So, they did it. The self-titled German "anti-fascists" (AntiFa) won what they think is a victory. In an digital call-to-arms, they organized an "online-flashmob", calling on people to visit the facebook page of the German Nationalist Party, NPD, and report it to facebook for containing hatespeech.
And just now the 8-รณ-clock news reported that the page has been taken down.
Why am I not happy about this? A fascist site has been taken off the web. But for how long? A day? Perhaps even a week. How many potential readers do you think have been saved by this heroic action from joining the leagues of the neo-fascist movement? Let's be positive and estimate at least a dozen. Woohoo.
I assure you that at the NPD headquarters, the phone line is red hot right now, with calls from journalists asking for statements. I bet they've already half-finished the speech which they started writing the instant they heard about this "online-flashmob". And tomorrow there will be press conference - A young and attractive spokesperson will be given a chance to speak to the nation, styling himself and his like as Martyrs, feigning the victim who suffered an unspeakable injustice at the hands of the radical left. He will have the chance to portray the left as dangerous enemies to freedom of speech, even as enemies to all freedom.
The initiators of this debacle of course will see this spectacle as vindication, proof of how entirely justified they were in taking down the website, heroically robbing the NPD of one of their least valued channels of speech for an entirety of maybe two days. Truly, the White Rose would be so proud.
Fighting Racism Done Right
If you really want to do something against racism, support education. Join one of the many NGOs working for integration, teaching kids acceptance. Racism is a virus that children can easily be vaccinated against, simply by teching them the basic skills of critical thinking and showing them the virtues of cooperation. If you can bring children to celebrate diversity instead of fearing the unknown, you've won the battle. Curing diseases is done by eleminating the cause, not by treating the symptoms.
I've often thought education through travel would help with racism. Travel is still costly, but maybe virtual travel? Anyone immersed in someone else's culture for a while can't be completely racist. If they still see the bad, at least they will also see the good.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an interesting point. Of course exposure to other cultures has a huge effect on people, especially children. Information and experience are lethal to prejudice; there's a reason racism flourishes in the countryside more than it does in the cultural melting-pot of urban cities.
DeleteVirtual travel is an interesting option, perhaps a few lessons of "cultural studies" at school might also do the trick.
Well said. How does education stand up against the parents at home at night who are not subject to the education yet hold great sway over their children?
ReplyDeleteOf course parents are still an issue, but the great thing about critical thinking is that once they've learned to apply it, they'll apply it to everything. Of course there are some kids out there who are already indoctrinated beyond hope - As far as the rest of the world is concerned, though, teaching them just a little reflexion may go a long way.
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