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Ireland - newcomers and the far right

This is a real tough one. Am against the pulling of books (like we're seeing in pre-fascist USA).

But her experiences/perspectives can't be dismissed, either.

Anyway, disgusting she's been threatened.

Different to the US situation though - think she just reckons it's not suitable for a GCSE course rather than wanting it banned.

The threats of course are grim.
 
The threats are indeed grim. But Steinbeck was merely telling it like it was (still is?), and was, as far as I recall, a left sympathiser, at least when he wrote the novel. He wasn't defending the views the school pupil objects to.

A world where the many and varied forms of prejudice are never depicted is not only unfeasible but undesirable. Not to mention impossible. It isn't the school pupil's fault that the idea that you can live in a psychologically sanitised world has been implanted in her head. Racial prejudice will be a real feature of her life, but a world where racist views are never depicted, and thus open to crticism, and which ignores the fact that the author intended them to be criticised, will only allow them to grow, and they will grow amongst the self-styled rebels against the new (ridiculous) conformism. And these 'rebels' will inevitably be led by the worst of people.

I've long been of the opinion that racism can't be eradicated, but it can be marginalised. And then only until you have to start again. I think the world we currently live in only confirms it.
 
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The threats are indeed grim. But Steinbeck was merely telling it like it was (still is?), and was, as far as I recall, a left sympathiser, at least when he wrote the novel. He wasn't defending the views the school pupil objects to.

A world where the many and varied forms of prejudice are never depicted is not only unfeasible but undesirable. Not to mention impossible. It isn't the school pupil's fault that the idea that you can live in a psychologically sanitised world has been implanted in her head. Racial prejudice will be a real feature of her life, but a world where racist views are never depicted, and thus open to crticism, and which ignores the fact that the author intended them to be criticised, will only allow them to grow, and they will grow amongst the self-styled rebels against the new (ridiculous) conformism. And these 'rebels' will inevitably be led by the worst of people.

What do you think has been implanted in her head and who's fault is it?

Do you not think her discomfort is valid, regardless of the author's intentions?
 
What do you think has been implanted in her head and who's fault is it?

Do you not think her discomfort is valid, regardless of the author's intentions?
I do think it's valid, but I think there is an idea at large, mostly pushed by the liberal left and their allies in the modern-day, realist centre-right, which seems to say that if you don't talk about something, or else push a positive alternative viewpoint, it will go away. Which impacts on her apparent notion that her contemporaries shouldn't be exposed to depictions of naked racism (if that's what's in the novel-it's 30 years since I read it.) Banning (or 'pulling') such depictions won't serve her, or anybody else in her position, well in real life, where such naked racism will, despite the best efforts of those who care, inevitably persist, receding and coming back to the fore depending on events beyond anybody's control.
 
I do think it's valid, but I think there is an idea at large, mostly pushed by the liberal left and their allies in the modern-day, realist centre-right, which seems to say that if you don't talk about something, or else push a positive alternative viewpoint, it will go away. Which impacts on her apparent notion that her contemporaries shouldn't be exposed to depictions of naked racism (if that's what's in the novel-it's 30 years since I read it.) Banning (or 'pulling') such depictions won't serve her, or anybody else in her position, well in real life, where such naked racism will, despite the best efforts of those who care, inevitably persist, receding and coming back to the fore depending on events beyond anybody's control.

It's a difficult one, for sure.

As stated above, am not in favour of pulling/banning books.

But also have not experienced racism to the extent that some people in her surroundings have.

Particularly, parts of Belfast have a brutal reputation when it comes to newcomers.
 
Does this go here?


The Oireachtas, Ireland’s legislature, was put into a virtual lockdown for hours on Wednesday by a small but abusive group of about 200 people.

The protesters threatened staff and journalists and erected a mock gallows covered with photos of politicians from across the spectrum.

The crowd was apparently united not so much by a cause – their messages included Covid conspiracy theories, anti-immigration messages and attacks on transgender rights – as by a willingness to use aggression in a bid to shut down the heart of Ireland’s democracy.

Racist abuse was hurled at people trying to get to work along roads blockaded by the protesters. Two women had plastic bags of urine thrown at them, the Irish Times reported. One aide said she had a phone stolen.

Several legislators were trapped in a car park at one point, including the Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, and Paul Kehoe, Fine Gael’s education spokesperson.

First they came for .... nah fuck em
 
Let's see, so far you've mentioned;

Father Ted
Zig and Zag
Gay Byrne

what do any of them have to do with the rise of fash in Ireland?
:confused: :hmm: :facepalm:
]

I was just going to add a standard comment on questioning what it even is that this crowd want with such a disparate range of responses but it's past 1 in the morning and felt the question is kind of meaningless in a lot of ways.

If all else fails there's always memes.

Sorry if you feel its inappropriate on this thread.
 
could not find this thread all over Dublin because of one shitty far right news website saying he was Albanian :mad:

rioting where the kids are being treated bastards
 
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