“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
One of the most disturbing trends among what passes for conservative intelligentsia these days -is their embrace of writers as “brave intellectuals” who bear absolutely no resemblance to what a really brilliant man looks like. Whenever I hear someone quote Mark Steyn-I know two things right away. The person quoting him has a really shallow and superficial understanding of the issues involved. Second, the article that is quoted from will be the complete opposite of the real truth. ( There will be no links to Mr. Steyn-I don’t link to idiots).
And so it is with one of Steyn’s latest missives-a repeat performance by him in embracing one of the truly evil forces that have arisen in our times. In a recent column in the amalgamation of bad writing, the National Review, these days,-Steyn has decided to throw his lot in with Geert Wilders. Wilders, for those who don’t know, is an opportunist, leader of the ultra-right-wing Freedom Party in the Netherlands, who has taken extreme positions on immigration and Muslims in the Netherlands. Steyn-being the inferior judge of character that he is would have you believe that Mr. Wilders is some sort of victim. He is nothing of the kind.
Far-right extremist parties are on the rise in Europe these days, doing what far-right extremists have done throughout the previous century: Offer no solutions to problems, but make damn sure you know who is to blame for it. Mr. Wilders’s party is only one of many anti-immigrant and anti-Islam groups gaining ground in northern European countries previously known for their liberal social attitudes. To hear Steyn tell it -the problem is all the Muslim’s fault-and the fault of the Dutch for ever letting them in in the first place. Steyn believes that Wilders is simply a champion for freedom-he’s not. He’s just a man capitalizing on the fears of his countrymen, solely for his own personal gain. The issue -that Steyn ignores is that at its heart, Wilder’s message is completely at odds with that of a nation that prides itself on freedom of religion. That Islam has its flaws -well, that is not anything new. For that matter, evangelical Christianity has its flaws too.
But the fundamental issue that Wilders, and by extension Steyn, ignores is that Wilders cannot undo the past. The Muslims are in the Netherlands-and unless Wilders can find a way to turn back the hands of time, they are staying. They are not going anywhere. The challenge is to integrate them into Dutch society. To expose violent Islamist ideology is essential; to attack Islam and the Koran is dangerous stupidity that weakens the civilization Mr. Wilders claims to defend. Plus, from where I sit-it’s a slippery slope to single out one particular religion. How easy would it be for him to substitute “Judaism” for the word “Islam”. Steyn claims Wilders does not do that-I submit to you Steyn lost the ability to make the distinction a long time ago.
Now Steyn believes that Islam is different because it’s an ideology. I don’t understand the distinction-all religions are ideology-Christianity as practiced by some of its more strident members is equally an ideology, which contributes little to American or European society as a whole. The point remains that if a nation is committed to protecting free speech and religion, it has to take the high ground and deal with the issues in a far more adult manner than Wilders seems capable of. For Steyn to defend Wilders is the height of hypocrisy. I guess Steyn is completely incapable of seeing the irony, if not hypocrisy, for Wilders to presenting himself as a champion of free speech given that he has openly called for banning the Koran.
Now don’t get me wrong-I’m no fan of Islam. And I don’t particularly appreciate how they treat women, and I hate seeing hijabs and all the other clothing accouterments. But it’s more than a little necessary to guard against that rage spilling into something deeper and more dangerous. On the whole, in countries that value individual rights, it’s no different from banning other religious apparel pieces, like, say, the Yarmulke. Most reasonable people would agree there is no ingrained right to do that.
What Steyn continues to ignore is that free speech is not consequence-free speech. Wilders has brought much of his trouble on himself by crossing the line from criticizing the radical elements within Islam to insulting one of the world’s largest faiths. If Mr. Wilders were to confine his remarks to those Muslims who do harm freedom of speech by disobeying Dutch law- using violence against critics and apostates, he would have a valid point. Mr. Wilders, however, refuses to make such fine distinctions. Steyn, being the useless sleazeball that he is-appears also incapable of making the distinction. It’s an important one-and Steyn’s refusal to recognize it is what makes him the worthless piece of shit the hack writer that he is and has always been.
Hey Skippy,
I'm out of money and have some medical bills. Please write me a check for $52,345. Do send it to me promptly.
Oh, and do you read the stuff you write? You continue to demonize EVERYBODY that fails to agree with your little world view. It's totally obvious that if you were running things they'd all be rounded up and put into camps. Extermination camps. Fuck, it's obvious to me now. You chase girls, swill beer and work in Germany. Nazi. Of course with you being the ultra-fascist, they'd be moved to the camps on your high speed rail lines.
