‘Divide and distract’ are tried-and-tested means of conquering opponents. Both are being heavily employed at present by powerful individuals hell-bent on making our world one which feeds their needs, rather than being for the benefit of all.
Let’s call it what it is – insanity, driven by greed for power and money. And it’s criminal insanity at that, because of the damage it is doing to innocent peoples’ lives, and the death and destruction it will ultimately result in unless it is checked. But that’s where we come in. We are not powerless!
The present American administration has shown that total lies can be broadcast with impunity, unless they are effectively challenged. While claiming to be in the cause of ’defending free speech’, a hostile campaign is underway to actually suppress any speech that doesn’t support the official narrative – no matter how false that narrative might be.
The leaders of Reform UK are copying the American far right’s playbook, with false claims about climate change and immigration for example, and stifling criticism by barring left wing journalists from party conferences.
Patriotism has also been weaponised, aiming to drive a wedge between different communities and encourage us to turn on one another rather than the real perpetrators who are responsible for the crises we face. The recent so-called Unite the Kingdom rally actually aimed to further fragment us, with added violence towards the police resulting in dozens of officers being injured.
We must resist attempts to get us to attack one another. Not everyone who supports Reform is a racist bigot. Many simply have justifiable concerns around issues like the broken housing market, the collapse of public services and the increasing inequality between generations. One hope with the new Green Party leader Zack Polanski is that, by more effective use of social media to counter divisive toxic populist outpourings, we will establish the common ground between all those of us who actually just want a society that is genuinely fair and free from hate.
We all need to seek out the best in others, and to unite together to reclaim a positive vision for the future of our world.
Ken Huggins
North Dorset Green Party
