Monday, August 21, 2006

Franco Frattini: the EU’s appeaser par excellence

Do we, the Europeans, really have to put up with the nonsense and appeasement coming out of Europe? The stupidity of the pronouncements coming out of Europe knows no bounds. Franco Frattini, the European Union commissioner for justice, freedom and security, has recently stated, in an interview with The Telegraph, that no religion in Europe should be afforded special status; moreover, he wants to introduce a voluntary code of conduct – a European press charter - for the media in Europe to commit to “prudence” when reporting on Islam and other religions.

Franco Frattini says that Europe faces a “very real problem” inasmuch as Europe needs to reconcile two fundamental freedoms: freedom of expression and freedom of religion. He went on to say that the acceptance of such self-regulation would send an important political message to the Muslim world: the press would give the Muslim world the message that we are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression, and we are able to and are willing to self-regulate.

He added that in Europe, no religion would be offered “privileged” status. It should be noted that the EU has harboured for a long time the ambition to combat racism and xenophobia.

Who is this man? And who has given him the mandate to speak on behalf of Europeans? Who has given him the mandate to sell our souls to the Arab and Islamic world? On what authority does he speak? Does he understand what is going on in the world around him? Does he understand the nature of jihad? Does he understand the nature of Islam? Does he understand the nature of Muslims? Does he understand what Muslims’ objectives are?

As far as I can see, this man is endangering the very fabric of European culture and civilization.

First of all, to say that no religion should be given “privileged” status is ludicrous at best, dangerous at worst. To what does he think European culture and civilization owes its strength? Doesn’t he realize that but for Christianity, we wouldn’t be able to live in such civilized circumstances today?

Secondly, he ignores what previous generations have fought so long and hard for: for the liberty and democracy we as Europeans now enjoy.

Signore Frattini, your ignorance and weakness and appeasement know no bounds!

He says that it is necessary for Europeans to reconcile the two freedoms of expression and religion. No it isn’t! We have never had such a problem before. We have this problem now because we have allowed all those millions of Muslims into Europe who never had any intention to assimilate in the first place. Interestingly, many fled to Europe because they were persecuted in their own countries. Their own countries offered no such European freedoms. Now they have come to our countries, and, ironically, they want to take our freedoms away from us! They wish to impose on the long-suffering Europeans the very restrictions they fled from!

There is no such dilemma of reconciliation for us to face at all. This is a dilemma of Frattini’s own making. The fact of the matter is that Muslims came to Europe of their own free will. If they now decide that they don’t like the freedoms that Europe has to offer, then they are also free to leave – forthwith! It is not for the Europeans to relinquish their freedoms in order to appease Muslims and their sensibilities. After all, what do Muslims do to appease Westerners in their own countries? We all know the answer to that question!

Grow a backbone, Signore Frattini! The fact of the matter is that you are terrified of the consequences of allowing all these immigrants into Europe, be they legal or illegal. Fact is, the people were never asked whether we wanted them here in the first instance. Now you are trying to impose this restriction on us too.

This form of self-regulation is a form of censorship. It takes away our liberty to express ourselves as we wish to do. Freedom of expression is indivisible: either we have that right to express ourselves freely, or we don’t. There is no half way house.

It is a fact of life, perhaps a harsh fact of life, that we cannot go through this life without offending others sometimes, even if only unwittingly. As people we have to grow up and accept this. We have all been hurt many times in our lives, and this will always be so, because we all see things differently. Muslims would have us all see things their way: the Islamic way. But, Signore Frattini, the Islamic way is not our way. The Islamic way is coercive and intolerant and prescriptive. Our way is tolerant; it allows for man to express himself as he so wishes, be this in the way we dress, in the way we speak, in the way we think. It is what makes Europeans, and other Westerners, vibrant, alive, thinking, and creative. In contradistinction, the Islamic way is lifeless and without spirit, dead and unthinking, and most certainly uncreative. Is this what you wish for Europe, too, Signore Frattini? Do you wish to hasten the Islamization of Europe? Are you trying to bring forward the day when Europe will truly morph into Eurabia?

Moreover, Signore Frattini has shown his basic ignorance of Islam inasmuch as he has called for there to be a “European Islam”. He obviously doesn’t realize that there is only ONE Islam. Islam manifests itself slightly differently in different countries, it’s true; but the basic tenets of the faith are the same for ALL Muslims, regardless of where they live.

