Remarkable how easily the men and women acting in good faith across the West have been taken advantage of by bad faith actors we had already conquered and pummeled into submission through the sacrifice of good men. It feels like we were lulled into a collective delusion that because we won, we wouldn't have to fight anymore.
Ronald Regan said it best in his quote: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” In my opinion, my generation of a man who is now 74 y.o., failed to meet our commitment in that regard.
IMHO, Geert Wilders is a very courageous and insightful man. I have had the great honor of having him at our home for dinner and spent time with him one on one. I found that his personality is not Trump-like. He is thoughtful and smart. And most important he understands the problems with Islam. One can only hope he succeeds at helping Europe to be honest about these problems and do what is right to protect its citizens.
Terry, I miss-wrote my comment, trying too hard to be concise. I also believe Trump to be thoughtful and bright. What I meant to say is Wilders does not have the public braggadocio of Trump.
My mother, (who was not Margaret Thatcher, btw) said that to me all my life (pre-dating Thatcher by decades)...but whatever the origin of the statement, it is 100% correct!
Unfortunately, they aren't waiting in line to take over as previous generations did. It appears that the parents, teachers and employers of our young people put them in charge from the time they were born.
Indeed. They are a combination of entitled and lazy. They have no real ambitions, only a sense that everything will fall into their laps. We had hired a bunch of these a couple of years ago and the entire lot was useless. Absolutely zero work ethic or sense of pride. They blow off meetings and tasks because they "are not fulfilled", yet expect a participation metal just for showing up. And a raise.
About 10 years ago a police captain told me that Millennial officers had undermined the entire system of order and discipline in his department. It used to be normal for lieutenants to order the street officers to work during big events that came up unexpectedly, whether they were high profile visits by politicians or anticipated riots. Pushback was not tolerated, expected or presented, not only because officers followed orders, but because they got paid a lot for working overtime at these kinds of events. When Millennials got the same orders, their response was often "That doesn't work for me." As the number of Millennial officers increased and the older officers retired the command staff gradually gave up on efforts to get compliance. The worst threat they could make was to fire the younger officers, and it turned out that many of the Millennials didn't really care all that much if they did.
You have to wonder how many of those unconcerned about maintaining gainful employment are still living in their parent's basement. "I don't care because I don't have to." A consequence-free life, and yet they're still depressed and walking around like SSRI zombies.
As a millennial I legitimately live in fear of the future. 51% of millennials identify as socialist. A majority of Gen Z regards Jews as deserving of violence. A majority of millennials support speech restrictions.
I live in serious fear of the world I’m being abandoned by you all in. Don’t leave me alone with these people.
Watch the cult classic film sixteen candles. I'm LoL'n at your post and not in an unkind way. See if you can discover the scene that makes me find humor in your post.
I think I missed the window of my life where I can watch John Hughes and “get it” if that makes sense. Is there a smug character in it who hates his own generation like myself?
Please accept my apologies and thank you for pointing that out. I'm on the cusp of both Boomer and X so have one foot in each camp. For all our faults, at least we have a work ethic and a sense of personal accountability. And don't require constant social media validation of our self-worth.
The "greatest generation." Until it came home from the Greatness and spoiled its children rotten. (Perhaps I (78 yo) escaped the Great Narcissism is because my father (an Army Colonel's son) was 4fed.) When the spoilees got to college, the asylums were turned over to the idiots. So sad.
I posted this yesterday but it fits today's topic. The left has moved to the far, far left and are now surprised that the general public doesn't like it.
The thing is, the kids only know what they are brainwashed with in the schools K - University. For example, they are taught "intersectionality" and sex is not binary but "a social construct". So, I think the problem goes back to adults who need to push this rot out of our schools and society. But, government pushes it hard:
"Transgender Your Businesses, Nonprofits, And Schools, Or No Federal Grants For You"
I tend to agree, but Gen X seems to have not developed the same Millennial/Gen Z narcissism and laziness. A contributing factor might be the absence of adversity during their generations in terms of Depressions and World Wars (that is, fought by draftees as well as enlistees and career soldiers).
You assume they are acting in good faith because you likely act in good faith and you believe that most people want similar things. It’s a dangerous assumption.
Many people want a totalitarian government which they call socialism. Many want a caliphate which they call religious freedom. Some just like anarchy or chaos as a way to get control.
The people they elect are very good at hiding what they’re trying to accomplish.
Mark, I've already been thoroughly betrayed for standing up for the truth, and I have already been professionally damaged. I made the original comment to encourage and force people to say they believe that the civility and order produced by the Dutch, British, and American Empires had a positive impact on their lives. That is a bold claim, but I believe that is the truth. I know this is anathema, but that is what thefp.com is all about.
Well said Kevin, although that claim shouldn't be considered bold; it's demonstrably true for most of the world. It's only bold because so many of our so-called elites hate America and the European countries from which it sprung.
Not an empire in the traditional sense of taking territory and exploiting colonies. I'd say the American empire is more a cultural and security phenomenon, with countries voluntarily allied with the US for security reasons, while people around the world have voluntarily embraced much of our culture and economic methods, also benefiting from our technological advances.
So true, many of the assumptions in our culture today come from having lived in peace and under governments based on Judeo-Christian beliefs (individual liberty, the importance of the individual, everyone has rights, helping the helpless, those who are blesses with much have a responsibility to help others, etc.). Of course there were bad actors and bad situations but overall the Left chooses to focus only on the negative because they want to destroy our civilization and make a socialist totalitarian culture/government.
That civility and oder did have a positive impact on not only their lives but culture, arguably world-wide. But the mistake was in thinking that the gig was up and that there were no longer malignant thinkers among us. Those malignant thinkers exploited our values. To the point where we have "pro-Palestine", whatever the hell.that means because they don't, taking over the streets and mistreating some of the most noble among us. Worse, some of those among the most noble among us are joining their own destruction.
"That civility and oder did have a positive impact on not only their lives but culture, arguably world-wide. But the mistake was in thinking that the gig was up and that there were no longer malignant thinkers among us. " Totally agree! The student activists I have spoken with are remarkably naive and absolutely devoid of street wisdom. They are in the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" mindset. (They do of course claim to have the right to decide unilaterally what it means to speak no evil).
Watching the Triggernometry video, Nigel Biggar makes the statement that slavery was accepted as a normal thing. Modern sensibilities would say it's awful, and I think owning a human is crazy. But that makes me think of how these days, we have an explosion of sex workers and pornography. Would our society not be viewed as morally repugnant by our ancestors? We don't have slaves, but we have thoroughly tainted the relations between man and woman.
There will always be people who simply wish the ease and laziness of following. Society governed by a sole leader or a few leaders, especially for long periods of time, is a bigger issue and one that allows the lazy to follow bad actors. We know by our own clown group of politicians that this system is no longer working. It has been hijacked and corrupted. We need to deconstruct rather than destroy. Remember what we were founded upon and improve that model. The general malaise and hopelessness felt by many and the ignorance of our young people is our biggest threat.
The creation of the United States of America was a deconstruction of the British, French and Spanish empires. It also amalgamated the indigenous democracy of the Iroquois Confederacy.
To clarify, in case you missed it, what I mean by deconstruction is to rid ourselves of the corruption and distortion of those original founding principles.
The fight never ends! The human way of thinking is that the enemy, once defeated, will no longer be a problem. But you cannot defeat IDEAS! Those that call for a subjugation of competing ideologies MUST be continually defended against. No quarter, no mercy!
Islam requires the conversion, subjugation, or.elimination of the infidel. It encourages lying and deception to advance its interests. It encourages its adherents to agree to truces when weak, until it regains sufficient strength to renew the struggle. In 40+ years of working with Muslim engineers in the US and in Islamic countries, I have never met a "Moderate Muslim". I don't believe that such a creature exists. Many of us know " Cafeteria Catholics",who reject Catholic doctrine that inconveniences them. I have NEVER met a Muslim analog. They either accept the full program, or are FORMER Muslims who now are convinced atheists. Muslims have a mission, which is inimicable to western society. Be guided by that knowledge in your dealings with them.
"A moderate Muslim is actually more dangerous than a fundamentalist, however, because he appears to be harmless, and you can never tell when he has taken that next step toward the top. Most suicide bombers begn as moderates." Mosab Hassan Yousef, "Son of Hamas," copyright 2010. The author is the son of one of 7 founders of Hamas.
You're right, there are no moderate muslims. If there were, we would have heard their voices after 9/11 or after 10/7. All are looking to destroy infidels (anyone not a muslim) and conquer us.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. We have to struggle against these immoral ideas in everything. I have already fought with everything I have for truth in my own life, but truth itself needs to be defended everywhere in the Republic. The line I've been thinking in my head is that even if two people hate each other's guts, so long as they respect the truth, they can get along and go along in an organization.
And that’s precisely why Woke is such a danger. At its very foundation, it is an attack on truth; an imposition of ideology over fact.
The OG post-structuralist philosophers questioned the notions of “objectivity” and “truth” (which is legit, as far as critical thinking means that we should be aware of biases in our own epistemology) but then subsequently, academia pushed it much, much further into a concept of “there IS no truth”...which sets the stage for the moral relativism of Woke.
Exactly. Before the postmodernist philosophers, academia used feminism, Marxism and back in the day Freudianism as a critical lense. It never escaped out of the ivory tower to obliterate scientific fact before.
Agreed! There also has to be an orderly process for coming to a decision and taking an action by a group that has not reached unanimity. Like Robert's Rules of Order and majority rules. Many Americans currently prefer to be able to express their ultra-extreme viewpoints endlessly, without recognizing the need for compromise or the need to form coalitions with people who don't share all of their own opinions.
A “riddle wrapped in an enigma.” In this case, it is when people still vote for leaders who deny a problem exists despite real world experience and immigrants keep coming when there’s a disconnect between their homeland values and expectations and Western culture. In both cases, the “dream” is not realizable.
You hit the nail on the head. Whenever I try to talk to people about global war, in particular my parents generation, there’s a resistance to accept that everything is not okay.
I wonder if it’s because it was their fathers who won the second world war. Daddy fixed the world. Nobody can tell me otherwise.
I do not think it is generational. I am.of your parents generation and I understand that all is not well as do most of my peers. My experience is contrary in that it is the younger generations around me who bought heavily into the woke idealogy - intersectionalism, post-modernism, etc.. So I am glad to know it is not universal.
I would definitely agree that its my generation and younger who are the biggest woke culprits. No denying that. I found with my mom though, she took a very long time to really come to terms with the media and government not being trustworthy. She really didn't want to believe that it is possible that we could find ourselves in another world war. "Because the government would never let that happen again," she would say.
My parents were born in 1912. They both told me repeatedly and cheerfully that "all politicians are crooks." It was wise counsel that has proven true over the course of my life.
Smart parents. My grandmother was born in 1929 (still with us). She would tell me that we should be grateful for and celebrate entrepreneur’s because they were willing to take big risks, they provided jobs to people, and they gave back to the community. She told me this while I was in university being indoctrinated into the early days of the social justice movement. Of course I thought she was wrong at the time. She was right.
One of the weaknesses of American culture is that we take too long to recognize the wisdom of our elders, and by the time we do, we have become the elders that the young people don't believe.
I think that is the difference Andrea. Your mom believes the government can and will provide. I do not. And I am guessing you do not either. I have reached the point where every time I see a comment in that something needs to be done!!!!! about (traffic, drought, speeders, homeless . . .) I take the time to respond that I do not believe the government can, or should be expected, to fix most of what ails us.
The delusion, I think, is that these men and women were acting in good faith. I think these people fancy themselves good and do what they think they need to do to look good to others and to themselves, without really thinking.
There is additionally an intense resistance to confronting inconsistencies in their favorite "moral" positions. One example is the constant line about black men being in danger of being shot whenever they step out the front door, which is actually true in some neighborhoods, but it is not white cops who are killing them. Whenever I talk about the number of black kids who are killed every weekend in my city, the leftists either call me a racist or fall silent and turn away from with their jaws tightened and their eyes hostile.
As someone who actually works and lives in such neighborhoods, I’ve had the same experience. No one wants to hear evidence that contradicts liberal dogma.
Yes, I know it's a leap of faith to suggest that the progressives in sum were acting in good faith. I wrote that because I earnestly believe in the ideals of social justice, that black people should be treated equally before the law, that women should be given their fair shot, and that immigrants to the United States should be elite. The bizarre aspect that I have had to square away is my beliefs are somehow now conservative!
Few of these people were ever acting in "good faith." Rather, they were hoping to be part of a new ruling class that was no less indifferent to the sufferings of others as any other ruling elite.
And worse, we now have governments that are more in tune with these bad faith actors, giving them a bigger voice and broader agency than native citizens. Ireland is just the latest example of this.
And that's how it is. Chinese Greek Roman et al history shows that surviving is something more than winning. But not learning from history forces you to repeat it.
My understanding is the Wilders still needs to form a governing coalition. Can he find partners without diluting his message and plans? Or is he still toxic to mainstream politicians despite electoral success?
