Fighting Fascism

Antifascist Manifestation
"Front for Freedom of the World"
Monday, 27 April 2009
Ljubljana, Slovenija


*
Official Statement of the Front for Freedom of the World



27th April, Day of the Liberation Front and Day of the Resistance Against the Occupier respectively is a holiday with a strong symbolic meaning. It reminds us of the day when the coalition of several various groups made the decision to interfere with the social happenings of the time. In the time of occupation the only path to a final liberation was active resistance whereas choosing any alternative would – without exception lead into slavery.

Almost 70 years later we live in different circumstances, but the anti-fascist fight is still necessary since fascist aspirations are getting stronger again. These aspirations emphasize that more and more groups are unwanted parts of the society from the fascist point of view. Thus no individual who wants to live in and open, free and egalitarian society should fight against the rise of practices which – under the pretence of patriotism or progress – are becoming a legitimate former of the “normality discourse” which contributes to the exclusion of more and more people on a daily basis. That is why today a heterogeneous coalition of those who disagree with this rising rule of hatred seems necessary again.

Spreading of this exclusionist thinking in Slovenia is also entwined with tendencies of a historical revisionism which denies the revolutionary and anti-imperialistic character of the resistance and aims at narrowing it down to the moment of national liberation or even to only the deeds of the post-war authorities. We are not to forget that resistance against the occupier was much more than that – it was a realized idea of a necessary radical social change that would lead to a greater equality amongst people.

In the recent years we have witnessed a rise of various exclusionist practices all over Europe, which, in the circumstances of reducing social rights and a developing gap between social strata, are taking on new forms. The already very fertile grounds for the seeds of intolerance are even more fruitful in a time of crisis of the capitalist system. Now we must not buy the demagogy of politics and other actors who tend to canalize our dissatisfaction with the daily living conditions into hatred towards members of neighboring countries or specific subcultures. Also we must not support their plans of rescuing the drowning capitalists with our resources since it was their deeds (and not ours!) that have caused this crisis. That is why the current crisis is not only an economical but above all a social one. It offers a possibility of a fundamental consideration about the meaning of building a different world – a world in which there will be no room for exploitation, intolerance, hatred or exclusion. A world, based on solidarity, equality, cooperation, dignity, equal opportunities and respecting human rights.
Neo-fascism has no place in the parliament, on the streets or in the general public discourse. Just as the danger of Nazism and fascism was recognized in 1941, so today is another time for us to unite, rise and build a different world together: a world of freedom under the rule of rights which were and will have been fought for through countless battles of liberation. Searching for “enemies” amongst the co-citizens of the Republic of Slovenia and our neighboring countries is not acceptable and such interpretations (as well as all other practices of exclusionism) should immediately be opposed – publicly, determinedly and uncompromisingly. We can’t have fascists in the guise of patriots trampling our basic human dignity and occupying street after street, square after square and city after city with their self-proclaimed rule of violence and fear. To show that we don’t want to leave our country to such control, let’s walk the streets together on the 27th April 2009 in a determined attempt to dislodge new fascist aspiration from our cities.