The following article by Raymond O'Connell was first published in Unity, the weekly paper of the Irish Communist Party.
THE term 'alien culture' has been bandied around in recent weeks. It is a cornerstone of science fiction and refers to extraterrestrial civilizations. I was going to add its current use departs somewhat from its original meaning, but on second thoughts its science fiction derivation fits quite nicely with present afficionados. After all Jim Allister is a creationist, sometimes referred to as 'young earthers'. Creationists like Allister believe the universe is some 6000 years old. In that he is associated with the Caleb Foundation, an evangelical behemoth claiming some 200,000 devotees here, who seek to imprison us in their evangelical, medieval theocracy. He thinks abortion should be banned even when the pregnancy was the result of rape – an example of an alien culture if ever there was one.
Of course Allister's use of the term 'alien culture' reflects the centuries-old view that Europeans have inherited traits that make them superior to others. A short while ago while having a discussion over lunch a couple of people summed up their position saying they subscribed to old European values. They meant those of the 'Enlightenment' – rationalism, empiricism, skepticism, liberty and individualism associated with 18th century Enlightenment icons like Voltaire, Hume and Kant.
I wondered differently if 'European Values' referred to polygenism (a la Voltaire), that "the black race is a species of man different from ours…we are superior to Negroes, just as Negroes are superior to monkeys". Or maybe non-white people were just inferior (Hume), incapable of true cultural or intellectual development and destined to be subordinate to Europeans in perpetuity (Kant). Maybe Adam Smith was closer though when he argued in opposing slavery that wage labour was less expensive, a more efficient method of exploitation, than slavery – while also opposing the brutality of the latter.
My lunchtime companions would not have meant slavery, or empire, or colonial exploitation, or neo-colonial exploitation. They certainly would not have been referring to fascism or genocide? So why is there such a gap in understanding about the past atrocities committed in the name of civilized Europe (and the 'West' generally) and how they still resonate in the present? Franz Fanon's assertion that there is no such thing as a society being "unconsciously racist" should cause us all to reflect on how racism is carried by popular culture here well beyond the rioters.
As well as demonizing migrants Jim Allister also sought to weaponize the 'open border' and now he is yet again attempting to muddy the waters at present by trying to drag the focus onto state forces rather than yet another "Filthy, Vile and Depraved" (Belfast Telegraph) BUT NOT ALIEN pillar of the community.