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Alt-Right is Wrong

shannon

Shannon Ebrahim’s recent opinion piece on globalisation, Islam and the Scandinavian model, is a fascinating read.

And compelling too for it raises multiple issues which are likely to dominate international relations following Donald Trump’s ascendency as the new Czar of America.

As academics scramble to re-write textbooks on political science to reflect and analyse America’s and parts of Western Europe’s swing to “alt-right” policies, dramatic changes towards entrenching “white power” are gaining momentum.

As illustrated by Ebrahim, the likely casualties are globalisation and what is derogatively described as “Islamism”. Of course depending on the context in which these ideologies are framed, it could be argued that they are mutually exclusive.

In this regard, Marine Le Pen’s assertion that “financial globalization and Islamist globalization are helping each other out”, reflects the current fault lines which underpins alarmist rhetoric by an array of rightwing racist movements.

Though it may win Le Pen votes and pave her way to victory as the next president of France, the question is whether it will promote tolerance and harmony, so badly needed in a society riddled with hatred for Muslims and Islam.

That her political philosophy is informed by neoconservative and hardline racist bigots, not any different to Trump’s position, is alarming, dangerous and divisive.

The argument thus made by Ebrahim cannot be ignored:

“Populist politicians across the western world are denouncing globalization without offering viable means to manage what is an irreversible process. Globalisation is the reality we will have to live with for generations to come, as technology has ensured that we can no longer retreat from the reality of the global village. The world is becoming more interdependent not less, and protectionism will only make national economic crises worse.”

Neither can she be faulted for alluding to Trump’s desperate efforts to disparage the Scandinavian model whereby he yet again made a fool of himself. He engaged in the propagation of “fake news” by claiming Sweden had just suffered a terrorist attack as a result of its liberal immigration system.

“No such attack ever occurred, leaving the world stunned that the leader of the world’s superpower could manufacture news about such completely false events in an attempt to validate his own reactionary policies.”

Such blatant untruths by leaders of America and Europe in shameful collaboration with Israel, are not accidents of history. These have roots embedded in a culture of dominance. The most glaring examples are spread across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, where post-colonial elites have been trained to function as lapdogs without any regard for their respective countries’ sovereignty.

Every conceivable resource – from mineral wealth to security – is mortgaged to former colonial masters. The immorality of rape and cross-border plunder associated with globalisation raises a different conundrum especially if it is used as a cover to confront Islam under the guise of “defeating Islamism”.

Islam’s universality and global appeal as embodied within different nationalities and cultures cannot be conflated with rapacious globalisation – whether financial or political. The concept of “Ummah” must be understood as a fellowship of believers who subscribe to “Tauheed” (Oneness of God Allmighty) who accept Muhammed as the final messenger of God.

That Islam advocates justice and abhors oppression is not only a defining characteristic; it also encourages Muslims to pursue high ideals and values of peace without succumbing to tyranny.

It is this which Trump, Le Pen, Wilders and Netanyahu view as a threat. A declaration of war on “Islamism” or “Radical Islamist Ideology” is no less than a preposterous campaign to unleash a crusade against Islam.

If the current trajectory in western hegemonic design is not challenged or halted, haters and bigots will continue to thrive by exploiting fear, manufactured by them as is evident in Israel, France, Holland, America and elsewhere.

 

Iqbal Jassat

Exec Member: Media Review Network

Johannesburg

Iqbal Jassat
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