One of the few redeeming features of last year’s executive was the introduction of a No-platform policy on racist and fascist groups. The aim of this policy, which is also in place in many other students unions, and ALL national Trade Unions, is to stop Far-right fascist organisations like the British Nationalist Party and the Islamist Hizb ut-Tahrir using our student union to legitimise their disgusting politics by banning them from organising in it and from participating in its structures.
Outrageously this year’s Union Executive has voted 6-1 against ratifying this policy for another year (the only one in favour being President Helen Gibson). Obviously there are many arguments on both sides of the debate, so we’ll try and clear out some here.
1. "Freedom of Speech; you’re just as bad as the fascists if you ban them!"
This old chestnut is rolled out by liberals time and time again. Fascism is not your standard political current. It uses violence and thuggery to accomplish its political aim – the destruction of democracy, secularism and the working-class movement. The Working Class in the East End of London in the 1930’s had no chance to ‘debate’ nor should they have done. They organised against the rising tide of the British Union of Fascists with mass Solidarity action and they stopped the brown-shirts marching through the majority Jewish slums. Don’t let the BNP’s smart suits and election broadcasts fool you. These bastards are the same racist, authoritarian, sexist and homophobic scum they always have been. Evidence enough is that one of our fellow student activists in Huddersfield was repeatedly punched, kicked and called a ‘dirty red’ and ‘lesbo’ by far-right thugs in the street (http://www.free-education.org.uk/?p=536)! If history has taught us anything, it’s that doing nothing is the worse course of action. The rise of the BNP and of fascism is as a result of worsening conditions amongst the working class. The BNP exploit this. By arguing with the BNP you are also missing this point – people are pissed off with a system that exploits them day in, day out.
2.""Let’s beat their arguments in a debate!"
What arguments? “Send the buggers back” and “let’s twat some p*kis” are not arguments that need to be had! Seriously, debating someone who still maintains the world is flat is more worthwhile AND won’t leave minority students venerable to abuse in their students union. A question to those 6 who voted against no-platform, and who agree with this argument: Do you think the 6 million + Jews as well as members of the LGBT and disabled communities died during the holocaust because they didn’t have the right arguments? Because the logic of your argument does lend itself to implying that they did.
There is a catch to us supporting no platform however, in the sense that it’s only a small part of defeating fascism, a tool or a tactic if you will. Groups like the BNP are correct when they point to problems of poverty, healthcare, transport etc, REAL issues. This has to be combated not just by No-platform, but also a wider political appreciation of these problems and their solutions. We will be organising a number of anti-fascist activities this year, including most probably a couple of trips to demo’s and obviously getting involved with local anti-fascist activity.
Open Policy forum is where this should begin to be rectified, although the shame is still thoroughly on the UEC that voted against no-platform. For those not familiar with the way Open Policy forum works here it is. It’s a meeting open to all students where any student can put forward a policy motion. These are debated and then voted on with the top 3 policy motions going to referendum conducted on the hullstudent.com site, voted on by ALL students. All anti-fascists should attend the next policy forum and vote for No-Platform to be sent to referendum and ultimately the HUU policy books.
Shut our union’s doors to fascists!
