Category: 6 Special Posts

“Radical left” and other “threats” for the hardline American right-wingers

While talking about the government shutdown and planned border wall on Saturday, President Trump criticized Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and said that she is “controlled by radical left”:

“She’s being controlled by the radical left, which is a problem. I think that’s a very bad thing for her. I think it’s a very bad thing for the Democrats.” (1)

On Sunday President Trump claimed in his tweet that Mrs Pelosi has become “a Radical Democrat”:

“Nancy Pelosi has behaved so irrationally & has gone so far to the left that she has now officially become a Radical Democrat. She is so petrified of the ‘lefties’ in her party that she has lost control…” (2)

President Trump’s strong words reminded me of a controversial memo written in May 2017 by Rich Higgins, former director for strategic planning in the National Security Council NSC. The memo was considered to be so controversial that Higgins, who was seen as an ally of former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, was forced to resign (3).

In his memo Higgins listed a roster of enemies of President Trump and his supporters: the political establishment, the deep state, globalists, bankers, the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists, Maoists and others, for example the United Nations and the European Union, who cultivate and spread “cultural Marxism.” According to Higgins, the Democratic Leadership in USA “has been a counter-state enabler that executes, sustains, and protects cultural Marxist programs of action and facilitates the relentless expansion of the deep state.” (4)

When right-wing media outlet The Daily Caller interviewed him in September 2017, Higgins told that he had written the memo “in a personal capacity”, not as a work project. He didn’t know, whether President Trump ever read the memo or not (5). However, for example New York Daily News wrote in August 2017 that President Trump reportedly “raved about the document” and was “furious” about Higgins’ removal (6). Higgins believed that he was fired “for remaining based in reality and not succumbing to the politically correct, multicultural self-delusion popular in the governing elite.” (5)

References:

1) “Pelosi ‘controlled by radical left’ in border dispute over shutdown, Trump says” The Washington Times 19.1.2019

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jan/19/donald-trump-says-pelosi-controlled-radical-left-b/

2) “Virulente attaque de Trump contre la cheffe des démocrates au Congrès” Le Point 20.1.2019

https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/le-journal-de-trump/virulente-attaque-de-trump-contre-la-cheffe-des-democrates-au-congres-20-01-2019-2287342_3241.php

3) “An NSC Staffer Is Forced Out Over a Controversial Memo” The Atlantic 2.8.2017

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/a-national-security-council-staffer-is-forced-out-over-a-controversial-memo/535725/

4) Higgins, Rich: “POTUS & Political Warfare” May 2017

https://dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Political-Warfare.pdf

5) “Here’s why NSC staffer Rich Higgins says he was fired from the Trump administration ” The Daily Caller 23.9.2017

https://dailycaller.com/2017/09/23/heres-why-nsc-staffer-rich-higgins-says-he-was-fired-from-the-trump-administration-video/

6) “NSC official fired for drafting memo claiming Islamists, bankers and globalists are threats to Trump’s agenda” New York Daily News 10.8.2017

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/nsc-official-fired-drafting-controversial-memo-article-1.3401711

New concerns about the anti-Muslim bias of Trump administration

President Trump has appointed Charles M. Kupperman to assist National Security Advisor John Bolton. The latest appointee has caused more concerns about the anti-Muslim bias of Trump administration. Kupperman served on the board of directors for the Center for Security Policy (CSP) between 2001 and 2010. The CSP and its former director Frank Gaffney Jr. are infamous for their anti-Muslim views (1, 2).

The Trump administration has or has had several members who have connections to Islamophobic organizations or who have expressed strong anti-Muslim sentiment. For example, Bolton himself, Secretary of State Pompeo and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway have ties to the Center for Security Policy (1). Bolton appointed Fred Fleitz, who has been one of Frank Gaffney’s top associates, as chief of staff of the National Security Council (NSC) (2). Fleitz has now become the new President and CEO of the Center for Security Policy (3). Pompeo has also worked closely with Islamophobic organization ACT for America and even received its highest award in 2016 (2). Bolton has also connections to other anti-Muslim conspiracy theorists and Islamophobes, including Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer. Bolton has been a chairman of the right-wing anti-Muslim think tank Gatestone Institute and he has reportedly received substantial payments from the think tank (2, 4). President Trump’s senior advisor Stephen Miller, one of the architects of the Muslim immigration ban, started Islamophobic projects and worked with alt-right figure Richard Spencer while studying at Duke University (5). Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson has also expressed strong anti-Muslim views (6).

