Brothers Keeper
Groups like Antifa have risen in the 21st century as a means to counter the increase of fascism in Europe and abroad. Looking at the conflicts they are a involved with brings many complex questions to mind, and it becomes difficult to discern a clear ideology to support. Fighting Nazi’s is the right thing to do, but the tools are often not the ones we meant to grab to do it.
The complications of ideologies and the oppressive forces of fascism and racisms are intertwined with myriads of layers, including class distinctions, immigration policies and patterns, cultural backgrounds, access to educations, and many, many more facets of an individual’s world view. There is a sympathy that is easy to find for those who are shouting in performative stance for a principle. A group of like-minded individuals, often claiming to be "fighting" for peace and the protection of their fellows seems noble in many respects, however the inherent segregation involved with these systems of logic are often swept under by the sheer volume and passions of those in the swath of people shouting. It seems obvious, when dissecting basic foundations of the position that "we" have to fight "them" for Ideology A is much better than Ideology B, that the subjects of these conflicts are basis for opposition, and are not designed for resolution, but escalation. If both sides are right, (and they always internally believe so), then what possible outcome could be projected then the growth of disseminations and ultimately the annihilations of one ideology over the other?
I get it. I am in complete sympathy with Antifa. Click here for a documentary that dives deep into the difficult fight against fascism that they are embroiled with across the globe. I find it hard to condemn any actions they take, as my heart responds instinctively with the same venomous violent reactions to hate speech, racism, and exclusionary philosophy. I have nothing but compassion for the person who is thrown in jail for attacking the group that threatens the peace fought for by anti-Nazi parties. However, at my core, I know this is counterproductive. It seems impossible to fathom, but fighting these groups is destroying the humanity that they oppress. It is further complicated by the results. Antifa has proven that if you oppose the fascist movement, it losses strength, and those who do not passionately support neo-Nazi ideologies lose interest, and they fall apart. It is hard to argue that violence isn't effective when the outcome indicates the opposite.
I don't think this is the whole picture, and it is incomplete to view these as "if/then" style scenarios. It is a further symptom of ignoring core values that institute these types of feelings and fights. When education is ignored, and dialoged is stifled, conflict, fear and misgivings lead to hate and destructive ends. It is well catalogued throughout the ages, and whole fields of study erupt to argue over the details of who is right or wrong, what could have been done to stop it, and how do we fix it. Society is consistently mystified by ignorance and is perpetually caught in the grip of conflict that follows a lack of understanding. Musicology and ethnomusicology offer great solutions to these troubles, as there is strong evidence that exploring musical cultures and expressions, many of the bridges can be crossed that lead to harmony within ideologies. The groups protesting in proximity at The International Gardening Exhibition in 2003 in Germany highlight the practical application of music and its interventions to violent opposition. By blasting music, the tension subsided, and the left-wing part of the protest put its energies into singing along with the music. To everyone's surprise, so did the neo-Nazis.
I know this is an isolated incident, but this research in Rostock, Germany has continued to prove that by connecting people through music culture studies provides a path of understanding that is not always available through dialogue. The properties of music often help cross bridges that are cut off from those who are locked into viewpoints skewed by personal experience, class separations, or family dynamics. The educational programs at Rostock’s Musikhochschule (a third-level school of music equivalent to a university with undergraduate and graduate programs) highlight how focusing education towards the cultural significance behind expression through music can create excitement, understanding, and bonding between different backgrounds. The research here is further supported by the heightened tensions that occur when funding is limited or constrained, and these programs fail. When we support these institutions and the festivals they host, peace increases. When these programs are defunded, so heightens the tensions and strengths of fascist groups and organizations looking to divide and defeat the principles of unity.
I think we will continue to scratch our heads in wonder at an answer that continues to stare us in the face. In the meantime, it is my hope that institutions like Rostock’s Musikhochschule will continue to bring the music from around the world into the middle of the conflict, so that we can all have the chance to join in the song instead of raising our fists against each other.
The Rostock-Lichtenhagen riots of 1992 elicited a response from a variety of musical projects that addressed both the victims and the perpetrators of racism. The group Brothers Keepers includes well-known names such as Samy Deluxe and Xavier Naidoo, musicians who decided to make a clear statement about racist violence in Germany. (Britta Sweers writes about them in her excerpt from “Music and Conflict”, P 200). While I was not able to find an example of their music, I found something today that spoke a message that I found much more heartwarming in today’s difficult climate. Here is India Arie’s song titled “Brothers Keeper” from her 2013 album SongVersation.