Last night, a line was crossed. The Tory government has transcended their previous status as the “nasty party” and descended into pure evil. There is now no discernible difference between their incendiary rhetoric and that of the very far-right groups they we have fought to keep out of our communities. This is not merely a matter of semantics, but a dire warning sign of a government that has forsaken any semblance of decency, compassion, or basic morality and has embraced “creeping fascism”.
The words of Suella Braverman, the current Home Secretary, echo with a chilling undertone that harks back to a darker time in our history. The drip, drip of fear and hatred for the other is unmistakable, as she accuses opposition MPs of deceiving the public with their supposed “fake garb of humanitarianism.”
In the face of those who would deny the warning signs of history, I am compelled to speak with the urgency that this moment demands. For those who dismiss any mention of Nazi Germany in the 1930s as ridiculous, I say this: we have entered the morbid age once again, and the echoes of the past are all around us.
For those who dismiss any mention of Nazi Germany in the 1930s as ridiculous, I say this: we have entered the morbid age once again, and the echoes of the past are all around us.
The rise of fear and intolerance, the vilification of marginalised communities, and the normalisation of violence are all-too-familiar refrains from a somber era that we must not forget. The lessons of history have taught us that the price of complacency is high, and that the consequences of inaction can be catastrophic.
In her relentless pursuit to stop small boat crossings, Braverman appears to have lost sight of the humanity at stake. Her policy to “stop the boats” at any cost is a stark reminder of a time when the lives of refugees and immigrants were considered expendable. Her callous disregard for the impact of her words and actions on vulnerable human lives is a cause for concern, as is her lack of compassion for those who have endured unimaginable hardships to seek refuge in our country.
Braverman’s words are not those of a compassionate conservative, if such a thing ever existed, but of a politician who along with her party is willing to sacrifice basic human decency for political gain. Her insistence on stopping illegal immigration at any cost, coupled with her dismissal of claims that government policies are bigoted, is a dangerous and irresponsible position to hold.
Her insistence on stopping illegal immigration at any cost, coupled with her dismissal of claims that government policies are bigoted, is a dangerous and irresponsible position to hold.
For in these uncertain times, it is not enough to simply hope for the best. We must work tirelessly to build a better future for ourselves and for those who come after us. We must never forget the lessons of history, for they are our guiding light in the darkness that surrounds us. As Joan Didion once wrote, “we tell ourselves stories in order to live,” but Braverman’s story is one that threatens to undermine the very values that make us human. It is a story that seeks to divide us and sow the seeds of fear and hatred, rather than one that unites us in our common humanity.
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