AIBU to think you can't be lovely if you're far-right

[FenwickRose]

Came across this the other day. AIBU to think that being a member of the far-right means you can't be a very nice person?
mobile.twitter.com/redflareinfo/status/1327710285789077506

I find that the far left and far right are markedly similar nowadays.

I really don’t want their supporters popping up on here because of this thread.

26% saying YABU, and people deny MN has a racism problem.

Either that or a quarter of people don’t understand what “far right” means.

If you only were far-right in your views on the economy, there's no reason you couldn't also be a lovely person.

Far-right views of the economy would mean agreeing with screwing over the most vulnerable in society, so I don’t think they could also be a lovely person, no.

It's conditional 'loveliness'.

A racist can never be lovely. They are utter cunts. As are all of the far right.

The say they do not want violence, but how can you ensure non-violence?

I assume In Patriotic Alternative crazy racist annual summer camp they practice “scenarios” like:

Racist: awfully sorry but I view you as less than human and quite the savage, would you mind leaving my country and go back to your own.
Non white person: of course, I mean I was actually born in this country, but you are right my great great grandfather is from abroad, so off I go. Thank you for pointing out my flaws and putting me in my place.
Racist: you are welcome, I would shake your hand but I don’t want to touch it.
Non white person: I wouldn’t expect you to.

A previous poster said this also applies to the far-left, but this is simply not true. I have met quite a few people who identify as communists from an ideological perspective, and they tend to be lovely and caring. There will be awful ones, I'm sure, but it's not really comparable to what you see from the far-right.

I beg to differ. The misogyny of 'the left' is really quite breathtaking at times.

(from 16 mins is particularly special)

I think extremes of right and left are full of highly unpleasant people.

@Bewarethesealions

I find that the far left and far right are markedly similar nowadays.

I believe the expression is 'two cheeks of the same arse'

There's some interesting things to consider though.

Different countries and through history, different attitudes have been the norm. An example might be how being on the left in the USA is more aligned with our mainstream right than anything.
Their right is extreme to most UK eyes.
Our left would be extreme to them and 'socialism' is a dirty word often, it seems.
Because we are used to different norms.
So what 'far' means will vary. To someone in one country far right or left in a different country might be standard middle ground to many of the people who live there.

Also in certain situations ordinary people can support things that are extreme. The Nazis are the example usually used for this but I'm sure it's happened elsewhere.

Religion especially in more closed communities or in countries where it's the norm. Can lead to things which are many not seen to me (us) as generally right or left but are nonetheless obscene views (to my eye).

There's also the point that racism in this country when I was growing up was the national front. It wasn't words it was deeds. They wanted to kill people. They did kill people. It was visceral real life murderous terrorism. Is that the same as someone now who says nasty stuff but wouldn't hurt anyone or want anyone else to hurt anyone? (Obviously racist murders still go on but there isn't such an obvious open movement United and across the country).

Just some thoughts that occur to me that I think would be interesting to discuss.

Far right and far left tend to be small minded and bigoted against others with different opinions to them....very similar in some respects.

I’m sure both can be nice people- at least if politics doesn’t come up - but both need to stop shouting down the other and instead listen to their point of view and try and understand their reasoning. Then we may start to make some progress with some of the most troublesome issues.

Everyone is lovely to someone.

Agree about the different cheeks of the same arse

I've never met a nice racist.

As has been said above, extreme anything is bad news. In my experience, the far right tend to fall into the racist column and the far left into the misogynist column.

Depends what you mean by lovely I suppose. Affable, pleasant, nice to chat to? A nice neighbour who signs for a parcel for you when you’re out or gives you a hand getting your car out of the snow? Yes, I think most people could present that way. But beyond that surface, if they believe that certain people are lesser and should be segregated because of their race/religion/sexuality etc then I don’t think they are a good person overall. Because those things are at odds with being ‘good’ or moral, even if they do seem lovely and pleasant when you have a non political chat.

There's also the point that racism in this country when I was growing up was the national front. It wasn't words it was deeds. They wanted to kill people. They did kill people. It was visceral real life murderous terrorism. Is that the same as someone now who says nasty stuff but wouldn't hurt anyone or want anyone else to hurt anyone? (Obviously racist murders still go on but there isn't such an obvious open movement United and across the country)

I would argue that those ‘words’ are what sets the breeding ground for the ‘deeds’ though. The NF may not exist in that format as such but those types of people still do - and it’s the violence and the threat that grows from words. In a way it’s more insidious when it’s not always in plain sight.

@Juliesipadwillcallyouback the far-right don't just hate people of colour, they also hate women, LGBTQ people, basically anyone who isn't like them and who wouldn't uphold the white patriarchy

My uncle (long dead) was the most fun, the most positive, the most creative person I met as a child.

He also held very strong negative views about certain nationalities of people. But he had fought in a world war and watched his friends die. Did that make him racist? Yes, probably. As a teenager I decided that he was entitled to his views because of what he had experienced.

I don't know if time would have altered his opinions but it's hard to condemn him in those circumstances. A little understanding is more useful.

Racism is a cancer, it hurts and degrades people. People who suffer from racism have been trying to have their voices heard for how long now, just wanting to be treated as any other person. People who hold racist views are not decent people in my eyes.