The suspension of Trevor Phillips shows how whataboutery has invaded our politics – inews
Posted By admin on March 13, 2020
OpinionColumnistsThe Labour Party is trying to accuse its critics of racism as toxic as that of which they are themselves accused
Wednesday, 11th March 2020, 6:10 pm
In February of last year, the BBC journalist Lyse Doucet interviewed the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif about Irans human rights record.
What was Zarif planning to do, she asked, about eight environmentalists jailed in Iran after protesting the regimes stance on conservation? Zarif changed the subject. What about the Saudi regimes murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, he asked? With rising indignation, he continued: the West still sells weapons to Saudi Arabia, Irans regional rival, so what right had any British journalist to question Iran about human rights?
i's opinion newsletter: talking points from today
i's opinion newsletter: talking points from today
I thought of Zarif and his now-notorious interview when I read that the Labour Party has suspended Trevor Phillips, founding head of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, over allegations of Islamophobia. Like most Labour Party processes, the mechanism by which charges have been brought against Phillips is secret.
In the cover letter Phillips has received from Labour, only one Islamophobic publication is specified: a think-tank pamphlet he co-authored in 2016 entitled: Race and Faith: The Deafening Silence. Phillips is accused of referencing Enoch Powells 1968 Rivers of Blood speech in the pamphlet which he did, in order to condemn it and condemn the deafening silence of the British Establishments refusal to confront Powell and his supporters in argument.
Phillips is the child of Windrush-era migrants from British Guiana and last year he was interviewed on Newsnight, shaking with anger, to condemn the Tory governments treatment of the Windrush generation. He is clearly no Powellite. But he has been a prominent critic of Islamist (and Iran-backed) attempts to define the word Islamophobiasince 2016, which was the year in which he presented a controversial Channel 4 documentary: What Do British Muslims Really Think?
The true question is why now, in early 2020, the former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission is being charged with racism over a 2016 publication.In a few months, the EHRC is due to publish its formal investigation into charges that the Labour Party is institutionally anti-Semitic. Phillips, although no longer at the EHRC himself, has welcomed that investigation and spoken publicly to condemn the Labour leaderships perceived tolerance of anti-Semitism.
Since the news of the EHRC investigation broke, parts of the Labour Party have appeared to embark on a strategic campaign to distract from the mote in its own eye: accuse its critics of racism as toxic as that of which they are themselves accused. In the case of the Conservative Party, that means consistently raising accusations of Islamophobia. And under this pressure, the Conservatives have announced an independent review into Islamophobia: Trevor Phillips sits on that panel.
Since the news of the EHRC investigation broke, the Corbynite faction of the Labour Party has undertaken a strategic campaign to distract from the mote in its own eye: accuse its critics of racism as toxic as that of which they are themselves accused. In the case of the Conservative Party, that means consistently raising accusations of Islamophobia.
And under this pressure, the Conservatives have announced an independent review into Islamophobia: Trevor Phillips sits on that panel. As I understand from Labour figures, Corbyns office are determined to discredit that inquiry, and to discredit the ability of any of its critics to speak to political racism, so that the public conversation is as muddy as possible before the ECHR bombshell hits.
No wonder one is reminded of the Iranian approach to foreign affairs. We are living in the age of whataboutery as political life-support system, adopted by global superpowers and national political parties. Corbyns Labour has perfected the game, but the Tories are equally keen players. Asked yesterday by Jeremy Corbyn to apologise for offensive remarks about women (including Muslim women), Boris Johnson retorted: I will take no lessons in sexism from a party where good women MPs are bullied out of their party. Hed used a similar line last week, when Corbyn referenced the ongoing inquiry into claims that Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, is a workplace bully.
Across the Atlantic and in the Middle East, things are much the same. Donald Trump and Joe Bidens outriders are gearing up for an election in which both accuse the other of mental decline and mistreatment of women. Apologists for Bashir Assad, who has used chemical weapons on his civilian population, parrot Russian and Iranian talking points that condemn rebels as the real genocidaires. Whataboutery or whataboutism was, of course, originally a Soviet propaganda technique; the Russia expert Luke Harding has described whataboutism as practically a national ideology in Putins Russia.