There is also the problem of the judiciary. I believe other countries in Europe and also the U.K. have similar problems. I believe plans to stop or slow immigration in Italy and the U.K. have been thwarted by the judiciary. Here in the US we had the bizarre situation during Trump’s presidency in which obscure judges would issue national injunctions that thwarted or slowed reform attempts.
While I am hopeful, I am also continual astounded at the resistance from the establishment at what seems to be both popular will and common sense. There is something behind this that is not obvious but seems nefarious. Why are these culturally damaging immigrants so popular with the establishment? That is the question that needs to be asked and answered.
The left values feeling virtuous above all else. Allowing in the formerly “colonized” peoples is a form of reparations. If it destroys your country, well, didn’t it deserve it? Self-loathing is also a virtue to the left. But ultimately, it’s other people who suffer, not the elitists on the left.
A luxury belief. As long as people are able to insulate themselves from the negative effects of their "compassionate" policies, they will continue to support those policies. Voting to use other people's money to support the invasion of other people's neighborhoods is a very comfortable way to feel good about oneself.
I agree with that but it is clear that the left is not the majority in any western country. My question is - how has a minority pseudo elite gotten control of every cultural, educational, media and political institution in every western country over the last two generations? Is it an accident or was there a plan? If the latter, who developed and guided the plan? Because of the left’s institutional dominance, elections don’t matter. How did that happen? Since it’s been slowly occurring over multiple generations, I believe it is not the work of one person. There are days that I believe I am living in a science fiction novel.
Ever hear of “The Long March Through the Institutions?”
An Italian Marxist, Antonio Gramsci, wrote in the 20s or 30s that Marxism could not be imposed on the West as it was done by force in Russia. So it must be achieved gradually by infecting and capturing our institutions—-academia, media, etc etc.
We are at the “one minute before midnight” moment of Mission Accomplished.
Gramsci inspired a lot of other lefties, of course, who participated in the infections.
Why did no one notice and resist? We are busy working, raising kids. And it’s easy to say, Oh well, those people are nuts, how can they ever hurt us? We always realize when it’s too late.
Absolutely; race has been the wedge used to fundamentally transform America, and attempting to publish that statement in comments sections of major newspapers meets with censorship every time, proving to me it is absolutely on the mark.
In the name of fighting slavery (which, as an aside, went out in the 19th century) statues of our Founders are under attack; George Washington, the Father of our country, is portrayed only as the villain who held slaves, as is Jefferson. This is a wholesale open attack on the very basis of our institutions, our patriotism, our love of country--all in the name of racial "equity," which amounts to racism in reverse.
Yes but Gramsci’s plan takes money, brains and organization over generations and globally. That plan has been moving forward for decades. By who? Marxists do not have the time, money or brains to do that. They are tools. This was organized. Someone hijacked Gramscian strategy. Someone with money, brains and power. A group. Not one person. The time trajectory is too long for one person.
Starting in the 40s Marxist ideas invaded American academia. A time when we believed all good thinking started in those hallowed halls.
By the 60s kids were radicalized and forming power structures and domestic terrorist groups.
Some became teachers to infect the next generation who then went into government, media, institutions of power. The organizations changed, Students for a Democratic Society became Antifa and BLM. But the aims didn’t. Power and control.
So was this “organized” or did it just arrive at a critical mass of believers with energy and commitment? Does the Davos crowd pull the strings of the future? They certainly have the money and have annointed themselves the determiners of what we little people will be allowed to have and how we can live. But Davos wouldn’t work without a critical mass of believers now controlling all our institutions. Even medical schools have succumbed to the influence of the believers. The risk of resisting is too much. People just don’t have the guts to say NO.
People like Soros for one. And Sam Bankman-Fried was the second largest donor in the last cycle as he was buying regulatory support for his crypto fraud. If you want a chilling moment think about what would have happened had he succeeded. And do not kid yourself that he was a lone operator. I see Mommy's and Daddy's fingerprints all over his acts. You know those lauded Sta-a-ahnfawd professors. Then reread Celia's comment about academia. If anything in this country needs to be burned to the ground, it is elite academic institutions.
I think what I am trying to say is that it's unlikely that a group of Marxists gained control of academia, media, public schools, government, organized religion and the military in every western country without some overarching control and funding. especially over 20+ years. Left on its own as a movement without guidance,. at least one of those institutions would have stayed true to its charter and pushed back. Leadership in every one of those instituitions is culpable but I think they are followers rather than leaders. If they are following someone, who is it? Easy answers like the WEF or the Davos crowd are too easy. Any group or person that can orchestrate a takeover of every major institution in every western country globally is hiding behind Davos and the WEF. Klaus whatever may be many things but he doesn't strike me as a genius. He is a cartoon character created by a genius.
I think that is a rational answer. Hopefully not the correct one. I think there is a fear in considering that possibility, at least for me. I can wrap my head around a fight against evil human agency. A fight against Satan in literal, concrete terms would be actually terrifying.
Perhaps the answer is to defeat Satan’s human allies on a human battlefield? I don’t know. I am not highly religious though I wish I was. Faith can’t be faked and sadly it is not within me.
I like this podcast - with James Lindsay. He explains Leftism and it's goal - "The issue is never the issue; the issue is always the revolution. The issue is never the issue; the issue is always the revolution. This is a core maxim of Marxist activist thought, and it explains so much" This episode was eye opening - https://newdiscourses.com/2023/11/current-thing-did-not-take-place/. Did you notice how easily BLM riots turned into Free Palistine? The Left does not care about the cause. They want us to argue and for us to focus on the social issues, while they disrupt Western civilization.
Disrup,t transform and destroy. Let's call it "DTD" as a counterpoint to DEI-- which really should be referred to after Oct 7th and the Presidents' testimony, as DIE.
Marxists called it "the Long March through the Institutions." Taking over everything, one job, one position of power at the time, has been the goal of Marxists--individually and collectively--for decades.
Most effective Marxists I know are not really Marxists. They hide behind Marxism as a mechanism to gain power and jettison it when needed. Putin, on the global stage, is an example. Real believing Marxists, at least the one’s that I have met, are actually pretty stupid and are being used by another force, imho. They don’t have the brains or patience to craft a successful Long March. What we are seeing is too global and too synchronized to be run by a group of mere Marxists.
Your question reminds me of this verse in Ephesians 6 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Lenin had this figured out. The Soviet Union was a tyranny masquerading as a Marxist state. The irony is that it is the Marxists that have always been the "useful idiots" Lenin and Stalin manipulated, many even going happily to the Gulag or their deaths thinking they were furthering the "revolution". History repeats itself .
Did you watch the livestream of Matt taibbi yesterday or read Public? (Michael Shellenburgwr)They are now going beyond the Twitter files to talk about how this capture of speech and public narrative happened and how it started. It is really scary. If you haven’t seen it you should watch
I am a fan of both. I find it ironic that both are from the left. I imagine there are things that I would still disagree with them about but that does not change my respect for either.
I expect that the Internet itself will become "unavailable" to people like them who say disapproved things. I really think that is a possibility.
"The Long March through the Institutions", as others have mentioned. But, to your question, is there some master plan? No, I think not. Leftists are naturally drawn to this course by their inclination towards bureaucracy, government/academic/lobbying jobs and control over culture and other people. "Live and let Live", self-reliant types are not interested in any of the above. Very wealthy leftists are absolutely, 100% deep into politics and power and driving their visions forward (Soros, Gates, etc).
First, social media. Second, look up Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger. Even yesterday they shared new whistle-blower info on government/ elitist manipulation of media and social media. Third, I feel exactly the same way as you do.
All those institutions create nothing but pontification [while] the producers of goods and services ignored what those institutions did create: radicals and narratives.
Think about how much the internet has changed our world and set the narrative’s as a way to control. Most, if not all, of mainstream media, social media, all of the news sites all over the world are slanted to the left. Anything can be spread with just a click. Usually only part of the story is told but never gets corrected. Once it’s out there it is always believed regardless of “corrections,” made. Most people take this information at face value and don’t do some research to get to the truth. The news media has changed the narrative all over the world in the last 20 years. It’s been a slow fade to control our lives and what we think.
Look at the sweet little boy at the Raiders game who was dressed as a Native American with half of his face painted black and the other red. A photo was taken where only the side of his face that was painted black was showing. Now it’s “racists in Las Vegas!” Will that be corrected? I’m so worn out from it.
It is up to those not swimming with them to demand a price be paid. Not out of revenge or satisfaction but because suffering negative consequences is the surest way to deter unwanted behavior.
I used to listen to Michael Savage, a conservative radio host. He always said…”liberalism is a mental disorder.” I used to think it was funny, but now, through some of the ideas of left/liberal friends, I believe it. It’s ideology over morality, and they cause a scene while taking the “high road” for the oppressed.
I agree with the comments here. The left wants power and by any means necessary. But why? Maybe left-ism really is a mental disorder as you suggest. Humans do have their own strange propensities 😊. I’m often stunned by the mindset of Dem middle class women in nice little towns who become rabid when presented with a reasoned view that contradicts their own. Empirical observations no longer matter — as if ideology is a drug.
I'm a liberal. The leftists have misappropriated that term. I'm not calling myself a classic liberal. I refuse to concede liberalism to those lockstep lemmings.
If only more of you would be outspoken. Unfortunately the ones with the platform are democrat politicians who seem to have moved left as well. As a conservative, I feel the same as you when Biden, of all people, uses “maga” to mean far right, when really it’s conservatism. But then Biden loves attacking those who support Trump, and he thinks all republicans do. It’s all way too political.
Yeah I'll pass on listening to podcasts. I'll read anything for a bit. I'm a really poor listener unless the presenter is female and saying something that will be immediately gratifying and of a sexual nature. The final condition is that its my wife. She's the only woman I semi listen to.
I always found him hypocritical. Like many right-wing talk show hosts, he lived among the "coastal elite" he would rail against while enjoying all the perks of coastal elite living. Kind of like the Fox News anti-vaxxers who, of course, were all vaccinated themselves.
It's a cold. Colds sometimes kill people. I never get vaccinated. I take my broadly diverse DNA as a defense. That guy that says rub some dirt on it. That's me. I don't get sick and if I do then I'm ok with dying or getting better. On my own. The exception is appendicitis. When my appendix ruptured I passed out then I was taken to hospital. Everyone of my significants scolded me. My then almost 90 yr old grandfather who visited while I was recovering related about how he survived a ruptured appendix by having the town doctor make an incision and insert a copper tube to drain the fluids. People got sick and survived since people were novel. Think on that.
I wish I could agree with the idea that the left genuinely values feeling virtuous, as you suggest. It seems more likely to me that they prioritize power and control over others above everything else. The influx of illegal immigrants, in their view, represents an unstoppable voting bloc that will secure their control indefinitely. At the same time, I would agree with your belief that they currently have no fear of this situation impacting their lives negatively. History shows that both extreme left and right movements toward totalitarianism often rely on a group or construct that believes, for a time, they are on the right side of history. Yet, this perception persists only until the point where the government, once supported by their votes and actions, no longer needs their support or services
I talk to quite a few young leftists during the course of a week. They absolutely believe that their platform is The Truth and The Right Way, that people older than about 30 are wrong, racist, etc., and that Gen Z is the first generation to understand how evil American is and always has been. They also believe that everyone their age thinks the same way that they do about all the above things. Of course these young people live in a woke online echo chamber, and as far as I can tell, they have no idea that people their age exist who are more conservative than they are.
NC - When Angela Merkel let in close to a million Syrian migrants in 2015/16, I don't think she thought Germany was deserving of destruction. I personally thought her move was a risky one politically, perhaps not well prepared enough or too ambitious, but obviously she thought otherwise. Of the reasons behind it, I don't think 'self loathing' was included, but trying to be humanitarian probably was.
Soros. He uses his money to hurt the west which he hates. And his son is worse. All the while they live and prosper here not in the hellholes they import from and want to turn us into
It don’t think that is the complete answer. In fact, that may be a diversion. Soros does not have the kind of money and influence to control institutions across the globe to the extent that we have seen. In fact, no one person can have that type of influence. There is indeed an agenda but it is not one person’s agenda.
I’ve some accounts of people who got out of cults, and they describe how transgenderism is like a cult, but there isn’t one head guy driving it across the country— more like small pockets of trans in different geographic locations that become the local “head guys behind the local aspect of the cult. Have no idea how true this is across the board, but have read accounts of at least 3 different people who got out describe it this way.
So perhaps the Leftism is similar— perhaps it’s not just a Soros pulling strings behind the scenes but many lesser Soros types who operate in their own smaller spheres. But the ideology is the same, so tactics will be similar. (Especially when someone writes an oh-so-useful handbook on how to do Marxist-type “politics”— look up the website Beautiful Trouble. It’s based on a book with instructions for “action” that are all Leftist/Marxist policy “action” only designed to get a “reaction” from the Right in which they can point to and come down on.) So what I am saying is, with recourse like that, it would be easy for things to look like one giant coordinated attack on our country, when in fact it may be just a bunch of lesser (still big but not national) jerks grasping for any power they can get.
