Racism and sexism are always someone else’s problem for left-wingers. To be on the Left, left-wingers believe, is to be pure and incapable of sin. Ideology is all. Human failings of bigotry are irrelevant when you always think ‘correct’ thoughts. It is the Marxist version of Papal Infallibility.
When a male comrade in the Socialist Workers Party was accused of sexually assaulting and raping a female comrade, this was not seen as a matter for the police. The party did not recognise the police’s and court’s authority in the matter. Instead a specially-selected committee determined that there was insufficient proof. However, this conclusion was based on an investigation that did not include any statement from the alleged victim. But that’s socialist justice. There were reports that this was actually the ninth time such an incident had been investigated by the faithful. Ladies, never kiss a socialist. If you do, wear strong underwear with lots of fastenings. You have been warned.
So, rape is not rape when it involves the ideologically committed. Anything else?
How about racism? Or more specifically anti-Semitism?
Socialism has been traditionally associated with anti-Semitism. Both Soviet socialists and national socialists used their absolute control over their captive states to discriminate against those of the Jewish faith. So it is no surprise if those of the politically-correct left do so over here. That’s socialism. Perhaps it would have been different if Ben-Gurion had buddied up with Stalin instead of Truman.
The President of the National Union of Students, one Malia Bouattia, has been subject to investigation over her refusal to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as well as denouncing the University of Birmingham as a ‘Zionist Outpost’.
However Bouattia has been ‘exonerated’ in an inquiry. Is it because of her identity as a woman, a practising Muslim, and not being ‘stale, male, and pale’? Others may decide. I am far too stale, male, and pale myself to make a comment on these matters. I really must get round to checking my privilege sometime soon.
Well, it may be a stretch the use of the term ‘exonerated‘. But it is also a stretch to use the term ‘condemn’ as well. The inquiry into Bouattia was chaired by Professor Carol Baxter, the NHS’s former head of equality, diversity and human rights. ‘Equality, diversity and human rights’ is perhaps a euphemism for promoting people to jobs based more on identity than actual ability. There may be a good reason why the NHS is in crisis. The best candidates are not getting the right jobs when their face does not fit. Competence is not the most important criterion.
Baxter found that Bouattia’s comments “could be reasonably capable of being interpreted as anti-Semitic”, but that apart from being required to make an apology, no further action should be taken. Not much difference between being exonerated and being found guilty, then. But perhaps this is a new kind of equality. Being let off and being punished should be roughly equal. I am sure that is how it works.
Racism is sometimes not racism, or is actually not so bad, according to the NUS. Perhaps they feel that those of the Jewish faith have not been victimised nearly enough to qualify as targets of racism. There may be a school of identity politics that thinks that being transported in a crowded cattle truck to somewhere in eastern Europe did not end up as so bad as being conveyed in chains in a cramped ship’s hold across the Atlantic.
Bouattia has yet to apologise. It is likely it will be one of those ‘I apologise if someone is offended’. If. No-one admits they are flat-out wrong any more. Perhaps there is no such thing as right and wrong any more. Unless you are Jewish.
And what of Baxter? Well, she has demonstrated once again that full strength of politically correct caning only applies if the target of ‘oppression’ is not Jewish. Otherwise it is slapped-wrist time for the naughty boys and girls. A position in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet beckons, after the necessary elevation to the peerage. ‘Lady Baxter of Whitewash’ has a nice ring to it. Those lefties, eh?
