slaughter in the Middle East have no bearing on the matter: “The root cause of the threat we face is the extremist ideology itself.” In defence of his newly minted PREVENT strategy for schools, Cameron says that it “is paranoia in the extreme” to believe that PREVENT is really “about criminalising or spying on Muslim children”.
But evidently such paranoid extremist beliefs are widespread, as demonstrated by an open letter published in The Independent (July 10) that condemned PREVENT in the sharpest terms – in ways that Cameron might term “paranoia in the extreme”. Supported by hundreds of people, the letter was signed by the likes of Labour peer Baroness Ruth Lister (who is based at Loughborough University) and religious historian Karen Armstrong, who just last month was awarded an OBE for her services to literature and interfaith dialogue.
Not put off by such criticisms, Cameron warned that “wild conspiracy theories” must be condemned, whether based in fact or otherwise. Historical facts merely seem to confuse matters for Cameron. But it is precisely the type of extreme paranoia promoted by non-violent extremists (like those who signed the aforementioned open letter) that Cameron wishes to criminalise.
It “is clear” he warns, that many Islamic terrorists “were first influenced by what some would call non-violent extremists”. Hence a ‘key part’ of the government’s anti-terror strategy “means confronting groups and organisations that may not advocate violence – but which do promote other parts of the extremist narrative”.
Poisonous ideologies “have existed before – whether fascist or communist” Cameron reminds us, thereby conveniently lumping communism alongside fascism. The latter ideology of fascism of course having much in common with Cameron’s own toxic and individualist brands of corporatist ideology (neoconservatism and neoliberalsm).
This article has been excerpted from: ‘The Challenge to Labour and Tory extremism’.
Courtesy: Counterpunch.org