I
have never met the late Jo Cox MP, www.jocox.org.uk/ grievously
murdered Thursday 16th June. So whilst her death is personal to her
dear family and friends, it should also mean much to those of us who did not
know her.
I
am so sickened by the current rhetoric that attends politics, politicians, and
the febrile atmosphere surrounding political activities, from formal
institutions to the local. We cannot
deny that this is aided and abetted by press, media and social media too. The
lies, the innuendos, the blame, the threats, and the labelling; for,
against, pro, anti. It is only natural that there are ‘differences’ in
politics, between politicians, and those enthused by the democratic process, but as Jo Cox said in her maiden speech…more united and have far more in common with
each other than the things that divides us.
That
terror was brought to the street outside a library cannot be denied. But we have to also acknowledge that ‘labelling’
hypes up situations; primarily, I am thinking of the words ‘terrorists extremists’, and that which is almost the
norm now…to see those tied to ‘Islam’ and
‘Muslim’ But even now, the words ‘refugees’, ‘migrants’ appear as
negatives to many.
So
what does it say of our society that in 2016 we can see a billboard poster with
snaking queues of people, with the clear purpose of identifying them as ‘different’ and 'other' ; that they’re going to come here
to swamp us. This is not new to Britain. What was the political slogan, Smethwick, 1964?
The Conservatives were widely reported as using the slogan "if you want a nxxxxr for a neighbour, vote Labour. I suppose I should point out the Tory party rejected the claim saying that this was the work of far right extremists.
But it was out there. Right wing extremism, racist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Griffiths
The Conservatives were widely reported as using the slogan "if you want a nxxxxr for a neighbour, vote Labour. I suppose I should point out the Tory party rejected the claim saying that this was the work of far right extremists.
But it was out there. Right wing extremism, racist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Griffiths
All this wordage feeds division, forcing us into ‘camps’ that are feared, loathed, despised
and on occasion, those who have been labelled into 'camps' are hunted down.
But
if we spotlight one and not the other, we do society a dis-service.
We cannot afford to maintain a ‘head in the sand stance.’ We have to call out right wing terror and terrorism wherever we find it, or where it finds us. And it found Jo Cox without doubt.
It would appear now that her assailant will face the judge under terrorism protocols. In very sad times for her family and friends, and us all, there could have been no other call.
We cannot afford to maintain a ‘head in the sand stance.’ We have to call out right wing terror and terrorism wherever we find it, or where it finds us. And it found Jo Cox without doubt.
It would appear now that her assailant will face the judge under terrorism protocols. In very sad times for her family and friends, and us all, there could have been no other call.
We cannot continue to imagine that as a society we are immune
to this form of terrorism, or that it is exclusive to other areas in the world.
Or are we denying the rise and actions of the far right in mainland Europe and
beyond? We
have seen the demonising of ‘others’ through words, headlines and now posters to
a level that should neither continue to be ignored nor go unchallenged.
Here
in Scotland perhaps we can view public services in a different light, but
whilst what is achieved here might or might not be the optimum, it is achieved
in the context of being part of the UK union.
Cut backs, increasing poverty
in the guise of ‘living within your means’, disguising enforced austerity as
some form of growth for the future does not make for a safe/safer society.
But the UK has seen vocabulary, front page headlines, even cartoons, escalate to levels
where migrants are blamed for low wages. But we all know that employers set wage
rates, not the workers. Migrants are blamed for a lack of access to hospitals,
doctors, dentists, but we all know that the NHS requires investment, not cut
backs. Migrants are blamed for over-crowded schools but we know that without a
programme of school building and teacher training there will be little or no
change.
Have
we learnt nothing from old Europe, disunited Europe of the 20th
century?
The politics then, the same scape-goating, billboards, posters,
flag waving, the and the ultimate conditioning of people to see, and
for a while, accept the unacceptable: the move from despising the ‘other’ to the
killing of the ‘other’.
Today's National www.thenational.scot again pin points fault lines in the EU debate and the reasons for #Remain, not lest right wing extremism and its impact here and abroad that could well continue to escalate if we are out of the EU, with negative economic and political change at Westminster. Dave or Boris? Boris or Dave?
Today's National www.thenational.scot again pin points fault lines in the EU debate and the reasons for #Remain, not lest right wing extremism and its impact here and abroad that could well continue to escalate if we are out of the EU, with negative economic and political change at Westminster. Dave or Boris? Boris or Dave?
Terror
and terrorism struck down a public figure, an MP; someone who choose to enter
politics, public life, someone that was put into public life by voters, the likes
of you and me.
Will
I be able to go down the road, locally, to meet with the person that was
willing to take up political office, my MP?
Will that easy access, on the streets, at the
Gala day, in the constituency office continue?
I hope so, and from what I have
heard and seen, it will.
Otherwise,
one part of our democratic process died Thursday 16, along with
Jo Cox...................R I P ...............and all those others murdered for their beliefs, their ethnicity...just for being themselves......
