That's how the people of Nineveh are described the Book of Jonah, but we might equally claim it about the Germans. Or at least the political campaigners.As last Saturday's neo-Nazi rally approached in the district of Hausen here in Frankfurt, posters started to appear everywhere. They were, unsurprisingly, all attacks on the National Democratic Party of Germany, the NPD, who were protesting against the construction of a mosque in the area.Some of the posters just say "No Nazi". Others call for "religious freedom". But many simply state: "Gegen Rechts". Against the Right. "Links kommt" (the Left is on its way) is another common one. I've seen them all around Germany.There are two problems with this. One is that, by polarising the two stances, it suggests that you have to be on the Left to oppose the Far Right. This is not the case. Centre-right parties have no time for racist groups and are often quicker to call for their ban than the Left are. Compare David Cameron's firm stance on Hizb ut-Tahrir with the Labour government's decision to keep them legal. The second is the implication that you're either with the Nazis or against them. Many on the Right – the moderate Right – abhor the extremists but sympathise with their concerns about the changing face of Europe. They also want to uphold the original culture and values of whichever country the debate is taking place in. They are also worried about the potential problems of multiculturalism. But they don't believe they should be 'solved' with Nazi methods. And they don't want to associate themselves with the skinheads who march in the name of nationalism.Like the BNP, the German Far Right are not as 'right' as most people think. As conservative commentator Melanie Phillips has argued, their policies mark them out as pretty leftish. I don't suppose the NPD were there last weekend to march against high taxes or excessive nationalisation, which would really make them a right-wing party.
Maybe people should stop this polarised outlook and take those misleading posters down.
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‘Cannot tell their left hand from their right’
