Britain First is an unpleasant organization, but their videos do reflect a systemic problem with Sunni-Salafist Islamic extremism: its worship of totalitarianism.
If you’re gay: they throw you off a building.
If you’re a woman who might have had an affair: they stone you to death.
If you’re a woman from a different sectarian group: they make you a sex slave.
If you’re a Christian or a Jew: you pay a sectarian tax or die.
If you’re a Muslim from another denomination: you die.
If you’re a teacher: you teach theology and condemn secular theories or you die.
If you’re a civilian in a foreign land: they try to maim or murder you.
Regardless of Britain First, these concerns motivate a necessary discussion on Islamic extremism. Indeed, they explain why U.S. policymakers should be willing to make hard choices in the Muslim world. We should, for example, be aggressive in countering Pakistani officials who play both sides with terrorists, we should support the autocratic Mohammed bin Salman as he reshapes Saudi Arabian society, and we should confront Iran’s Khomeinist aggression.
Yet, Britain First is a very poor messenger for anti-extremist debates. After all, they have much in common with their Islamic extremist enemies.
As even a cursory visit to the group’s YouTube channel will show, Britain First activists have a penchant for emotional and aggressive antics against law-abiding Muslims. Their leaders, Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen regularly enter Mosques surrounded by “security details” of burly men in order to threaten peaceful worshippers. Other times they drive around in armored cars in order to find, stop and threaten Muslims. Many of the group’s videos have Hollywood-style action movie music overlaying their material.
Still, Golding and Fransen are clever.
Even where they are simply handing out leaflets on the street, Britain First serves its “crusader against injustice” narrative by recording police units who come to disperse them. Facing repeated criminal charges for offensive speech, the extremists win new adherents to their message over anger at the absence of first amendment style speech rights. Britain First adopts the same approach when its members suffer violence from Muslim extremists.
Nevertheless, by threatening law-abiding U.K. citizens who are practicing their right to worship and purse happiness, Britain First shows its true colors. And it proves that it is no ally to freedom and the secular rule of law.
President Trump should repost videos that he believes reflect his concerns about Islamic extremism, but he should be careful retweeting just anyone.