Whataboutery is a close relative of false-equivalence. But there are important, invidious differences. False equivalence is the posture of the detached spectator, when intellectual cowardice masquerades as moral superiority. Whataboutery is deployed by people who are themselves accused of a charge, and who wish to distract rather than defend themselves it is a misdirection technique of the guilty.
It trivialises the charge. Take the anti-semitism/anti-Islamaphobia fight. When British Jews speak about anti-Semitism, they are referencing of recent traumas, still fresh in family memory. Those of us of partial Jewish heritage, perhaps raised in other traditions, who have stood with the mainstream Jewish community this year do so because we share a hereditary memory of genocide, a marker in the bloodstream that twitches when we see again the old tropes of money-grubbing Jews. We know the line between a hook-nosed cartoon and our great-grandmothers deportation to Auschwitz.
When the first words we hear in response to an anti-Semitism complaint are what about Tory Islamophobia?, we hear that our communal PTSD doesnt matter. We hear that a communitys fear is just someones political weapon.
It doesnt have to be this way. Hatred of Muslims is a real issue in this country, and whether alleged of Tories or of Labour dissidents like Phillips, deserves to be investigated on its own merits, not tethered to a political point-scoring contest. The fact that it is now impossible to assess the charges against Phillips without referencing the context of Labour anti-semitism tumult, as I have done here, is all part of the same problem.
Many Jewish leaders have been struck by the support theyve received recently from Muslim communities, who know what it is to face prejudice. The Rabbi Julia Neuberger, speaking at Jewish Book Week last Wednesday, paid tribute to the improving relationships between synagogues and Muslims: Ramadan is now one of her busiest periods in the year, she noted, because theres an interfaith Iftar to attend every night.
No wonder authoritarian regimes love whataboutery. It divides us, pitching the concern of one community against another. It distracts us from the real sins of governments. (Those eight environmentalists in Iran, by the way, were sentenced to 58 years in jail last month, their leader found dead in his cell.) It should be beneath British politics. Yet it is firmly entrenched.
Kate Maltby is a writer and critic. She is on the board of Index of Censorship, of which Trevor Phillips is the chair
Read the original:
The suspension of Trevor Phillips shows how whataboutery has invaded our politics - inews
- Among Marginalized Voices at Upcoming Theater Festival: Conservatives - Heritage.org - January 18th, 2021
- The BroadsheetDAILY ~ 1/14/21 ~ State Extends, Expands Eviction and Foreclosure Bans Credited with Saving Thousands of Lives - ebroadsheet.com - January 18th, 2021
- Zac Posen, Andy Cohen Explore Jewish Ancestry on 'Finding Your Roots' - Jewish Journal - January 14th, 2021
- Before Sheldon Adelsons death, his relationships soured with both Netanyahu and Trump - Forward - January 14th, 2021
- Celebrate MLK Day online and in person at the reopening of Maltz Museum: Valley Views - cleveland.com - January 14th, 2021
- Art Industry News: Financiers Are Investing Piles of Cash Into Immersive Art Centers Following Mass Layoffs in the Sector + Other Stories - artnet... - January 14th, 2021
- Georgias Senate runoffs: All the Jewish drama from a charged campaign - The Times of Israel - January 6th, 2021
- Its being treated like a war: Israels rapid Covid-19 vaccination drive - The Irish Times - January 4th, 2021
- Oakland County community calendar Jan. 3 and beyond - The Oakland Press - January 4th, 2021
- This customized van is helping UK Holocaust survivors record their stories during the pandemic - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - January 4th, 2021
- Anonymous benefactor assures success of Cliftonville Save Our Shul campaign - The Isle of Thanet News - January 4th, 2021
