Fear Itself

The United Kingdom is the latest casualty in the escalating series of right-wing fear-mongering now occurring all over the world. Right-wing politicians told brazen lies, drummed up fears of dark-skinned others coming to take British jobs, and spun a fantastic and false tale of the declining sovereignty of the UK in the face of unelected Eurozone bureaucrats. And parts of the commonwealth swallowed the tripe whole and voted to leave the EU, blithely believing that, somehow, someway, everything will be even better than before, because to hell with all of your fancy numbers and facts.

Now that the UK has voted to leave Europe, Scotland will almost certainly vote to leave the UK. Thus the legacy of the twenty-first century conservatives in England will be the dismantling of the UK and the breakup with Europe. It is, in short, a legacy of fear, of ignorance, and of small-minded bigotry in the face of a future that could have been a lot brighter and more inclusive.

Well done, Tories. This serves as a reminder that conservative ideas and ideals are dangerous no matter their country of origin. Conservative ideals result in isolation, recession, nativism, and war. This is the endgame here. Don't be fooled.

P.S. And one more thing... Don't tell me that it's not racism at it's most basic that drives the supporters of Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Marine LePen, and other right-wing hate-pimps around the world. Don't tell me that it's really economic angst or anxiety about a changing world or legitimate fears concerning immigration. The people who support these awful con artists are ignorant racists. Period. Full stop. They are motivated by hatred and fear of people who are darker than they are.

People tell me that I'm supposed to feel sympathy for them, but I cannot. I cannot feel sympathy for human beings who turn to their basest instincts when they feel fear. I do not sympathize with people who are violent, ignorant, and hateful. I do not care what their reasons are. There is no excuse to discriminate against human beings on the artificial basis of race. None.