Labour MP Jo Cox's murder was the act of a fascist terrorist inspired by relentless nationalist, anti-immigrant campaigning from mainstream politicians and the media; not, as he's portrayed, merely a 'loner' with 'mental health issues'.
A man reportedly shouting 'Britain first' has shot and stabbed a Labour MP to death. Jo Cox, MP for Batley and Spen in Yorkshire, was shot with a home-made pistol and stabbed multiple times by Tommy Mair, a 52-year-old with a history of far-right sympathies.
In a statement, the Southern Poverty Law Centre say
Mair was a dedicated supporter of the National Alliance (NA), the once premier neo-Nazi organization in the United States, for decades. Mair purchased a manual from the NA in 1999 that included instructions on how to build a pistol.
Mair, who resides in what is described as a semi-detached house on the Fieldhead Estate in Birstall, sent just over $620 to the NA, according to invoices for goods purchased from National Vanguard Books, the NA’s printing imprint. Mair purchased subscriptions for periodicals published by the imprint and he bought works that instruct readers on the “Chemistry of Powder & Explosives,” “Incendiaries,” and a work called “Improvised Munitions Handbook." Under “Section III, No. 9” (page 125) of that handbook, there are detailed instructions for constructing a “Pipe Pistol For .38 Caliber Ammunition” from components that can be purchased from nearly any hardware store.
Mair’s attack comes against a backdrop of increased militancy from the far-right. Hundreds of neo-nazis engaged in running battles with anti-fascists at the end of January this year (though more recent demonstrations have seen their numbers dwindle down to as low as 30) while fascist group Britain First recently held a training camp, which involved knife-fighting, and have previously threatened to target elected officials. Indeed, Britain First are not the first far-right group to have held combat training recently, with about 80-100 individuals related to various neo-nazi groups thought to have undergone similar training in 2015.
The response among fascists has been varied: some are claiming it to be a set up by the state while others are openly gloating about it.
However, the event says more about the political mainstream than Britain First or the wider far-right.
Compare the reaction to when Lee Rigby was murdered. Both Jo Cox and Lee Rigby’s murders were apparently cases of lone wolf attacks by perpetrators with mental health issues who also subscribed to terrorist ideologies, which were expressed in the course of the attack. With the Lee Rigby murder, the ideology was immediately seen as the cause: there was no uncertainty, no discussion of the mental health aspect, or that they did the weekly shopping for their mum or liked to do gardening for the neighbours. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the attack was also portrayed as characteristic for the group they belonged to, Theresa May saying there were "thousands" more Muslims being radicalised and that surveillance of Muslims needed to be extended.
With Jo Cox, there is no similar emphasis on Tommy Mair's ideology, it's only mentioned as part of his "history" of mental health problems. He is not called what he is: a fascist terrorist. His attack doesn't tell us anything about the group he belongs to (i.e. white British people) but rather is in conflict with how the media/politicians like to present it and so needs to be portrayed as an aberration. No one is speculating on whether there could be loads of white British blokes quietly sympathising, no one is worrying about internet radicalisation (despite Britain First having almost 1.5 million Facebook ‘Likes’). Finally, no one is demanding that Farage and other Brexit leaders condemn political violence; indeed, the idea that they (and white British people in general) should have to account for Tommy Mair’s act is hilarious in its ridiculousness. The same cannot be said when similar calls are made upon the Muslim community.
Indeed, the stark difference in how the media have portrayed the killers in the two murders can be seen from a quick look at the Daily Mail:
Lee Rigby's murder
Jo Cox's murder
Ironically, shortly before the murder, the media story was all about how Labour had betrayed its natural constituency because supposedly it didn't pander sufficiently to white working class racism (which apparently the media think is characteristic of the white working class whose voice isn't heard). Couldn't the Labour Party promise to crack down on immigrants? Couldn't there be some really quick negotiation with the EU seven days before the referendum to abolish free movement? Then a racist white bloke murders a Labour MP, prominent campaigner for Remain and Syrian refugees and all of a sudden this act is no longer characteristic of the white working class and can only be explained in relation to his mental health.