Possibly true. If so, that is hopeful. I am still waiting for one established institution , in the US or elsewhere, to step up and do its job. The Church, media, colleges, a unified and effective political party, a police force, a medical trade group, anyone? They are all scared of something. All common sense proponents seem to be lonely individuals fighting windmills.
Yes I hear ya. The more people stand up the less scary it will feel to do so. Does seem like the common sense folks tend to prioritize other aspects of their lives over policies, which prevents them from organizing. I do think that politics should not be anyone’s first priority, BUT in our current moment, we need to put it first in order to fight back. Those on the Left worship politics, it’s their God, so they have a more inherent push to organize and continue to push for things. But yes, I agree that people need to stop be cowards and step up together before we lose everything.
The leaders of most formal organizations in my state are hired by DEI bureaucrats or with the approval of those bureaucrats and not otherwise. Many if not most of these leaders claim to believe what the DEI bureaucrats teach, and they support DEI speech codes and thought reform sessions as constructive personal growth processes. My national professional association has been captured at the top by the woke cultists, but they are fully supported by most young Millennial and Gen Z professionals now entering my field. People who object to all of this lose their jobs or are simply ignored. If people here are actually afraid of anything, it is that they are being misled by sources of "misinformation," which includes any information that is not reported or not supported by people on CNN, NPR and MSNBC.
There is validity in this. My work life involves contact with Corporate America and over the last 10 years most companies have become run by HR and HR, in turn, is run by DEI. A solid recession would clear that out in a few months.
People have a need to belong to groups and there are those that take advantage of it. Some groups, like Taylor Swifties, are benign. Others like Antifa and the hard-core Trumpers aren't.
Did you read the article? I though one of the most compelling points was that if Democrats had just accepted to 2016 election and not [persecuted] Trump for 4 years we would not be where we are now. But nooooo, some of you are still at war with "hard-core Trumpers". Whatever that is.
I think there is something behind Soros. Or he is a minor part of something larger. Saying Soros as an answer is a distraction. Just like someone on the left who blames Trump for everything globally. Both represent something larger. Trump represents popular dissatisfaction with a failing elite. Soros is just a symbol of that elite. But I think behind that failed elite is something else. Soros is a tool.
Soros is not benign. Put together enough billionaires funding these causes and you have massive problems. I always stood for allowing these billionaires to keep their wealth. Now I'm not so sure. If they used it wisely or for public betterment, maybe. But when they use their wealth to destabilize the United States, we need to re-think the wisdom of establishing a new feudalism.
I know some billionaires. They are cantankerous, competitive people. Competitive with each other. The fight over whose name comes first on a local library annex. You put 3 of them in one room and they will fight each other rather than come up with a common strategy to destroy the world. I just think that this is above them. They are tools.
Someone has created common cause between the FBI, BLM, Soros, Italian judges, Xi, Disney, my local school board, the cops in Britain, every newspaper editor and about 100 other institutions with nothing in common. Those groups and people have nothing in common yet they act of one mind. How did that happen?
The biggest thing was capture of public education by the unions who are Marxist in design and belief. Once captured implementation of Alynsky’s “Rules for Radicals” is relatively easy.
We are now seeing the downstream effects. If one plays the long game it can be quite devastating. We won’t be clear if it for 20 or 30 years in the US.
How do we win?
- outlaw public service unions. They are ridiculous. There is no more secure job than one in public service.
- mass takeovers of school boards by people who are at least centrist in their beliefs.
- wait patiently for young people to emerge and vote.
No, not just school boards, we need a complete overhaul of the education colleges. That’s where the teachers are all learning Marxist’s ideas— even for the best intentions of good teachers who don’t believe in that stuff, they are all seeped into it when they train to become a teacher.
I agree with the unions. They are trash.
I would add that we can’t afford to wait for young people to grow— we need to reach them with different ideas that the ones they learn from TikTok.
I have also felt that public education here started in long downhill slide when teachers unionized. I went to an urban public high school here in the 60’s and got a good education. I look at the test scores now from the same school and want to cry.
But while I do agree with you, that does not answer the question - who is behind institutions like your local school board, the FBI, media, judges in Italy, cops in Britain, the WHO and multiple others with no commonality all acting in lockstep against common sense solutions to local problems?
Once captured, our education system turned out little radicals. Some woke up and became normal productive citizens. The ones who weren’t so smart ended up back in education where they worked hard to churn out more radicals. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy and it just gets more extreme over time. I think that’s what we’re seeing now. Can liberal democracies self correct? I guess we’ll know in the next 20 years or so.
I am a retired teacher. Early in my career, I saw what teacher's unions used member dues to support and refused to join. I received some push-back but stuck to my guns and eventually, they quit asking and accepted my choice. While I agree that the problem is institutional and widespread, I think the solution starts with each of us standing up, speaking up and refusing to capitulate to the parroting mob.
Okay, Philly Guy, here's a comment from out of left field: maybe it's an off-world group of aliens who have mind-control technology (and maybe they want to weaken humanity, by dividing us against each other, before making out-right physical war against us). Can you tell I'm a sci-fi fan? : )
Since you brought up Alynsky’s “Rules for Radical’s”.... Definitely the seeds were sown in universities. At the same time he published, the government began to established more financial aid programs allowing more students to attend college. Everyone virtuously encouraged the path of higher education and assumed everything learned and gained during these years would benefit both the student and society in general. What negative could come it that? We see it now.
I have friends who think their highly “degreed” kids are smarter than they themselves. These are parents who are professionals with advanced degrees of their own. They have relinquished any superior claim to wisdom they have gleaned through the years. I see a domino effect within many families we used to associate with. The younger sons and daughters lecture the parents on everything from covid shots, to transgender issues to racial bias. Some have called there elders bigots and phobics. The parents cave and cower hoping they don’t upset them further. There is a passivity with parents and grandparents I find disturbing.
I don’t claim to be a super parent as I had my share of stumbles. We raised two and sent them off to college. There was some turbulence and youthful rebellion but they managed to graduate, find jobs and start a life of their own. We all can engage in robust debate about all sorts of issues without disrespecting one another. I simply wouldn’t allow my kids to bully me.
I don’t understand this phenomenon of educated otherwise focused adults in fear of their own children. Their roles have reversed somehow and they must take their cues from these disrespectful, ungrateful humans they once tucked in at night. I think Alynsky’s followers have something to do with it.
I’ve been through some of those struggles with my two daughters. They definitely are taught in college that there is a right and wrong opinion on most things. They are punished severely for any transgressions by their NAZI Youth like peers.
I made some serious missteps early on and alienated them. I’ve learned to be more subtle and open to their ideas. I’ve definitely noticed that life is gradually changing their thinking for the better.
I think this next election will be interesting. My kids and spouses would never, ever vote for Trump, but they can see the horrible impact on their standard of living that more if the same will cause. Can they hold their noses? I’ll probably never know as they’d have to eat a lot of crow to go back now. I’m not about to rub their noses in it!
I put my foot down with mine. I have couple friend though that is as you described. They had to take parenting classes to be able to interact with their first grandchild.
funny - even FDR with all his progressive policies in the 1930's and 1940's did not believe in public service unions. He felt that politicians would never have the backbone to push back on union demands like you see in the private sector where if leadership gives up to much the business would fail. Governments don't fail so that half of the push/pull equation doesn't exist. Politicians easily give out large pensions that are collected 20 years down the road when they are no longer in power and won't be blamed by the electorate when they have to explain why their roads, bridges, social services need to be cut to pay for the union largess.
Have you looked at very many recent polls of what Gen Z people believe or want? About half of them are opposed to free speech, many think that capitalism is inherently corrupt and anyway, it is "late stage." Kids learn this stuff in school and nowhere else. Kids on their phones are not reading Marxist treatises on "late stage capitalism." Now they spout this jargon like it's the final word on global economics. Maybe there are young conservatives who think differently, but a rate of 50% agreement in their generation against traditional American values and freedoms way beyond what any leftist movement has ever achieved previously in this country.
My hope is that with the cognitive dissonance these kids experience when real life smacks them in the face they will become disillusioned with the BS their teachers were shoveling.
It’s a real test of whether an open society can survive an organized assault by those not interested in moving forward constructively.
I actually thought that when the kids had to start paying their own mortgages that they would see the light, but who knows when that will happen? Reality is not winning out when so-called feminist women cheer for Muslim rapists. I fear that we will have to wait until the Chinese, the Arabs, or whoever walks onto our shores and takes over. Even then, I don't know how our own communists will respond.
Philly Guy, your question is my question too, if only I could understand why! Below you wrote about perhaps being a character in a dystopian science fiction novel - me too. Except that I know God exists and that makes me serene.
The immigrants aren’t necessarily “popular”, they are mostly refugees from very poor nations south of Europe. They are migrants the US isn’t as quick to allow and it made more geographical sense that they end up in Europe. Many of them faced such atrocities in their own countries that it is shocking to think they are creating similar issues in the countries that they migrated too. Some can assimilate, look at Ayaan. I still don’t think that all of Muslim migrants are a negative to Europe, it’s the vetting process and the islamists and criminals that have also been allowed in that are causing the issues. What is the solution? How do Western countries help people like Ayaan find safety without letting those that want to kill her come in? Do we need reeducation camps? Sounds morbid. The left went too far in their utopia vision and now the right may go too far the other way to counteract the effects.
The problem is that there is no vetting at all. They just show up and we let them in, in quantities that are unmanageable for assimilation purposes. The approach should be to turn them back while also providing ways to let them come, properly vetted and in manageable quantities.
The problem with judges is two-sided. Both sides now "judge shop" to find a judge who will rule in their favor. Neither political party wants to pass laws that may make some constituents dislike them, so they've ceded more authority to the courts. That way they can say "we tried to limit immigration but the court stopped us" or "we're moderate on abortion policy but the court decided the abortion pill is illegal."
There is a lot of forum shopping for sure. Which is why appellate courts matter. But I think you have hit the nail on the head - the lack of a functioning legislature, particularly at the national level. Congress has been AWOL for decades now. Which empowered the executive branch and has created what we face now -career bureaucrats refusing loyalty to a duly elected president to the extent that they hand-picked the one we have now. He might as well be their lap dog. And it is not because he is Democrat. If a strong Democrat candidate emerged they would back the weakest Republican they could find. But do not kid yourself, they are our rulers at this point. Unelected. Unaccountable. Serving their own interests rather than yours or mine.
The legislators who are there to get rich and the administrative networks that are unelected. I think that this was Trump's most significant insight---the destructive impact of the permanent, unregulated power held by people who are unaccountable to anyone.
George Soros is the the “something behind this that is not obvious but seems nefarious.” He is a globalist, open borders, one-world government guy who significantly funds causes and politicians around the world who support his view. He is one of the wealthiest people on the planet.
Philly, I suspect that Wilders won't be given the keys to anything resembling power unless he softens his rhetoric further and jettisons some his campaign promises, similar to the right winger in charge of Italy, Giorgia Meloni (though her recently proposed 40% windfall tax on bank profits may reveal her true colors). Wilders needs the support of a few other parties to form a government. He wants power, so he'll do it. Let's see what he does with it - he'll soon find out how far he can go vis a vis immigration without upsetting his banker, the EU.
My understanding is that in both Italy and the U.K. the courts have nullified common sense plans to limit immigration. Don’t have all the details though. If true, it doesn’t matter what the government wants to do.
"While I am hopeful, I am also continual astounded at the resistance from the establishment at what seems to be both popular will and common sense. " This might be the point where a representative republic system breaks down and true democracy needs to be instated, at least temporarily. It is remarkable how surprised the politicians and media act when people get to vote on a single-issue referendum, and the results are the opposite of the policies they relentlessly push.
Yes but I do not think that applies to my argument in a macro sense. In my view, we have multiple elites in multiple countries, some of which have competing agendas (gays vs. Islamics, military secrecy vs. media) for example. While elite capture can explain success within each discrete institution, is does not explain why these separate elites should band together under a global agenda that actually hurts their specific self described goals. Why are gays supporting Muslims? Why does black leadership support a green or immigration agenda that will hurt their constituents? I posit that the people we think of as elites are merely tools and are being made to follow a larger agenda, even if it hurts their own pseudo-cause.
"Yes but I do not think that applies to my argument in a macro sense. In my view, we have multiple elites in multiple countries, some of which have competing agendas (gays vs. Islamics, military secrecy vs. media) for example. " Of course there are multiople elites in multiple countries; I am focused on our elites, and the ways in which their policies have sold out the country to the interests of these foreign powers, especially China and the oil rich, Muslim Arab states and Iran.
