Racism and fascism - new material (9)
01 July 2008
Integration, Islamaphobia and civil rights in Europe, Liz Fekete. Institute of Race Relations (May) 2008, pp 105.This report finds that “the challenge to multiculturalism In Europe comes not from Muslim communities’ unwillingness to integrate but from Islamaphobia.” It concludes that “it is impossible to advance integration of Muslims in Europe when the whole debate about integration any many of EU member states’ new policy initiatives are shot through with Islamaphobia. Young Muslims in particular are influenced locally by economies that exclude them, nationally by debates which demonise them and internationally by foreign policies which alienate them.” Available from IRR, 2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS, email: info@irr.org.uk
From fight to farce: the BNP leadership challenge peters out, Nick Lowles. Searchlight no. 397 (July) 2008, pp 12-13. Update on the unsuccessful challenge to Nick Griffin’s leadership of the BNP by a significant section of the organisation’s membership.
L’incubatrice del razzismo, Stefano Rodotà. Repubblica, 23.9.08. Using statements by Lega Nord politicians during recent political meetings, including former mayor of Trieste, Giancarlo Gentilini, saying “Never mind about mosques, immigrants can go to pray and piss in the desert” on 15 September 2008 in Venice, Rodotà notes how these indicate a dangerous degeneration, seldom picked up on by the media, that may help to explain what is happening in the country. He offers five keys to interpret the situation: 1) the creation of an image of an ethological territory that, if penetrated by “others” (immigrants, Roma people, homosexuals), gives rise to reactions telling them to go elsewhere, that may even go so far as to be violent; 2) a mithridatic country, whereby small doses of this kind of discourse, and their dismissal as folklore or incandescence by the likes of Berlusconi and a weak left, have resulted in resignation or inurement, and to language becoming more vulgar, beyond the limits set by principles of equality or respect for people’s dignity; 3) the concern expressed by the European Union towards recent Italian events cannot be relieved by merely modifying certain norms that are envisaged, and Italian diplomats should help the government to understand the EU’s reactions, rather than voicing complaints about them; 4) the distinction between “good” and “bad” immigrants, constantly mooted by politicians when approving legislation, does not transpire on the ground, where immigrants’ encounters with the State (for example, when renewing work or residence permits) are often marked by intimidatory conduct, the use of “tu” (informal) as if dealing with “inferior beings”, comments about women’s appearance, and annoyance when any requests for explanations are made; 5) as for racism, Rodotà acknowledges that the word is “frightening”, but that when facing dramatic events, it does not suffice to say that Rome, or Milan, are not racist, as if they were immune from such a phenomenon, concluding: “racists are among us, not just in Italy, but we must ask ourselves whether we are doing enough, not just to fight them, but to stop them from feeling like they are the representatives of the times”.
The Italian general election and its aftermath, Liz Fekete. European Race Bulletin no 64 (Summer) 2008, pp 1-15. This feature article summarises the situation in Italy with the election of fascists, xenophobes, Islamaphobes and nationalists under the flag of convenience of Silvio Berlusoni’s Popolo della Liberta. Available from IRR, 2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS; email: info@irr.org.uk
Italian fascism is once again on the rise, Peter Popam. The Independent 6.5.08, p 31. Starting from the murder of Nicola Tomamasoli, who was beaten to death by a neo-fascist mob, Popham describes how Italy “has embarked on an alarming new experiment” following April’s elections leaving the far right “closer to the heart of power than at any time since the fall of Mussolini.” Among the key players in this Berlusconi’s government is Gianfranco Fini, and his Aleanza Nazionale colleague, Gianni Alemanno; the government is also dependent on the nationalist Lega Nord for majorities in both houses of parliament. The Verona public prosecutor, Guido Papalia, who is investigating the killing of Nicola Tomamasoli, has expressed his concern: “There is a way of thinking that is very widespread these days, which rejects what is different, those who don’t dress like us, don’t eat like us, don’t speak with our accent, in defence of a system that they simply maintain is better than that of others and that therefore must be defended with violence.”
An ongoing trial of terror, Gerry Gable. Searchlight no. 398 (August) 2008, pp 11-13. Examination of far-right terrorism in the UK that looks at some of the many terrorist acts carried out or planned by fascists in the UK since the Second World War.