Sunday, February 26, 2006

Take Back the Truth

Everywhere I turn I seem to hear about "far right Nazis" or "right wing nazi groups". It's a common term but it is completely wrong- the Nazis were the National Socialist German Workers Party. The Nazis were firmly on the LEFT of the political spectrum, not the right- though I'm sure than not many people are aware of that today because of the constant "right wing" repetition. Just take a look (but be prepared for a shower afterwards) at the website of the American Nazi Party (surely dubbed a Far Right organisation by the media, etc)-

"The American Nazi Party is a Political-Educational Association, dedicated to the 14 WORDS. We are committed to bringing American National Socialism, first created and embodied by our late Commander George Lincoln Rockwell, out of the past Phase One activities which at the time served their purpose well, and into the 21st Century."

I think it's time that we began to correct this myth- it's a slander that can be used to paint the entire conservative position as somehow racist or tyrannical. The American Nazi Party is, I'm sure, constantly referred to as a radical/far right wing group- but their politics are socialist in nature-

"the two main tenants of National Socialism embodies the Struggle for Aryan Racial survival, and Social Justice for White Working Class people throughout our land."

Nazis are not right wing extremists, they are Left Wing. But how many times have you ever heard that? How many times have you heard "right wing racist"? Now, compare that to how many times you've heard "left wing racist". The latter is the more accurate of the two- and is plainly on show as the abhorrent American Nazi Party website- but it's not a term that's ever used. Instead that position is somehow referred to as right wing- as if the conservative side of the aisle is inherently racist, as if that intolerance trumps even the obviously socialist language of their manifesto.

What's happened? How did plainly obvious facts become so twisted that Nazis are almost universally referred to as right wing, when their politics are anything but?

It's time to take back the truth- my challenge to everyone who reads this blog is to take the time to correct the "right wing nazi" myth wherever you hear it.

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