The competing agenda to which you refer are not relevant here, and I see them in a micro sense. Elite capture explains how and why American policy decisions on multiple levels [from the presidency on down to the swamp, and across to the IRS, FBI, CIA, DOJ, and individual prosecutors who selectively choose which laws to ignore] , in multiple segments of society (academia, teachers' unions, lawyer associations, corporate boards, social media, etc.) have led directly to the nation's endangerment, both ideologically anbd militarily.
We are in very serious, imminent danger. The decisions that have brought us here simply cannot logically be justified; our leaders have to have been corrupted, iedologically and/or financially--directly (outright payments of unmarked dollars flowing back from Iran Deal,) for example, or indirectly( use your imagination.)
I understand your perspective and our disagreement is only on the margins. Your last paragraph is dead on accurate. The almost religious like support for the Iran deal has always baffled me. I don’t understand its importance and the support behind it. There must be something beyond the deal.
The deal enabled the US to send billions of dollars in cash, unmarked. Some flowed back to the senders, perhaps? That's reason enough, if sufficient cash returned in unmarked bills.
Also it enabled Iranian mullahs to fund Hamas, and the Left, as we now see, holds a certain special place in its heart for those who like Hamas and like to talk genocide.
I think that individual rich people and the ruling classes of the U.S. and Western Europe want to be a global ruling class, like the European monarchists of previous centuries. I think that the ideologues arguing about Muslims, trans people, racism, etc. are separate factions that are mostly lower on the class hierarchy. "The left" is not a unified organization, and the various factions are in it for differing reasons.
I agree. My thought is that the real ruling class is not the people we think of like Klaus Schwab, Bill Gates, leftist politicians and others. I think there is something behind that. I can feel a murky presence. I know that sounds tin cap conspiratorial but it is my only explanation.
Its not that they are popular, it is that the establishment pendulum has swung far left, without rational thought backing it up. We can do two things at once, be kind to those entering our society AND see that there are those entering who have ulterior motives, and therefore need to be reigned in. How to do that though is the $64M question. We cannot let these haters rip apart our civil society but we also can't let the pendulum swing wildly to the far right.
There were people two decades ago who saw (and spoke about) the suicidal nature of Europe's importation of immigrants who WOULD NOT integrate with the societies that they found themselves in. Immigrants with a high birth rate and a cultural bias against educating women (which tends to cause birthrates to fall). Combined with the refusal of native Europeans to have children, the end result was ALWAYS going to be the destruction of European societies. That is a simple matter of mathematics.
Even as I watch Europeans slowly wake up to the reality of what they've done to themselves in their efforts to signal what good and tolerant and caring people they are, I have difficult summoning up any sympathy for their situation. This is LITERALLY what they have been voting for.
I understand your point of view and largely agree with you. However, I would point out that here in the UK we have been voting for a reduction in immigration, etc. at every opportunity for the last 20+ years and the government, elected on a manifesto to address that issue, have consistently blocked all effective action to do so. It's why the British are currently so angry with all the main political parties.
So will you continue to take it - and see your people arrested simply because the speak the truth - or will you do something about it? I think Dublin is just the beginning. Or maybe I just hope so
Good question, Bruce. The British are generally slow to get angry but I feel that we are nearing the point where they will revolt. Hopefully that will be through the ballot box though we have a problem there in that the Conservative party is only interested in conserving that which it was elected to change, the main opposition parties) (Labour in particular) are likely to to do the same thing no matter what they say get get my vote and the Reform Party is inexperienced in government and thus difficult to assess (though their policies are likely to be very popular). We need either a mass revolt of Conservative MPs who vehemently disagree with the leadership of the party or a mass defection of those to the Reform Party... and we need it now!
Otherwise the Brits (English, in particular) will be revolting !
Agreed. The ones in the Conservative party who speak out for fulfilling their manifesto commitments seem to get removed from their position in government. e.g. Stella Braverman. There are still a lot of Conservative MPs who agree with her and they need to stand up and be counted.
I see Braverman succeeding Sunak in a Conservative leadership review sometime in 2024/25 as polls continue to indicate a Labour landslide - just in time to rally the troops before the next election. Though how well she does with the public remains to be seen - the Conservative brand looks a little tired right now.
I have read several articles about Dublin and in one the writer was dumbstruck because they do not even have far right politcians/parties. I laughed until I cried. You might as well have the blind man reading aloud to his deaf partner.
"We have low levels of gun crime in the UK and don't want it increased, thank you."
Low levels of gun crime are not indicative of a healthy society. Britain without London is on a par with Mississippi in terms of wealth and prosperity...
It's also worth pointing out that carrying guns (and using them) IS indicative of a sick society and the presence of guns does not result in better economic conditions (except for the gun manufacturers, I suppose).
I think Americans ( at least the right) knew this was happening but the liberals and now the universities were teaching tolerance until we see what they have done and are destroying our country. After seeing what the democrats have done in our schools and universities, I think American are waking up. Hope it’s not too late.
Mark Steyn wrote a book about the Islamic takeover of Europe into Europistan about 10 years ago. By 2050 Muslims will be the majority. Way to go, Europe.
Europe better soon enough find a new Charles Martel to save itself. And rid themselves of the totalitarians in Brussels who hate and try to destroy any European who loves his or her country.
I'm afraid 'their' situation is all of our situation. It's natural to feel some schadenfreude when the person drilling a hole in the lifeboat gets bitten by a shark, but everyone else in the boat is going to drown too.
We have a slightly different situation here in the U.S. The majority of the immigrants that Democrats have insisted on allowing to enter our borders illegally are from Latin America. Most are Catholics. They are able to integrate, for the most part, with American society because their cultures are, historically, a part of Western civilization. That isn't to say that there are no issues that arise from unchecked levels of immigration. But we aren't in the same position as Europe, which is overrun by immigrants who despise Western civilization.
True to a point but Dearborn is the poster child for their insane policies and they lead to a fundamental change in America. When did you ever think you'd see abominations such as Omar and Tlaib in the United States Congress?
It's true that the Marxists have been inviting their Islamic friends to invade the U.S. Mostly by importing "refugees" from conflicts the Left has promoted. But as a percentage of total immigration, they are not at the level here that they are in Europe.
Agree. And the degree to which the Islamic invasion has destabilized European society is sobering. Like some weird death wish. Imposed by the leaders on an unsuspecting populace that was too busy living their lives - until it became too acute to ignore.
Yes. I live in San Diego County, quite close to the Mexican border. Many thousands of Mexican nationals have been coming in for decades, and in the last year or so, you can see groups of them walking into every little corner of Southern California. They are causing great strain on our infrastructure, i.e., schools, hospitals, and housing. I joked to my husband the other day, "At least they're not trying to kill us."
As we watch an institutional NYC Thanksgiving parade be marred and, worse, the Christmas tree lighting be hijacked, it's beginning to look a lot like Europe.
Oh Celia I do not think so. When they arrive waving the flag of their country of origin they are not here to assimilate. And even the ones who are here to work send massive amounts of money out of the country. Then add those here for the generous benefits and it is a recipe for disaster. Plus people from the world over are entering now. The truth is we have no idea who is here, how many there are, or why they are here.
The massive outflow of money to other countries is a serious problem. It's odd how the Democrats--who never met a tax they didn't like--don't seem very interested in taxing that the money flowing out of the country.
You do make a good point that our now effectively open border is attracting people from non-Latin-American countries. Apparently a lot of known Islamic terror suspects have been apprehended amid the flow of Latin Americans, and there are likely many more who have not been apprehended. I don't doubt that some coordinated terror attack is in the works. It seems only a matter of time before it occurs.
I lived in Europe (in the 80's, 90's and aughts) off and on for 3 years both studying and working. I was taken aback by how lockstep their ideas were across countries. They were all socialists of varying degrees whether they were French, Spanish, German or Irish. At the time, I attributed it to their long-lost feudal systems where kings ruled and gave peasants what they needed -most of the time. That in turn gave way to government-control, socialist rulers like Franco, Moussoulini and Germany's little 'darling' in the 30s and 40s. Even after all those failures, they still were looking for that 'contract with the state' and couldn't fathom why the roots of American freedom were a response to their oppressive, top-down need to be 'granted' their rights.
The author's lost me at the phrase ' ... consistent failure to draw a distinction between Islam and Islamism.' There isn't any.
Islam is proselytizing force that would not accept any other viewpoints as equal. History teaches that the Islam countries would allow other minorities as non-citizens, but never as equal 'brothers' or 'sisters'.
You might not agree with the author’s level of assessment of Islam however she had some very good deductions if you continued reading. One of which was
“ It would be wise, in this moment, for the Netherlands to learn from America. If the American establishment (including some members of the Republican Party) had respected the result of the 2016 presidential election rather than concocting a story about Russian collusion and undermining Trump at every turn, perhaps America would not now be in such a combustible state. “
You are so right and that applies to everyday life as well. Once any project is started and midway through the writing on the wall is that it is a big fail-instead of changing course, everyone seems to just keep on going. Issues large or small.
LL, I think I can agree with that quote while at the same time saying that had certain elements respected the results of the 2020 election, as in a President not willing to adhere to a peaceful and orderly transfer of power, things today might not be as combustible.
I agree. If there were a difference between Islam and Islamism then where are the normal Islamic followers? The silence is deafening. I contend that there may be a large moderate part of Islam that is afraid to speak out against the extremism. But it’s their responsibility to get control of their religion back and I see little evidence of that happening. Actually I see quite the opposite.
Until Islam moderates I think western cultures should refrain from any immigration of Muslim peoples.
To add to my point above, the only difference between Muslim population is between those who choose, or are designated, to take up arms and fight, and others who tacitly support them and collect money for the 'right' causes.
Agreed. That's where I was lost as well. There is no distinction between the two. Some faiths have evolved and others have not. Islam is still stuck in the 13th century.
Aren't you doing the same thing by othering all followers of Islam? Your comment suggests that you believe that any Islamic viewpoint is unequal to yours. Every ideological group thinks theirs is superior to others..with varying degrees of tolerance.
I think the difference is that Islamists are okay with murdering "infidels," along with other Muslims that are killed in the process as they are "martyrs." I live in a diverse area and I've never known a Muslim to be okay with terrorism and all have been lovely people. I had a coworker from Egypt, who is a devout Muslim. He legally immigrated to America with very little money, became very successful, and was a very vocal Trump supporter.
We are talking about what the doctrine of Islam *literally* says. The fact that you ignore this because you know "lovely people" whom you believe would never harm you in the name of their religion suggests naivete.
The Arabs I like and am friendly with are secular.
Of those the Maronites, Druze or Mizrahi can and do hold criticism of islamic practices. I'm not very friendly with any muslim for long. You will never convince them they practice a bloody form of belief.
Does that mean I have to worry about the devout Muslim who delivers pizza to my door? He seems like a nice guy. I thought my only issue was ordering either extra cheese or mushrooms.
For the moment, probably not. But there is literally no way to know (because you can't read his mind) whether he is devout enough to participate in his faith's violent colonialism against non-Muslims if given either the orders or the opportunity.
I never suggested that anyone's viewpoint is unequal, or inferior, to mine. However, I do not believe in 'innocence' of the no-combatant Muslims. Why would they share with you the inner beliefs when they know the majority would never accept it? You can have lovely neighbors, on the surface there are a lot of educated, regular people seemingly sharing your values, but you do not know for sure what 'ideological group' they belong to.
My family learned the true face of Muslims during WWII when they had to flee to Central Asia/Afghanistan. Why wouldn't I believe my grandmother and mother, who was 6 at the time, and who is still alive and in full presence of mind?
I am a legal immigrant, too, came to US 40 years ago with 2-year old daughter and $93 in my pocket. The fact does not illustrate my viewpoints or loyalties.
Some ideas and religions are superior than others. Your thought process is part of the reason that Europe is on this mess. When you think everything is equal and all societies are able to reason, celebrate diversity and allow for dissent is when you fail the litmus test of knowledge.
As a Christian, I believe that Christianity is the superior religion. Atheists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc. will disagree with my belief. That's okay. Jesus taught us to live by the principals of love, tolerance and peace. None of the commentary on this thread espouses these principals. This level of hostility to all Muslims based on the actions of Hamas and other terrorist groups is precisely the type of attitude that leads to more hate and violence.
Europe has largely abandoned their Christian roots in favor secularism which has lead to lost souls searching for a new "religion" that has led us to this Leftist ideology. It is this ideology that has led to the mess that Europe is in, with America following suit.
"None of the commentary on this thread espouses these principles[.]" is particularly shallow and illustrative of the thought processes which Europeans embraced to the point they may well have assured their own destruction. You can turn the other cheek til the cows come home. It is after all the easiest thing to do. But it is also taught that the Lord helps those who help themselves. I think the Lord, my God gave me free will and I use mine to stand up for my values.
Assuming election integrity, vote. If you can get involved with the party of your choice at the local level. Reasonable Democrats and Republicans need to get involved and make their voices heard. Usually precincts meet after an election. Sometimes election night. If you go and get familiar with your local party members you will be asked to go to the state convention which is where the state party platform is decided and the delegates to the national conventions are chosen. It really is one of the most meaningful things we as individuals can do.
