English Uprising
"Robinson rose to prominence as the leader of the English Defence League."
Something is brewing beneath the surface in England. It could yet erupt with dire consequences. A wavering Brexit might trigger events that spiral out of control. Meanwhile, the mainstream media either ignores or disparages the man who symbolises the emerging crisis. Love him, loathe him or be indifferent … ignoring Tommy Robinson is a risk you take at your peril. (Yes, I know his actual name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon)
In some quarters, mentioning Tommy Robinson’s name triggers an adverse reaction. The left detests him, yet the left's traditional supporters, the white working class, embrace him. Robinson is symbolic; he represents the result of an abandoned community. Dismissed as racist, far-right, and a criminal, Robinson challenges traditional politics.
He's running an epic grassroots campaign without a support organisation. To be clear, he has convictions and is currently on bail. That’s another story I’ll address here. But his label as far-right is more about the linguistics of the left than anything he represents.
Robinson rose to prominence as the leader of the English Defence League. This group formed in response to Muslims spitting on and haranguing British soldiers. In 2013, he left this group, citing its infiltration by far-right elements. Since then, he has consolidated his position in a campaign against the Muslim grooming gangs. These gangs operate under the noses of UK authorities.
Social services have sometimes facilitated the crimes, while the police did nothing. Robinson has linked that issue to a broader anti-Islam and freedom-of-speech agenda. Although the mainstream media will not acknowledge it, he remains influential.
One need not agree with Robinson to find compelling reasons to study his rise. Anyone concerned about societal cohesion should consider his impact. After all, he transformed a small demonstration in Luton into an international anti-Islam movement. This represents the most surprising development. He has transitioned from a local activist to a transatlantic anti-Islam ideologue.
Robinson now garners attention globally. Conservative groups in the USA and Europe have adopted him. His rise is even more surprising when you consider his background. A genuine working-class lad from Luton, he isn’t the most educated of men, yet he is eloquent and forceful. Watch his address to the Oxford Students' Union. I suspect he’s on a trajectory that will lead him into mainstream politics, although he would deny that.
Economic vulnerability, social breakdown and political neglect are themes that allowed Robinson to emerge. His recent peremptory imprisonment conferred upon him martyr status with his followers. It feeds into their dispossessed narrative. Robinson's action was stupid. He filmed outside the court hearing a case against alleged rapists, then challenged the accused as they entered. An injunction banned such activity. He's arrested and then immediately sent to prison. That was a tactical blunder by the authorities. With that move, they affirmed his totemic status.
The appellate court subsequently released Robinson, highlighting “a fundamentally flawed process.” This flawed process was apparent to all. Had it involved an individual from the left, Amnesty International would undoubtedly have taken to the streets. They, of course, chose to remain silent. Their sense of justice does not extend to white lads from Luton. He remains on bail awaiting retrial.
The rise of Robinson is the fault of all the political parties. Each, in turn, decried the white working class. They are seen as oafs and racists whenever they voice views on multiculturalism; they are despised. Remember Gordon Brown’s gaffe.
Labour abandoned the working class under Blair. This opened a fertile ground for Robinson to grow. Then, the authorities handed Robinson the ideal cutlass to cut them. That the police and others ignored and even facilitated the mass rape of white girls gave Robinson his calling.
This has transformed him into a genuinely global figure. He now enjoys support from prominent anti-Muslim politicians in Europe. Sam Brownback, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, has backed Robinson, as have former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon and a Republican Congressman.
In addition, more than 630,000 people signed an online petition to free Robinson. His reach is now acknowledged in France, Spain, Holland, Italy, Poland, and Russia.
That may change when he asserts that he is not seeking political office.
He is an apolitical figure insofar as he focuses on social and cultural issues. His main themes are the Islamization of Britain, child sex grooming gangs and the dangers of political correctness.
He does not concern himself with elections or the necessity of cultivating party discipline. His supporters operate on the streets. Thousands gathered in London for a recent demonstration in support of the 'FreeTommy campaign'. The mainstream media overlooked the event, although YouTube clips shed light on the issue. This type of street activism represents a troubling development. It signals that people have lost faith in the democratic political process, which may result in public disorder and even acts of terrorism.
