Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sent out a powerful message on D-Day. Not only did he respect and honour all those who died in the D-Day landings, but he also pointed out how vital it is to stand up to “fascism” and “hatred”. Given Donald Trump will also attend commemoration ceremonies in Portsmouth on 5 June, his message is doubly poignant.
“Opposing the forces of hatred today”
In a statement, Corbyn said:
The troops that landed on the beaches of France 75 years ago showed unimaginable heroism. Many laid down their lives in the fight against fascism.
He also noted the “heart-breaking” reminder of Anne Frank’s “excitement and optimism” about the Allied landings in a recent BBC adaptation of her diary. She heard the news just before “she was transported to Auschwitz”. As Corbyn said:
It was a poignant reminder of the evils of Nazism, and why its defeat by the Allied forces was so essential for humanity.
He pointed out how vital it is to “not just commemorate those who fought and died”. Because, he said, we must also “honour them by opposing the forces of hatred today”. He continued:
Only by standing up to hate, oppression and war can we protect international cooperation and peace.
He echoed this statement on Twitter:
This morning, I'm in Portsmouth attending the commemoration of the D-Day landings.
The troops that landed on the beaches of France 75 years ago showed unimaginable heroism. Many laid down their lives in the fight against fascism. https://t.co/rud0fLwLrE #DDay75 #DDay75years pic.twitter.com/r06MCGaMtT
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 5, 2019
A voice for peace
Corbyn echoed these sentiments when he addressed thousands of anti-Trump protesters in London. Referring to “our visitors” he said:
Think on, please, about a world that is one of peace and disarmament, is one of recognising the values of all people… A world that defeats racism, defeats misogyny, defeats the religious hatreds that have been fuelled by the far right in politics in Britain, in Europe and the United States.
"Think on, please, about a world that is one of peace and disarmament"
Jeremy Corbyn's message to Donald Trump
Live updates: https://t.co/zgjAVwpmMR pic.twitter.com/GGvLMonxrd
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) June 4, 2019
As The Canary reported, Corbyn’s lifelong commitment to peace and global human rights has been internationally recognised. In 2013, he was awarded the Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award. Then in 2017, he received the Séan MacBride Peace Prize. Yet neither of these awards gained wide recognition in the mainstream media.
In 2016, Corbyn also visited Terezin Concentration Camp in the Czech Republic. Ahead of the visit, he told the Independent, the memorial is:
a vital reminder of the genocidal crimes carried out during the Second World War and the dangers that far-right politics, antisemitism and racist scapegoating pose to society.
A better way
Since coming to power, Trump’s frequently been called out for his continued racist, sexist, warmongering, and climate-wrecking policies, comments and actions. And as world leaders meet to commemorate D-Day, let’s not forget that there’s still a vicious war raging in Yemen, propped up by UK and US arms sales. On 1 February 2019, he withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia. Meanwhile, Trump continues to posture against Iran.
As Andrew Smith from Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
The policies that Trump and his administration have followed are racist, reactionary and warmongering. These are policies that must be challenged at home and condemned abroad.
Corbyn’s words look towards peace and ending fascism. He spoke like a true leader because that’s the future we all want and need. So Trump really should take note.
Featured image via Wikimedia – Rwendland / Wikimedia – President.gov.ua
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