Too many Zealots

Photo: James Bloodworth: Twitter

With shootings in Dallas, beheadings of footballers by ISIS in Syria and increasing numbers of racist incidents in even our own country the world is seemingly heading backwards at an alarming rate. Even the mainstream political parties, the bedrock of British democracy are developing into places where bigotry and zealotry seem to be in ascendency.

One of the former contenders for leadership of the Tory Party, Stephen Crabb believes in "cures" for homsexuals, whilst one of the remaining contenders for Prime Minister Andrea Leadsom thinks gay marriage "hurts christians". Not sure how, it's not compulsory but that's her view.

Meanwhile the world of social media continues to bring out the worst in people with supporters of Jeremy Corbyn calling anyone that does not agree with them a "traitor" and indulge in behaviour towards Jews normally associated with the far right.

Meanwhile at the Durham Miners Gala where "moderate" Labour MPs have been told they are "not welcome" find a place for the fanclub of mass murderer Joseph Stalin to have a stall at their bash.

No wonder the nickname Maomentum has stuck firmly.

The rise of Islamo-fascism following the collapse of communism continues unabated with even Turkey, a former bastion of modernisation and secularism has fallen to the rantings of it's quite obviously deranged President Erdogan.

Former socialist paradise of Venezuela has fallen to the inevitable failure of it's corrupt leaders as it's own people are forced to cross the border into neighbouring Columbia just to to buy basics such as flour, bread and rice.

The anti-colonialist leader Mugabe has led the "breadbasket" of Zimbabwe into penury.

When the "Cold War" came to an end we had leading thinkers like Francis Fukuyama claiming we were seeing the "end of history" and we all looked forward to a better world. Maybe not over night, but in time.

Now with "Brexit", Islamic fundamentalism and the far-left's "Strasserite" turn the world slowly sinks back into barbarism.

Back at the beginning of the sixties, a small group of left-socialists around Cornelius Castoriadis organised around the slogan "Socialism or Barbarism" (a phrase that originated with Rosa Luxemburg) they got it wrong.

Today the struggle is for reason not barbarism.

The zealots are at our gates.

Time to stand up and fight back.