If someone is not prepared to take a stand against racism and bigotry they are at the very best a coward. There really is no other way of looking at it as everything else is in some way justifying or excusing such behaviour. Political extremism only ever gains traction when good people turn a blind eye. It really is time for people to decide which side they are on. There really is no middle ground here.
PS I’m talking in general, I don’t give a shit either way about a picture of some self-professed monarch. This is about the political right trying to shut-down anti-racist, anti-LGBT+, and environmental protest.
The word 'bigotry' has been over-used so much by so meany people, it has become just as meaningless as 'woke'. Some days ago I exposed my own version of the meaning of 'woke', but meanwhile I have to admit there are far too many ways to describe it. Racism: I take some action by giving language lessons I already wrote about here, and generally by trying to behave properly with people who behave properly too, no matter how they look or sound. LBGT+: same thing.
Tony, if you want to filter out one thing about me, it is that I see little point in following ideologies, especially so when it's bordering fanaticism. Let me give you an example, which is conveniently about environmental protest.
In my town an old brewery was shut, and instead of selling the centrally located land to a housing development consortium, at a juicy profit of course, it was decided to turn it into a technology center. From the onset, it was decided that the the climate was to be an essential part of the project, and several of the start-ups involved are active in this domain. To further underscore this mindset, Extinction Rebellion was allowed to set up its local headquarters there. They tend to be rather noisy at times, which is a hassle for engineers trying to concentrate, but so far tolerance is the word.
What became more of a problem is the protest these very XR members organised last Black Friday in front of a local shopping mall, blocking the access, shouting even at people who just walked by, some having been spat on (oh nice). Now we all agree that Black Friday is one of the most stupid things ever invented, personally I have never bought anything on that day even online, and I never will.
The buzz lasted for months on social media, often negatively because the behaviour of some members was simply abysmal, and the matter found itself several times on the front page of our two regional papers. The people who got spat on is the lesser problem - the main consequence of this action is currently its potential effect on the planned financial injection of roughly 25 million Euro, and in Switzerland the population votes for such things (it is due on Sunday). Needless to say that the financial injection (to a place where XR has its headquarters and where technologies are developed for environmental solutions, remember) meanwhile looks compromised, we'll see on Sunday evening.
If the outcome of the vote is negative, it would be a brilliant example for a protest that shot itself in the foot big time. Total idiots, sorry. That's why, instead of a water-headed rebellion, I far prefer when a few XR members with a minimum of brain substance politely knock at the door of local councillors who are the ones who have the power to actually do something.
You are a vegetarian, Tony, you are not particularly militant about it, but the result is that less meat will be produced thanks to you, and many others who just eat vegetables and shut up. I prefer this by far to the militant vegan who becomes vegan only because her best friend is, but who still eats a good sausage time and again when nobody looks. Rebellion which is just done for PR or personal advantage, and not meant honestly, is the one I despise the most. A German three-starred car maker boasting about protecting the climate (cars with 500+ horsepower, a joke) and printing multicoloured brochures feigning some interest in LBGT+ matters (but only visible in Western countries and not in the Middle East, where after all they could sell a few less cars you know). Hypocrisy in a form so pure that to me, it would be a reason never to buy one, even if I could afford it.
I’m confused. You often seem to suggest that more social justice is a good thing, but also appear to denigrate those speaking up for social justice just as often. Could you clarify?
I am definitely for more social justice and I try to act accordingly when interacting with people, but surely I don't always succeed, and all too often I look for myself first. But that's a lot of people, and wearing a woke t-shirt, or shouting woke stuff on the web, will not change anything anywhere. The term has become meaningless anyway, so if ever, I would wear a t-shirt with something more concrete, like "Put high-profile bankers in prison". Again, me wearing it would help no-one, but if Roger Federer did (especially so as he is from the same country as the bankers I am talking about), it would probably have more weight.
At best - a profound negativity verging on nihilism. At worst - just more of the usual RW propaganda.
Neither, nor. And I've briefly looked at your two pages, why should I not be in favour of such actions ?
You certainly can’t take a ‘centrist’ position on racism, homophobia etc. There just isn’t one.
There we agree, but on many other topics the centrist way is the only one to really achieve something long-term-oriented. The problem you have in the UK is the radically two-sided (and flawed, I agree by now) system you have, one side systematically destroying what the predecessors did. Over the years I've sensed that the political climate in the UK is a disaster for a nation supposed to be a modernist one. I still believe that Brexit could have been handled in a much better way than it currently is, the efficient vaccination program being more or less the only news about a positive Brexit effect we get from you guys here on the continent.