But of course there is a way to get rid of the unwanted minority – it is called the final solution, and technical side is well researched and can be replicated any time public will grow scared enough to give a go to the likes of Mr Wilders – and it seems AQ and consortes are trying hard to put him in power…
All it took for Frenchmen to vote 20%+ on Marine LePen was single jihadist shooter – imagine how the reaction will end if there was more victims.
The problem is not only that there are right wingers out there hating Islam and non-Europeans – the militant Islam is the second side of the equation, fuelling the other.
And when in doubt I'm in favor of free speech – I beleive in the common folk's common sense.
Curtis, In Skippy-ville, he will have to find some rich dude to tax so he can then redistribute the money to you. Of course, you are on the wrong side of need according to his doctrine, so therefore you will not meet the means test for a handout. Sorry!
Ah Curtis-so many issues, so little time.
Do you really want to make league with a guy like Wilders? He's a bad guy who not only is opposed to Muslims as a whole-but Poles, Lithuanians, Hungarians and other Europeans. What he ( and apparently you and Cy) seem to forget is that an interdependent Europe is a fact, however much Mr Wilders and his like may hanker for a mythical past. And as for the Muslims-lets not forget why there are there originally, because they were cheap labor. Had the Dutch chosen to they could have tightened their immigration laws anytime they wanted to. But they didn't-and now the Islamic folks are there. They are not going away. And you can't deport or kill them all. Which is the major problem anyone should have with the man-he promises no practical solutions. He, like Steyn, are only interested in telling you who is to blame for the problems. And also like Steyn-the analysis that got you to who to blame is fact free.
Which gets to why I criticize fact free hacks like Steyn. Like people who quote Victor Davis Hansen-these people have decided to abidicate critical thinking from their lives. He's not a quality writer-and if the world were as it should be, he would be dismissed as the crank that he is. Sadly however, the "conservative" point of view has gone so far off the track, that this guy ( and a whole lot of other lunatics) have been given day jobs writing reprehenisble ideas. They never pay any consequences for the really bad things they write-and that's why they get away with more and more outrageous things. "An entire generation knows the National Review not as the leading intellectual light of the conservative movement, but as the place where random right-wing hacks alternate arguments about the grossness of Mexicans and gays with brief thoughts on Star Wars and personal tales of harrowing run-ins with liberal stereotypes."
Someone has to stand up to them. Steyn is just the Ezra Pound of our generation-but at least Pound had something of an education.
As for your medical bills, why not ask the entity that promised you free health care for life for the money? You earned it and are entitled to it. That's why its called an entitlement.
No Skippy-san,
"You went for a little walk" to quote a hero of mine.
I never even mentioned any of those people.
You're some kind of racist of my ilk in that I quite liked reading "On the Beautiful and Sublime". There really are no kidding national traits. I frankly don't care what you or the other bigots think about it. You cite old world cultures as if they still exist as dominant state cultures. Call up any of them and you'd likely find yourself talking to a nice asian lady. The rule is make it over the EU border and you get free run of the whole entire EU. No documentation required to move in. blah. Like, get into Greece and the EU is your oyster. ick. As SWA would say you are now free to move about the EU.
That fact is one of your own making. The Dutch under the EU had/have no means to close the door.
Thank fucking God that Ezra Pound had something of an education and crap like VDH didn't! You really don't know how funny that line is. It is just exactly like you lauded NYT reporter fuck his name for totally failing to 'notice' the communist extermination of the kulaks and Ukraine. Good job Skippy.
Why ask them to the pay my medical bills when you find it fair to ask me to pay every other person's medical bills? I've chosen you. Pay up or shut up on the issue. Under your regime you owe me. Your money is my money.
Curtis, you will never get it. The world has changed-and what's totally appalling to me is that we refuse to change for the better. National health care is a part of that change. The United States because it has some pretty fucked up ideas has yet to get on that bandwagon. It will eventually, the only question is how much conservative stupidity will we have to put up with enroute.
VDH, Steyn and the whole lot-are worthless excuses for human beings. Because they never are called to account for their stupid ideas they just get stupider and stupider.
So when are you sending me my money?
After you file with Tricare and your OHI first. E.G when Satan takes an ice bath.
OK,
I happen to know that satan takes his daily ice bath on the edge of the Lake of Fire every day. Finished last one about an hour ago.
Pay up.
Where's my money?
At your TRICARE office, I gave it to you when I paid my taxes.