Do we even have a far-left?
It's striking that for all the commentary about the 'far right', you never seem to hear anything of any 'far left'.
Am I the only one getting tired of everything contrary to ‘progressive’ or ‘woke’ values being labelled “far right”?
Every morning I pick up the news and the headlines scream about the rise of the far right, the extreme far right, fascists, and other associated names.
The recent European Union elections, and then national elections prior to that, have seen this name calling escalate. The results in the likes of France, Italy, and Germany are cases in point, with many headlines noting the ‘rise of the far right’. In the United Kingdom, we see the rise of Nigel Farage’s Party (Reform UK) and as I write, polls suggest he is doing better than the Conservative Party. Prior to the EU elections, the commentariat had a meltdown when Giorgia Meloni was elected Italy’s Prime Minister. That she was the first ever woman Prime Minister in Italy was quickly ignored (in a way it would not have been if she had been left-wing) and instead, a barrage of attacks on her for being ‘far right’ and believing in such concepts as ‘the family’.
According to such commentators, what makes someone ‘far right’? Well, everything it seems from wanting to protect your job to believing in law and order; believing in pro-life values and the role of family; not wanting to mutilate young children in the name of gender theory; questioning whether mass migration is a good thing; not being particularly enamoured with near weekly Islamist violence; or being sceptical about various international treaties that weaken a country’s own decision-making. Oh, and more locally and according to the ironically named ‘Disinformation Project’, braiding hair and liking flowers (I’m not kidding!).
What is striking however, is that there appears to be no ‘far left’ or ‘extreme left’. Such people and groups just don’t seem to exist when you read the papers or listen to the news. Mexico has just elected a new President who for all intents and purposes is left-wing. And yet this moniker is not used. She instead is a champion of the environment, a trail blazer, a game changer. Here in New Zealand, many people and groups are quickly derided as ‘far right’ and yet it would seem, from reporting, that there is not one person who is ever ‘far left’.
Personally, I would prefer less hyperbole and so I am not arguing for more name calling – be it on the left or right. But I do hope people reflect on how language once again is being misused by those in power and influence. Progressives are seeking to use such emotive language – such as ‘extreme right’ – to suppress anyone who questions their narrative. It is easier to label someone in order to dismiss them rather than rationally articulate an argument.
As others have also noted, if everyone is being called ‘far right’ then we will actually miss those who genuinely are. There will always be violent fringe groups on either end of the left-right spectrum. I would argue you are seeing, almost daily, the fringe of the left wing active on our streets. These are the ones protesting with masks and scarves on; calling for revolution; supporting designated terrorist groups; posting signs including symbols of guns; defacing property; and screaming at anyone who disagrees with them. Ironically, these fanatics are never labelled ‘far left’. Never.
And herein lies the final observation. More often than not, those most loudly screaming names at people are the very thing they accuse others of being. Those decrying everyone as ‘far right’ for having a different view to them, are in fact acting exactly like the traditional far right – violent in language and action. These people would do well to look in the mirror a little more, and less time abusing those who oppose their view of the world.
MY LATEST MEDIA
As you may know, I am now doing a weekly radio show with Reality Check Radio. It’s an online radio station with my show on every Friday from 10am to midday.
One of latest guests was Maryanne Spurdle from the Maxim Institute. She has done research around New Zealand’s education curriculum, noting how much more work teachers need to undertake to produce content while also seeing education results slide.
I am also helping Family First with a range of it’s media. They have a variety of shows which you can check out here. Among others, I am doing a Facebook Live every Tuesday morning from 8am. I touch on topics of the day but importantly, take your thoughts and comments. So tune in via my Facebook Page or Family First’s.
You can also check out my latest podcast with Dr Joanna Howe about her pro-life work in Australia. I am recording my next guests over the coming days, so stay tuned!
It's hard to ignore the fact that the media have been cheerleaders for this distortion, calling the left 'progressive' without question, and the right classified into extremes of right, far right, extreme right or ultra right. The chilling fact is that the media have an agenda. Why this should be so can be laid at the door of our universities who seem to have taken their Marxist instructors to heart.
The labels have long since become meaningless as another writer has mentioned regularly trumpeted by media outlets who mistake opinion for news.