On 10/23/19 9:08 AM, Alexander Ross wrote:
> My thoughts:
> xr seams to have a lot of people from local groups that have a err
> right/fixed ways mentality. its to be expected when involving mid/older
> generations. its how most of them socialize but its a concern too.

Original [German Version]:

https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/jutta-ditfurth-zu-extinction-rebellion-irrationalismus-einer-endzeit-sekte-16422668.html?printPagedArticle=true&fbclid=IwAR2sxetBOwQTMndAC-HiIPXQ6Y31YpvaPcavtBu2-z22UpGhV2i0QdyLsXg#pageIndex_2

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“Is Extinction Rebellion an irrational, cult-like organization that
makes use of religious doomsday rhetoric, embraces the political right
and has questionable business affiliations? - interesting interview with
Jutta Ditfurth, one of the original, radical members of the German Green
Party who left the party early and has been a consistent and reliable
voice in German political activism since the 1980s. Translation from
German: Mrs. Ditfurth, you were present at the beginnings of the Greens
and the environmental movement in Germany. Nevertheless, you advised
against supporting the actions of "Extinction Rebellion" (XR). Why? I
don't consider "Extinction Rebellion" to be an environmental movement in
the classical sense, which would mean a critical, educational or even
left-wing interest in the climate catastrophe and the connections
between destruction of nature and capitalism. "Extinction Rebellion" is
not intellectual, but ahistorical, does not address the intellect, but
focuses on mystical-esoteric drama, pathetic costumes and has a
centrally prefabricated stage design. The organization tries everything
to cover its intellectual void with set pieces of a religious-violent
ideology. Where do you see the problem? The organization wants to
recruit young and politically inexperienced people and emotionalize
them. This is how people are made manipulable, and that is the opposite
of critical education. I have studied the writings, speeches and actions
of the leaders of "Extinction Rebellion" in England. The co-founder
Roger Hallam talks about the necessity of "self-sacrifice" and wants to
see as many activists as possible as martyrs in prison. He says that
"drastic measures" will be taken and that people "could die". XR carries
out planned irrationalism. You also criticize the structure of the
organization. What bothers you about that? "Extinction Rebellion" is
neither decentralized nor a grassroots movement. The structure reminded
me of my critical work on religious cults in the 1990s. "Extinction
Rebellion" instructors set out the principles and structures from
England. In order for them to fit the local conditions, they are
superficially adapted a bit by people who better understand how leftists
will react in Germany. The essentials, however, are centrally defined.
But the most striking thing about digging a little deeper is the
contradiction between the self-sacrificing irrationalism of an end-time
cult and the tough, very rational business interests of part of the
leadership. What interests do you mean? In England, "XR Business" was
founded in spring, a close official cooperation with around two dozen
companies and corporations such as Unilever and The Body Shop. The
cooperation received the XR logo and had a website. After protests, the
website and logo were withdrawn. But at the same time, the leading
people emphasized that they want to continue working closely with these
and other companies in the future. It's also about modernizing
capitalism: how to make climate catastrophe the basis of business?
"Extinction Rebellion" is to become the appropriate manipulable movement
to influence public opinion sensitively. How much influence does Roger
Hallam have on "Extinction Rebellion" in Germany? Roger Hallam is an
organic farmer from Wales whose harvest was ruined by weeks of rain. He
talks, for example, about the fact that humanity will be wiped out. He
explicitly does not want leftists to be involved in the movement. This
is also in the interest of the other leaders. Farhana Yamin of XR in
England, for example, says that right-wingers are also welcome at XR.
Hallam talks about the fact that racist and sexist people can also
participate. I've published my warning on Twitter because I don't think
this organisation can be reformed, nothing good will come out of it.
Many groups from the undogmatic left scene have already distanced
themselves from Extinction Rebellion. That's also why there were so few
in Berlin. There are now mainly instructors, freeloaders, naive and
esoteric people left. How do you rate the blockade actions that started
on Monday? The blockade in Berlin was silly and far below expectations.
When 270,000 people demonstrated with Fridays for Future and other
groups in Berlin in September, the entire city centre was blocked. With
statements like "We are the last generation before the extinction of
mankind", there are ridiculously few people in the XR actions with about
1500 people after international mobilization. It is also quite easy to
block Potsdamer Platz. In addition, the police were invited to
participate in XR's de-escalation groups, as reported by the newspaper
Tagesspiegel - which is now denied by XR. But everything seems to back
up this report, because the protest actions were greatly mellowed
last-minute.