Indubitably, Frattini is hoping to sanitize the unsavoury aspects of Islam, the militaristic side of the faith. But it cannot be sanitized in this way. Islam is militaristic and political. It is unsavoury to rational men and women throughout the world. That the Qur’an calls for the death of infidels cannot be denied; and no form of Islam, European or otherwise, will ever change this fact.

Interestingly, it has been reported by the Iranian Republic News Agency only today that there is alarm at EU call for 'European Islam' among Iranians and other Muslims, because they fear that Europe is trying to impose its own version of Islam on Muslims in Europe.

Signore Frattini, it seems that you cannot win! You upset Europeans for trying to impose censorship on Europeans, and you upset Muslims with your plans to impose a “European Islam”. I have a suggestion to make to you: Defend European freedoms. Islam doesn’t need to be protected. Islam is a strong faith, or more correctly, a strong political movement, intent on taking over Europe and the West. It doesn’t need your help to do this; rather, it would make far more sense for you to have the courage to take measures to thwart Islam’s advance.

What you need to do, Signore Frattini, is defend the freedoms Europe enjoys today, because countless millions died to gain those very freedoms on our behalf. If you wish to choose dhimmitude for yourself, then do so: Go and live in an Islamic country. But don’t try and impose it on us, the people. We want no dhimmitude: not now, not ever!

©Mark Alexander

15 comments:

L said...

Yet another clear and uncompromising essay, Mark.

On a closely allied issue relating to the imposition of conditions and laws without the consent of the people, I have repeatedly asked this semi-rhetorical question in a number of forums: Just what exactly is International Law?

This high-sounding body of "legislation", apparently chiefly "encoded" by the UN and other super-national and trans-national bodies, contravenes - in my view - one of the cornerstones of democracy: that no law shall be passed without the consent of the people through their directly elected representatives. When did I - as an individual citizen - directly elect a named, single representative to any of these bodies?

International Law (and apparently only the wicked Israelis are capable of breaking it!) is constantly invoked by the enemy and their fellow-travellers.

I am challenging at a fundamental level, the validity and even the existence of a genuinely democratic Code of International Law.

I would be so very interested in your thoughts on this!

Mark said...

Rockmother:

Thank you so much for your kind words. They are so appreciated; since I find them so encouraging.

You talk of "International Law" in a manner I also find encouraging; for as you say, this term is bandied about so freely; yet who gave the people who 'passed' these laws the authority to pass them in the first place?

You see, entities such as the UN take such matters upon themselves; yet these representatives are unelected to their positions. They make a mockery of democracy.

The UN is like the EU: it is unelected, and people - mostly very highly-paid ones - pontificate to us, the people, who pay to keep them in their elevated positions, yet we have no say in how things are run. Unfortunately, however, it seems that they NEVER wish to pass legislation to free up the people; on the contrary, they always seem to pass legislation to enchain them. It is quite, quite sickening!

If there is to be a body of people in an organization such as the UN or the EU, then the people should be asked to vote on these bureaucrats. We should know exactly what their agenda is. With advanced technology as we have at our disposal today, this could easily be done.

I find it amusing, but also rather annoying, that officials are sent to some developing countries to make sure that elections are conducted in a fair manner. One could be forgiven for believing that we have democracy at home! The older I get, the more I come to realize that we have no such thing. It is representative democracy at best. With modern technology, we could do so much better.

Yes, as you rightly say, "only the wicked Israelis are capable of breaking it [International Law]". Makes any right-thinking person sick, doesn't it?

Rockmother, I believe that you and I are singing from the same hymn sheet. (Forgive the expression, since I know that you are an atheist. But you know what I mean.)

L said...

Mark, thanks for your rapid and cogent response!

I feel much encouraged by your answer. I am not an historian or political scientist, nor a lawyer. I wanted to put the question to you because of the breadth and depth of your knowledge.

I shall continue to put my question to others, but now with greater confidence!

Visiting your blog is like taking a swim in a cool mountain lake on a hot, dirty afternoon...

Mark said...

Rockmother:

Visiting your blog is like taking a swim in a cool mountain lake on a hot, dirty afternoon...

Wow! What can I say in response to that? Naturally, it makes me very happy. Thank you so much!

By the way, those words are so powerful, I ought to be able to place that quote on the top of the front page! With your permission, of course.

Are you based in Europe, or the States? (If I may be so bold as to ask.)

L said...

Mark, I would be honoured indeed if you were to place my words wherever you want. I am trying in my small way to be a fighter: by informing myself, by argument and challenge, by offering what encouragement I can to my fellows, by not being afraid. (I missed the Edgware Road bomb by minutes. I was back on the bloody Tube as soon as it opened the next morning.)

