of Islam, while former BNP member and the nail bomber who killed 3 people in London, David Copeland, “had sought a extreme form of Islam” while in prison.

The article mentioned another former BNP member, Stephen Jones, who is also serving life for murder who has converted to an extreme Islam sect which threatened to have the moderate prison Imam killed.

Interestingly to speculate why they turn to Islamic extremism?

Voting BNP is Evil – so says God

Despite being a convinced atheist it is always nice to know that God is on your side. Even if it is the Church of England (CofE) version which (apologies for the cheap dig) may have many divisions but none of which would have impressed Stalin!

This afternoon I went to a well attended national meeting in Central London organised by Searchlight, the anti-fascist organisation. This meeting was on how to meet the growing threat of the BNP, examine what we (anti-fascists) do well and also where we need to improve.

To the left of main Picture is the Rev Paul Butler, a CofE vicar in Deptford, south east London, who gave a marvellous presentation. He is in danger of giving the Established Church a good name in the wider Labour movement. Rev Paul talked to the meeting about how the Church of England is officially not only opposed to the Far Right, but in every diocese in the country there should be a working group meeting on a regular basis on how to tackle fascists. He talked about the Christian concept of “evil” and how the BNP is a modern day example of biblical “evil”. It’s an organisation that’s nasty with a divisive approach which not only encourages hatred between communities and faiths but also hatred against individuals such as gays. He pointed out that when Christians are baptised or confirmed they have to renounce “evil”. To me he seemed to confirm that voting for the BNP is incompatible with Christianity and is in fact an “evil” act. Yep, that makes sense (apologies to Rev Paul for any theological misunderstandings on my behalf).

The first speaker was Searchlight editor Nick Lowles. Nick gave a sober analysis of where we are now and what we are facing in the future. He clearly felt that we cannot defeat the fascists unless we truly understand the reasons why people vote BNP. Simply dismissing these people as Nazi is not going to be at all productive. We need to organise, be self critical and honest. I was pleased to hear that it is now accepted that the crude election leaflets and posters on “Smash the Nazi” etc are now recognised as being counterproductive. They turn off voters (even though I personally love ‘em!).

Nick thinks that there is a danger from the “collapse” of a section of the traditional working class vote for the Labour Party, who will now simply not vote at all for any mainstream party. Even worse, some of them will also then go on to vote BNP. I am not totally sure about this. Yes, the traditional working class is changing radically. The regional secretary of the T&G, Steve Hart, pointed out that in 1979 there was 12.5 million trade unionists, the majority of which were manual workers. Nowadays, there are 6.5 million, 50% of which are professionals! The Labour Party and many trade unions have not on a whole handled this change very well. Are the traditional working class Tory voters now voting BNP? In May 2008 in poor London inner city wards, even in white working class areas the BNP did not poll very well at all. They seem to get a lot of their support from outer London supposedly from more prosperous boroughs?

There were also presentations on case studies by Gerry Gable on organising in Redbridge and Epping as well as Lorraine Fitzsimons from the Yorkshire “Hope not hate” campaign. Searchlight international officer, Graeme Atkinson and then Paul Meszaros spoke about the 2009 European Election (we need to get our act together on this). I enjoyed Graeme’s story about how the Far Right/Fascist group in the European Union Parliament fell apart because they were all so suspicious about working with “foreigners” who they all hate of course. For example, the granddaughter of Mussolini, Alessandra a fascist MEP from Italy, called all Romanians “habitual criminals”. It is therefore hardly surprising that the Romanian Far Right members of this group kicked up a fuss and it folded shortly afterwards.

The very sober message at the end of these presentations was that due to the collapse of UKIP, the BNP will have a chance of winning a seat in Europe next year unless we organise. Under Proportional Representation (PR) in the North West they will only need 8.5% of the vote to win a seat. In many local council seats they regularly win 20-30% of the vote.

(I had to leave early and missed the rest of the meeting – picture left to right of Rev Paul Butler, Southwark Diocese; Linda Perks, UNISON London Regional Secretary; Gloria Hanson, UNISON London Regional Convenor; Nick Lowles, Searchlight; and London Assembly member (Labour) Murad Qureshi.