Your utter inability to see reality based on your one personal friend. Have you not been watching the news lately with the Hamas marches? The Jews are first, the rest of us are next.
You mean the Hamas marches in Western universities and city streets filled to the brim with deluded, uninformed, historically illiterate Gen Zer's and Millenials? Most of them by far come from white anglo saxon homes living the good life on their parents' dime, spewing anti-semitism - I don't think there are many true Muslims among them..though I'm sure they're there, hiding somewhere..
If we heard many of those 1.6 billion speak out against the extremes of Islam you’d have a point. But I’ve only heard a couple myself. The silence is deafening and speaks volumes to what Islam preaches and what the followers truly believe.
Remember that the Koran says it’s fine to lie to infidels if it furthers Islams goals. Could be that those lovely Muslims you know are simply humoring you.
Except 1.6 billion peace loving followers of Islam should be able to put Hamas in a bucket. And they will not do so. I am all for cleaning our own barns but Islam seems unwilling or unable to do so. Why do you think that is?
This is really very simple - if you have eyes to see and a brain to process.
The elitist Left wants to tell you what to think, what to say and how to live. They even tell you what to eat, wear and drive. They are authoritarians. With cadres of Red Guards to enforce their madness. They don't believe in God or Country - unless it's to give full rein to the followers of the prophet of the Satanic Verses who are their foot soldiers in their mad quest to tear down borders and Western civilization, itself. Their thirst for wealth and power knows no bounds. Now they even coddle their followers to exult in the beheading of babies and rape of their mothers simply because they dare follow a religion based on justice and fealty to God.
In dramatic contrast, conservatives - whom they call guilefully call the "Far Right" - stand for ordinary, law abiding citizens who love their God and Country. Conservatives who stand for your rights - to worship as you see fit, to love as you see fit, to do and say as you see fit. To work as you see fit And to respect the long history and tradition of the West that has meant so much to liberty. I have been a conservative since I was a little boy and always stood gaping with incredulity as people swallowed the lies and fantasies of the Left.
Now, however, the world appears to be waking up. You can only fool people for so long. Sadly, our own beloved nation seems to be lagging but this, too, will change. The globalist, leftist cabal is now frightened. But more and more Americans can see that we are led by a senile imbecile who is deeply corrupt and exists only as a puppet for the globalist cabal. It is time to ask yourself this - "Do you love your country and is it worth fighting for?" Well......is it?
Did you seen the UN (I think) report saying that we in the West must curb our meat consumption? These people want to control every aspect of our lives. Isn't it long past time for them to fear for theirs?
Now that's actually funny. When I lived briefly in Albany NY, there was a Lutheran pastor with the same name and I sometimes got calls intended for him, some seeking solace and advice. And, yes, I was tempted but I never did.
Yes, the center left and far left have been played for idealistic fools. They somehow convinced themselves that inviting in people who's fundamental values are in conflict with your own was gonna be ok because the new arrivals would give up their views and change. Bad bet.
Second, globalists want more labor and they want more consumers. They are not interested in the overall quality of life for any one group or nation. They want to mine nations of their economic value. That is it.
What is the reason for bringing so many people from the Middle East into European countries? There must be a rationale, be it misguided or what. Could it be the low birth rate among Europeans, and an expectation of the incoming Muslims to fuel the economic system that would in turn support the growing faction of elderly requiring support? These are the same people denying population collapse while refusing to see the disparity between Muslims and Europeans that will irrevocably alter European culture. And because Muslim birthrate is high, Europeans and the values of the West WILL DIE OUT.
Rather than import a complete cultural overhaul, Europeans need to start having children again.
On another note, in conversation with a friend, I noted that this influx of mostly military age men does not bode well. They are isolated from the dominant culture, a petri dish for fomenting radicalism. They could easily become military outposts, Trojan Horses.
He scoffed at my "racism." Have you ever read The Art of War, I asked?
But their countries are in chaos! He cried.
Then they need men to overturn that, I replied. Instead, they are creating chaos in Europe.
But my mother was a Jewish refugee! He cried.
Did she come to the US to hibernate in a ghetto? To rape European girls? Piss on their children?
The Left's vision is one of complete ignorance to human nature. To be naive like this is to LOSE EVERYTHING.
A "right wing" takeover is Europe's only hope of survival. It's one thing for Muslim immigrants to come to the US (although there ought to be a moratorium on it, given the fiscal problems that NYC is facing now, with cuts to public services -- thousands of police quit, allegedly -- but O, let them in!
Sorry, no. Stay home and fix your own country, and leave us to fix the mess we've made in ours.
The otherwise good article made no mention of the Dutch farmers who are in open revolt against the draconian climate policies of EU mandated restrictions enacted by the Dutch government. That would have been an interesting aspect of this story to know what impact the “Dutch farmer revolt” may have had on Wilder’s success. Hopefully others will address this issue in the Free Press.
^^^ this. It’s been a huge issue. “When the Dutch government announced plans to buy out farms close to nature reserves and cut the country’s livestock herd by as much as one-third, farmers revolted, staging massive demonstrations and destabilizing politics in the Netherlands”
Denmark, in its polite yet unapologetic manner, is razing the Muslim immigrant tenements and redistributing the inhabitants throughout the country, where they will be expected to participate in work, learn to speak Danish, and hopefully will embrace the Danish set of values. They are tactful and pragmatic in this: they state that they do not want what they call parallel societies, and do not want to sacrifice the Danish way of life. No surprise that they are rated one of the happiest countries on earth. Their extensive social benefits rely on a long-standing culture of hard work, universal, participation, and outstanding family and Denmark, in its polite yet unapologetic way, is razing the Muslim immigrant tenements and redistributing the inhabitants throughout the country, where they will be expected to participate in work, learn to speak Danish, and hopefully will embrace the Danish set of values. They are tactful and pragmatic in this: they state that they do not want what they call parallel societies, and do not want to sacrifice the Danish way of life. No surprise that they are rated one of the happiest countries on earth. Their extensive social benefits rely on a long-standing culture of hard work, universal participation, and the resulting outstanding family and individual benefits. A very good life. Why would any country sacrifice this to immigrants who do not share their values? And in the name of tolerance, far too many in the west are afraid to state this obvious and pragmatic truth. To our peril.
The Danes seem to have been the first to see the writing on the wall. I'm not sure how they have managed to overcome the Leftist voices insisting that requiring immigrants to assimilate is "racism," but I'm impressed that they have already started to take actions to try to win the hearts and minds of immigrant children to Danish values instead of allowing them to grow up in Islamist enclaves.
Considering the virulence of Islam, I'm not sure it will ultimately do any good, but at least they recognize the problem and are attempting to implement a solution.
All true. My sister lived in Denmark for many years, and I have visited often. They will not give up their cherished society. They pay enormous taxes and realize that that is why they have free healthcare and an abundance of other benefits. It almost sounds as if they govern for the good of the people. Stockholm, by comparison, has no-go zones where the police do not enter. Sharia law in Sweden. we are suicidal fools not to stop this in the name of equity and diversity.
These elites who turn their noses up at those of us who "cling to our religion and guns," have ruined the west.
They have allowed a fifth column into our world, while giving themselves kudos for being multicultural, whether through some misguided belief in altruism (Kindness to the cruel, is cruelty to the kind), or because they are ensconced in their little gated communities unharmed by the barbarians at the gates.
These elites really thought so little of the average person, that they are surprised by the body politic hitting back in some way. If those in power truly want to do something helpful they need to start clamping down on those who wish to destroy the western ideals of the enlightenment from both the right (political and Islamist) and the genocidal illiberal left.
This, of course, would take introspection, unfortunately, something the political classes in the EU and the US, do not possess.
Kindness to the cruel is cruelty to the kind A brilliant statement! This is starting with defund the police and not prosecuting crime. This leaves our vulnerable citizens at risk.
Read article by Alison Pearson in today’s Telegraph on recent riots in Dublin. It seems that Ireland is as badly affected by immigration as the Netherlands & France
The description of what's happened in Holland is indistinguishable from the situation in the UK where major political parties continually promise to take people's concerns seriously while blocking effective action to address those issues at every opportunity. A new party is growing in popularity - the Reform Party- who promise - as Geert Wilders promises - to take action to address these issues.
There are many important points in this article. In terms of "practicality", the incompatibiity of open borders and a welfare state is the most important. Immigration is highest (by miles) to the West (US / Europe / UK) yet the West dominates charitable giving: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-charitable-countries) so the West cannot be accused of being hostile to lending a helping hand.
But WELFARE is not charity. Welfare is not good will generosity. Welfare is the forcible taking from some to give to others. And when there are legitimate concerns about inflation, cost of living and the futures of one's children, it is only natural to expect backlash about forcibly taking domestic tax money to give immigrants. Adding to this, when it can be easily observed that there are sectors of immigrants who do NOT assimilate and are hostile to Western values (and the so-called "elites" preach cultural relativism and refuse to condemn such behaviour and instead pour scorn on "deplorables"), you get Geert Wilders.
On its face in its most simplistic form the differences between Progressives, (the woke) with their illiberalism and normal everyday citizens who are somewhat conservative (meaning slow down on your remaking our country) are easy to understand. One side believes that others, the elites, the government is best suited to run peoples lives. The other side essentially says individuals are best suited to run their lives. Clearly anarchy is an awful state but at its end point having a totalitarian government can be just as deadly.
Unregulated migration, immigration from poorer countries to wealthier nations with generous welfare policies is going to cause friction. Migration of people who have divergent ideas about the freedom of women, belief of a religion that taken on its face says to kill infidels is problematic. Holland cannot afford to feed, house, educate tand provide jobs to the world. Neither can the US. Those who hold power don’t care and they do so at their own peril.
Indeed. Same in Chicago. In our past immigration riots were much worse but I fear they will get out of hand at some point. Believe or not around 1850 we have the Bible Riots.
"Today, although most Dutch voters do not wish to leave the EU, there are growing concerns that, especially when it comes to migration and borders, too much authority has been ceded to supranational institutions."
Any time that you give up existing culture to a competing dangerous one you risk the possibility of national death! People need to recognize the threat, and then deal with it! Put aside the fallacy of "open-ness" and deal with the real threat, an acknowledged goal od Islam "reclaiming the world for Allah"! Borders MEAN something! Enforce them!!!
Remarkable how easily the men and women acting in good faith across the West have been taken advantage of by bad faith actors we had already conquered and pummeled into submission through the sacrifice of good men. It feels like we were lulled into a collective delusion that because we won, we wouldn't have to fight anymore.
Ronald Regan said it best in his quote: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” In my opinion, my generation of a man who is now 74 y.o., failed to meet our commitment in that regard.
From the Haggadah, the book read aloud by Jews every year on Passover:
"Every person in every generation must look upon himself as if he personally had come forth out of Egypt."
Slavery may be centuries or millennia past, but the freedom we enjoy today is as fragile as though we were only freed yesterday.
Slavery was legal - yes, legal! - in Saudi Arabia until 1937. “Centuries or millennia”? Tells us something…
IMHO, Geert Wilders is a very courageous and insightful man. I have had the great honor of having him at our home for dinner and spent time with him one on one. I found that his personality is not Trump-like. He is thoughtful and smart. And most important he understands the problems with Islam. One can only hope he succeeds at helping Europe to be honest about these problems and do what is right to protect its citizens.
People who know Trump personally often say he is thoughtful and smart.
Terry, I miss-wrote my comment, trying too hard to be concise. I also believe Trump to be thoughtful and bright. What I meant to say is Wilders does not have the public braggadocio of Trump.
And Margaret Thatcher, following the Brixton riots in 1981: "The veneer of civilization is very thin. It has to be cherished if it is to continue."
My mother, (who was not Margaret Thatcher, btw) said that to me all my life (pre-dating Thatcher by decades)...but whatever the origin of the statement, it is 100% correct!
When it comes time for the Millennials and Zoomers to take the reins, America will truly be finished. I only hope that I'm dead before this happens.
America: Conceived in Liberty, slaughtered by complacency.
Edit: changed X'ers to Zoomers because this late Boomer/early X'er has awful proofreading skills even to this day.
Unfortunately, they aren't waiting in line to take over as previous generations did. It appears that the parents, teachers and employers of our young people put them in charge from the time they were born.
Indeed. They are a combination of entitled and lazy. They have no real ambitions, only a sense that everything will fall into their laps. We had hired a bunch of these a couple of years ago and the entire lot was useless. Absolutely zero work ethic or sense of pride. They blow off meetings and tasks because they "are not fulfilled", yet expect a participation metal just for showing up. And a raise.
"When do you think you'll have this done?"