Some former members of Trump administration with strong anti-Muslim views include former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former national security advisor Michael Flynn, former deputy national security advisor K.T. McFarland and former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon (5, 6).

References:

1) “Trump’s new ‘anti-Muslim’ appointee worries civil rights groups” Al Jazeera 17.1.2019

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/190117160447367.html

2) “Donald Trump’s Team of Islamophobes” The Nation 12.6.2018

https://www.thenation.com/article/donald-trumps-team-islamophobes/

3) Center for Security Policy – Staff:

https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/about-us/staff/

4) “Trump’s new national security adviser chairs a group that has spread false claims about Muslim refugees in Europe” Business Insider 23.3.2018

https://www.businessinsider.com/john-bolton-gatestone-institute-muslim-refugees-2018-3

5) “The Dark History of the White House Aides Who Crafted Trump’s ‘Muslim Ban’” Mother Jones 30.1.2017

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/stephen-bannon-miller-trump-refugee-ban-islamophobia-white-nationalist/

6) “Donald Trump’s administration has seven people who have expressed Islamophobic sentiment” Independent 9.12.2016

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-administration-islamophobic-muslims-muslims-deportation-religious-shariah-law-a7466536.html

“Order, order!” – The humoristic relief provided by John Bercow

The political situation in Britain seems to continue to be quite tense and chaotic, these days. The Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow has managed to maintain some sort of sanity and humor amidst all the mayhem. He has become a surprising star in Europe and elsewhere.

Some stories and videos about John Bercow:

1) “‘More animal than ever’: Europeans find joy in John Bercow ” The Guardian 17.1.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/17/more-animal-than-ever-europeans-find-joy-in-john-bercow

2) “VIDÉO. « Ordeuuur…» Quand John Bercow, le Speaker de la chambre des Communes, devient la star du Brexit” Ouest France 17.1.2019

https://www.ouest-france.fr/europe/grande-bretagne/brexit/video-order-quand-john-bercow-le-speaker-de-la-chambre-des-communes-devient-la-star-du-brexit-6178881

3) “‘Order! Order!’: Parliament Speaker Is Brexit’s Surprise Star and Villain” The New York Times 19.1.2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/19/world/europe/brexit-speaker-john-bercow.html

Ku Klux Klan in Germany

Daily Sabah reported yesterday that the German authorities have conducted raids in several parts of Germany on suspected members of a far-right group called the National Socialist Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Deutschland. According to authorities, about 40 people are under investigation. The group’s members are suspected of glorifying Nazism and in some cases harboring “violent fantasies” (1).

Quite surprisingly, Ku Klux Klan is not a new addition on the far-right scene in Germany. German journalist Frederick Obermaier has been investigating the Ku Klux Klan in Germany and he has written a book about it (2). Obermaier told in an interview in 2017 that the German authorities have been aware of some KKK activity in Germany for decades. However, the amount of KKK members in Germany has been very small compared to USA. According to Obermaier, there have been “close relations” between US Klan groups and German Klan groups over the past 30 or 40 years. The German groups admire the American Klan and hope to become as big as the KKK in USA (3).

While Obermaier was reporting about the killing spree committed by National Socialist Underground NSU between 2000 and 2007, he found links to the Ku Klux Klan in Germany (3). Süddeutsche Zeitung told in 2016 that the only living member of the NSU terror cell, Beate Zschäbe, had reportedly attended at least two KKK gatherings (4). The NSU murdered 10 people, mostly Turkish immigrants, between 2000 and 2007 (5).

References:

1) “Police probe 40 members of German Ku Klux Klan” Daily Sabah 17.1.2019

https://www.dailysabah.com/europe/2019/01/17/police-probe-40-members-of-german-ku-klux-klan

2) Obermaier, Frederick & Schulz, Tanjev: Kapuzenmänner: Der Ku-Klux-Klan in Deutschland. DTV Premium, Munich 2017.