The Real BNP – on Rape and Violence towards Women

Some commentators on this blog suggest that the BNP is not a nasty, thuggish, extremist fascist party. It is they claim, just a traditionally minded politicial Party that happens to be against immigration and has nothing to do with the Nazi's.

Well, Searchlight has exposed the BNP Number 2 candidate in the GLA elections, Nick Eriksen (and London BNP organiser) as someone who openly excuses rape and violence towards women. Please check out the link. The BNP reckon they will get at least 8% of the vote in the GLA election and if that it true (I hope and expect not), then Eriksen would have probably been elected for the BNP.

Eriksen claims that "rape is simply sex" and “Men who go along with the rape myth are either morons or traitors”. He also seems to think that it is acceptable for men to give their wives "a good slap!”

I don’t think that anybody makes the case that all people who may feel sympathetic to BNP arguments are supporters of rape or violence towards women. However, I think that this illustrates the widespread concern that many people do not understand or appreciate what the BNP is really about. Why it was formed, who are their leaders and what are their true aims?

The BNP is a National Socialist political party which is rooted in Nazism. This is the political philosophy of Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler during the Second World War. Its political theory is alien and foreign to this country. The BNP is not a genuine democratic nor British Party.

If you have concerns about immigration then join a democratic British Political party and argue your case. Don’t support something that hides its true identity and pretends that it is something that it is not.

Long Weekend of Hope for London

Just back from my local Labour Party EC meeting (via of course a local hostelry). At the meeting, which was mostly taken up with campaign issues, we had behind us a freshly delivered stack, several feet high, of tabloid style newsletters, supporting Ken Livingstone and the other Labour candidates.

Some wards had already started delivering the newsletters this evening, while others will start tomorrow morning (it’s a great way to get fit – why pay to join a gym when you could be a Labour Party canvasser!). My ward is being organised by our new, very efficient and enthusiastic 21 year old branch secretary!

Over the weekend we will deliver the newsletter in targeted areas across all 10 wards. Hopefully the weather will be kind. Next Tuesday the so-called “short campaign” begins (6 weeks?).

Also this Friday begins the “Weekend of Hope” organised by “Hope not Hate” the anti-BNP “Searchlight” organisation. Which is mobilising anti-Nazi volunteers across London to take part in events and hand out leaflets (and most importantly speak to people).

While on Monday 17 March it is the TULO Day of action, where trade unionists are encouraged to take specially designed trade union leaflets supporting Ken and the Labour candidates into work and give them to colleagues. We are also planning to leaflet railway stations and large office/factory buildings.

The London Mayor and GLA Election (and there are other important Council elections across the UK) will be in 7 weeks from tomorrow. Roll on May 2?

Hope Not Hate in 2008: Beating the BNP in London

After work yesterday I went to a Searchlight meeting at the House of Commons, held on “Beating the BNP in London”. Frank Dobson MP chaired, speakers included Jon Cruddas MP, Megan Dobney (SETUC) and Nick Lowles (Searchlight). As you would expect there was a good attendance and range of people present.

Afterwards I went to a West Ham Labour Party Campaign meeting, where we had invited our “City & East” London Assembly member John Biggs, to talk to us about campaign issues. The BNP came up as well since Barking and Dagenham is also in “City & East” constituency (City of London, Tower Hamlets and Newham).

There is a real risk that the BNP will win seats in the London Assembly. Last time they got 4.8% of the vote and under the PR list system they only needed 5% to get a seat. If they get 8% they could get 2 seats, 11% 3 seats. The BNP themselves are predicting 3 seats. In the last GLA election 2004 which was held at the same time as the European election, the UK Independence Party got 8.2% and 2 seats. Since then UKIP has collapsed and it is likely that the BNP will get some of their votes. Hopefully these sobering facts will concentrate minds.

BNP Fight Night in Leeds

Brilliant first hand account about the master race representatives on earth and their current internal “difficulties” in searchlight. A must read link.

However, usual health warning about not getting complacent for next year’s local elections.

Rats have a habit of surviving sinking ships.

Hat tip to The Virtual Stoa