Working-class Britons lost their influence after the Cold War ended. Before that, the establishment needed to keep the working class happy to avoid their drift to communism. That need died when the Berlin Wall came down. The Tony Blair years accelerated the power shift. He abandoned Labour’s homeland to govern through a London-based elite, and working-class voices were no longer heard.
A recent incident at a motorway service station confirmed Robinsons’ status as a working-class icon and revealed how the establishment fears him. Robinson bumped into a group of young soldiers who surrounded him and took selfies. These selfies circulated on social media, which is typical behaviour for young people. Subsequently, the Muslim Council of Britain became involved and expressed outrage. The British Army swiftly capitulated to their demands for an investigation. One soldier's career is over, while the others face reprimands.
Many believe the British Army’s response is excessive. We should remember that members of the Muslim Council of Britain have called for the deaths of British soldiers. Consequently, in my view, the treatment of these young soldiers suggests that the establishment is frightened of Robinson.
This may seem an arbitrary point to make, but those soldiers come from white working-class backgrounds. But there is more to the story if you have eyes to see it. A quick scan of their cap badges will tell you these young men are in northern infantry regiments. In most cases, the infantry is the most impoverished group of boys. These kids get recruited in a targeted way from communities battered by decades of unemployment.
They're in the army because few other opportunities come their way. To them, Robinson is the authentic voice of their community. This bolsters Robinson's oft-repeated claim, “We are not being listened to." It affirms that governing politics is a small clique of distant elites out of touch with the masses.
Robinson has a massive social media following. One video on his YouTube channel has 2.3 million views, and 'Tommy Robinson confronts another accused Muslim grooming gang' reached an audience of 1.9 million. His influential transatlantic social media following has translated into funding.
In the end, Robinson is not to blame for the rising xenophobia in England. He’s reacting to an establishment that dismissed a group of people as irrelevant. Those people are now reasserting themselves. The more politicians and the media seek to demonise Robinson, the more likely his ideas will stick. The disgruntled white working class needs a voice, and Robinson provides it. The legitimate concerns he raises need addressing, or the outcome is mayhem. No longer can you dismiss him as the ‘enemy within.’ That won't pass muster.
Finally, consider these victims’ stories and recognise that the police took no action. It seems the authorities are still prepared to turn a blind eye to the abuse of women by Asian men. That’s additional material for Tommy.
October 20218
In some quarters, mentioning Tommy Robinson’s name triggers an adverse reaction. The left detests him, yet the left's traditional supporters, the white working class, embrace him. Robinson is symbolic; he represents the result of an abandoned community. Dismissed as racist, far-right, and a criminal, Robinson challenges traditional politics.
He's running an epic grassroots campaign without a support organisation. To be clear, he has convictions and is currently on bail. That’s another story I’ll address here. But his label as far-right is more about the linguistics of the left than anything he represents.
Robinson rose to prominence as the leader of the English Defence League. This group formed in response to Muslims spitting on and haranguing British soldiers. In 2013, he left this group, citing its infiltration by far-right elements. Since then, he has consolidated his position in a campaign against the Muslim grooming gangs. These gangs operate under the noses of UK authorities.
Social services have sometimes facilitated the crimes, while the police did nothing. Robinson has linked that issue to a broader anti-Islam and freedom-of-speech agenda. Although the mainstream media will not acknowledge it, he remains influential.
One need not agree with Robinson to find compelling reasons to study his rise. Anyone concerned about societal cohesion should consider his impact. After all, he transformed a small demonstration in Luton into an international anti-Islam movement. This represents the most surprising development. He has transitioned from a local activist to a transatlantic anti-Islam ideologue.
Robinson now garners attention globally. Conservative groups in the USA and Europe have adopted him. His rise is even more surprising when you consider his background. A genuine working-class lad from Luton, he isn’t the most educated of men, yet he is eloquent and forceful. Watch his address to the Oxford Students' Union. I suspect he’s on a trajectory that will lead him into mainstream politics, although he would deny that.
Economic vulnerability, social breakdown and political neglect are themes that allowed Robinson to emerge. His recent peremptory imprisonment conferred upon him martyr status with his followers. It feeds into their dispossessed narrative. Robinson's action was stupid. He filmed outside the court hearing a case against alleged rapists, then challenged the accused as they entered. An injunction banned such activity. He's arrested and then immediately sent to prison. That was a tactical blunder by the authorities. With that move, they affirmed his totemic status.
