Decision to grant Katie Hopkins a visa referred to human rights watchdog
The description "Far Right" is often carelessly used. In the case of Hopkins, it mainly seems to refer to her swingeing criticisms of Muslim immigration, Africans and fat people. While such criticiisms are politically incorrect they nonetheless seem widely shared among people, particularly in private. So her offence seems principally to be that she is a prominent person who is outspoken -- a rare thing in the entertainnmdent industry. She has taken part in many British TV programs so is well-known in Britain
Her inadvertent use of the term "final solution" is always held against her because the Nazis used it but she was clearly NOT advocating genocide. Does the fact that the Nazis once used a term make it forbidden for ever after? Hitler used the German words "Reich" and "Volk" quite centrally in his messages. Does that forever stain those words? It would seem not -- as the old East German Communist regime used those terms prominently (Reichsbahn; Volkseigenebetrieb).
A decision to grant a visa to far-right commentator Katie Hopkins is reportedly under investigation by the nation’s human right watchdog.
The Australian Human Rights Commision this week agreed to investigate the decision following a complaint from the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
In its complaint, an AMAN spokerson alleged Ms Hopkins views were given more weight than the human rights of other Australians.
“It can be reasonably inferred from this statement that Ms Hopkins’ freedom of expression, and those who would agree with her in Australia, was given more weight than the human rights of Australians who would be adversely affected by vilification,” they said.
The British provocateur was last year granted a visa to appear in Seven‘s Big Brother VIP, arriving in the country while Sydney was in the midst of their second wave.
She was also granted a travel exemption to enter the country, prompting fury of many Australians stuck abroad.
But after bragging about reckless behaviour throughout her stint in hotel quarantine, Ms Hopkins’ visa was cancelled.
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Gen. Flynn Faces Loss of Honorary Doctorate as University Poised to Punish Him for Standing Against Tyranny
In 2014, the University of Rhode Island conferred an honorary degree on Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, then the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency and already a URI graduate.
Flynn would retire that August and go on to become national security advisor for President Donald Trump. He was then charged with lying to the FBI in 2017 in an incident that, with each new piece of information that drops about it, looks increasingly like a frame-up designed to get information on the Russia collusion hoax.
In December 2017, he reached a plea deal on the charges, but he tried to withdraw his guilty plea due after new representation argued in May 2020 that the government had acted in “bad faith” and “vindictiveness,” as well as in “breach of the plea agreement.”
Then-Attorney General William Barr moved to dismiss the charge, telling CBS News it “undid what was an injustice” and the FBI interview that led to the charge had no legitimate basis but was instead a “perjury trap.” Flynn was subsequently given a pardon by Trump.
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Fascism: Socialism’s Smarter Brother
In recent years, American politics has been plagued with mutual assertions on both sides of the aisle that the other party is pursuing a fascist agenda. It would therefore behoove many – especially those on the far left claiming to be fascism’s diametric opponents – to gain a greater understanding of what fascism actually entails. They might find that fascism and socialism are far from mutually exclusive.
In fact, fascism and socialism are fundamentally unified around one guiding principle: societal revolution, and the subsequent totalitarian ideological control by the state.
Merriam-Webster defines fascism as “A political philosophy, movement, or regime…that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stand for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.”
Historian Emilio Gentile – one of the world’s foremost scholars of fascism – describes it as a political ideology with an “extra ingredient” that creates a “political religion.” Gentile contends that this ingredient – essentially, totalitarian control – is found in fascist and Bolshevik states alike.
Fascist principles are often co-opted by left-wing populism, the roots for which are based in a socialist vision for a society incorporating a more equitable distribution of resources. This is precisely what transpired in Hugo Chavez’s communist Venezuela. Chavez rose to power on a populist wave, bent on redistributing the massive oil wealth that had accumulated in the upper echelons of Venezuelan society. Much and more has been written of the failures of the Chavez regime, and can be explored elsewhere. But, in addition to utter economic ruin, these socialist reforms came to engender “a dramatic concentration of power and open disregard for basic human rights guarantees.”
For more clear-cut links between socialism and fascism, one can examine the most infamous historical examples of fascism’s adoption throughout inter-war Europe in the years leading up to World War II. Each of fascism’s proponents was either formerly a socialist, or espoused socialist principles to a significant degree.