"OK, Boomer." (looks down at phone)
About 10 years ago a police captain told me that Millennial officers had undermined the entire system of order and discipline in his department. It used to be normal for lieutenants to order the street officers to work during big events that came up unexpectedly, whether they were high profile visits by politicians or anticipated riots. Pushback was not tolerated, expected or presented, not only because officers followed orders, but because they got paid a lot for working overtime at these kinds of events. When Millennials got the same orders, their response was often "That doesn't work for me." As the number of Millennial officers increased and the older officers retired the command staff gradually gave up on efforts to get compliance. The worst threat they could make was to fire the younger officers, and it turned out that many of the Millennials didn't really care all that much if they did.
I have no problem believing every word of that.
You have to wonder how many of those unconcerned about maintaining gainful employment are still living in their parent's basement. "I don't care because I don't have to." A consequence-free life, and yet they're still depressed and walking around like SSRI zombies.
As a millennial I legitimately live in fear of the future. 51% of millennials identify as socialist. A majority of Gen Z regards Jews as deserving of violence. A majority of millennials support speech restrictions.
I live in serious fear of the world I’m being abandoned by you all in. Don’t leave me alone with these people.
Watch the cult classic film sixteen candles. I'm LoL'n at your post and not in an unkind way. See if you can discover the scene that makes me find humor in your post.
I think I missed the window of my life where I can watch John Hughes and “get it” if that makes sense. Is there a smug character in it who hates his own generation like myself?
Brad, might you mean Millenials and Z's?
I am an X-er, and nigh on ready for retirement.
I won't be taking over much more than a deck chair on what is looking more and more like The Titanic.
Yeah I think he means millennials and iGen aka Z. Most of us in Gen X are in our 50's I think.
And when you get to our age, you make lots of silly mistakes like mine. I just 60 last month, which is when the downhill becomes more of a cliff.
Please accept my apologies and thank you for pointing that out. I'm on the cusp of both Boomer and X so have one foot in each camp. For all our faults, at least we have a work ethic and a sense of personal accountability. And don't require constant social media validation of our self-worth.
The "greatest generation." Until it came home from the Greatness and spoiled its children rotten. (Perhaps I (78 yo) escaped the Great Narcissism is because my father (an Army Colonel's son) was 4fed.) When the spoilees got to college, the asylums were turned over to the idiots. So sad.
I posted this yesterday but it fits today's topic. The left has moved to the far, far left and are now surprised that the general public doesn't like it.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/jordan-peterson-stuns-maher-s-audience-into-silence-over-democrats/ar-AA1kyVvr?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=d8ac5e8392cd4f64b57e335619c88652&ei=19
Awesome video clip! Thanks!
The thing is, the kids only know what they are brainwashed with in the schools K - University. For example, they are taught "intersectionality" and sex is not binary but "a social construct". So, I think the problem goes back to adults who need to push this rot out of our schools and society. But, government pushes it hard:
"Transgender Your Businesses, Nonprofits, And Schools, Or No Federal Grants For You"
https://thefederalist.com/2023/11/28/transgender-your-businesses-nonprofits-and-schools-or-no-federal-grants-for-you/
I tend to agree, but Gen X seems to have not developed the same Millennial/Gen Z narcissism and laziness. A contributing factor might be the absence of adversity during their generations in terms of Depressions and World Wars (that is, fought by draftees as well as enlistees and career soldiers).
You assume they are acting in good faith because you likely act in good faith and you believe that most people want similar things. It’s a dangerous assumption.
Many people want a totalitarian government which they call socialism. Many want a caliphate which they call religious freedom. Some just like anarchy or chaos as a way to get control.
The people they elect are very good at hiding what they’re trying to accomplish.
Mark, I've already been thoroughly betrayed for standing up for the truth, and I have already been professionally damaged. I made the original comment to encourage and force people to say they believe that the civility and order produced by the Dutch, British, and American Empires had a positive impact on their lives. That is a bold claim, but I believe that is the truth. I know this is anathema, but that is what thefp.com is all about.
Well said Kevin, although that claim shouldn't be considered bold; it's demonstrably true for most of the world. It's only bold because so many of our so-called elites hate America and the European countries from which it sprung.
America is not an Empire. That is a distortion created by the Left.
Not an empire in the traditional sense of taking territory and exploiting colonies. I'd say the American empire is more a cultural and security phenomenon, with countries voluntarily allied with the US for security reasons, while people around the world have voluntarily embraced much of our culture and economic methods, also benefiting from our technological advances.
Actually I think that is exactly what the left envisions - an Empire a la Star Wars complete with JB as the emperor.
JB may be older than the emperor.
So true, many of the assumptions in our culture today come from having lived in peace and under governments based on Judeo-Christian beliefs (individual liberty, the importance of the individual, everyone has rights, helping the helpless, those who are blesses with much have a responsibility to help others, etc.). Of course there were bad actors and bad situations but overall the Left chooses to focus only on the negative because they want to destroy our civilization and make a socialist totalitarian culture/government.
That civility and oder did have a positive impact on not only their lives but culture, arguably world-wide. But the mistake was in thinking that the gig was up and that there were no longer malignant thinkers among us. Those malignant thinkers exploited our values. To the point where we have "pro-Palestine", whatever the hell.that means because they don't, taking over the streets and mistreating some of the most noble among us. Worse, some of those among the most noble among us are joining their own destruction.
"That civility and oder did have a positive impact on not only their lives but culture, arguably world-wide. But the mistake was in thinking that the gig was up and that there were no longer malignant thinkers among us. " Totally agree! The student activists I have spoken with are remarkably naive and absolutely devoid of street wisdom. They are in the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" mindset. (They do of course claim to have the right to decide unilaterally what it means to speak no evil).
Check out some of the interviews on youtube with Nigel Biggar - author of Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhNonmBA0Lo (with John Anderson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWQ7uteBFWU (on Triggernometry)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpwI0YYLh5M on Jordan Peterson)
Watching the Triggernometry video, Nigel Biggar makes the statement that slavery was accepted as a normal thing. Modern sensibilities would say it's awful, and I think owning a human is crazy. But that makes me think of how these days, we have an explosion of sex workers and pornography. Would our society not be viewed as morally repugnant by our ancestors? We don't have slaves, but we have thoroughly tainted the relations between man and woman.
That's a great source, thank you. I'm so over being labeled evil. Golly!
There will always be people who simply wish the ease and laziness of following. Society governed by a sole leader or a few leaders, especially for long periods of time, is a bigger issue and one that allows the lazy to follow bad actors. We know by our own clown group of politicians that this system is no longer working. It has been hijacked and corrupted. We need to deconstruct rather than destroy. Remember what we were founded upon and improve that model. The general malaise and hopelessness felt by many and the ignorance of our young people is our biggest threat.
Please point me to even one time in history where needed change was brought about by "deconstruction". I am totally serious, I really want some hope.
The creation of the United States of America was a deconstruction of the British, French and Spanish empires. It also amalgamated the indigenous democracy of the Iroquois Confederacy.
To clarify, in case you missed it, what I mean by deconstruction is to rid ourselves of the corruption and distortion of those original founding principles.
"The people they elect are very good at hiding what they’re trying to accomplish"
Just as the people who vote for them excel in their ignorance and malleability.
Fair point.
The fight never ends! The human way of thinking is that the enemy, once defeated, will no longer be a problem. But you cannot defeat IDEAS! Those that call for a subjugation of competing ideologies MUST be continually defended against. No quarter, no mercy!
Islam requires the conversion, subjugation, or.elimination of the infidel. It encourages lying and deception to advance its interests. It encourages its adherents to agree to truces when weak, until it regains sufficient strength to renew the struggle. In 40+ years of working with Muslim engineers in the US and in Islamic countries, I have never met a "Moderate Muslim". I don't believe that such a creature exists. Many of us know " Cafeteria Catholics",who reject Catholic doctrine that inconveniences them. I have NEVER met a Muslim analog. They either accept the full program, or are FORMER Muslims who now are convinced atheists. Muslims have a mission, which is inimicable to western society. Be guided by that knowledge in your dealings with them.
"A moderate Muslim is actually more dangerous than a fundamentalist, however, because he appears to be harmless, and you can never tell when he has taken that next step toward the top. Most suicide bombers begn as moderates." Mosab Hassan Yousef, "Son of Hamas," copyright 2010. The author is the son of one of 7 founders of Hamas.
I've listened to a couple of his speeches. Very chilling!
You're right, there are no moderate muslims. If there were, we would have heard their voices after 9/11 or after 10/7. All are looking to destroy infidels (anyone not a muslim) and conquer us.
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. We have to struggle against these immoral ideas in everything. I have already fought with everything I have for truth in my own life, but truth itself needs to be defended everywhere in the Republic. The line I've been thinking in my head is that even if two people hate each other's guts, so long as they respect the truth, they can get along and go along in an organization.
That is the foundation of the Rule of Law.
And that’s precisely why Woke is such a danger. At its very foundation, it is an attack on truth; an imposition of ideology over fact.
The OG post-structuralist philosophers questioned the notions of “objectivity” and “truth” (which is legit, as far as critical thinking means that we should be aware of biases in our own epistemology) but then subsequently, academia pushed it much, much further into a concept of “there IS no truth”...which sets the stage for the moral relativism of Woke.
Exactly. Before the postmodernist philosophers, academia used feminism, Marxism and back in the day Freudianism as a critical lense. It never escaped out of the ivory tower to obliterate scientific fact before.
Agreed! There also has to be an orderly process for coming to a decision and taking an action by a group that has not reached unanimity. Like Robert's Rules of Order and majority rules. Many Americans currently prefer to be able to express their ultra-extreme viewpoints endlessly, without recognizing the need for compromise or the need to form coalitions with people who don't share all of their own opinions.
Except you're never done.
"Only the dead have seen the end of war"
Jorge Augustin Nicolas Ruiz de Santayana y Borra
Not Aristotle nor anyone else.
A “riddle wrapped in an enigma.” In this case, it is when people still vote for leaders who deny a problem exists despite real world experience and immigrants keep coming when there’s a disconnect between their homeland values and expectations and Western culture. In both cases, the “dream” is not realizable.
You hit the nail on the head. Whenever I try to talk to people about global war, in particular my parents generation, there’s a resistance to accept that everything is not okay.
I wonder if it’s because it was their fathers who won the second world war. Daddy fixed the world. Nobody can tell me otherwise.
I do not think it is generational. I am.of your parents generation and I understand that all is not well as do most of my peers. My experience is contrary in that it is the younger generations around me who bought heavily into the woke idealogy - intersectionalism, post-modernism, etc.. So I am glad to know it is not universal.
I would definitely agree that its my generation and younger who are the biggest woke culprits. No denying that. I found with my mom though, she took a very long time to really come to terms with the media and government not being trustworthy. She really didn't want to believe that it is possible that we could find ourselves in another world war. "Because the government would never let that happen again," she would say.
My parents were born in 1912. They both told me repeatedly and cheerfully that "all politicians are crooks." It was wise counsel that has proven true over the course of my life.
Smart parents. My grandmother was born in 1929 (still with us). She would tell me that we should be grateful for and celebrate entrepreneur’s because they were willing to take big risks, they provided jobs to people, and they gave back to the community. She told me this while I was in university being indoctrinated into the early days of the social justice movement. Of course I thought she was wrong at the time. She was right.
One of the weaknesses of American culture is that we take too long to recognize the wisdom of our elders, and by the time we do, we have become the elders that the young people don't believe.
I think that is the difference Andrea. Your mom believes the government can and will provide. I do not. And I am guessing you do not either. I have reached the point where every time I see a comment in that something needs to be done!!!!! about (traffic, drought, speeders, homeless . . .) I take the time to respond that I do not believe the government can, or should be expected, to fix most of what ails us.
The delusion, I think, is that these men and women were acting in good faith. I think these people fancy themselves good and do what they think they need to do to look good to others and to themselves, without really thinking.
There is additionally an intense resistance to confronting inconsistencies in their favorite "moral" positions. One example is the constant line about black men being in danger of being shot whenever they step out the front door, which is actually true in some neighborhoods, but it is not white cops who are killing them. Whenever I talk about the number of black kids who are killed every weekend in my city, the leftists either call me a racist or fall silent and turn away from with their jaws tightened and their eyes hostile.
As someone who actually works and lives in such neighborhoods, I’ve had the same experience. No one wants to hear evidence that contradicts liberal dogma.
Yes, I know it's a leap of faith to suggest that the progressives in sum were acting in good faith. I wrote that because I earnestly believe in the ideals of social justice, that black people should be treated equally before the law, that women should be given their fair shot, and that immigrants to the United States should be elite. The bizarre aspect that I have had to square away is my beliefs are somehow now conservative!
The people we conquered are fighting back.
Not with guns, but from within.
Few of these people were ever acting in "good faith." Rather, they were hoping to be part of a new ruling class that was no less indifferent to the sufferings of others as any other ruling elite.
I don't think it was good faith at all. I think it was the path of least resistance. Intellectual laziness.
I would add political laziness. The liberals got most of what we wanted then checked out of political engagement.
And worse, we now have governments that are more in tune with these bad faith actors, giving them a bigger voice and broader agency than native citizens. Ireland is just the latest example of this.