- Museum Of Jewish Heritage " A Living Memorial To The Holocaust Pivoting To Provide Production Space In 2021 - Broadway World - December 22nd, 2020
- What the Holidays Mean to Me: Community partners share the importance of this season - LouisvilleKy.gov - December 22nd, 2020
- Looking back at 2020, a year like no other in the museums and heritage sector - Museums + Heritage Advisor - December 22nd, 2020
- Pastors: Kelly Loeffler's Smear Of Rev. Raphael Warnock Is Broad Assault On The Black Church - HuffPost - December 22nd, 2020
- Islam must adopt the Moroccan model - The Spectator US - December 18th, 2020
- Magic Shows and Inner Beauty - The New York Times - December 18th, 2020
- Security Industry Mourns the Loss of Bob Harris - Security Sales & Integration - December 18th, 2020
- My Word: Forgotten refugees and the proud Mizrahi heritage - The Jerusalem Post - December 5th, 2020
- Feed the Body and Mind During Hanukkah - Santa Barbara Independent - December 5th, 2020
- The UAE Is Rejecting Doublethink on Israel Will It Last? - National Review - December 5th, 2020
- Demonstrating Compassion in our Responses and Actions - Atlanta Jewish Times - November 21st, 2020
- This non-Jewish leader is working to clean up Polands Jewish cemeteries - The Jerusalem Post - November 21st, 2020
- What to do this Weekend: Nov 18-22 - Nob Hill Gazette - November 21st, 2020
- The BroadsheetDAILY ~ 11/19/20 ~ Homeless for the Holidays Judge Will Rule Next Monday on Whether to Allow FiDi Shelter Plans - ebroadsheet.com - November 21st, 2020
- Georgia Writers Hall Of Fame Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary In Honor Of The State's Literary Legends - WABE 90.1 FM - November 21st, 2020
- Ahead of November election, growing numbers of Jews consider leaving US - The Times of Israel - October 4th, 2020
- 'The regime has no real choice but to let the victors rule' - Cleveland Jewish News - October 4th, 2020
- Celebrating Bess Myerson, The One and Only Jewish Miss America - The Jerusalem Post - September 29th, 2020
- Hispanic Heritage Month: Exploring The Connection Between Latin Americans And Judaism - CBS New York - September 25th, 2020
- Survey: 13% of NJ's young adults think Jews caused the Holocaust - New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio - September 23rd, 2020
- Coronavirus crisis is testing the resilience of Europe's small Jewish communities - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - September 23rd, 2020
- Coronavirus is testing the resilience of Europes small Jewish communities - The Jerusalem Post - September 23rd, 2020
- When RBG came to see Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish - Forward - September 23rd, 2020
- Some Cuyahoga County residents would have to travel 90 minutes to use the countys only ballot drop box: The - cleveland.com - September 23rd, 2020
- Limited by COVID-19, Jewish community finds ways to keep traditions alive, connections strong - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - September 23rd, 2020
- Rosh Hashana in the Pandemic: Rabbis, Cantors and Video Crews - The New York Times - September 19th, 2020
- Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage reopens to the public today - WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland - August 26th, 2020
- Words, like sticks and stones, can hurt us - The Jewish Star - August 26th, 2020
- Here's a list of fall festivals that are canceled or will be virtual due to COVID-19 - Corpus Christi Caller-Times - August 26th, 2020
- Love and Courage, or On Being a Literary Editor in Today's Istanbul: A Conversation with Mustafa evikdoan and Mehmet Erte - lareviewofbooks - August 26th, 2020
- 15 women from York County's past who influenced, inspired and created change - York Daily Record - August 26th, 2020
- Prerecorded services, backyard worship, a drive-in: High Holidays during a pandemic - The Jewish News of Northern California - August 22nd, 2020
