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Beating the Fascists: The authorised history of Anti-Fascist Action

Joe Reilly said:
Yes, but take heed of my previous warning. Collins might have turned away from fascism but what has he turned toward instead? Not anti-fascism if his suspected role in trying to prevent BTF being publishedis accurate. Instead his take, if what I have read about his book is accurate, is the classic one size fits all, 'plague on both your houses' state friendly anti-extremism. For all I know that might be your take on things too, (but even then it is still important to distinguish between the two), and if it isn't, sceptism must be the order of the day.
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as mentioned in the 'malatesta' review
'An interesting addition to the small body of antifascist literature but Reader Beware of the heavy Searchlight bias running through it!'
 
I'd have never really considered the likes of Lecomber or Edmonds to be "living off the movement" in the sense that they're able to financially feather their own nests. The amount of instances both of these characters took a beating when leading ill-conceived physical forays (Lecomber in particular must have spent more time throughout the early 90's laying down than standing upright) suggests they weren't shouting the odds from the rear whilst checking their balances on the nearest ATM machine.

Some may suggest that the recent influx of cash into the BNP could have provided an incentive to change this position (the revelations re: Griffin etc claiming bogus expenses adds credence to this I guess). However, how much does anyone actually earn from being a full-time party worker these days? Essentially if you're not employed by Labour, the Lib Dems etc then you're not likely to secure a huge salary. My guess is that you'd probably get a better monthly wage shelf stacking at Wilkos.

The point here is that there has always been a tendency on the Left to underestimate the opposition: that they couldn't possibly have the resolve to achieve anything effective without making a complete balls out of it by themselves - a naivete in some areas that led to an unhindered resurgence of Far Right groups throughout the 80's and 90's.

It's the kind of crowing that Searchlight and the UAF still indulge in whenever there appears to be a 'crisis' in the BNP. But what they fail to pick up on is how long some of these individuals have stayed the course.

I also just wanted to comment on the statement earlier that many on the Right are "cranks". I agree that holocaust denial, world Jewish conspiracies and the like are the ramblings of those with no grip on reality. On the other hand the Left has hardly been without its array of colourful characters and wacky ideas. I seem to remember attending one or two meetings over the years that gradually took on the appearance of self-help groups, rather than serious political debates.
 
Tony Lecomber... a lion leading a load of donkies...

Absolutely agree about the ideological (and personal physical) commitment of Lecomber... thank fuck he was a relatively clever and brave exception rather than the rule.

Nicky Crane was another - thankfully his sexuality precluded him reaching his potential as a leader of Nazis
 
intersol! the point is related to collins' book Hate which describes anderson, edmonds etc living a very marginalised existence, unable to really do anything else - as opposed to them sitting in the counting house like king griffin. there is money to be made for some as tommy robinson etc has spotted but someone like lecomber has put time and effort in for very little return. griffin consolidated his position with favouritism and positions for his acolytes and removed anyone who didnt praise him. these people have certainly been 'living off the movement' especially with the EU allowances for an entourage.

as far as im concerned i over-estimate them if anything else which is why i spend so much time monitoring them and blethering on about em. as far as bnp crises, they are in a constant state of flux rather than expiring. griffin is a canny man and he will keep it going until he exits (stage far right) to croatia. the crank element were always part of the hardcore (sid? Morrison? john griff wood? david mayatt????) rather than the voters. i know people who have voted bnp and they are definitely NOT fascist in the least (eejits maybe!).
 
Citizen66 said:
Do many of them state that? I thought most had control of their faculties enough not to come out with that, so they just deny it happened or quibble over the figures instead.
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we trawl the far right sewers so you dont have to Citizen! i have read much worse than holocaust denial! someone on urban somewhere pointed out that the holocaust is one of the major things that stops the re-establishment of the far right hence the denial.
 
malatesta32 said:
we trawl the far right sewers so you dont have to Citizen! i have read much worse than holocaust denial! someone on urban somewhere pointed out that the holocaust is one of the major things that stops the re-establishment of the far right hence the denial.
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How many of you are there?
 
i think its a good read and it is very funny in parts. for insight into militant antifascism go elsewhere but as a portrait of some of the sad characters on the far right, its pretty unbeatable!
 
malatesta32 said:
we trawl the far right sewers so you dont have to Citizen! i have read much worse than holocaust denial! someone on urban somewhere pointed out that the holocaust is one of the major things that stops the re-establishment of the far right hence the denial.
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The old anti semtitic based fascism is simply now out of date within modern euro fascism. It doesn't even carry much weight or value amongst members. I am sure there are a few fash about who still think Hitler was great lets face it aif the mebership and its supporters were convinced that holocaust drenail had some currency no amount of prompting from Griffin etc not to mention the war would have made any diffrenec.The threat for the far right isn't any link to being exposed as holcaust deniers but the state itself. The BNP managed to become the biggest opposition to Lib Con Lab despite opponents trying to use the Nazi tag.
 
The39thStep said:
The old anti semtitic based fascism is simply now out of date within modern euro fascism. It doesn't even carry much weight or value amongst members. I am sure there are a few fash about who still think Hitler was great lets face it aif the mebership and its supporters were convinced that holocaust drenail had some currency no amount of prompting from Griffin etc not to mention the war would have made any diffrenec.The threat for the far right isn't any link to being exposed as holcaust deniers but the state itself. The BNP managed to become the biggest opposition to Lib Con Lab despite opponents trying to use the Nazi tag.
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Stormfront is still pretty hot on the 'Holohoax'.
 
frogwoman said:
Malatesta what's that "no quarter" magazine on your blog m8? Looked pretty interesting
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Hi mate :) - there's an issue here of "No Quarter" that you can download (it's issue 2): http://cedarlounge.wordpress.com/20...-irelands-anti-fascist-magazine-issue-2-2005/

Will have a look to see if I can track down other issues of the mag :)

E2A #1: Just found issue 1 of "No Quarter" online: http://www.scribd.com/doc/54530411/No-Quarter-1-2002

E2A #2: Aha, I see that Freedom Press also stock "No Quarter" as well: http://www.freedompress.org.uk/news/2011/08/22/magazines/
 
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