The far Left have always taken advantage of the compassion of the centre-Left, the centre and the Right.
It's merely a weapon to them, a weakness for them to exploit. Time to stop letting them do so.
And that's how it is. Chinese Greek Roman et al history shows that surviving is something more than winning. But not learning from history forces you to repeat it.
Not so remarkable after one spends five minutes listening to the effete blandishments of the state department.
The NY Post reported for two straight days on the infiltration of the state department of Iranian agents.
My understanding is the Wilders still needs to form a governing coalition. Can he find partners without diluting his message and plans? Or is he still toxic to mainstream politicians despite electoral success?
There is also the problem of the judiciary. I believe other countries in Europe and also the U.K. have similar problems. I believe plans to stop or slow immigration in Italy and the U.K. have been thwarted by the judiciary. Here in the US we had the bizarre situation during Trump’s presidency in which obscure judges would issue national injunctions that thwarted or slowed reform attempts.
While I am hopeful, I am also continual astounded at the resistance from the establishment at what seems to be both popular will and common sense. There is something behind this that is not obvious but seems nefarious. Why are these culturally damaging immigrants so popular with the establishment? That is the question that needs to be asked and answered.
The left values feeling virtuous above all else. Allowing in the formerly “colonized” peoples is a form of reparations. If it destroys your country, well, didn’t it deserve it? Self-loathing is also a virtue to the left. But ultimately, it’s other people who suffer, not the elitists on the left.
A luxury belief. As long as people are able to insulate themselves from the negative effects of their "compassionate" policies, they will continue to support those policies. Voting to use other people's money to support the invasion of other people's neighborhoods is a very comfortable way to feel good about oneself.
Just ask Mayor Adams of NYC.
I agree with that but it is clear that the left is not the majority in any western country. My question is - how has a minority pseudo elite gotten control of every cultural, educational, media and political institution in every western country over the last two generations? Is it an accident or was there a plan? If the latter, who developed and guided the plan? Because of the left’s institutional dominance, elections don’t matter. How did that happen? Since it’s been slowly occurring over multiple generations, I believe it is not the work of one person. There are days that I believe I am living in a science fiction novel.
Ever hear of “The Long March Through the Institutions?”
An Italian Marxist, Antonio Gramsci, wrote in the 20s or 30s that Marxism could not be imposed on the West as it was done by force in Russia. So it must be achieved gradually by infecting and capturing our institutions—-academia, media, etc etc.
We are at the “one minute before midnight” moment of Mission Accomplished.
Gramsci inspired a lot of other lefties, of course, who participated in the infections.
Why did no one notice and resist? We are busy working, raising kids. And it’s easy to say, Oh well, those people are nuts, how can they ever hurt us? We always realize when it’s too late.
"What you don't see is what you notice too late." Henning Mankell
As an aside; I married a soldier's daughter.
This had to be adapted in the US because the class divide strategy did not work here. So race was substituted.
Absolutely; race has been the wedge used to fundamentally transform America, and attempting to publish that statement in comments sections of major newspapers meets with censorship every time, proving to me it is absolutely on the mark.
In the name of fighting slavery (which, as an aside, went out in the 19th century) statues of our Founders are under attack; George Washington, the Father of our country, is portrayed only as the villain who held slaves, as is Jefferson. This is a wholesale open attack on the very basis of our institutions, our patriotism, our love of country--all in the name of racial "equity," which amounts to racism in reverse.
Yes but Gramsci’s plan takes money, brains and organization over generations and globally. That plan has been moving forward for decades. By who? Marxists do not have the time, money or brains to do that. They are tools. This was organized. Someone hijacked Gramscian strategy. Someone with money, brains and power. A group. Not one person. The time trajectory is too long for one person.
Starting in the 40s Marxist ideas invaded American academia. A time when we believed all good thinking started in those hallowed halls.
By the 60s kids were radicalized and forming power structures and domestic terrorist groups.
Some became teachers to infect the next generation who then went into government, media, institutions of power. The organizations changed, Students for a Democratic Society became Antifa and BLM. But the aims didn’t. Power and control.
So was this “organized” or did it just arrive at a critical mass of believers with energy and commitment? Does the Davos crowd pull the strings of the future? They certainly have the money and have annointed themselves the determiners of what we little people will be allowed to have and how we can live. But Davos wouldn’t work without a critical mass of believers now controlling all our institutions. Even medical schools have succumbed to the influence of the believers. The risk of resisting is too much. People just don’t have the guts to say NO.
But now we must...
People like Soros for one. And Sam Bankman-Fried was the second largest donor in the last cycle as he was buying regulatory support for his crypto fraud. If you want a chilling moment think about what would have happened had he succeeded. And do not kid yourself that he was a lone operator. I see Mommy's and Daddy's fingerprints all over his acts. You know those lauded Sta-a-ahnfawd professors. Then reread Celia's comment about academia. If anything in this country needs to be burned to the ground, it is elite academic institutions.
I think what I am trying to say is that it's unlikely that a group of Marxists gained control of academia, media, public schools, government, organized religion and the military in every western country without some overarching control and funding. especially over 20+ years. Left on its own as a movement without guidance,. at least one of those institutions would have stayed true to its charter and pushed back. Leadership in every one of those instituitions is culpable but I think they are followers rather than leaders. If they are following someone, who is it? Easy answers like the WEF or the Davos crowd are too easy. Any group or person that can orchestrate a takeover of every major institution in every western country globally is hiding behind Davos and the WEF. Klaus whatever may be many things but he doesn't strike me as a genius. He is a cartoon character created by a genius.
I guess no one believes in Satan?
It spans generations. It has one defined purpose.
To me, Satan is an obvious conclusion. Often, people prefer weak explanations that don't violate their narrative about the world.
I think that is a rational answer. Hopefully not the correct one. I think there is a fear in considering that possibility, at least for me. I can wrap my head around a fight against evil human agency. A fight against Satan in literal, concrete terms would be actually terrifying.
Perhaps the answer is to defeat Satan’s human allies on a human battlefield? I don’t know. I am not highly religious though I wish I was. Faith can’t be faked and sadly it is not within me.
Your proposed answer doesn’t resonate with me because I do not believe in the supernatural.
I like this podcast - with James Lindsay. He explains Leftism and it's goal - "The issue is never the issue; the issue is always the revolution. The issue is never the issue; the issue is always the revolution. This is a core maxim of Marxist activist thought, and it explains so much" This episode was eye opening - https://newdiscourses.com/2023/11/current-thing-did-not-take-place/. Did you notice how easily BLM riots turned into Free Palistine? The Left does not care about the cause. They want us to argue and for us to focus on the social issues, while they disrupt Western civilization.
Disrup,t transform and destroy. Let's call it "DTD" as a counterpoint to DEI-- which really should be referred to after Oct 7th and the Presidents' testimony, as DIE.
Marxists called it "the Long March through the Institutions." Taking over everything, one job, one position of power at the time, has been the goal of Marxists--individually and collectively--for decades.
Most effective Marxists I know are not really Marxists. They hide behind Marxism as a mechanism to gain power and jettison it when needed. Putin, on the global stage, is an example. Real believing Marxists, at least the one’s that I have met, are actually pretty stupid and are being used by another force, imho. They don’t have the brains or patience to craft a successful Long March. What we are seeing is too global and too synchronized to be run by a group of mere Marxists.
Your question reminds me of this verse in Ephesians 6 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Awesome reference!
World Economic Forum
They may be as stupid as mud, but they have overtaken your country.
Incredibly!
Lenin had this figured out. The Soviet Union was a tyranny masquerading as a Marxist state. The irony is that it is the Marxists that have always been the "useful idiots" Lenin and Stalin manipulated, many even going happily to the Gulag or their deaths thinking they were furthering the "revolution". History repeats itself .
Did you watch the livestream of Matt taibbi yesterday or read Public? (Michael Shellenburgwr)They are now going beyond the Twitter files to talk about how this capture of speech and public narrative happened and how it started. It is really scary. If you haven’t seen it you should watch
I am a fan of both. I find it ironic that both are from the left. I imagine there are things that I would still disagree with them about but that does not change my respect for either.
I expect that the Internet itself will become "unavailable" to people like them who say disapproved things. I really think that is a possibility.
Are you refering to this:Signs Of Military Discipline Behind Counterpopulist Messaging?
"The Long March through the Institutions", as others have mentioned. But, to your question, is there some master plan? No, I think not. Leftists are naturally drawn to this course by their inclination towards bureaucracy, government/academic/lobbying jobs and control over culture and other people. "Live and let Live", self-reliant types are not interested in any of the above. Very wealthy leftists are absolutely, 100% deep into politics and power and driving their visions forward (Soros, Gates, etc).
First, social media. Second, look up Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger. Even yesterday they shared new whistle-blower info on government/ elitist manipulation of media and social media. Third, I feel exactly the same way as you do.
All those institutions create nothing but pontification [while] the producers of goods and services ignored what those institutions did create: radicals and narratives.
Ask Obama.
I've felt like a pawn in a game.
The left values only power. Raw, naked, ugly coercive power. To control every, single aspect of your and my lives.
Think about how much the internet has changed our world and set the narrative’s as a way to control. Most, if not all, of mainstream media, social media, all of the news sites all over the world are slanted to the left. Anything can be spread with just a click. Usually only part of the story is told but never gets corrected. Once it’s out there it is always believed regardless of “corrections,” made. Most people take this information at face value and don’t do some research to get to the truth. The news media has changed the narrative all over the world in the last 20 years. It’s been a slow fade to control our lives and what we think.
Look at the sweet little boy at the Raiders game who was dressed as a Native American with half of his face painted black and the other red. A photo was taken where only the side of his face that was painted black was showing. Now it’s “racists in Las Vegas!” Will that be corrected? I’m so worn out from it.
They will continue to do so until they are made to pay a price for it
They will never pay a price for it. Because they all swim in the same ideological sewer. Where the end justifies means.
It is up to those not swimming with them to demand a price be paid. Not out of revenge or satisfaction but because suffering negative consequences is the surest way to deter unwanted behavior.
Inother words, everything they accuse the right of doing.
EVERYONE values power. Left or right. It's why people run for jobs that pay $180,000 a year when they could make a lot more in the private sector.
I’ve said many times, the left is a death cult.
I used to listen to Michael Savage, a conservative radio host. He always said…”liberalism is a mental disorder.” I used to think it was funny, but now, through some of the ideas of left/liberal friends, I believe it. It’s ideology over morality, and they cause a scene while taking the “high road” for the oppressed.
I agree with the comments here. The left wants power and by any means necessary. But why? Maybe left-ism really is a mental disorder as you suggest. Humans do have their own strange propensities 😊. I’m often stunned by the mindset of Dem middle class women in nice little towns who become rabid when presented with a reasoned view that contradicts their own. Empirical observations no longer matter — as if ideology is a drug.
I'm a liberal. The leftists have misappropriated that term. I'm not calling myself a classic liberal. I refuse to concede liberalism to those lockstep lemmings.
If only more of you would be outspoken. Unfortunately the ones with the platform are democrat politicians who seem to have moved left as well. As a conservative, I feel the same as you when Biden, of all people, uses “maga” to mean far right, when really it’s conservatism. But then Biden loves attacking those who support Trump, and he thinks all republicans do. It’s all way too political.
I agree. Progressiveness is not liberalism.
It's a mental disorder and it comes from the pit of hell
Bari has a new podcast on Honestly today. It’s called “where have all the democrats gone?” You may like it. I found it quite interesting.
Yeah I'll pass on listening to podcasts. I'll read anything for a bit. I'm a really poor listener unless the presenter is female and saying something that will be immediately gratifying and of a sexual nature. The final condition is that its my wife. She's the only woman I semi listen to.
I always found him hypocritical. Like many right-wing talk show hosts, he lived among the "coastal elite" he would rail against while enjoying all the perks of coastal elite living. Kind of like the Fox News anti-vaxxers who, of course, were all vaccinated themselves.
Many people branded anti vax were truly anti mandate. You can get the vax but still be anti mandate. I'm one if those people.
Me too.
It's a cold. Colds sometimes kill people. I never get vaccinated. I take my broadly diverse DNA as a defense. That guy that says rub some dirt on it. That's me. I don't get sick and if I do then I'm ok with dying or getting better. On my own. The exception is appendicitis. When my appendix ruptured I passed out then I was taken to hospital. Everyone of my significants scolded me. My then almost 90 yr old grandfather who visited while I was recovering related about how he survived a ruptured appendix by having the town doctor make an incision and insert a copper tube to drain the fluids. People got sick and survived since people were novel. Think on that.
