Nationalism
With the rise in support for far-right parties such as the LPF in the Netherlands and the BNP and UKIP in the United Kingdom, however temporarily that experience might prove to be, some gay men and lesbians are worried that their hard-won rights may be challenged or taken away if these parties win elections.
Interviewed about the low turnout in the European Elections of 2004, an MEP (Member of the European Parliament) retorted: “But our posters were everywhere.” Any politician who thinks all you have to do to engage with people and get their vote is to stick up a poster somewhere has lost the plot.
“Society” and “community” are all of us, and regardless of who or what we are, we have a right to live in peace and safety and pursue our own lives and interests without let or hinder, provided our interests and ways of life are legal (or at least acceptable to the majority).
The citizen who wants to be a part of a civilised society and helps achieve that end by joining in debate and discussion, or listening and talking with people so that they can work through their own thoughts and make up their own minds, can help defeat extreme views.
Organisations such as the Anti-Nazi League and Unite have had limited success so far in tempering support for these parties.
So, what do we mean by a far-right party or ideology? The three main words that come to mind are fascist, nationalist, racist.
Fascism is any system of government that exalts nation and often race above the individual, and uses violence and modern techniques of propaganda and censorship to forcibly suppress political opposition, engages in severe economic and social regimentation, and espouses nationalism and sometimes racism (ethnic nationalism).
Racism is described by the UN (in the terms of racial discrimination) as ìany distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life”.
Nationalism is a concept of identity which members of a particular government, nation, society, or territory may collectively feel. Nationalists feel simply that nations are better off when they are permitted to govern themselves, following their own political, economic, and cultural interests independently.
If you consider how you want to feel about things, you will probably feel that you are happier if you are surrounded by people who are like you. You may feel happier in a particular style of neighbourhood, or doing a particular kind of activity. Itís a basic human need to feel safe and secure in a tribe of like-minded people. You feel happier if everyone is content and positive and optimistic and working for the same things in life.
When you look at the leaflets far-right organisations issue at elections you will see them playing to this need. They may describe your locality and the pressures on your community using phrases which portray particular sections of the community as the cause of the problems. They then may espouse the removal of that part of the community as a solution.
The section of the community is of course NOT the cause of the problem, or even the problem. You could see the “problem” as a symptom of a deeper issue in the way our society is structured and works; for instance, insufficient funding for the local hospital and a shortage of key staff and housing for them are inter-related with the need for balance in matching supply and demand in treating people who are waiting for operations.
Individuals view their surroundings through their senses and their experiences. A person who is depressed will see a situation differently from someone who is happy and satisfied. A person who is unemployed and whose skills may not be appropriate for local conditions will view things differently from someone who has the right skills and a good job. A person who is on low income and reliant on public housing may live in different circumstances and in unhealthier living conditions than someone who works in the city and can afford better housing. An activist for a far-right organisation would play on these feelings to ferment discord and promote their aims.
You could say that the rise of the far right is a failure of reasonable people to act and think reasonably in a reasonable manner so that we can all get along without any trouble. ‘Reasonable’ implies behaving in a quality way which includes honesty and transparency, telling the truth and sticking to it, and keeping your promises. The way to fight the rise in nationalism is to take part in the community and democratic process, in debate and argument, listen and learn and explain to people. You may feel more confident if you can join a party or group sharing your interest or viewpoint so that you can argue with strength and the facts to hand.