Similarly, this attack comes less than a year after Cameron said the Labour Party was a threat to national security, just over a month after the Conservatives ran a campaign for London Mayor claiming the Muslim Labour candidate was sharing platforms with ISIS (a campaign judged “outrageous” for its divisiveness by the Conservative group leader on the Greater London assembly). It comes a month after Farage saying the UK had lost complete control over immigration, and that violence was the next step if voting didn't help. It even came on the same day he revealed a poster of a flood immigrants coming to destroy the UK, which looked extremely similar to the imagery of an old Nazi propaganda film.
No doubt it is these racist narratives across the mainstream political spectrum that legitimise murderous violence and make it socially acceptable in the minds of fascist lone wolves. Indeed, Tommy Mair and others like him are not aberrations from the political mainstream; rather, they’re just reading between the lines of it.
Based on comments, particularly from libcom user no1, on the libcom thread discussing the event.
Comments
Fantastic blog, thanks for
Fantastic blog, thanks for writing. Also worth a mention is this helpful guide for the media on how to describe people who carry out attacks like this:
"The response among fascists
"The response among fascists has been varied: some are claiming it to be a set up by the state"
you hear this vile stuff in the States too: rightwing killings are "liberal false flag operations": see freerepublic e.g. it makes me physically angry.
dp
dp
I'm also concerned about the
I'm also concerned about the attempts to say that Tommy Mair is mentally ill rather than a terrorist. Reading http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Oakwell+Hall+thriving+with+help+of+volunteers.-a0227735906 suggests his mental illness is on the depressive spectrum and similar to mine. Even when I was at my angriest at Iain Duncan Smith I never considered killing him, partly because I'm a pacifist but also because I knew it would be a stupid, counterproductive act.
Tommy Mair was more than likely fully aware of what he did and his actions should not be said to be because of his mental illness.
Quote: "The response among
No, our secret services have never inculcated nationalist terror. Oh, except in the case of the Omagh bombing:
Schmoopie wrote: No, our
Schmoopie
Unless your point is that this killing was a "false flag" operation, then this is completely irrelevant.
FAO other readers, we have an existing discussion about this topic already here in our forums: http://libcom.org/forums/news/britain-first-assassinate-mp-16062016
Quote: Unless your point is
So if it transpires that the killer was a double agent of MI5 or one of his comrades from Britain First was an MI5 informant this would have no bearing on this matter. I'm sorry Steven, and I have no intention of offending you, but I think you are being somewhat naive or perhaps you are simply unaware of the existence of the deep state.
My only point was that in the past the British intelligence services have been known to be involved with nationalist terror organisations. Far be it for me to suggest anything further. He who keepeth his mouth keepeth his life.
We should bear in mind that we in the UK are ten days away from a vote that the political representatives of the grande bourgeoisie were as of yesterday showing all signs of going against them. In these critical times anything is possible.
Schmoopie: Why don't you take
Schmoopie:
Why don't you take your tin foil hat off and hang it up. The man had at least a decade's worth of associations with neo-nazi groups. ffs, not everything is a conspiracy. Sometimes the obvious explanation is the obvious explanation.
Comparing this suggestion to
Comparing this suggestion to e.g. Operation Gladio, where a motivation was to put 'communists' in the frame, what would be the advantage in this for the 'deep state'?
Really got pissed off with
Really got pissed off with this tosh that you can't actually be a fascist AND mentally ill too. You can be, you know.
Fleur wrote: Schmoopie: Why
Fleur
Exactly. Not only that, but there will be absolutely no motive for the state to do this.
Anyway, you have said on multiple occasions that you find this topic boring and irrelevant, so why on earth do you still feel the need to keep commenting nonsense?
