Searchlight Blame the media for the BNP's Success
May 8 2006 12:44
This is a cracker:
http://www.stopthebnp.org.uk/index.php?location=news&art=404
And the source for the vast majority of stories about the British far-right in the media is................. Searchlight!
May 8 2006 12:49
#2
Yeah I wondered if they were behind some of the scare stories to try to get disillusioned Labour voters out? And it backfired? (I'd agree tho that the media are probably very responsible...)
May 8 2006 13:03
#3
Something definately went on with the media suddenly deciding to take the BNP seriously (I suspect in the case of the Spectator, Mail and Telegraph this is because they are scared of Cameron's brand of conservatism, and wanted to put pressure on him from the right)
How Searchlight can disentangle themselves from it is however beyond me, given their virtual monoply in the media when it comes to serving as consultants on stories about the far-right. Indeed a BNP collapse would, economically, be a disaster for Searchlight!
Given the Searchligt position is usually vote Labour (or anyone else who might defeat the BNP) they are also left a little isolated when there is a huge anti-Labour protest vote going on........
May 11 2006 22:16
#4
The left are in denial about the fash and have not a fucking clue how to deal with them and this in my opinion is down to the inate snobbery of the politically correct middle class lefties who will not go into white working class areas and engage with people on issues that concern them. Instaead they patronise them. The left seem to be content on posting leaflets about the evils of nazism and anti semitism even though the BNP official policy is against both Nazism and Antisemitism or having pop concerts in Trafalgar square with middle class fucks who have never lived in areas like the inner cities or on council estates. The BNP do engage with people on the doorsteps and their efforts are paying off and 53 BNP councilors are testimony to that.
May 12 2006 00:20
#5
workingclassandproud wrote:
The left are in denial about the fash and have not a fucking clue how to deal with them and this in my opinion is down to the inate snobbery of the politically correct middle class lefties who will not go into white working class areas and engage with people on issues that concern them. Instaead they patronise them. The left seem to be content on posting leaflets about the evils of nazism and anti semitism even though the BNP official policy is against both Nazism and Antisemitism or having pop concerts in Trafalgar square with middle class fucks who have never lived in areas like the inner cities or on council estates. The BNP do engage with people on the doorsteps and their efforts are paying off and 53 BNP councilors are testimony to that.
I completely agree with you, but at the same time the BNP are more capable of inciting irrational violence and hostility in people, especially where they're strong. Perhaps most of the middle class left is afraid of meeting this, and are selectively ignoring what is ultimately the best idea, to actually go in there and meet with people to discuss their concerns, and alleviate the fears instilled by the fascists.
May 12 2006 00:31
#6
Norm wrote:
I completely agree with you, but at the same time the BNP are more capable of inciting irrational violence and hostility in people, especially where they're strong. Perhaps most of the middle class left is afraid of meeting this, and are selectively ignoring what is ultimately the best idea, to actually go in there and meet with people to discuss their concerns, and alleviate the fears instilled by the fascists.
Thing is our task is a lot harder than theirs. All they have to do is say look, the PC establishment and immigrants are to blame, vote for us and we'll sort it, whereas we have to say that the entire political and economic structure of human society is fucked, and we all have to get together ourselves to rebuild a new world based on solidarity, mutual aid, etc...
May 12 2006 01:17
#7
Well i think engaging with people on the doorsteps rather than just posting flyers through the letterbox containing duff propaganda is vital. I think we need to do the following.
1. If someone stands in council elections in these wards make sure it is a local candidate not someone who is parachuted into the area. Working class people in insular communities like former mining towns for example will not take too kindly to outsiders coming in and patronising them about nazis etc.
2. In local elections keep your propaganda as simple as you can not too tabloid, but not too complex either. Listen to what peoples concerns are on crime bad housing etc and apply left ideas to deal with the problems that people have ie citizens patrols to deal with criminals who pray on our class as well as dealing with the baliffs and debt collectors. Listen to people concerns is vital, leafleting is not enough. The BNP do listen and are usually the only ones who engage with people in these areas. Also instead of duff propaganda and calls to vote for anyone except the nazis use propaganda that deals head on with BNP arguments and refute them with concrete facts and figures and not with scare stories about neo nazis and thugs, but also acknowledge that some of what is said about asylum seekers and immigrants could be true but explain why this is so. The authorities will from time to time seek to play off different communties against each other and try to divide and rule.