I live in the UK, but was raised in Detroit in the 1950s (another "interesting" era!).

Mark said...

Rockmother:

Thank you! I shall give your kind words 'pride of place' atop the the front page. Probably tomorrow, though; or perhaps later this evening.

You provenance is most interesting! Detroit must have been a very interesting place in the Fifties. You are certainly a very interesting character. I would like you to know that you are most welcome here on this blog.

Mark said...

By the way, Rockmother:

(I missed the Edgware Road bomb by minutes. I was back on the bloody Tube as soon as it opened the next morning.)

Maybe God was on your side after all! Please allow me to say: Thank God you missed the bomb by minutes! What a loss it would have been for us here! (And I mean that.)

L said...

Cheers, Mate!

By the way, you are the first person ever to have responded to my International Law question!

I have also taken the trouble to actually read UN Resolutions and the Geneva Convention (since they are with sickening regularity being fired at us).

As Bibi Netanyahu has recently made clear, combatants operating from civilian areas with the purpose of hiding or using them as shields, is against the Geneva Conventions. As is engaging in combat not wearing recognisable military uniform.

Even devils like us can quote "scripture" to our purpose! It's useful to be able to quote back (fire back) at the enemy with their own bullets at times!

Anonymous said...

To Mark and rockmother.

Interesting conversation about "International Law", it is a fraud being advanced by the latent (or not so latent) socialist agenda. rockmother, as you state, you didn't vote on it, Mark didn't vote on it, and I certainly didn't vote on it, and I think if we polled the population of just about any country, we would be hard pressed to find anything more than a handful of bureaucrats who ever did. No, this is an agenda to enthrone a prevailing orthodoxy into a place of permanence. Notice how it is always the political elite who prattle on endlessly about "International Law", think of Claire Short or Jack Straw or even, for that matter, everybody's favourite Tony Blair, the world's most consumate liar.

There are two propositions at play here, a) say a thing with a dominant conviction and your audience, who are often ignorant of the details, will take it on faith that what you are saying is the truth, because you stated so forcefully, and they really don't know any different, and b) say something often enough and with authority (in this case the authority vested in the office of state to which these corrupt oportunists now hold the keys), and it soon becomes the accepted truth which none dare question. The same dynamic at play as makes political correctness such a useful tool in the hands of political factions with an agenda.

Given the chaos brought about by everybodies' friends from the religion of peace, I do see a silver linning in all this, though it will be a long fight; for as the forces of repression continue to suppress debate and proactive action in the face of Islam's advance, the general populace will be forced to make a deciscion - just whose reality is real, will it be the multi-culti "aw shucks, the world is such a wonderful place, utopia is just two steps away if only those awful people would shut up and die quietly", or the rest of us, armed with common sense and a will to live and bequeath to our children a future as bright as that which we ourselves have inherited from our forebears. As someone on the net so succinctly put it, "is that eighteen wheeler Peterbuilt truck barreling down the road at 70 miles an hour really dangerous, or is it in reality just a pretty colourful butterfly, so in my world its alright to step out in front of it"; The former position of that analogy only holds so long as the reality you reside in holds no consequence for an incorrect position, but once that dynamic is broken, then harsh reality will flatten you, just as surely as that truck will. So lets see whose reality will prevail, I know which one I'm betting on.

This, in essence, is the fragile position of the PostModernist world view, its just that PostModernists haven't figured that far ahead yet. Oh, and yeah, guess who gets to clean up the mess after that truck passes!

Pastorius said...

Great essay, Mark.

Here's my opinion: The other day when those British airliner passengers refused to let the plane leave until those two Muslims were removed, that was the first shot of the Great European Civil War.

This civil war is going to take down whole governments. It will likely turn bloody before it is over, and I expect some governments (Belgium anyone?) will be removed the old-fashioned way.

Anonymous said...

Hi Mark. I guess it would be nice if I commented upon another excellent essay of yours, before charging off on a wild tangent.

This important message that Europe would send to the Muslim world smacks of outright fear to the point of dhimmitude, do my eyes deceive me or did Signore Frattini just surrender to the Islamic hordes. Speak for yourself Signore, but count me out of your craven posturing. The only other rational explanation is that the good Signore, like many on the left, has allied their cause to that of the Islamics.

It looks to me as if the consequence of true reality is about to run over the vanity of the postmodernist epistemology. In short, the foundation stone of their entire dialectical discourse is about to become road kill…how appropriate and how very fitting.