BTW, London Black Revs have
BTW, London Black Revs have posted this photo which they say is the killer at a Britain First demo, and they say neighbours of his have verified it is him (although it is not independently confirmed):
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/18/thomas-mair-charged-with-of-mp-jo-cox
"Thomas Mair has given his name as “death to traitors, freedom for Britain” during his appearance in court charged with the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox."
(No subject)
I'm no expert on mental
I'm no expert on mental illness nor the details of this case but I think that having some form of mental illness is no great barrier to belonging to or supporting a far right or any political organisation of the bourgeoisie for that matter. From testimonials already public it seems that the alleged murderer was quite lucid in places about alienation and long-term unemployment and, within the current decay of capitalist relations it's not a surprise that he fell for this particular ideology - an ideology that's been promoted far more extensively by both the Labour and Tory governments in their demonisation of muslims and their fundamental racism.
This is a terrible tragedy for this young woman and her family. In the same 24 hours a mother and her daughter were murdered, an ex-soldier suffering from PTSD was tasered to death by police in Wales and yesterday a miner was blown up deep underground in Cleveland. Absolutely no point in the bourgeoisie whipping up a campaign for any of them.
The brutal killing of this MP, who supported the bombing of Iraq and its extension to Syria, i.e., British imperialist policy, has immediately exploded into a celebration of democracy and the democratic state where members of parliament bravely represent their constituents and fight for "good". It's a very effective campaign particularly given the present disorientation and weakness of the working class. The "values of British democracy" and the cynical and hypocritical campaigns now being unleashed around them are far more dangerous to the working class than any individual brutal killer, his possible mental illness or his far-right allegiance.
Baboon 15:53: ‘The "values of
Baboon 15:53:
‘The "values of British democracy" and the cynical and hypocritical campaigns now being unleashed around them are far more dangerous to the working class than any individual brutal killer, his possible mental illness or his far-right allegiance.’
Sorry, but this is over egging the pudding. Liberal democracy is not more dangerous than any murdering fascist or his friends. The ruling class are in the middle of an argument over how to run UK capitalism and this murder has thrown a spanner into the works, as no one knows how it’s going to play out. Their fallback position is to call a truce and ‘brace the main sail’. No one, including MPs like individuals taking them out permanently.
Quote: Anyway, you have said
Partly because you and your clique keep insulting my intelligence and partly because the story is beginning to pique my interest. I thank you for that at least.
I don't think baboon is over
I don't think baboon is over egging the pudding in the least. Murdering fascists are bad news but liberal democracy is by far the biggest, most widespread and importantly, the most effective anti working class entity we face.
Schmoopie wrote: So if it
Schmoopie
There's no evidence so far for state involvement, and in general the state is too busy drawing support from that spectrum to want the extreme end to make them look bad.
The state didn't collude with the IRA, at some points they ignored spies and informants for a variety of reasons. You could have mentioned that the state, or elements of it, did collude with loyalists at times.
As the state has plenty of 'legitimate' power I tend to assume that it will use it, as we see it happily doing constantly, rather than enter into convoluted plots with unclear results. So while it's true that things like westmoreland new post and all that stuff were slightly unbelievable they were at least understandable and brought out as a result of actual research rather than just assuming for political reasons that anythin that doesn't gel with your point of view is secretly the other side, it's often compounded by the fact that they, at least rhetorically, tend to advocate the kind of actions that they claim are false flag operations. Weirdly enough the people who constantly go on about conspiracies tend to miss the most important point, if the government actually was running a massive secret operation they might crack down on people who are exposing it. It's a bit like people who start endless threads on internet forums complaining about not being allowed to express themselves.
There is no genocide against
There is no genocide against the population of Britain. That's a white supremacist meme.
The guy aboove looks like a
The guy aboove looks like a fash to me,( not you JK), even if his discourse is expressed in a fairly intellectual way
There's some seriously
There's some seriously horrible stuff getting posted on the forums last few days, what is going on?
