On Melbourne’s Toxic Political Climate, The Horseshoe Theory and Rules for Radicals /// Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Sunday the 24th of June 2018 there was an Australian pride flag march hosted by True Blue Crew in the Melbourne CBD. (Footage highlights from the day can be found Here and full coverage Here)The True Blue Crew T B C facebook page description of the event was thus:
“This day is your chance to come stand with fellow patriots and tell those who want to silence you that we will not be silenced. That this growing anti Australian, anti free speech, pro PC, cultural Marxist cancer is not acceptable, That we are PROUD AUSSIES. Whats more is to implore all those Aussies that are too busy, too afraid or just plain ignorant that we are running out of time. The time is now. You know it and we know. We have seen at home here with the Bendigo 3 and abroad recently with #freetommythat the establishment is protecting the criminals among them. Bring your flags and hold them high. We are Aussies and we have an amazing history, a rich culture and story worth being proud of. That there is NO HATE in PRIDE. 24TH June @ 12 noon ANZAC MEMORIAL HYDE PARK Sydney.”
On the day a group of 50-100 right wing individuals predominantly of the True Blue Crew, Soldiers of Odin and other patriots marched through the Melbourne CBD, waving flags and chanting while flanked by a heavy police presence.
A large portion of the CBD was deemed a “designated area” wherein anyone could be searched for weapons and contraband as well as made to remove facial coverings.
A helicopter hovered overhead. Mounted police, facial scanners and high grade cameras were employed by police, who attempted to identify problem individuals and ensure the public order.
How much did this cost the taxpayer? How much less would it have cost if there wasn’t a mob of antifascists within metres, keen for their chance to “punch a Nazi”?
Antifa tactics include direct confrontation of ‘Fascists’, ‘Nazis’’ etc. They use Black Bloc tactics to conceal their identities within the mob by wearing black clothing. Some within the bloc have been known to carry concealed weapons.
Deradicalized former Antifa member come comedian Shayne Hunter produced a youtube video instructing newcomers to the movement on how to conceal kitchen knives and bats on their person when they attend rallies. Which begs the question, Why the desire to escalate the expression of patriotism into a potential manslaughter charge? Why carry weapons to a protest?
The weapons create a psychological boost to those within the bloc who may see the opportunity to “Punch a Nazi”, after which they can retreat into the bloc safe that they are relatively safe from reprisal. So desperate they are to claim a scalp by assaulting one of those targeted and labeled as a ‘Nazi’.
As seen at Charlottesville the use of weapons to intimidate political opponents creates an escalated threat level and may provoke some to act in a panicked or irrational way, resulting in death.
Thankfully on Sunday there were no escalations such as were seen during the Milo Yiannopolous speaking event last year during and after which running street skirmishes broke out resulting in numerous arrests and a hefty police bill being forwarded to Yiannopoulis’ team.
Anybody who expresses opinions outside of what is deemed acceptable by the far left is quick to be labeled a Nazi, a dehumanizing term which is not just obtuse and clumsy but also sinister as it seeks to legitimise violence against them.
By labeling ones rhetorical opponents ‘Nazi’ they polarize them into an ‘in’ and ‘out’ group, forcing bystanders to take sides. This borderline black and white thinking leads to greater division within the community.
Jean-Pierre Faye’s ‘Horseshoe Theory’ may be useful in understanding how the political culture can become as toxic as Melbourne’s is.
To simplify, the theory posits that the extreme left and the extreme right have more traits in common with each other than they do with the political center. One notable similarity between the extremes however is Antisemitism. Whereas the extreme left is vehemently pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel; many on the alt/far right are nominally pro-Israel because it is a seemingly successful ethnostate however they largely reject Zionist foreign policy and its impact on western nations. Prominent Alt-right figure Richard Spencer notably proclaimed in a speech at the University of Florida
“The most important and perhaps most revolutionary ethno-state, the one that I turn to for guidance, even though I might not always agree with its foreign policy decisions – the Jewish state of Israel”
It should be noted that this view isn’t necessarily widely held among the right.
The 1972 guide to street activism ‘Rules for Radicals’ by lifetime left wing ‘community organizer Saul Alinsky is widely held up as the street activists guidebook. Many of its precepts are adopted with mixed results by the left. Here is a quick rundown of the 13 rules.
While we’re here, it should be noted that the preface to this book contains a dedication to Lucifer. Charming. Oh, and Hillary Clinton gave Alinsky a shout-out in her thesis.
“Tactics means doing what you can with what you have” – Saul Alinsky
When numerous, display numbers openly. If small, conceal numbers and make more noise than your numbers would indicate possible to fool your opposition. If tiny in number “stink up the place”
- “Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.”
- “Never go outside the experience of your people.”
- “Wherever possible, go outside of the experience of your enemy” cause confusion, fear and retreat.
- “Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules.”
- “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counter-attack ridicule.”
- “A good tactic is one that your people enjoy.”
- “A tactica that drags on too long becomes a drag.”
- “Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose.”
- “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.”
- “Constant pressure creates a reaction, which opens the opportunity for follow-up actions.”
- “If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counterside.” Think Gandhi’s Satyagraha campaign of ‘passive resistance’ against the Imperial British, which put their brutality on display for the world to see, catalyzing change.
- “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.” If you’re agitating against something, you should have a real solution or alternative in mind.
- “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”
Any experienced reader will be able to read through this list and think of specific instances whereby these tactics were applied against prominent right-wing figures to drown out and obfuscate their intended message. 8,10 & 13 in particular are being used against Blair Cottrell, more on that Here. The relentless targeting, name calling, accusations and fanboy culture seeks to isolate and bully Cottrell into slipping out of the public limelight quietly, leaving the ‘Far-right’ directionless and leaderless. Left to gaze dead-eyed at the current crop of dimwitted opportunistic nest-feathering politicians who are selling out Australia’s future to the communist Chinese.
There is no point attempting to reason with or capitulate to the far-left, as they will just shout you down or worse if given the opportunity. Best to ignore them, be proud of your nation, heritage and history and continue steadfast in the culture wars.
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