Criticism
As noted above, FDB has been criticised by left-wing or liberal groups far less than similar groups in other countries.
The far-right groups who they target have been highly critical. Much of this criticism has focused on Darp as an individual: for example he is of Jewish ancestry (see for example ). A similar common theme of far-right critics of FDB is that Darp is gay, although this may be being used as a general term of abuse as Darp is known to have a girlfriend. (for example "Darp, you are a raving homosexual" - ). Flyers and posters have been placed in several neighbourhoods in Wellington accusing Goldman of being a "danger to any community" and stating that "Asher Goldman is a threat to your safety".
A second common theme of criticism is that Fight Dem Back is, or 'must be', funded by or working for or with agencies such as ASIO or Jewish organisations - for example one right-winger rhetorically asked "Darp why don't you just admit that you're only the ANZAC figurehead for MOSSAD" . FDB openly say that they will report crimes to relevant authorities, but dispute any hidden connection, including any funding, between them and those authorities.
A third theme is that FightDemBack are hypocritical in that they purport to fight fascism, but use the technique of pressuring authorities to restrict particular forms of political speech. FDB's main response to this argument is that the critics are themselves hypocritical, for example in that they use the rhetoric of free speech while opposing the concept in practice, or that they use patriotic imagery such as that of the ANZACs, while supporting regimes which the ANZACs fought against.
This leads to another main area of argument between FDB and those they target: FDB asserts that the far-right subculture centred around the Stormfront website is entirely fascist in belief, even though elements of it distance themselves from fascist (especially Nazi) imagery. The targets of their criticism assert that their distancing themselves from fascism and Nazism is a genuine ideological difference, not just a strategic choice.
Read more about this topic: Fight Dem Back
Famous quotes containing the word criticism:
“Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world—though the cant of hypocrites may be the worst—the cant of criticism is the most tormenting!”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)
“It is ... pathetic to observe the complete lack of imagination on the part of certain employers and men and women of the upper-income levels, equally devoid of experience, equally glib with their criticism ... directed against workers, labor leaders, and other villains and personal devils who are the objects of their dart-throwing. Who doesn’t know the wealthy woman who fulminates against the “idle” workers who just won’t get out and hunt jobs?”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, and Congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden. Meantime, I seem to have been drifting into criticism myself. But that is nothing. At the worst, criticism is nothing more than a crime, and I am not unused to that.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)