- domestically, politically, globally.
It’s a simple equation. One we know – in theory.
The problem is that extreme right-wing activism and
in fact all forms of authoritarianism, thrive on this equation.
It is no coincidence that many of those on the
lunatic right – when we take a closer look – are deeply inadequate people and
attracted to fear and dysfunction like Harry Potter dementors.
From Donald Trump, a man bursting with insufficiencies
to Boris de-Brexit Johnson. From migrant botherer Nigel Farage to
America’s white supremacist and anti-Semite Nick Fuentes. In a dark irony, it
has been noted many times - there is no one on the side of white supremacy who
looks and/or sounds anything other than extremely inferior.
And we do not hold these people to the standards we hold our contemporaries to. We don’t even hold them to the standards we’d hold their contemporaries to – i.e. more moderate politicians or commentators. To give one tiny example – during the pandemic when then PM Boris de-Brexit Johnson partied while people died – Scottish 1st minister Nicola Sturgeon was publically shamed because she broke the rules. In her case she stood up. Yes. She stood up in a social setting where she would have been within the rules if she’d stayed seated. It’s a false equivalence that has gained corrosive traction.
For a
current relevant example of how this plays out in the media and with those at the
top – you only need look at how the right-wing UK press were happy to make non-too subtle equivalence between teen sex-pest and friend
of famous paedo - Prince Andrew and Prince Harry. The latter's crime was fleeing the country to protect his wife from racism.
Here in the UK, how many truly vile inadequate human monstrosities have been elevated to The House of Lords (including the Tory peer being investigated for enriching her
family during covid to the tune of £29m from a dodgy PPE contract) – to the
point when you have to conclude that any decent law abiding citizen would be morally
bound to refuse a peerage. Though, of course, constitutionally The HoL is an
abomination anyhow.
And of course Putin - the Russian
authoritarian (and war criminal in the style of Blair and Bush) once brought a large dog to a meeting with
Angela Merkel just because he knew she was wary of dogs. Though, we have to
bracket him. How much choice the people of Russia actually had in ‘electing’
him is debatable. Well, it’s debatable as long as you don’t live in Russia.
And party affiliation or label or even cultural
background matters not a jot nor does the subject. The hideous far-right Itamar
Ben-Gvir has been given political breathing space by blot on the landscape Benjamin Netanyahu
trying to escape corruption charges. Despite the anti-Semitism recently washing
Trump dirtier than ever – these people could be part of the Trump fan club.
They sound and look the SAME.
But these vile individuals are not really the
question.
The question is why – at certain points in history -
do we (THE public) give them such prominent platforms, listen to their poison
and follow them down the sewer.
Fear and Dysfunction.
When humans are scared and not acting or reacting
properly they do weird stuff. They will listen to nonsense. They will act
inappropriately. For some reason they actively move away from the common sense
and the practical.
What folk are scared of is often real.
I think collectively at some level we know the
planet we all rely on to survive is creaking under the weight of our collective
apathy. Our abuse. Our over-use. It’s like we know we messed up - we actually
did leave the house without turning the gas off but rather than go back and
sort it out we are listening to the guy who is telling us that the coming explosion
is someone else’s fault. The poor person taking benefits – the migrant – the Jewish/black/gay
person.
However, at the back of our minds we really know
that the problem is we left the gas on. We fucked up. Are we too far away to
get back in time to turn it off? Dare we call emergency services and admit what
we’ve done. Or should we just bury our heads and join in screaming at other
people and when the house blows up point at those other folk – all the while
knowing – really knowing - in our heart of hearts it’s not them. It never was
them.
We all should have checked out own behaviour.
But how tempting it is when some gob-shite comes
along and pours poison in our ears and persuades, with our collusion and
willingness, someone else is to blame…
*
And of course - as always - I invite you to check out my adult novels, children's books and anthologies by clicking here My BOOKS or check out any good independent online books tore.