A Slippery Slope: The lessons to be learned for Ireland from the rise of political division and radicalism in the United States
by Student Contributor William Foley
Political organisations who just recently sat on the fringes of the American political landscape have risen to major prominence in recent years. This rapid popularisation of radical political theories in the United States has resulted in a level of division that has created a seemingly impassable blockade throughout all branches of the American government. This increase in radicalism has been mirrored across the Atlantic with a concerning rise in far-right sentiment in Ireland and across Europe. I deem it to be paramount that we examine the impact of these groups on American party politics, and the lessons that we as Irish people can learn as we head into our upcoming elections. The violent nature of much of this activism makes it of increased importance as we enter an uncharted period in an increasingly divisive time for Irish politics.
Post-pandemic America has found itself in an obscure position in which ideas and political positions that may have once been considered laughable by the majority in Washington, have fallen to the forefront of the Republican party's campaign message. This radical shift to the right for the Republican party has seemingly been caused by a sense of political division in the United States that appears to only be getting more violent. This was showcased in the recent congressional elections in which the Republican party’s 222 elected representatives edged out a majority of just 9 over the Democratic party’s 213 elected representatives. I believe that it is this divisive nature of the current political landscape that has led the Republican party to appease the more radical groups. This is further evidenced through the election of the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert to the House of Representatives in recent years. These are two outspoken supporters of conspiracy theories and radical political movements within the United States.
Many of the key gripes of the Republican Party appear, to my eye at least, to be non-issues. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the positions on which many recent republican campaigns have leaned are all but smoke in the eyes of their voters, masking the fact that they do not have any significant economic positions and have no clear-cut plans for the development of the nation. While the Democrats have pushed for gun reform, student debt relief and the development of the country's infrastructure, the republicans have become fixated on the classroom, and the supposed “indoctrination” of their children. The likes of Ron Desantis’ so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida and Greg Abbott's sweeping assault on the southern border in Texas, have stemmed from the theories first pushed by many of these radical organisations.
These organisations stepped to the forefront of American politics in the mid-2010’s. The likes of the so-called “Proud Boys” and the “Oath Keepers” have since become a catalyst in the development and spreading of political conspiracy theories in the United States. Furthermore, the rise in popularity of movements such as Qanon has resulted in the shifting of previously moderate republican voters to a far more radical form of conservatism. These organisations have taken aim against a number of issues, in an attempt to spread what is often referred to as an “anti-woke” agenda. These groups typically take anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ positions and often push a form of Christian-Nationalism.
It is clear that these groups, who previously confined themselves to online message boards, are now far more willing to take physical actions in order to spread their message. From the hosting of political rallies to the presence of vigilante-style patrols on the southern border with Mexico in search of migrants, these groups are becoming significantly more active and are growing both in size and in political power. This concerning development in the American conservative movement is not to be seen as a minor infraction. We are not talking about toy soldiers here. Organisations previously armed only with words on a screen now arm themselves with military-style firearms on the nation's streets.
These acts of violence have become increasingly more concerning. As many are aware, the January 2021 insurrection of the United States’ Capitol building was perpetrated by a number of these organisations. It is important to note that this was no political rally, it was an organised assault on the nation’s government that resulted in the deaths of 5 people and the suicide deaths of 4 police officers in the following 7 months. This pre-planned attempt to halt the certification of the 2020 Presidential Election is indicative of the lengths that these organisations are willing to go to push their message.
In light of this, it is easy to step back and to see this as solely an American issue. The unfortunate reality, however, is that this problem is not isolated to the United States. Recent years have seen a global rise in the number of organisations spreading conspiracy theories and encouraging this ‘anti-woke’ position. While it has not yet developed to the levels seen in the United States, the rumblings of a conservative nationalist movement in Ireland have boiled over into a number of movements taking aim at immigration policy and developments in LGBTQ+ rights. Groups such as the National Party and the followers of the likes of Gemma O’Doherty have grown in a concerning fashion in recent years.
The recent “Cork Says No” rallies, which protested the inclusion of a number of LGBTQ+ books in Cork City Library’s collection are indicative of the presence of these groups and the lengths to which they are willing to go in order to spread their message. The intimidation and harassment of library staff in this case makes abundantly apparent the concerning direction in which these organisations are headed. This, in conjunction with the recent aggressive far-right protests at the gates of the Dáil, make further evident the increased willingness of these organisations to take significant actions on account of their extreme views. In my view, it is vital that actions are taken in order to avoid the potential harm that these groups may cause in the future.
While it may, at first glance, appear to be simply a matter of outlawing these groups, the reality of the situation is far more complex. While the criminal prosecution of the members of these groups for their violent acts is possible, the outright banning of the organisations is not necessarily possible due to constitutional protections regarding the freedom of expression. While hate speech legislation is in the pipeline in the form of the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022, it is unclear whether this would be enough to detract from these radical groups. It is also unclear how this law would be enforced and how effective that enforcement could be. We must tread carefully then, as we attempt to maintain the importance of free speech while reducing the harm that these groups can cause.
I believe that the key reason for the persistent prominence of these types of groups in the United States is that the Republican Party has seemingly taken them under their wing. This has resulted in these organisations being shielded in many ways from the consequences of their actions. On account of this we can say that a key step in reducing the impact of these groups is ensuring that their allies in government are kept to a minimum. As we approach both a general election and European Parliament elections in the coming years, it is clear that a conscious step must be taken to ensure that our elected representatives do not have a soft spot for the views of these organisations. We can say that the less support that is held for these groups in government, the lesser the impact of these organisations becomes.
A further point to note here is that these organisations in the United States have targeted not only positions of national importance, but also positions in local government. Through the infiltration of the likes of city councils and school boards, these organisations have been able to push their message on a local basis. It must then be accepted that these organisations, along with the messages that they are pushing, are not only to be considered a threat on a national level, but can also be seen as a far more localised issue. We must say then, that in order to protect the rights of those within our communities and to ensure the safety of minorities in our localities, that a conscious effort must be made to weed out the message of hate that these organisations often push.
I can conclude then that the lessons to be learned from the developments in the United States are plentiful. While the situation in Ireland has not yet risen to that of the United States, it is vital that a level of vigilance is maintained in order to ensure that the increasingly divisive nature of the political landscape in this country does not result in the platforming of these often-violent radical organisations, who do not represent the views of this country’s majority. A stand must be taken to ensure that the positive progressive measures taken in this country are not tainted by those who hold radical views which are incongruent with this country’s core principles. We can say that the present situation in the United States is a view into our future if we are to allow ourselves to fall further down the slippery slope of radicalism. It is vitally important then that we learn the lessons from our peers across the Atlantic and take a stand against the violent political radicalism that has arisen in this country.