In France, prominent French Socialist Party member Leon Deat led the “neo-socialist” movement that became a backbone of the Nazi-allied Vichy government.
In Belgium, Deat’s socialist counterpart and close ally Hendrik de Man adopted a similar perspective, urging “a state plan based on a mixed economy, central direction of that economy, inflationary fiscal policies, and Keynesian deficit financing – the achievement of which would be brought about by an alliance between the proletariat and the middle classes.”
The Union Socialiste Republicaine (USR) represented the combined efforts of Deat and de Man, and has been described as a “fascist movement” with “left-wing goals.”
In Britain, the British Union of Fascists (BUF) was formed by Oswald Mosley and his allies. Mosley had been a strong force within the British Labour Party, and espoused Keynesian-influenced policy goals centered around centralized economic planning. Once Mosley developed enough influence, he began thinking bigger, adding elements of state-run corporatism that originated in the Italian fascist experiment.
Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was the author of that experiment. Mussolini, himself a former revolutionary socialist, argued that only through centrally controlling all corporate activity could the ultimate objective of a totalitarian state be achieved.[1] Italy in turn became the model upon which Adolf Hitler’s fascist vision for Germany was based.
Hitler – whom French historian Francois Furet has referred to as “Lenin’s younger brother”–preached socialist ideals from the outset.
One of his early speeches contends socialism to be “the final concept of duty, the ethical duty of work, not just for oneself but also for one’s fellow man’s sake, and above all the principle: Common good before own good.”
Yet another proclaims, “We must on principle free ourselves from any class standpoint…there are no such things as classes… there can only be a single people and beyond that nothing else.”
As time transpired, this socialist movement came to be riven with corporatist influence. Elaborating in 1931 on his proposed economic plan to revitalize Germany’s floundering economy, Hitler argued “The program demands the nationalization of all public companies, in other words socialization…the good of the community takes priority over that of the individual. But the State should retain control; every owner should feel himself to be an agent of the State… the Third Reich will always retain the right to control property owners.”
Links to socialism are not confined to Hitler’s public orations. Joseph Goebbels, German Minister of Propaganda and Hitler’s closest ally, once claimed “The future belongs to the dictatorship of the socialist idea of the state.”
Early Hitler opponent and German war minister Wilhelm Groener condemned: “There is no doubt that many members of the SA and SS were in the recent period militants of communist organization. Their goal is and remains communism.”
Upon a visit to Germany during Hitler’s rise, Simone Weil detailed, “The whole German youth, in almost every social milieu is driven…by a violent feeling of hatred towards capitalism and a burning desire for a socialist regime.”
German industrial titan Alfried Krupp stated, “They want a sort of Bolshevism with jack-boots but without a brain.” Ironically, the Krupp company would shortly thereafter be suborned by the Nazi cause, and become the primary supplier of Hitler’s Wehrmacht.
The Nazi Party – officially, the National Socialist German Workers’ Party – was able to achieve its level of control by unifying disparate elements of society and eliminating all dissent. Hitler institutionalized his dogmatic agenda by allying himself with Big Business – such as Krupp, I.G. Farben, Siemens, and many others – rather than destroying it.
In summation, the primary difference between socialism and fascism is that fascism is smarter. Fascism recognizes the power potential of suborning private enterprise, and nationalizing those private enterprises in service of its unadulterated socialist objectives.
Unfortunately, the cautionary tale of Nazi Germany is increasingly ignored, as history often is.
Within the United States in particular, this is a cautionary tale that is manifesting before our eyes, illustrated by the ever-increasing clamor for socialist policy initiatives to combat predatory capitalism, the monopolization of Big Tech, and the mainstream media’s naked censorship of those who diverge from their proscribed ideology.
Yet, it is the leftist alliance with Wall Street and corporate stakeholders, as evidenced by the advent of ESG scores and the institutionalization of corporate social responsibility, that provides the greatest cause for concern. It is eerily reminiscent of the corporatism inherent to Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
In the aggregate, this alliance represents nothing less than a centralization of power from all corners of society, on a scale similar to, yet greater than, that perpetrated by the Nazis 80 years ago. This overarching cohesion is working to create a totalitarian political religion, one that is bent on destroying economic freedom and individual liberty.
Italian political sociologist Luciano Pellicani convincingly concludes: “Fascism and capitalism are two antithetical realities. If the principles of the first prevail, the principles of the second – full property rights, absolute freedom to buy and sell according to the laws of the market, the logic of profit and competition, etc. – are inevitably seriously restricted, if not annihilated altogether.”
