Watched a very powerful piece of television last night, namely Channel 4's 'bradford riots'. The most unsettling thing about the program, particularly during the violent scenes, was the realistic atmosphere. The events of the day leading up to the riots, as portrayed here anyway, were sickening and outrageous. For this reason it was important to keep in mind that this was a dramatization with, by it's very nature, a very narrow scope on the events it portrayed.

Anyway the program raised a whole array of issues but one in particular stuck in my mind. Watching a bit of news today I heard that the BNP had doubled the number of council seats the held, and taken a seat here in Leeds apparently. This just tied in too nicely with the issue I'd been pondering and so lo, a post was born.

One of the things I like about where I live is the wide variety of people living around me. Not too long ago I got to know one of my neighbours, a sound and interesting bloke who had, once upon a time, served as a police officer.

Disillusioned with the force he had left after a few years and, through various protest activities said he'd almost spent as much time in police stations on the wrong side of the law as he had in his professional capacity.

We had a friendly little debate about whether or not 'smashing nazis' was a good idea, ie. taking to the streets for potentially violent confrontation. In short, he was a vet of the scene and believed it was a just thing to do while I was opposed. Neither of us changed the other's views but I think we understood each other's positions a little better.

As this post started to fall together in my knackered yet relentless brain, it seemed only natural to split what appeared to be one question into three distinct parts: smashing nazis,

a) is it right?

b) is it necessary?

c) does it work?

These are some pretty sticky questions, especially at the moment, but fuck it, what's the point of having a vast communication tool like the internet if we're not going to ask awkward questions?

a) It takes thinking time and mental effort to justify, but I'm still sat firmly in the pacifist corner here. Violence perpetuates itself, regardless of intent or circumstance, violence begets violence, simple as. In my eyes smashing is wrong, nazi or otherwise.

This is rather the point however, like all principles and ethics, these are PERSONAL OPINIONS. There is quite simply no such thing as a universal scale of right and wrong. The closest we can get to this is majority consensus, but the ideas of those who disagree cannot be considered any less valid.

In the end it doesn't matter whether it's right or wrong.

b) The main thing I took away from that C4 doc was an argument in favour that I hadn't thought of before. The Bradford situation was presented thus: not only were the police not apprehending the fascists but they were stopping the asian youths from protecting watch other and their community.

Now as I mentioned above the accuracy of the program can be questioned but the abstract point is valid. IF a state is unable or unwilling to protect a community can the members of that community really be expected to just sit back and take whatever they get?

You are legally entitled to take someone's life if they are about to take yours. This concept is instilled in our legal system, that while you must obey the law you are not obliged to do so at the expense of your own life or personal safety.

So I guess I have to conceded that if your home and loved ones are under threat and the police won't defend you then you have to defend yourself. Of course the exact nature of what people should do once they're out on the streets is a whole big thing in of itself.

The thing is, can I reconcile this with my answer to the first question? Well, as it happens, I think I can...

c) ...because the point is THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO. The circumstances under which someone is forced to make such a decision should never be allowed to come about. My main problem with the idea of nazi smashing is that I just don't see how it can work.

I agree that we can't do nothing and that we must stand up to those who would seek to derail our attempts at civilised society. I just don't believe in this myth that if we kick the National Front's arse enough times they'll stop being fascists.

In the end people are not only entitled to believe whatever they like but they just WILL, it's what we do. So in the long run what purpose does nazi smashing really serve other than to give lefties an opportunity of some guilt free satisfaction for all that repressed bloodlust, (at least the fascists are up front about it!)

It seems to me the 'threat' posed by these people comes in two very distinct forms. There are those who really do believe in vicious ideologies and live to hate. I believe that these are by far the minority and that, as with all political movements, the majority of people 'on that side' are there for other reasons.

Whether it's alienated youths finding somewhere to belong or any other disenfranchised part of society finding hope in scapegoats and easy answers, these people 's views are inspired by being pissed off at the world in which they have to live.

In the past I've written about capitalism and stated my belief that such systems simply cannot be broken down head on. Instead they can simply be subverted, turn away from them and make your own way. In much the same way I propose that the only solution to the problem of popular political extremism is to build a society in which they have no place.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN EXCLUSION.

This means solve the problems they exploit, take away their sources of power by allowing ALL people to enjoy the benefits of living in a multicultural society. In a society where people feel valued and represented, respected and involved the only things the extremists (be they political, religious or financial) have left to talk about is the very heart of their belief.

All those noble middle class anti nazis looking down their noses at the 'ignorant' working classes, albeit with patronising sympathy, should remember that most people don't vote, act or even think according to political ideals, it's a luxury they can't afford. Do we really believe that if the people of Germany after WWI had had employment etc that they would have elected Hitler on a purely 'Kill the Jews' ticket? Bullshit.

It very tempting and oh so easy to demonise these fascist nutters and dump the blame for as many of society's problems on them as possible. Let's be honest though, they're just people choosing to restrict their own outlook on life, opting to miss out on lots of wonderful stuff.

WE are the problem. WE non nazis are the majority, WE have the power to shape our society and WE are not doing a good enough job. It may be a great rush to fight in the street, especially for a noble cause, but the only things that's going to make any difference is putting bricks on top of one another, not throwing them about.