The appellate court subsequently released Robinson, highlighting “a fundamentally flawed process.” This flawed process was apparent to all. Had it involved an individual from the left, Amnesty International would undoubtedly have taken to the streets. They, of course, chose to remain silent. Their sense of justice does not extend to white lads from Luton. He remains on bail awaiting retrial.
The rise of Robinson is the fault of all the political parties. Each, in turn, decried the white working class. They are seen as oafs and racists whenever they voice views on multiculturalism; they are despised. Remember Gordon Brown’s gaffe.
Labour abandoned the working class under Blair. This opened a fertile ground for Robinson to grow. Then, the authorities handed Robinson the ideal cutlass to cut them. That the police and others ignored and even facilitated the mass rape of white girls gave Robinson his calling.
This has transformed him into a genuinely global figure. He now enjoys support from prominent anti-Muslim politicians in Europe. Sam Brownback, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, has backed Robinson, as have former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon and a Republican Congressman.
In addition, more than 630,000 people signed an online petition to free Robinson. His reach is now acknowledged in France, Spain, Holland, Italy, Poland, and Russia.
That may change when he asserts that he is not seeking political office.
He is an apolitical figure insofar as he focuses on social and cultural issues. His main themes are the Islamization of Britain, child sex grooming gangs and the dangers of political correctness.
He does not concern himself with elections or the necessity of cultivating party discipline. His supporters operate on the streets. Thousands gathered in London for a recent demonstration in support of the 'FreeTommy campaign'. The mainstream media overlooked the event, although YouTube clips shed light on the issue. This type of street activism represents a troubling development. It signals that people have lost faith in the democratic political process, which may result in public disorder and even acts of terrorism.
Working-class Britons lost their influence after the Cold War ended. Before that, the establishment needed to keep the working class happy to avoid their drift to communism. That need died when the Berlin Wall came down. The Tony Blair years accelerated the power shift. He abandoned Labour’s homeland to govern through a London-based elite, and working-class voices were no longer heard.
A recent incident at a motorway service station confirmed Robinsons’ status as a working-class icon and revealed how the establishment fears him. Robinson bumped into a group of young soldiers who surrounded him and took selfies. These selfies circulated on social media, which is typical behaviour for young people. Subsequently, the Muslim Council of Britain became involved and expressed outrage. The British Army swiftly capitulated to their demands for an investigation. One soldier's career is over, while the others face reprimands.
Many believe the British Army’s response is excessive. We should remember that members of the Muslim Council of Britain have called for the deaths of British soldiers. Consequently, in my view, the treatment of these young soldiers suggests that the establishment is frightened of Robinson.
This may seem an arbitrary point to make, but those soldiers come from white working-class backgrounds. But there is more to the story if you have eyes to see it. A quick scan of their cap badges will tell you these young men are in northern infantry regiments. In most cases, the infantry is the most impoverished group of boys. These kids get recruited in a targeted way from communities battered by decades of unemployment.
They're in the army because few other opportunities come their way. To them, Robinson is the authentic voice of their community. This bolsters Robinson's oft-repeated claim, “We are not being listened to." It affirms that governing politics is a small clique of distant elites out of touch with the masses.
Robinson has a massive social media following. One video on his YouTube channel has 2.3 million views, and 'Tommy Robinson confronts another accused Muslim grooming gang' reached an audience of 1.9 million. His influential transatlantic social media following has translated into funding.
In the end, Robinson is not to blame for the rising xenophobia in England. He’s reacting to an establishment that dismissed a group of people as irrelevant. Those people are now reasserting themselves. The more politicians and the media seek to demonise Robinson, the more likely his ideas will stick. The disgruntled white working class needs a voice, and Robinson provides it. The legitimate concerns he raises need addressing, or the outcome is mayhem. No longer can you dismiss him as the ‘enemy within.’ That won't pass muster.
Finally, consider these victims’ stories and recognise that the police took no action. It seems the authorities are still prepared to turn a blind eye to the abuse of women by Asian men. That’s additional material for Tommy.
October 20218
Copyright © 2015