3) “‘The KKK is active here in Germany'” Deutsche Welle 22.2.2017

https://www.dw.com/en/the-kkk-is-active-here-in-germany/a-37668846

4) “Four Ku Klux Klan groups active in Germany, says govt” The Local.de 25.10.2016

https://www.thelocal.de/20161025/four-ku-klux-klan-groups-in-germany-report-kkk

5) “Neo-Nazi murder gang member jailed for life in Germany” Reuters 11.7.2018

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-farright-trial-verdict/neo-nazi-murder-gang-member-jailed-for-life-in-germany-idUSKBN1K10Y1

What British hardline Brexiteers say about Brexit

The Brexit chaos continues and Britain seems more divided than ever. The British hardline Brexiteers have defended Brexit enthusiastically, sometimes even aggressively. Here are some comments made by them:

Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the hardline European Research Group ERG, hosted a champagne party after PM May suffered the historical defeat in parliament on Tuesday (1). Rees-Mogg, as many other supporters of No Deal, wants UK to leave on WTO terms:

On Twitter 15.1.2019: “The law is in place for us to leave on WTO terms. The Government ought to go back to Brussels and say: if we can’t agree anything in the interim that is what will happen.” (2)

Rees-Mogg was interviewed by Professor Anand Menon on Wednesday evening. Rees-Mogg believes that Theresa May’s cabinet is “the most pro-European part of the Conservative Party” and that 70 per cent of the people who are voting Conservatives seem to be Eurosceptic. Rees-Mogg said that No Deal would be better alternative than the deal offered by PM May or no Brexit at all (3).

One of the architects of the original Brexit campaign in 2016, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage has been criticizing PM Theresa May and the EU and he has also been promoting Leave Means Leave campaign on his Twitter page (4):

15.1.2019: “Parliament has voted down Theresa May’s terrible Brexit deal. Join us on Thursday in Westminster as Leave Means Leave pushes for a WTO Brexit!”

16.1.2019: “If the betrayal becomes complete and we are forced into a second referendum then some will be in for a shock, the British people will be even more defiant than they were before.”

16.1 2019: “Mrs May’s cross-party talks are all with Remainers and weaken Brexit. She cares about Parliament and not the people. This is betrayal, sadly we must prepare to fight again.”

UKIP leader Gerard Batten has attacked PM May, the British political establishment and the EU:

14.1.2019: “Mrs May’s so-called deal would turn Britain into a vassal state of the EU prepared to go back in in a few short years. What we are witnessing is the political establishment fighting over their preferred method of stopping Brexit – should it be through Mrs May’s surrender document, a General Election or another referendum? In their arrogance and contempt for the will of the 17.4 million who voted to leave the European Union, the political establishment have embarrassed the nation in the eyes of the world. At this point, it is clear that the only way Britain will leave the EU is if the people choose to remove the political establishment through the ballot box.”  (5)

16.1.2019: “The British Parliament has the opportunity to redeem itself. If it betrays the result of the referendum then it will destroy what remaining belief or faith there is in our democratic system, which isn’t very high to start with. But they can turn things around if they want to. They can take the initiative, they can stop asking you (i.e. European Union) how we can leave and they can start telling you how we are going to leave, and I can tell you that the British people will never surrender!” (6)

British poster-girl for far-right Katie Hopkins is an ardent admirer of President Trump and she has supported No Deal Brexit. However, she had some kind words for PM May:

“In many ways, I look to America as kind of hope, like inspiration. You’ve got someone tough in the White House that’s determined to get things done. You’ve got a whole group of people who believe they’ve been forgotten which to me is the Brexiteers. It’s the same, it’s the rest of the UK, it’s the rest of America that isn’t California or isn’t New York, and the rest of America got their voice heard and that really speaks to the Brexiteer in me.”  (7)

On Twitter 12.7.2018: “No deal Brexit looks exactly like the Brexit I voted for.” (8)

On Twitter 16.1.2019: “Come on @theresa_may You may have really p*ssed on my chips over Brexit. But you are one tough, tenacious bird. And I completely admire you for enduring and withstanding it all. You go girlfriend. Grip that lectern like a sausage in a roll. And Sock it to them.” (8)

References:

1) “Jacob Rees-Mogg hosts champagne party after May Brexit defeat” The Guardian 16.1.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/16/jacob-rees-mogg-hosts-champagne-party-after-may-brexit-defeat

