I find myself ever so slightly uncomfortable at coming out in full support of the EDL. Not because of its message, which I think is unimpeachable. But because of its presentation.
It is, or looks...how to put this now?... just so... "white", and skin-headed. The pictures of them at demos are a bunch of young white guys, many in hoodies, many shaven-headed.
The group that always comes out on the streets in opposition to the EDL, Unite Against Fascim, by contrast, seems -- again, on the evidence of the pictures -- to be a much more heterogeneous outfit: young and old, mums and dads, white and black.
Of course it would be just as racist to judge solely on the basis of (white) skin colour as it would be for (black) skin colour. But still. It makes it easy for people on the Left to characterise them as a bunch of "far right" hooligans and skin-head racists.
Now the message of the EDL is something else. I find their Mission Statement to be sound. Read it carefully and see if there's anything that you can disagree with.
Moreover, I have been on their email list for a while and can confirm this: that their leadership stresses their demonstrations must be peaceful; that they will have monitors to keep the peace; that demonstrators should not respond to provocations; that the EDL is non-racist and inclusive; that they are only against radical elements of Islam... and so on. In other words, unexceptional and reasonable.
Meantime the opposite is the case for the UAF. Note the name, by the way -- United against Fascism. How could anyone be pro-fascist? So how could anyone be against the UAF?
But in coming out against the EDL, one must ask: what exactly is fascist about the following, the core concerns of the EDL? --
But then look at the make-up of the UAF. It has the opposite issue of the EDL.
While the EDL have a good message and lousy presentation, the UAF have good presentation (the heterogeneous demonstrators) but a lousy message (support for radical Islam).
Given the make up of the UAW, it's not surprising that they should carry water for Islamic radicalism.
The Chairman of the UAF is none other than Ken Livingston ("Red Ken"). As Mayor of London Red Ken hosted to London the murderous anti-semite Yusuf Qaradawi, who in Tahrir Square in March this year called for the destruction of Israel. Red Ken has been unapologetic about his association with this known and dangerous Jihadist. Other members include the Far Left Socialist Workers' Party, people who want to bring Marxism and its totalitarian, freedom-crushing ideology to the UK.
By demonstrating against the EDL, the message of the UAF, implicitly and in some cases explicitly, is that Islam -- in ALL its forms -- is just fine for the UK. Their position as spruikers for radical Islam is understandable in that the socialist ideal is the overthrow of the state, however that can be done and they misguidedly believe that radical Islamists are their allies in that endeavour.
And when the UAF demonstrate against the EDL they are in almost all cases the instigators of any violence that ensues (verifiable from the videos), knowing from experience that the police will side with them against the EDL at the behest of their political masters. Their political masters, in turn, hewing to the fantasy that Islam is a "religion of peace" and that one must not do anything that Muslims may deem offensive (that list being a loooong list).
The UAW are thus carrying water for the Islamic radicals who would overturn the rule of law in the UK and turn it over to Sharia.
So, while EDL have a good message and lousy presentation, here are some ideas to match the presentation with the message:
Recommendations to the EDL
It is, or looks...how to put this now?... just so... "white", and skin-headed. The pictures of them at demos are a bunch of young white guys, many in hoodies, many shaven-headed.
The group that always comes out on the streets in opposition to the EDL, Unite Against Fascim, by contrast, seems -- again, on the evidence of the pictures -- to be a much more heterogeneous outfit: young and old, mums and dads, white and black.
Of course it would be just as racist to judge solely on the basis of (white) skin colour as it would be for (black) skin colour. But still. It makes it easy for people on the Left to characterise them as a bunch of "far right" hooligans and skin-head racists.
Now the message of the EDL is something else. I find their Mission Statement to be sound. Read it carefully and see if there's anything that you can disagree with.
Moreover, I have been on their email list for a while and can confirm this: that their leadership stresses their demonstrations must be peaceful; that they will have monitors to keep the peace; that demonstrators should not respond to provocations; that the EDL is non-racist and inclusive; that they are only against radical elements of Islam... and so on. In other words, unexceptional and reasonable.
Meantime the opposite is the case for the UAF. Note the name, by the way -- United against Fascism. How could anyone be pro-fascist? So how could anyone be against the UAF?
But in coming out against the EDL, one must ask: what exactly is fascist about the following, the core concerns of the EDL? --
- One law for all.
- Equal rights for all -- women, minorities and, specifically, Muslims who choose to leave the faith.
- The rights of girls not to be genitally mutilated at birth
- The rights of women not to be killed for having been raped (or other such "honour" killings)
- Freedom of speech and conscience.
- Resisting an ideology -- radical Islam -- which stands four-square against all these rights and freedoms and which explicitly works to have the brutality of Sharia law brought to the UK.
But then look at the make-up of the UAF. It has the opposite issue of the EDL.
While the EDL have a good message and lousy presentation, the UAF have good presentation (the heterogeneous demonstrators) but a lousy message (support for radical Islam).
Given the make up of the UAW, it's not surprising that they should carry water for Islamic radicalism.
The Chairman of the UAF is none other than Ken Livingston ("Red Ken"). As Mayor of London Red Ken hosted to London the murderous anti-semite Yusuf Qaradawi, who in Tahrir Square in March this year called for the destruction of Israel. Red Ken has been unapologetic about his association with this known and dangerous Jihadist. Other members include the Far Left Socialist Workers' Party, people who want to bring Marxism and its totalitarian, freedom-crushing ideology to the UK.
By demonstrating against the EDL, the message of the UAF, implicitly and in some cases explicitly, is that Islam -- in ALL its forms -- is just fine for the UK. Their position as spruikers for radical Islam is understandable in that the socialist ideal is the overthrow of the state, however that can be done and they misguidedly believe that radical Islamists are their allies in that endeavour.
And when the UAF demonstrate against the EDL they are in almost all cases the instigators of any violence that ensues (verifiable from the videos), knowing from experience that the police will side with them against the EDL at the behest of their political masters. Their political masters, in turn, hewing to the fantasy that Islam is a "religion of peace" and that one must not do anything that Muslims may deem offensive (that list being a loooong list).
The UAW are thus carrying water for the Islamic radicals who would overturn the rule of law in the UK and turn it over to Sharia.
So, while EDL have a good message and lousy presentation, here are some ideas to match the presentation with the message:
Recommendations to the EDL
- Need to get congruence between the message (a good one) with its implementation (not good)
- Revamp and soften the look of the website.
- Expand membership to make it -- and make it look -- more representative of a broader section of society. Broader society does support the aims of EDL. Need to get them involved.
- Reach out to other bodies in the UK against Islamic radicalism and Sharia (eg One Law for All)
- Focus more on the education aspect of the work set out in the Mission Statement, even if at the expense of on-street demonstrations.
- Reach out more to the media with the message of what EDL stands for: rule of law, equal rights for all (including Muslims), freedom of speech and conscience.