3 Some on the left in working class areas have had success with this strategy like IWCA and others so lets role it out nationwide because today it is 53 BNP councillors tommorow it could be hundreds. What do you think comrades
May 12 2006 06:42
#8
workingclassandproud wrote:
3 Some on the left in working class areas have had success with this strategy like IWCA and others so lets role it out nationwide because today it is 53 BNP councillors tommorow it could be hundreds. What do you think comrades
Agreed, but one of the problems with this approach is that it is based to at least some extent on the following equation:
We will do X for you (campaign to keep the local zebra crossing open, and if elected to reopen it) and you will do Y for us (vote for us in the next election)
I would rather see people doing X themselves...........
May 12 2006 12:00
#9
I agree with you Paul i too would like to see more people in their communities take independent action to deal with the problems that this system has bequeathed them in working class areas. My suggestions were only for those lefties who want to sort things out through the ballot box however naive they may be.
Jul 5 2006 15:57
#10
Quote:
Well i think engaging with people on the doorsteps rather than just posting flyers through the letterbox containing duff propaganda is vital. I think we need to do the following.1. If someone stands in council elections in these wards make sure it is a local candidate not someone who is parachuted into the area. Working class people in insular communities like former mining towns for example will not take too kindly to outsiders coming in and patronising them about nazis etc.
2. In local elections keep your propaganda as simple as you can not too tabloid, but not too complex either. Listen to what peoples concerns are on crime bad housing etc and apply left ideas to deal with the problems that people have ie citizens patrols to deal with criminals who pray on our class as well as dealing with the baliffs and debt collectors. Listen to people concerns is vital, leafleting is not enough. The BNP do listen and are usually the only ones who engage with people in these areas. Also instead of duff propaganda and calls to vote for anyone except the nazis use propaganda that deals head on with BNP arguments and refute them with concrete facts and figures and not with scare stories about neo nazis and thugs, but also acknowledge that some of what is said about asylum seekers and immigrants could be true but explain why this is so. The authorities will from time to time seek to play off different communties against each other and try to divide and rule.
3 Some on the left in working class areas have had success with this strategy like IWCA and others so lets role it out nationwide because today it is 53 BNP councillors tommorow it could be hundreds. What do you think comrades
All good points though #1 isn't really up to us - that's the concern of the parties that are standing. It's a valid concern though and certainly any party that stands an outsider in a local by-election is in my view on a loser from the start. Lancaster is a pretty insular town once you get away from the student-occupied areas and that needs to be considered.
#2 is something that needs looking at a lot more closely. The BNP, for all their faults, have got a pretty slick election machine on the go and are targetting wards right down - in some cases - to street level. This is something that antifascist campaigners need to be taking note of, along with the presentation of any such leaflets.
Jul 6 2006 11:20
#11
PaulMarsh wrote:
We will do X for you (campaign to keep the local zebra crossing open, and if elected to reopen it) and you will do Y for us (vote for us in the next election)I would rather see people doing X themselves...........
Reminds me of the "you shop them, we'll stop them" AFA stickers.
Jul 6 2006 11:49
#12
Quote:
Thing is our task is a lot harder than theirs. All they have to do is say look, the PC establishment and immigrants are to blame, vote for us and we'll sort it, whereas we have to say that the entire political and economic structure of human society is fucked, and we all have to get together ourselves to rebuild a new world based on solidarity, mutual aid, etc...
yep, lets not shirk the task at hand, no one said it would be easy and like you say encouraging self determination and class struggle in communities is sure to a be little harder than going "whats that? No job? Look at that over there, that foreigners got a job....vote for me, i'll sort it out"
Jul 11 2006 16:25
#13
PaulMarsh wrote:
workingclassandproud wrote:
3 Some on the left in working class areas have had success with this strategy like IWCA and others so lets role it out nationwide because today it is 53 BNP councillors tommorow it could be hundreds. What do you think comradesAgreed, but one of the problems with this approach is that it is based to at least some extent on the following equation:
We will do X for you (campaign to keep the local zebra crossing open, and if elected to reopen it) and you will do Y for us (vote for us in the next election)
I would rather see people doing X themselves...........
Is the IWCA built on this approach as well? 
Jul 13 2006 10:23
#14
Orwell articulated it well at the end of Homage to Catalonia he said something along the lines of "the intelligentsia always squel the loudest about fascism, but when it comes to the pinch they have too much to lose, only the working classes can really defeat fascism"
And while we're on the subject of Searchlight, what the fuck's this shit?
That's the worst "political" "slogan" I've seen since the STWC's pisspoor "Peace not War" badges.