2) Jacob Rees-Mogg on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/jacob_rees_mogg

3) “Beer and Brexit with Jacob Rees-Mogg” The UK in a Changing Europe 16.1.2019

http://ukandeu.ac.uk/multimedia/beer-and-brexit-with-jacob-rees-mogg-mp/

4) Nigel Farage on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/nigel_farage

5) “Political establishment fighting over their preferred method of stopping Brexit says UKIP Leader” National UKIP News 14.1.2019

https://www.ukip.org/national-ukip-news-item.php?id=155

6) “‘The British people will never surrender!’ – UKIP Leader tells EU Parliament” National UKIP News 16.1.2019

https://www.ukip.org/national-ukip-news-item.php?id=158

7) “‘We are the forgotten voices!’ Hopkins blasts ‘Londonistan’ saying Brexiteers need Trump” Express 3.8.2017

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/836625/Brexit-eu-uk-Donald-Trump-Katie-Hopkins-Dave-Rubin-youtube-us-london-brexiteer-europe

8) Katie Hopkins on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/kthopkins?lang=fr

The curious case of controversial statue in Haifa

A controversial statue called “McJesus”, made by Finnish artist Jani Leinonen, has caused uproar and violent demostrations in Haifa, Israel. The statue has been part of “Sacred Goods”, an exhibition about consumerism. Bizarrely, the statue was not supposed to be part of the exhibition, in the first place. Leinonen had asked the museum to remove his sculpture in September, because he had joined the BDS movement. (1, 2) Leinonen told to The Jerusalem Post:

“I joined the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, that upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity. Israel overtly uses culture as a form of propaganda to whitewash or justify its regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid over the Palestinian people. Therefore I do not wish to be part of this exhibition and I asked the museum to take my artwork off the exhibition.” (1)

In spite of Leinonen’s request, the statue remained as part of the exhibition. When Leinonen learned about the demonstrations on Saturday, he sent another message to the curator of the exhibition and demanded that his statue should be removed instantly. However, the spokeswoman of the museum said that the sculpture has been on loan from a Finnish gallery since August 2018 and “the museum has never received a request from the gallery to remove the sculpture.” The spokeswoman was unsure whether the curator of the museum had received the request from the artist. She said:

“The  frequency of such events connected with BDS activists that seek to prevent art exhibitions in Israel has arisen often over the past few years and the museum has to handle many cases of this kind. The Haifa Museum of Art works with dedication against attempts such as these so that Israelis who appreciate art will will continue to have access to it.” (1)

Following the protests, Director-General of the museum, Nissim Tal, agreed to post a warning at the entrance about the possibly offensive content. (1) However, the proposed solution did not satisfy Christian leaders who asked Haifa district court to order the museum and municipality to remove “McJesus” and “Ken Jesus Christ” from the public display. Also Israel’s culture minister Miri Regev has sent a letter to the director of the museum protesting the exhibition after she received complaints from many members of the Christian community. (2)

References:

1)”BDS threatens to take down Haifa’s Big Mac sculpture” The Jerusalem Post 13.1.2019

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/BDS-threatens-to-take-down-Haifas-Big-Mac-sculpture-577248

2) “Finnish artist joins calls for Haifa museum to remove his ‘McJesus’ statue” i24news 14.1.2019

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/193172-190114-finnish-artist-joins-calls-for-haifa-museum-to-remove-his-mcjesus-statue

Democracy in Europe has declined more than in any other region

According to the annual report Democracy Index 2018 published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), democracy has declined in Europe more than anywhere else in the world. The EIU noted a “democratic malaise” that is felt particularly in Western Europe. However, the situation in Eastern Europe has deteriorated the most since the EIU started its Democracy Index in 2006. Political populism has increased political participation. However, there is a risk of political polarization and “a potential deterioration in governance or in civil liberties.”

