Do you know anyone personally who belongs to a Far Right group?

[FortunesFave]

I was just thinking about far right extremists because of something I saw on Youtube and then thought about how I've never and would probably never meet one of these people because of my line of work (the arts) then I began thinking about people who might be like that but hide it...

Does anyone know any? Are they open about their ideals? I promise I am not a journo. Just interested.

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

I agree with Wbeezer and Biscuitsneeded

'Liberal fascism' is a very real thing. The sort who will claim that they are 'tolerant of everything but intolerance' and will use the word 'bigot' as an instant gotcha whenever somebody has very different views from them.

As has been said, this is a massive issue with the TRAs, where people firmly set out their stall in support of one minority/oppressed group and then, sometimes almost by default, end up throwing another one under the bus. Then, people who support the latter group are automatically considered to hate those in the former group, which is usually not the case at all. Of course, this ends up with the one group considering themselves 'true inclusive feminists' and the other group as 'intolerant radical so-called-feminists'. It doesn't help when one group's reasonable requests are drowned out by the screamed demands (and, ironically, threats of violence and sanctions) of the other.

Yes, any kind of extremism is a problem - and I think it might actually be more helpful to see extremism vs TRUE tolerance (balanced with respect and responsibility) as two opposite sides of a circle rather than two ends of a linear spectrum, thus the furthest left and the furthest right effectively meet at the same point, just like a political version of the Diomede Islands.

I also agree re UKIP and Brexit that, just because a lot of outright racists and haters were attracted to them (and the main big parties are also far from immune from this), there are/were a great many people who genuinely, peacefully wanted to take back what they saw as the right to self-rule.

Without wanting to derail the thread, I think many in principle felt the same about Europe swallowing up and ignoring the UK's best interests as many Scots do if you swap 'Europe' for 'rUK/England/London' and 'UK' for 'Scotland'. Do Scottish people hate the English? A very tiny minority do (and the reverse is also true), but the vast, vast majority campaigning to break away simply want to be independent neighbours on an equal footing, who get on well but want to be in charge of making their own decisions.

I was just coming on to post something to this effect.

But thank you, you have posted it much more eloquently than I would have WeBuiltThisBuffet

@babbaloushka

Yes, two, one was someone I went to school with who believed that white people are naturally superior to black people, since they used to "own" them. He lost his place at University because of some of it.

The other is an ex-friend of DS', who is what you would call an Incel, a proper far-right misogynist who thinks men that kill women are sent by God. He's extremely hateful and DS thinks he will never, ever be happy due to believing that as a white, straight, male, the world is working against him.

Your son's friend sounds mentally ill and possibly dangerous.

[quote SchrodingersImmigrant]@suspiria777 i think poster was pointing out some of the ridiculous claims like that French food is expression of white privilege/white supermacy.

I wonder what sauerkraut would be😂[/quote]
I'm not suspiria obviously, but I wonder who says that French food is an expression of white privilege or is this an urban myth, like the renaming of Christmas ones.

Some of the responses to this are genuinely disturbing. There are some quite clever attempts to muddy the waters going on here. It’s almost as if there are elements out there that find the discussion of right wing extremism a threat

There is a church in my town that at first glance appears very modern and progressive (a bit 'happy clappy', lots of family activities, church band etc) but is known to be very, very anti-homosexuality and 'encourages' traditional roles for women. I was unaware of this when I moved to the town and got to know a few of the church members at toddler groups etc. They all seemed lovely- until I heard them trying to persuade another friend to cut off her daughter for being a lesbian. Years later the local Catholic priest described the church to me as 'a bit too Patriarchal for my liking'.

I'm not suspiria obviously, but I wonder who says that French food is an expression of white privilege or is this an urban myth, like the renaming of Christmas ones.

Yes I wondered this as well. The French far right does use food to promote their white supremacist ideas ('traditional' French food is good, Maghrebi food is bad; if you don't eat pork and drink wine you aren't 'really French' etc.) I could see how if you criticise this, it could be twisted into 'you're saying French food is white supremacist'

@littletinyboxes

There is a church in my town that at first glance appears very modern and progressive (a bit 'happy clappy', lots of family activities, church band etc) but is known to be very, very anti-homosexuality and 'encourages' traditional roles for women. I was unaware of this when I moved to the town and got to know a few of the church members at toddler groups etc. They all seemed lovely- until I heard them trying to persuade another friend to cut off her daughter for being a lesbian. Years later the local Catholic priest described the church to me as 'a bit too Patriarchal for my liking'.

Ironic

@Insertfunnyname

More worryingly one of the TAs from my sons school was a paid up member. School knew and she doesn’t work there any more. She was also thick as shit, and v common in my opinion.

Wow I am absolutely horrified that anyone would think being a paid up member of a legal political party (regardless of your views) would be a reason to sack someone. Also your description of her as thick as shit and common says more about you than her.

The squashing of free speech is utterly terrifying these days. Only approved opinions can be voiced...

I would have an issue with someone who was a paid up member of a far right group, being any where near any children of mine in a school classroom. I am pleased that the school took action.

