Anti-fascism

The relevance of George Orwell today: Standing up for democracy and against fascism Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, 1 June 2022 George Orwell’s influence as a writer has grown since his death in 1950 at the age of 46, particularly in recent decades. He was unashamedly a voice on the left - independent minded, an iconoclast and unafraid to stand against the hypocrisies and tyrannies of both his own side, as well as of the right. In today’s challenging world – from climate change to the war in Ukraine and rise of despotism, demagoguery and a nascent fascism from Russia

Continue Reading The relevance of George Orwell today; Standing up for democracy and against fascism

How to organise and defeat the forces of fascism, racism and bigotry Gerry Hassan Sunday National, June 21st 2020 The popularity and power of the message ‘Black Lives Matter’ was always going to provoke a reaction. In the past fortnight there has been the emergence of the ultra-right on the streets of the UK. And in the past week, these ugly forces congregated in George Square, Glasgow on Wednesday disrupting a peaceful march in support of asylum seekers and refugees. This is unwelcome, ugly and not completely surprising. But it raises questions about the size and scale of the constituency

Continue Reading How to organise and defeat the forces of fascism, racism and bigotry

How we should and shouldn’t commemorate VE Day Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, May 6th 2020 This coming Friday May 8^th is an important moment in the history of all of us - the 75^th anniversary of the defeat of fascism and Nazism in Europe in World War Two. It is important to mark, commemorate and remember those who gave their lives in the defeat of fascism - and to learn from what happened. This means not allowing the anniversary to be taken over by unchallenged official accounts that feed into the endless British obsession with 1939-45. The rise and defeat

Continue Reading How we should and shouldn’t commemorate VE Day