Hate debate

*Y Shepard is a leader in the Student Non-
Coordinating Committee in Toronto. Last
Was the editor of the University of Toronto’s
He does not speak on behalf of SNCC: “This
Pic on which there is considerable disagree-
ieee, People in SNCC. I'will have to speak as
al.
' I think that would be comparable to advoc-
5 the overthrow of the government by force.
ther hand, if any group, say the. Sons of
’ SOmetimes describes measures designed to
B€ assimilation as “genocide”, I would not
Y Object to those measures being advocated,

“21 I would probably disagree with them in
Cases,

THINK not. Broadening the legal definition of

nder Could perhaps lead to a vague situation

eae involve a restriction on people’s civil
meon t0 discuss things intelligently. Far instance,

“any ight wish to observe that immigrants from
night Such a country hold certain political views.
e be an intelligent statement and of certain
te nbPOse that if the legal definition of slander
ut ana nobody would get into any trouble
& kin ie a statement; on the other hand that is
ym. °! area I'd be concerned about.

ty COULD depend on how these. people proposed
vil ; Press civil rights and to some extent what
Vocate they proposed to suppress. A person who
th ng S Stringent and careless methods for dealing
: 8m, as some people do, would suppress civil

lowes", I disagree with him I think he should
g y ‘tg to function freely. On the other hand, if
tws» “YS “I think we ought to wipe out all the
Motion el I think he should not be allowed to
muni If a man advocated outlawing the
ang St Party, which I think would be wrong to
uly : Suppression of civil rights, I still think he
nist $e allowed to-go around saying the Com-
y,. “ty should be outlawed.

»T think that is quite possible.

is probably a fairly basic psychological
1 of people who are different from oneself.
C be enough to produce a few eccentrics
fasoign have around now. But I think the roots
a, wt would be something like a serious pro-
theme 2ly economic, such as in pre-war Germany
Ve a °yment and that sort of thing. Or you could
Us "facial situation such as in Africa, or maybe
bem “outh. You get a situation with really: drastic
Hone 8, Poor people and people without jobs, and
‘bout a ho have very good reason to be frustrated
Other © way things are going. For one reason or
i and © people would be unable to find mean-
; ae Ys be people who are looking for some
ith a _stic- solution and they turn to fascism,
dy Some particular point the power structure
Ok, xia block as vigorously as it would try to
tsety Communism, even though the power struc-
ABso 1S probably neither one.
~SOLUTELy,

eRe
ig SPicio

thnic leader

.
i COWan is the President of the United Jewish
th, Order and a former president of the B’nai

Yrs,

T

thoy NK that is a grave danger. Experience has
Mtrieg 2 the United States and perhaps other
been that legislation introduced against fascism
Amerion@ against liberal and other forces. The

Activities Committee is an outstand-

Useful solutions to their problems. There.

There are a variety of opinions among
Canadian anti-fascists on how to cope
with the problem. The Tribune asked a
number of people the six questions be-
low and publishes their repliés.

1. Do you think the preaching of genocide
should be outlawed?

2. Do you think the legal definition of
slander should be broadened to include
races? f

3. Do you think those who would suppress
civil rights should be allowed to function
freely in society? |

4. Is it possible, in your estimation, that

’ legislation invoked against nazism, would ‘be

used against other political formations?
5. What do you think are the roots of
fascism?

6. Do you think opposing fascism by re-
strictive legislation might obscure these
roots?

ing example. It, if I remember, was enacted ‘to sup- ~

press or investigate fascist organizations. It did very
little in that field. It devoted its efforts to trade
unions, civil rights people and other elements in the
community.

5 THE ROOTS of fascism are economic. It is used

internally, and externally, when and if a crisis
develops. Under normal conditions a certain amount
of. freedom is permitted; but. when a crisis deepens,
more direct methods are used by the state and these
express themselves in fascist methods.

NO. I think the fight against fascist activities

would be strengthened by proper: legislation. If
there were legislation on the books many decent folk
who are opposed to racist and fascist manifestations
would be more vocal in their opposition.

Political leaders

Stephen Lewis, New Democratic Party member in
the Ontario Legislative Assembly, was asked to
contribute his point of view. Before he heard the
questions he answered as follows:

“No, I don’t think we would care to reply, thank’
you very much.”