Admin: fashy post
Admin: fashy post unpublished.
a well-connected
a well-connected loner?
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2016/06/19/accused-british-assassin-thomas-mair-attended-racists-2000-meeting
Noah Fence jun18 2016
Noah Fence jun18 2016 19:25
‘I don't think baboon is over egging the pudding in the least. Murdering fascists are bad news but liberal democracy is by far the biggest, most widespread and importantly, the most effective anti working class entity we face.’
Noah, I believe you have got this wrong. Liberal Democracy is a ruling class puppet show, which serves the purpose of diverting the working class revolutionary movement into reformism. Far from being the most widespread political entity at present a bare majority of the world’s states have even a token form of democracy and ‘Liberal’ democracies number only about two dozen. So it is not the dominant ideology of the (competing) ruling classes.
It is a strange sort of comfort blanket to believe, that living in a liberal democracy, we are facing the greatest danger from the ‘values of British democracy’, and so by implication ignore the rising tide of xenophobia in the streets of the UK. These ‘values’ we know are a lie. Unfortunately the ‘challenge’ to them, not only here but worldwide, are not from the pitifully small revolutionary movement, it is from the far right.
So you may charge away at the dangerous windmills of liberal democracy, though I fear the growth of the extreme right, in Austria, Poland, Hungry, Turkey, Russia, etc. Our ruling class will dump liberal democracy and finance populist fascism if it perceives the need to change the political theatre. Ask any of the tens of thousands of refugees, ‘Which poses the greatest threat - liberal democracy or fascism/state terrorism?’
Steven: Quote: ...there will
Steven:
From today's Daily Telegraph:
you know, if brexit was so
you know, if brexit was so universally bad for capitalists rather than a depute between capitalists why did it never occur to them to hire a competent team to run the remain campaign, or to counter the anti eu and anti migrate propaganda which lead to this situation, why are they even holding the referendum?
whys they state so competent at these conspiracies but absolutely noting else?
they cant keep it quite that the prime minister fucked a pig, they cant "find" weapons of mass destruction in iraq, but they have complete control over fanatical nazies who would definitely never kill they political enemies without orders from the state
Auld Bod- well, that's me
Auld Bod- well, that's me told!
Disclaimer: I don't think the
Disclaimer: I don't think the killer was a double agent. I don't think 'our' intelligence services were behind the killing. I do think that Britain First is saturated with MI5 informants as are many other British fringe political organisations.
Very good question. As far as I have been told the Tories made a pledge to hold this referendum in the run up to the General Election in a bid to gain votes from UKIP. Perhaps it was a surprise to the political establishment that the voting public ignored the overwhelming propaganda encouraging them to vote to stay in. The possibility that the desired outcome was not to be achieved has been having a destabilising effect in market confidence, not just in UK markets but around the globe.
I am not in a position of knowledge that I can say one way or another what circumstances led to the death of this woman MP but neither is anyone else. From the start of this topic first being aired here my point is that speculation should be left to the bourgeois press: they have much more authority when it comes to speculation/information management.
P.S. Noah Fence, if you're
P.S. Noah Fence, if you're still chasing 'down' votes I'd be happy to give you a few tips.
Schmoopie wrote: P.S. Noah
Schmoopie
Lol! Thanks but you're talking to an expert here. I'm on a slow steady period right now - innocuous posts down voted for no other reason than that certain people think I'm a cunt. They're right of course but so are many others. So really it's because I'm a vegan cunt that's handed them their ass on several occasions that their finger starts twitching.
Generally, a double figures down vote count is easy meat for me(see what I did there) but there are vindictive mean spirited bastards around here that won't down vote me even when I talk utter shit because they know that I'm a down vote fan. This post may well turn out to be an example of that.
ps. I'm a landlord, I love crass and all non vegans are murdering bastards.