Read the full story on Euronews:

https://www.euronews.com/2019/01/09/democracy-in-europe-has-declined-more-than-any-other-region

Tensions and hate crimes in Brexit Britain

Britain’s decision to leave the European Union has turned out to be a chaotic cliffhanger. Brexit has divided the nation, it has torn apart political parties and even families. Britain has also seen significant rise of far-right populism, xenophobia, racism and hate crimes. According to statistics published by the police in England and Wales, over 94 000 hate crime offences were recorded during 2017/18, an increase of 17 % compared to the previous year. The increase during 2016/17 was even greater, 29 %. The number of hate crimes recorded by the police has more than doubled since 2012/13. Even though the increase can be partially explained by improvements in crime recording by the police, there have been clear “spikes” in hate crime after the EU Referendum in 2016 and after the terrorist attacks in 2017 (1, 2, 3, 4).

One form of far-right populism has been the increasingly aggressive activity against politicians and other people who support the Remain option. Tory MP Anna Soubry was intimidated and abused by British far-right mobsters and supporters of Brexit on Monday. The pro-Brexit protesters called remain-backing Soubry “a Nazi”. Mrs Soubry was harassed and intimidated the same way already in December last year (5). Other people harassed on Monday were journalist Owen Jones from The Guardian and Femi Oluwole, chief spokesperson for Our Future, Our Choice. Mr. Oluwole condemned the abuse and threatening behavior of the pro-Brexit protesters. He added:

“Plenty of people around the country are frustrated with the Brexit process – and all but a tiny minority continue to engage in reasonable democratic debate. This debate is absolutely crucial given the vastly different and country-defining options the UK faces. We must be able to have it without feeling like some options are unacceptable because a tiny minority of people are willing to go further, and shout louder, than everyone else. The answer to the far right cannot be to give in. We have never, and will never, let them dictate the terms of debate. When they argue for less democracy, we must call for more.”

However, Mr. Oluwole also condemned aggressive verbal attacks of far-left activists:

“…there’s a key difference between intense political discourse and gratuitous abuse, no matter where you are on the spectrum.” (6)

References:

1) Hate crime, England and Wales, 2017 to 2018 Home Office Statistical Bulletin 20/18

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/748598/hate-crime-1718-hosb2018.pdf

2) “Hate crimes soared after EU referendum, Home Office figures confirm” The Guardian 13.10.2016

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/13/hate-crimes-eu-referendum-home-office-figures-confirm

3) “Hate-crime reports rise by almost a third in a year as Home Office figures illustrate EU-referendum spike” The Independent 17.10.2017

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/hate-crimes-eu-referendum-spike-brexit-terror-attacks-police-home-office-europeans-xenophobia-a8004716.html

4) “Hate crime surge linked to Brexit and 2017 terrorist attacks” The Guardian 16.10.2018

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/oct/16/hate-crime-brexit-terrorist-attacks-england-wales

5) “MPs raise safety fears with police after Anna Soubry subjected to ‘Nazi’ chants” The Guardian 7.1.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/07/john-bercow-urges-police-to-do-more-after-nazi-taunts-against-anna-soubry

6) “I was harassed outside parliament. These thugs must not stifle Brexit debate” The Guardian 9.1.2019

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/09/harassment-mps-parliament-stifle-brexit-debate-femi-oluwole

Katie Hopkins promotes far-right event in Finland

Katie Hopkins, the British poster-girl for far-right, has been promoting far-right event called “Awakening II” which will take place in Finland in April. The event will feature notorious American antisemite Kevin MacDonald and equally notorious American white supremacist Jared Taylor, who also took part to the first “Awakening” conference in Finland, last year (1). The event will also feature Ukrainian far-right activist Olena Semenyaka, Swedish-Icelandic alt-right figure Frodi Midjord, Austrian writer Martin Semlitsch (aka Martin Lichtmesz) and Jasmina Ollikainen, a member of HAPSU, a student association which is a member of the Finns Party Youth, the youth-wing of the Finns Party (2).

Read the full story on Hope not Hate website:

https://www.hopenothate.org.uk/2019/01/03/katie-hopkins-promotes-far-right-event-featuring-infamous-antisemite/

Other references:

1)”A secretive far-right event in Helsinki on Sunday: International speakers united by anti-semitism and misogyny” Varisverkosto.com 4.4.2018

https://varisverkosto.com/2018/04/a-secretive-far-right-event-in-helsinki-on-sunday-international-speakers-united-by-anti-semitism-and-misogyny/

2) Information about HAPSU

https://www.ps-nuoret.fi/hapsu/in-english/