Tim Buck is chairman of the Communist Party of
Canada. Previous to that he was the long-time leader
and general secretary of the party.

1 YES. If Canada followed the. spirit and letter of
the United Nations Charter and decisions it would
be outlawed.

YES. In addition, it is necessary in this day and

age that there should be legislation that specific-
ally deals ‘with that problem because slander itself
has a tendency to be interpreted in the courts in a
loose way. Racism and racist propaganda should be
outlawed.

3 NO. Those who would suppress civil rights are

a menace to civilization. The suppression of civil
rights for everybody would mean the end of all

democratic participation in the formation of national

policy and would “eventually mean the end of demo-
cratic influence upon legislation.

4 YES. I think democratic people tend to overlook
the fact that legislation can be useful and effective
only to the extent that it expresses. or reflects a
mass popular action. We need legislation. But what
we need even more is the active participation of the
democratic forces in opposition, so that legislation

would be merely the expression of government
acquiescence to the demand of a democratic people.

THE ROOTS of fascism are political — the class

struggle. It is no accident that fascism arose and
was fostered by monopoly capitalism only after
socialism proved itself a viable way of life—a chal-
lenge to capitalism. The roots of fascism also include
the fact that many people who are frustrated and
feel helpless against the domination of _monopoly
capitalism, and the extent to which it is preventing
a full, democratic development, accept the propa-
ganda and the illusions of fascism under the mistaken
idea that, “Well, perhaps this will bring about a
change.” The roots of fascism are primarily in the

“determination of the reactionary forces to defeat the

democratic strivings of the people; which might lead;
to. socialism. But they are also in the inadequacy!
and ineffectiveness of the educational work of the!
progressive forces among the masses of the people,
to concretize: the opposition. to fascism.

RESTRICTION by legislation, if it is separate
™: form and«not a reflection of.the active participa-
tion of the democratic masses of the people in the
fight against fascism, would obscure the roots. And
this. is no argument against the restrictive method...
It is only an argument for the absolute necessity of
any legal restrictions being but the other, legal side
of mass participation in the struggle.

Church leader

The Tribune was unable to obtain an interview
with the Rev. J. R. Hord of the United Church of
Canada because he was on holiday. Instead, the de-
partment of evangelism and social services of the
United Church gave us a transcript of a radio broad-
cast he made over CFRB in Toronto. Following are
extracts relevent to our questions.

] BEFORE any publication was banned.I would

prefer to see it studied by a tribunal, made up
not only of a judge and a lawyer, but also a leader

in the field of civil rights, a psychiatrist, and other

community leaders. I would only agree to censorship
if the material was extremely pornographic, libellous
or seditious, and then only if a tribunal, representa-
tive of various viewpoints and sections of the com-
munity passed upon it. (Emphasis the author’s).

WE MUST be very careful censoring the views of

minority groups. Today a court could ban hate
literature and tomorrow the views of a political
group whose views were offensive tq the vast major-
ity of our people...

The Canadian Jewish Congress has petitioned the
government to revise the criminal code in order that
persons who promote hatred or publish material
which incites to violence against another group be-
cause of their race, color, religion or ethnic origin,
should be regarded as guilty of an indictable offense
and liable to imprisonment for up to two years. ,I
cannot agree with this position. This is a law that
could: boomerang on other minority groups.

B COULD their anger be motivated.-by personal

insecurity? I have often wondered if anti-Semitism
is not largely caused by jealousy of Jewish people...
Their (the authors of hate literature) system of ideals
is so insecure they respond to criticism with attack...

We must also seek to change the social conditions
in our society, such as had housing, broken homes,
inadequate facilities to guide our young people, which
would produce dictators and their henchmen, black-
jacketed teen-age gangs and right-wing hatists. Sir
Norman Angell, the English writer, traces these fas-
cist movements ‘right back to the nature of our -
society: “The vested interests can only get the public
to act as they wish by manipulating public opinion,

_by playing on the public’s indifference, confusions,

prejudices or fears.” .
In a true democracy all our various groups, with

' their widely divergent religious, cultural and poli-

tical views should learn to work together for the
common good. When we know our neighbor who is
attacked by a hate group we will not “believe” false-
hoods directed against him.

August 13, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 5