- This weekend, the Netanyahu family is set to decide if Israel is going to election - Haaretz - August 22nd, 2020
- When You're Outnumbered: Lessons from Two British Masters of Irregular Warfare - War on the Rocks - August 22nd, 2020
- Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage will reopen to the public this month - Crain's Cleveland Business - August 12th, 2020
- Kazakhstan adds Chabad leader's grave to its list of national heritage sites - Jewish News - August 12th, 2020
- Learn to spot a fake photo and see gas giants in the solar system: Valley Views - cleveland.com - August 12th, 2020
- Dropping the hyphen: Why this publication is changing its spelling of antisemitism - The Jewish News of Northern California - August 12th, 2020
- Online Learning, High Impact Programming, Caring Communities, and the Family are Keys to Jewish Education Success and Living a Values-Oriented Life -... - August 12th, 2020
- Young couples find love in Israel on the Masa program - The Jerusalem Post - August 12th, 2020
- This Month in Milwaukee: 16 Things to Do in August 2020 - Shepherd Express - August 12th, 2020
- The pandemic put Phoenixs Jewish mayor in the spotlight. Shes walking a tightrope. - Forward - August 4th, 2020
- A town celebrated for its heritage is urged to look at the history it's ignored - CBC.ca - August 4th, 2020
- Twitter Finally Bans the Nazi. No, Not That One. No, the Other One. - Gizmodo - August 4th, 2020
- Things To Do This Week - The New York Times - August 2nd, 2020
- Twitter Finally Bans the Nazi. No, Not That One. No, the Other One. - Gizmodo Australia - August 2nd, 2020
- The Hagia Sophia as a palimpsest: Memories of the monument in five acts - Scroll.in - August 2nd, 2020
- 'Chaos' at Victoria's Epping Gardens: how privatised aged care has failed during the coronavirus pandemic - The Guardian - August 2nd, 2020
- The day after: Israel may be the exception to a COVID-19 baby bust - Haaretz.com - August 2nd, 2020
- The Path to the Great Jewish Twitter Walkout - The Times of Israel - July 27th, 2020
- Mel Gibson was hospitalised after being diagnosed with coronavirus in April - NME.com - July 27th, 2020
- Phil Jones | Remember the 43 Group LRB 23 July 2020 - London Review of Books - July 27th, 2020
- Mel Gibson was in hospital with coronavirus in April - The Independent - July 27th, 2020
- Things to Do: Upcoming Food and Drink Events in Houston This Week - Houston Press - July 27th, 2020
- Stephen Miller's Grandmother Died of COVID-19. Her Son Blames the Trump Administration. - Mother Jones - July 27th, 2020
- The conflicted uncertainty of Pandemic Soccer - Pittsburgh Soccer Now - July 27th, 2020
- COVID-19 hits one in six Iowa nursing homes but inspectors cite few violations - Le Mars Daily Sentinel - July 27th, 2020
- Av: Disaster and Consolation - The Jewish Voice - July 17th, 2020
- The Yiddish song that kicked off the Swing Era is due for a comeback - The Jerusalem Post - July 17th, 2020
- Beautiful Hagia Sophia: Between the Sacred and the Profane; Turkey Is Condemned, While Israel Gets a Pass - CounterPunch - July 17th, 2020
- The case for dining out in the middle of a pandemic - Maclean's - July 17th, 2020
- IAC co-founder: Jewish, Israel education should be affordable to everyone - The Jerusalem Post - July 13th, 2020
- Why Winona Ryder has been haunted by horrors of Holocaust since her childhood - Mirror Online - July 13th, 2020
- What's your story? - Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber - July 13th, 2020
- Government may face legal action over building of Westminster Shoah memorial - Jewish News - July 13th, 2020
- Emmys spotlight: Why 'Unorthodox' star Shira Haas believes in the power of change - Screen International - July 4th, 2020
- Helen Epstein: One real skill and one fake one helped my mother survive the Holocaust - Radio Prague - July 4th, 2020
- Coronavirus: Here is what Israels schools could look like in Sept. 2020 - The Jerusalem Post - July 3rd, 2020
- Surprise! Jordanian Ammunition Found Near the Western Wall - Israel Today - July 3rd, 2020
Comments