Given the same nature of the aspirations of both the political left and the Islamic hordes, to enthrone themselves in a position of unassailable authority, it is quite logical and consistent as to their natural alliance against the forces of freedom and Capitalism. Radical Islam in Europe, presented the ruling elite with a dilemma, to stand and fight against a blatant intruder, or to allay with that same intruder in order to use those forces to help destroy the old social order of the West and hurry along the dawning of the new socialist Utopia. By this action they have exposed their latent agenda to logical enquiry and discovery.

Ask yourself this, since 9/11, how much time have you spent trying to understand the insanity of the political world around you. Before 9/11, most people were just too busy getting on with their own existence to pay more than a passing interest in politics, which is why the field of politics fell into the hands of such a bunch of soulless opportunists in the first place. Now after 9/11 people are spending hours upon hours researching subjects from history to political science, from philosophy to psychology, all in pursuit of a better understanding of events. Look at how many people now claim to get much of their news from off of the net as apposed to the regular TV news sources who have managed to almost totally discredit themselves in the eyes of many recently; that number is growing by leaps and bounds, it may not be a critical mass as yet, but is getting there, and not so slowly either.

I think that when the history of this period comes to be written, it will be noted that here and now is when the left met its Waterloo; they have made a grave error in judgment, for by allaying themselves with Islam they have forced a confrontation with their own populations, a confrontation they will eventually have no hope of winning, for it runs contrary to human nature to meekly and willingly surrender to slavery or death. Yes I know of the holocaust and the gulags, but I don’t see civil society in the West meekly acquiescing to another slaughter, especially at the tender hands of the head choppers of Islam. It is simply to open and in your face to ignore, it leaves no way to easily deny the reality of what we face. The fact is, we have been betrayed by our political elites and that fact is becoming more and more obvious to the mass of people with each passing day; Signore Frattini is just the face of that betrayal, not the only one, but one of many. The wake up call may be slow, but it is growing.

Mark said...

tRockwell:

By the way, you are the first person ever to have responded to my International Law question!

That's interesting.

I have also taken the trouble to actually read UN Resolutions and the Geneva Convention (since they are with sickening regularity being fired at us).

That must have been rather heavy.

As Bibi Netanyahu has recently made clear, combatants operating from civilian areas with the purpose of hiding or using them as shields, is against the Geneva Conventions. As is engaging in combat not wearing recognisable military uniform.

He is right, of course. Bibi Netanyahu is a real leader. Israel needs him now.

Even devils like us can quote "scripture" to our purpose! It's useful to be able to quote back (fire back) at the enemy with their own bullets at times!

Nothing like offering a bit of their own medicine in return.

By the way, I'm sorry for the delay in answering this. I was interrupted in the process of answering it yesterday.

L said...

just another richard says:

Look at how many people now claim to get much of their news from off of the net as apposed to the regular TV news sources who have managed to almost totally discredit themselves in the eyes of many recently; that number is growing by leaps and bounds, it may not be a critical mass as yet, but is getting there, and not so slowly either.

I really hope this is true. I have been wondering lately just how many people there are like us - blogging, blog-commenting, sourcing news from the net. When I feel pessimistic, it seems that it is just "The Few". I guess there is still an awful lot of apathy out there: "Don't think about it, and it will go away. Anyway, school's about to start and how are we going to pay the mortgage and isn't the traffic/the weather/what's on TV dreadful and why have they run out of pesto in Sainbury's and no you can't go into town with Billy you're too young - because I say so blah blah blah..."

I am trying a little guerilla activity: I print out a list of links to sites like this one and just "accidentally-on-purpose" leave a copy here and there in public places. It's just a simple list - no comment from me at all. I am hoping that people's natural curiosity will impel them to follow them - and hopefully - learn something and gain encouragement.

It's not much, I know, but it's something. We have to try to reach out to the bewildered and apathetic somehow.

Mark, please don't feel you of all people need to apologise for delays in response. We are all living lives besides trying to do our bit - and your bit is a BIG BIT!

Flanders Fields said...

I am coming into this discussion late and just wanted to let you know that I am glad to find a website by an European who knows what he is dealing with and what is being faced and is not afraid to deal with it. I will be linking with you, and visiting you again.

I came across your site by way of an older post at Modern Day Crusaders.

Mark said...

Welcome Flanders Fields!

I'm glad you found my weblog. I shall be looking forward to your next visit.

I shall link with you when I next update my links.