So what this thread is saying is that if you don't agree with/like a group, you just call them right wing. Why can't you criticise organisations as being far left? Aren't they just as bad?

@crackofdoom

Some of the responses to this are genuinely disturbing. There are some quite clever attempts to muddy the waters going on here. It’s almost as if there are elements out there that find the discussion of right wing extremism a threat

Yes I agree. 'Liberal fascism' for example is a concept invented by American conservatives because they were tired of being called fascists by the left (Jonah Goldberg says as much in his book of the same name). Classic distraction/derailment as we all argue about whether the left is as bad as the right, rather than focusing on right-wing extremism (which is now seen as the #1/#2 domestic security threat in the US and UK)

I do have to wonder if Antifa actually know what fascism is.

I think my exH may be. The language he uses is that of far right misogynists, red pill and so on. I do drop offs and pick ups and keep communication to "I will be there at 2pm".

He wasn't like that when we were married. At all. He's been converted somewhere along the way

God no, and I wouldn't be around any person that was either.

@knittingaddict
www.google.com/amp/s/www.rt.com/op-ed/527895-french-food-white-privilege/amp/

That's what the poster meant by her list. These ridiculous claims about what everything is racist. The orchestra was discussed last year too quite a lot

I've met quite a few people that I wouldn't be surprised if they were.
But one I know for sure was the husband of a friend of my sister.

@Wbeezer

I think it could be argued that Antifa are an example of The Horseshoe Effect, ie. They have gone so far to the last their actions are now very close to right wing extremists. Wearing a black "uniform", opposing free speech, intimidation and violence against people they don't agree with (including non violent protestors),not believing in constitutional democracy. I assume that is what the PP is referring to.

Thank you . This is a great term and seems to explain a great deal.

I also find it strange to think that people think that all 'fascist' regimes are far right... I must go back and read up some more about it. A bit of history reading for me is no chore.

[quote SchrodingersImmigrant]@knittingaddict
www.google.com/amp/s/www.rt.com/op-ed/527895-french-food-white-privilege/amp/

That's what the poster meant by her list. These ridiculous claims about what everything is racist. The orchestra was discussed last year too quite a lot[/quote]
So then I was right, a discussion of how food is used in France to shore up the dominance of a white French identity gets turned into a simplistic 'French food is white supremacist'

The professor is not saying that if you eat French food you are a white supremacist. She is just pointing out the undeniable fact that food is used as a marker of identity in France, that people who argue for a superior white French identity use food as part of their arguments.

I don't know anyone who describes themselves as far right. Obviously I'd give them a wide berth if I thought they were explicity right wing.

But I think the politics over the past 4/5 years have polarised things a lot: Brexit/COVID/QAnon and antivaxx and some of the more extreme elements of the TRA movement have brought previously moderate people into contact with some right wing positions.

What I find slightly disturbing is that I know people on both sides of the trans debate whose views have suddenly become very extreme.

@Insertfunnyname “ Wow I am absolutely horrified that anyone would think being a paid up member of a legal political party (regardless of your views) would be a reason to sack someone. Also your description of her as thick as shit and common says more about you than her.”

Seriously? Because something is legal then it’s acceptable? Or moral? God help us all.

Hitler was democratically elected and Nazism was absolutely legal.

And I was deeply uncomfortable with a woman who aligned herself with the abhorrent views of the BNP enough to send them money regularly, had access to my children. And yes, she was common as shit too.

@SocialAffairsAndWoodlandFolk

My uncle's wife joined the EDL when it first started. Our family are Irish immigrants, she was born in Ireland. She was quite surprised to find out that some of the members didn't think any more of the Irish than they did the Polish or Pakistanis. Apparently, she didn't think that we "really counted" as immigrants.

SocialAffairsAndWoodlandFolk An EDL member tried to recruit a family member of mine, they let him do his pitch and then said 'But you wouldn't want me,I'm an immigrant' since they're Irish. He actually answered 'oh that's OK though, my wife is Irish!'. The logic....

An ex friend from my teenage years is now so far right that he makes Tommy Robinson look woke.

I'm amazed that he hasn't served a prison sentence yet but I'd happily bet my life savings on him being on a watch list.

I know some pretty terrifying trans rights activists who are deeply homophobic and misogynistic.

@Insertfunnyname

More worryingly one of the TAs from my sons school was a paid up member. School knew and she doesn’t work there any more. She was also thick as shit, and v common in my opinion.

Wow I am absolutely horrified that anyone would think being a paid up member of a legal political party (regardless of your views) would be a reason to sack someone. Also your description of her as thick as shit and common says more about you than her.

The squashing of free speech is utterly terrifying these days. Only approved opinions can be voiced...

I for one would not want my children to be taught or looked after by a racist. And I'd imagine the parents of ethnic minority children would feel the same.

And FYI the BNP are no longer a registered political party. And it's members are already banned from joining the police and fire brigade.

[quote SchrodingersImmigrant]@knittingaddict
www.google.com/amp/s/www.rt.com/op-ed/527895-french-food-white-privilege/amp/

That's what the poster meant by her list. These ridiculous claims about what everything is racist. The orchestra was discussed last year too quite a lot[/quote]
I'd believe anything over Russia Today.