Post-Brexit Call to Action

By MXM Coordinator, Felix Robins
06 July 2016

Now that the results are in, it is easy to see why there is so much mourning across social media; it is a dark day for many reasons and the future is not looking any brighter for the refugees on their way, resident migrants or even those of us lucky enough to be a citizen. However, some would say it is to be expected; all of us who draw family lineage on the wrong side of empire will know that in crisis, like any wounded predator, imperialists often become their most ferocious and unpredictable.

Last week Wednesday: The Malcolm X Movement (MXM), Ealing Momentum, Momentum - Black ConneXions and Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) all got together to organize a “Remain / Leave Debate” to discuss the future beyond the referendum; more specifically, how this future relates to all of us non-white, non-British and non-Christian people living here in England. On the panel there was: Lee Jasper, representing BARAC; Sukant Chandan from MXM; Marlene Ellis from Momentum-Black ConneXions; Nana Asante, representing Africans for Jeremy Corbyn Values; Raj Gill out of West London Unite Community; and Former Cllr Zahida Abbas Noori. Despite the broad range of political backgrounds and views, there were a great number of agreements across the panel, which was what made the event such a success.

There was general agreement across almost the entire panel at the beginning laying the responsibility for the rising tide of fascism, represented by ‘Brexit’ and all its supporters, jointly with: the impotence of current mainstream leaders in dealing with the far right and their campaigns creating disenfranchised masses in the first place. But let’s not forget that “Britain has racism embedded deep in its cultural DNA”1. Moving forward from Friday’s results, there can be no room left for any denial: we now live in a country, in 2016, where a majority, no matter how small, has supported an openly-racist campaign; the culmination of which is going to lead to dire consequences on all fronts.

All is not lost. The event concluded by focusing on the most pressing action points that we need to consider. In the face of one of the most divisive forces on earth, embodied in British fascism and imperialism, unity is one of the most important defenses we have, whether it is: Lee Jasper’s unity through ‘common cause’, which can be used to reach those vulnerable EU migrant’s here who have been spat on by the result; or the age old definition of ‘politically black’, put forward by Nana Asante as well as Lee, which unites all people who fall outside of the well defined category of ‘politically white’. Either way, Sukant brought the event back to the present by making it clear that radicalism is as important a factor: the establishment have not only failed to solve this problem, they have actively contributed to its creation; so it falls on us to make our own solutions. Marlene adds to this perfectly by reminding us that we are not few, we are many; a force to be reckoned with so lets change the way we think to encompass this.

Brothers, Sisters, Aunties, Uncles, Comrades and Partisans: now is the time for action! There are those among us who have experienced first hand the kind of hate that is bubbling over now: they didn’t run; they organized, mobilized and resisted by any means necessary. So we have a duty to do the same.


 

The UK and the Brexit or when some Dumb people breaks it!

The UK and the Brexit or when some Dumb people breaks it!

By Malcolm X Movement coordinator Dr Moustafa Traore

It has been a bit more three weeks now since the referendum that resulted in the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union took place. The Brexit, as it is commonly known, is not effective yet; it will be implemented soon, though since a prime Minister was designated few days ago. On the internet petitions calling for a new referendum coming mainly from British citizens who regret their votes in favour of the Brexit has been circulating since the first hours the referendum results had been released. In Britain, many are those who, a day after the referendum, thought that their vote would have been different had they been more informed about what the EU really is and what it involves.

Let’s be clear and sincere on the issue. Most people who voted against the European Union did so mainly because of immigration. The quite well organised campaign presenting immigration in the United Kingdom as facilitated and empowered by the European Union was undoubtedly decisive in the choice most British made on the voting day. Many are those in Britain who attribute the difficulties they face with in their everyday lives to the presence of immigrants. The lack of border control within the Euro Zone is according to them the reason why immigrants can easily enter the country, take jobs and council houses that should normally be reserved to British first and only.

But what is the veracity and truth of all these ideas of immigration being an inconvenience to the UK? There is no doubt that all this is nothing more than a myth. Concretely speaking it is important to first of all to be reminded that the birth rate of the UK is so low that immigration is a necessity to maintain and ensure the renewal of new generations.

If most politicians in favour of Brexit pointed out the presence of large Eastern European communities to justify scepticism towards the EU, it is also important to underline that due to religious similarities and the colour of their skin, the East European community is, nonetheless, an easy blending community that in no way threatens Britain’s cultural landscape.

Secondly; let us not forget that some members of the Royal family have some East European blood in their veins. The current Queen’s husband -Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh- is to some extent not really West European, given the fact that he was born in Greece from a Greek family and only converted to Anglicanism later so that he could marry Queen Elizabeth II. A more accurate study and analysis of the comments made by Brexiters a few days before the vote reveals that immigration, not from Eastern Europe but clearly from Asia and Africa is what seemed to be the problem for the racists advocating for an exit, so as to better control British borders against immigration.

What these racists, and probably racialists and white supremacists do not understand is that Britain would have never become “Great” and also consequently “Great Britain”, had it not been for its different colonies. What a selfish behaviour it is, indeed, to loot remote countries for centuries and not expect to have the now deprived people coming and knocking at your door!

Had Africa and Asia not been denuded of their wealth for centuries, no massive waves of immigration from Africa towards Western countries would have ever taken place.

Besides, if it appears to be effective, the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union might undoubtedly announce some new referendums likely to take place in Scotland, Northern Ireland or again Wales. Following the results of the referendum, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, made it clear that a new referendum on Scotland’s being part of the United Kingdom was likely to happen after the “No” expressed by England to the EU. No need to say that if that happens, the racists and racialists white supremacists would have succeeded in doing one thing which is through racism making Great Britain a little Britain.