In conclusion: socialism, fascism, it makes no difference. The latter is, and has always been, simply a more sophisticated extension of the former. That sophistication is what makes fascism so much more dangerous. That sophistication is why it took the combined might of the entire free world to combat fascism in history’s most devastating war.
So, if you were interested in societal control, which of these would you pick? Which has the better track record of success?
Which seems reminiscent of what is occurring in America today?
You tell me.
https://humanevents.com/2022/01/20/fascism-socialisms-smarter-brother/
************************************************Beware, America’s Youth Is Embracing Authoritarianism
The intrinsic Fascism of Leftism is coming out
One of the more peculiar developments over the past few decades is the rather sudden transformation of America’s youth from independent-minded, anti-establishment, culture warriors into like-minded, pro-establishment, collectivist cowards.
Although the seeds of this conversion were planted years ago, they are now in full bloom.
Consider, for example, how America’s youth have reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more than two years, thousands of colleges and high schools have remained closed for in-person learning for extended periods of time, literally ruining the lives of untold young Americans.
Ordinarily, at least in years past, this spectacle would have produced a backlash of epic proportions. See, for instance, college students’ Vietnam draft protests in the 1960s.
However, here we are in 2022, with millions of young Americans being deprived of a proper education, with nary a peep of protest.
In fact, instead of demonstrating against the tyrannical edicts that have turned their lives upside-down, it appears as if a significant number of young Americans actually agree with creeping authoritarianism.
The COVID-19 pandemic, or more rather, the authoritarian reaction to it, seems to sit all too well with today’s youth, which is something that should concern the rest of us.
The results of a new poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports and The Heartland Institute illustrate the degree to which young Americans are acceptive of authoritarianism.
For instance, 34 percent of likely voters strongly or somewhat favor “a proposal for federal or state governments to fine Americans who choose not to get a COVID-19 vaccine.”
Given that COVID-19 is much more lethal to the elderly, one would assume that older Americans favor this proposal more than young Americans. That assumption would be incorrect; 45 percent of Americans aged 18 to 39 support this measure compared to only 27 percent aged 40 to 64, and 30 percent aged 65 and over.
The same pattern emerged when likely voters were asked if federal or state governments should require citizens remain confined to their homes at all times, except for emergencies, if they refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Almost half of those who support this position were under the age of 39.
Perhaps most emblematic of the authoritarian mindset of today’s youth is their zealous acceptance of tracking the unvaccinated via a smartphone app or wearable device to ensure they are quarantined or socially distancing from others. Among the 28 percent of likely voters who somewhat or very favor this Orwellian tactic, 43 percent were aged 18 to 39. On the other hand, only 17 percent of those age 65 and over support this while 23 percent of those aged 40 to 64 are on-board.
Suffice to say, despite the fact that COVID-19 poses little to no threat to America’s youth, this cohort is by far the most willing to accept authoritarian measures to supposedly combat the virus.
Yet, as mentioned above, this should not be all that surprising. In recent years, America’s education system has rejected freedom of speech while embracing “safe spaces,” “speech codes,” and “trigger warnings.”
This has created a generation that errs on the side of groupthink and is reluctant to engage in critical thinking, let alone the search for truth.
Moreover, today’s youth have grown up in a mass surveillance, social media-centric state, in which privacy and individualism are no longer virtues, but shunned by society.
It is for these reasons, and many more, that I am genuinely concerned about the future of liberty in the United States. To their credit, the authoritarian left has worked strategically in infiltrating academia, Hollywood, and many societal institutions, indoctrinating an entire generation to be more receptive to authoritarianism.
However, this does not mean individual liberty will go the way of the dinosaurs. If there is absolutely one thing we have learned over the past two years, it is that the current education system must be reformed.
From increased interest in school choice to the proliferation of trade schools, the tide could be finally turning.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” If this is the case, we have much work to do.
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My other blogs. Main ones below:
http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)
http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)
http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)
http://australian-politics.blogspot.com (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)
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Kristina Pimenova, once said to be the most beautiful girl in the world. Note blue eyes and blonde hair
Bliss: What every woman wants: to feel safe and secure in the arms of her man. Robert Irwin and Rorie Buckey. See
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