The rage of stupid

A couple of examples yesterday, as if more were needed, of how anger, lack of education and plain stupidity make a strange brew.

A BBC reporter interviewed some BNP activists in Liverpool not far from where the British Trades Unions were holding their annual national conference. He asked them what they thought of the unions. One of the activists replied that the unions were communist internationalists, and wanted to keep them poor.

In London far right supporters of the English Defence League confronted pro-Palestinian protestors holding up banners saying "Justice for the murdered children of Gaza."

Reflections on the hate mongers in North America (and Europe)

Top marks Tim Harford & co for their scrutiny of 'Muslim Immigration', and to Pankaj Mishra for taking to pieces Christopher Caldwell's recent book, 'Reflections on the Revolution in Europe.'

Mishra concludes:

Writing in 1937 about the minority then most despised in Europe, Joseph Roth predicted that "Jews will only attain complete equality, and the dignity of external freedom, once their 'host nations' have attained their own inner freedom, as well as the dignity conferred by sympathy for the plight of others". This proved to be too much to ask of Europe in 1937. But the moral challenge has not gone away - civilisation remains an ideal rather than an irreversible achievement - and the dangers of leaving it unmet are incalculable.

Get your kicks

McCain is right in detecting signs of growing class resentment; some of the angry are turning up at McCain-Palin rallies, where the mood has been not so much socialist as national-socialist.

-- Steve Coll

The problem isn’t lack of education—it’s that of a self-isolating political subculture gone rancid.

-- George Packer

Those who despise science and learning are not anti-elitist. They are morally and intellectually slothful people who are secretly envious of the educated and the cultured.

-- Christopher Hitchens

National Socialists here, End timers here

The people of liberty

I don't know what the left wants [but] we are ready. If they want conflicts, I have 300,000 men always on hand.

-- Umberto Bossi quoted in Cries of 'Duce! Duce!' salute Rome's new mayor.

P.S. 2 May: good analysis by Tobias Jones.

Gleichschaltung

Muslims are entitled to establish political parties ... on condition that the parties are based on the [creed] of Islam and their adopted rules are [divine rules] ... Any party not established on the basis of Islam is prohibited.

Article 21 in the Draft Constitution by Hizb ut-Tahrir - pointed out by Brian Whitaker.

For an analysis of canny taqqiya by nationalists and Islamists see Tom Gallagher.

Harry's Place draws attention to this article by Shiraz Maher.