Nouveau Fascism?

I have a problem. OK, not personally, but I have a problem with the word fascism and calling people fascists. It occurred to me during the anti-EDL march at the start of the month. I found myself in a group of people carrying placards and shouting “EDL, fascist scum!” And perhaps controversially, I don't think the EDL are fascists.

And I'm not alone. The Hope not Hate website EDL article has this:

“The English Defence League (EDL) is a racist organisation whose main activity is street demonstrations against the Muslim community”, and, “the EDL is not a national socialist or a fascist organisation but that certainly does not mean it is not a right-wing extremist organisation”.

EDL outnumbered 4 to 1 (at least)

Estimating the number of people at protests is always difficult. Each side always tries to exaggerate their own turnout. But even if we use the biggest estimate of EDL numbers, and the smallest estimate of anti-EDL protesters, they were still outnumbered 4 to 1.

I'm being generous to them just to show how insignificant they are. If we reverse the logic (smallest EDL estimate and largest anti estimate) the ratio jumps to nearer 7 to 1.

Numbers aside, the most important thing we need to ask is, what on earth are they protesting about? The Westcountry is the least ethnically diverse place I can think of. Honestly, if any of the EDL on the streets of Plymouth yesterday ever travelled to London, they'd have a heart attack.

The EDL say they are protesting against Islam (they've started to drop the militant bit). They argue that all Muslims are at heart as extreme as the Taliban, and that if we are not careful, Britain will soon become an Islamic state. Rather laughably, the EDL claimed yesterday that they were defending women, homosexuals, children (from paedophiles), English culture, human rights, equality, the very fabric of our society.

In reality what we saw was a small group of drunken football hooligans being escorted through the streets of Plymouth while shouting “E – E – EDL”. Very productive. I feel safer already.

A Common Sense Ideology? How neoliberalism dominates discourse

Most of you will probably know, I gave a workshop on Saturday at the Exeter Anarchist Summer Conference. I thought I stick up the notes I took into the session. Below is sort of what I said for an introduction, and my ideas on the subject.

It was a very good hour and we covered a lot, with loads of audience participation.

• Use the current political and economic situation to demonstrate how neoliberal ideology dominates opinion and discourse. Challenge common ideas of democracy and analyse the concept of the “big society”

Intro:

Welcome and thanks for coming. For those who don’t know me I’m the secretary of the local branch of the communist party. This isn’t about the CP, or necessarily about Marxist ideology.

So why are we reforming the NHS?

I pinched this from Liberal Conspiracy

A major report ranked the British NHS #1 for efficiency and effective care when compared to other developed countries.
The US report compares the quality and cost effectiveness of healthcare systems in seven major countries.
Overall, the NHS is ranked second.

Survey ranks NHS #1 for efficiency, #2 overall