Currently, xenophobia marches through Europe, sometimes unopposed. Recently, an elderly Jewish man was attacked in London. There was an immediate street response. Local clergy (Catholic priest, rabbi and imam), City Councillors, the Member of Parliament and political campaigners addressed a crowd who rejected antisemitism and celebrated diversity.
Some of the speakers at that rally would have looked and sounded like demagogues preaching hate, especially to a non-English speaker, but their message was the exact opposite. Some loud angry public speakers preach hate. Other loud angry public speakers oppose hate. The latter make a positive contribution to society and should not be dismissed as if they were Tweedledum fighting Tweedledee. (Alice reference. Alice can be relevant and topical.)
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
But Dan Coffin (AND Poul Anderson) did not have persons like the gentlemen you mentioned. Rather, as Anderson discussed in his "Commentary" in SPACE FOLK, he had fools or cynics whipping up and preying on public ignorance as a means of grasping after power.
So I continue to side more with people like Dan Coffin!
Sean
Sean,
Yes. There are many demagogues in the derogatory sense.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
In the derogatory and TRUE sense of that word.
Sean
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