Andrew Klavan agrees, but he is hopeful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4oJ4EXN7c8&t=2s
I wish I could agree with the idea that the left genuinely values feeling virtuous, as you suggest. It seems more likely to me that they prioritize power and control over others above everything else. The influx of illegal immigrants, in their view, represents an unstoppable voting bloc that will secure their control indefinitely. At the same time, I would agree with your belief that they currently have no fear of this situation impacting their lives negatively. History shows that both extreme left and right movements toward totalitarianism often rely on a group or construct that believes, for a time, they are on the right side of history. Yet, this perception persists only until the point where the government, once supported by their votes and actions, no longer needs their support or services
I talk to quite a few young leftists during the course of a week. They absolutely believe that their platform is The Truth and The Right Way, that people older than about 30 are wrong, racist, etc., and that Gen Z is the first generation to understand how evil American is and always has been. They also believe that everyone their age thinks the same way that they do about all the above things. Of course these young people live in a woke online echo chamber, and as far as I can tell, they have no idea that people their age exist who are more conservative than they are.
NC - When Angela Merkel let in close to a million Syrian migrants in 2015/16, I don't think she thought Germany was deserving of destruction. I personally thought her move was a risky one politically, perhaps not well prepared enough or too ambitious, but obviously she thought otherwise. Of the reasons behind it, I don't think 'self loathing' was included, but trying to be humanitarian probably was.
Soros. He uses his money to hurt the west which he hates. And his son is worse. All the while they live and prosper here not in the hellholes they import from and want to turn us into
It don’t think that is the complete answer. In fact, that may be a diversion. Soros does not have the kind of money and influence to control institutions across the globe to the extent that we have seen. In fact, no one person can have that type of influence. There is indeed an agenda but it is not one person’s agenda.
This is much bigger than one person.
I’ve some accounts of people who got out of cults, and they describe how transgenderism is like a cult, but there isn’t one head guy driving it across the country— more like small pockets of trans in different geographic locations that become the local “head guys behind the local aspect of the cult. Have no idea how true this is across the board, but have read accounts of at least 3 different people who got out describe it this way.
So perhaps the Leftism is similar— perhaps it’s not just a Soros pulling strings behind the scenes but many lesser Soros types who operate in their own smaller spheres. But the ideology is the same, so tactics will be similar. (Especially when someone writes an oh-so-useful handbook on how to do Marxist-type “politics”— look up the website Beautiful Trouble. It’s based on a book with instructions for “action” that are all Leftist/Marxist policy “action” only designed to get a “reaction” from the Right in which they can point to and come down on.) So what I am saying is, with recourse like that, it would be easy for things to look like one giant coordinated attack on our country, when in fact it may be just a bunch of lesser (still big but not national) jerks grasping for any power they can get.
Possibly true. If so, that is hopeful. I am still waiting for one established institution , in the US or elsewhere, to step up and do its job. The Church, media, colleges, a unified and effective political party, a police force, a medical trade group, anyone? They are all scared of something. All common sense proponents seem to be lonely individuals fighting windmills.
Yes I hear ya. The more people stand up the less scary it will feel to do so. Does seem like the common sense folks tend to prioritize other aspects of their lives over policies, which prevents them from organizing. I do think that politics should not be anyone’s first priority, BUT in our current moment, we need to put it first in order to fight back. Those on the Left worship politics, it’s their God, so they have a more inherent push to organize and continue to push for things. But yes, I agree that people need to stop be cowards and step up together before we lose everything.
Like “Moms for Liberty”?
Yes. Good example. Small self created groups or lonely individuals.
The leaders of most formal organizations in my state are hired by DEI bureaucrats or with the approval of those bureaucrats and not otherwise. Many if not most of these leaders claim to believe what the DEI bureaucrats teach, and they support DEI speech codes and thought reform sessions as constructive personal growth processes. My national professional association has been captured at the top by the woke cultists, but they are fully supported by most young Millennial and Gen Z professionals now entering my field. People who object to all of this lose their jobs or are simply ignored. If people here are actually afraid of anything, it is that they are being misled by sources of "misinformation," which includes any information that is not reported or not supported by people on CNN, NPR and MSNBC.
There is validity in this. My work life involves contact with Corporate America and over the last 10 years most companies have become run by HR and HR, in turn, is run by DEI. A solid recession would clear that out in a few months.
People have a need to belong to groups and there are those that take advantage of it. Some groups, like Taylor Swifties, are benign. Others like Antifa and the hard-core Trumpers aren't.
Did you read the article? I though one of the most compelling points was that if Democrats had just accepted to 2016 election and not [persecuted] Trump for 4 years we would not be where we are now. But nooooo, some of you are still at war with "hard-core Trumpers". Whatever that is.
Antifa and BLM are obviously harmful to society. "Hardcore Trumpers"? I voted for him twice and will do so a 3rd time. Am I one of them?
That’s true.
Soros and those like him.
And their foot soldiers who are shrieking in the streets extolling butchery are happy to do their bidding.
I think there is something behind Soros. Or he is a minor part of something larger. Saying Soros as an answer is a distraction. Just like someone on the left who blames Trump for everything globally. Both represent something larger. Trump represents popular dissatisfaction with a failing elite. Soros is just a symbol of that elite. But I think behind that failed elite is something else. Soros is a tool.
Soros is not benign. Put together enough billionaires funding these causes and you have massive problems. I always stood for allowing these billionaires to keep their wealth. Now I'm not so sure. If they used it wisely or for public betterment, maybe. But when they use their wealth to destabilize the United States, we need to re-think the wisdom of establishing a new feudalism.
I know some billionaires. They are cantankerous, competitive people. Competitive with each other. The fight over whose name comes first on a local library annex. You put 3 of them in one room and they will fight each other rather than come up with a common strategy to destroy the world. I just think that this is above them. They are tools.
Someone has created common cause between the FBI, BLM, Soros, Italian judges, Xi, Disney, my local school board, the cops in Britain, every newspaper editor and about 100 other institutions with nothing in common. Those groups and people have nothing in common yet they act of one mind. How did that happen?
I have pondered this as well. I say let them. spend it. I say let's make the cost to secure their goals cost-prohibitive. Make them spend every penny.
The real threat to the Republic are the career bureaucrats in the executive branch who are no longer loyal to a president you and I elect.
Also Soros is 93 years old, how can he still be controlling the whole world?
Through his son
He spawned a demon.
He’s the epitome with tentacles of his open society thing or whatever everywhere
I am giving away my age here, but he kind of reminds me of a mastermind criminal in an early Bond movie or of Simon Bar Sinister in Underdog cartoons.
Soros is a front man for Russia. He replaced Armand Hammer when Armand Hammer died.
The biggest thing was capture of public education by the unions who are Marxist in design and belief. Once captured implementation of Alynsky’s “Rules for Radicals” is relatively easy.
We are now seeing the downstream effects. If one plays the long game it can be quite devastating. We won’t be clear if it for 20 or 30 years in the US.
How do we win?
- outlaw public service unions. They are ridiculous. There is no more secure job than one in public service.
- mass takeovers of school boards by people who are at least centrist in their beliefs.
- wait patiently for young people to emerge and vote.
No, not just school boards, we need a complete overhaul of the education colleges. That’s where the teachers are all learning Marxist’s ideas— even for the best intentions of good teachers who don’t believe in that stuff, they are all seeped into it when they train to become a teacher.
I agree with the unions. They are trash.
I would add that we can’t afford to wait for young people to grow— we need to reach them with different ideas that the ones they learn from TikTok.
I have also felt that public education here started in long downhill slide when teachers unionized. I went to an urban public high school here in the 60’s and got a good education. I look at the test scores now from the same school and want to cry.
But while I do agree with you, that does not answer the question - who is behind institutions like your local school board, the FBI, media, judges in Italy, cops in Britain, the WHO and multiple others with no commonality all acting in lockstep against common sense solutions to local problems?
Once captured, our education system turned out little radicals. Some woke up and became normal productive citizens. The ones who weren’t so smart ended up back in education where they worked hard to churn out more radicals. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy and it just gets more extreme over time. I think that’s what we’re seeing now. Can liberal democracies self correct? I guess we’ll know in the next 20 years or so.
I am a retired teacher. Early in my career, I saw what teacher's unions used member dues to support and refused to join. I received some push-back but stuck to my guns and eventually, they quit asking and accepted my choice. While I agree that the problem is institutional and widespread, I think the solution starts with each of us standing up, speaking up and refusing to capitulate to the parroting mob.
Okay, Philly Guy, here's a comment from out of left field: maybe it's an off-world group of aliens who have mind-control technology (and maybe they want to weaken humanity, by dividing us against each other, before making out-right physical war against us). Can you tell I'm a sci-fi fan? : )
I have a neighbor who thinks there are lizard people spread throughout society. Seriously thinks that. Personally, I don't laugh at anything anymore.
Since you brought up Alynsky’s “Rules for Radical’s”.... Definitely the seeds were sown in universities. At the same time he published, the government began to established more financial aid programs allowing more students to attend college. Everyone virtuously encouraged the path of higher education and assumed everything learned and gained during these years would benefit both the student and society in general. What negative could come it that? We see it now.
I have friends who think their highly “degreed” kids are smarter than they themselves. These are parents who are professionals with advanced degrees of their own. They have relinquished any superior claim to wisdom they have gleaned through the years. I see a domino effect within many families we used to associate with. The younger sons and daughters lecture the parents on everything from covid shots, to transgender issues to racial bias. Some have called there elders bigots and phobics. The parents cave and cower hoping they don’t upset them further. There is a passivity with parents and grandparents I find disturbing.
I don’t claim to be a super parent as I had my share of stumbles. We raised two and sent them off to college. There was some turbulence and youthful rebellion but they managed to graduate, find jobs and start a life of their own. We all can engage in robust debate about all sorts of issues without disrespecting one another. I simply wouldn’t allow my kids to bully me.
I don’t understand this phenomenon of educated otherwise focused adults in fear of their own children. Their roles have reversed somehow and they must take their cues from these disrespectful, ungrateful humans they once tucked in at night. I think Alynsky’s followers have something to do with it.
I’ve been through some of those struggles with my two daughters. They definitely are taught in college that there is a right and wrong opinion on most things. They are punished severely for any transgressions by their NAZI Youth like peers.
I made some serious missteps early on and alienated them. I’ve learned to be more subtle and open to their ideas. I’ve definitely noticed that life is gradually changing their thinking for the better.
I think this next election will be interesting. My kids and spouses would never, ever vote for Trump, but they can see the horrible impact on their standard of living that more if the same will cause. Can they hold their noses? I’ll probably never know as they’d have to eat a lot of crow to go back now. I’m not about to rub their noses in it!
I put my foot down with mine. I have couple friend though that is as you described. They had to take parenting classes to be able to interact with their first grandchild.
funny - even FDR with all his progressive policies in the 1930's and 1940's did not believe in public service unions. He felt that politicians would never have the backbone to push back on union demands like you see in the private sector where if leadership gives up to much the business would fail. Governments don't fail so that half of the push/pull equation doesn't exist. Politicians easily give out large pensions that are collected 20 years down the road when they are no longer in power and won't be blamed by the electorate when they have to explain why their roads, bridges, social services need to be cut to pay for the union largess.
Have you looked at very many recent polls of what Gen Z people believe or want? About half of them are opposed to free speech, many think that capitalism is inherently corrupt and anyway, it is "late stage." Kids learn this stuff in school and nowhere else. Kids on their phones are not reading Marxist treatises on "late stage capitalism." Now they spout this jargon like it's the final word on global economics. Maybe there are young conservatives who think differently, but a rate of 50% agreement in their generation against traditional American values and freedoms way beyond what any leftist movement has ever achieved previously in this country.
My hope is that with the cognitive dissonance these kids experience when real life smacks them in the face they will become disillusioned with the BS their teachers were shoveling.
It’s a real test of whether an open society can survive an organized assault by those not interested in moving forward constructively.
I actually thought that when the kids had to start paying their own mortgages that they would see the light, but who knows when that will happen? Reality is not winning out when so-called feminist women cheer for Muslim rapists. I fear that we will have to wait until the Chinese, the Arabs, or whoever walks onto our shores and takes over. Even then, I don't know how our own communists will respond.
Philly Guy, your question is my question too, if only I could understand why! Below you wrote about perhaps being a character in a dystopian science fiction novel - me too. Except that I know God exists and that makes me serene.
The immigrants aren’t necessarily “popular”, they are mostly refugees from very poor nations south of Europe. They are migrants the US isn’t as quick to allow and it made more geographical sense that they end up in Europe. Many of them faced such atrocities in their own countries that it is shocking to think they are creating similar issues in the countries that they migrated too. Some can assimilate, look at Ayaan. I still don’t think that all of Muslim migrants are a negative to Europe, it’s the vetting process and the islamists and criminals that have also been allowed in that are causing the issues. What is the solution? How do Western countries help people like Ayaan find safety without letting those that want to kill her come in? Do we need reeducation camps? Sounds morbid. The left went too far in their utopia vision and now the right may go too far the other way to counteract the effects.
The problem is that there is no vetting at all. They just show up and we let them in, in quantities that are unmanageable for assimilation purposes. The approach should be to turn them back while also providing ways to let them come, properly vetted and in manageable quantities.
The problem with judges is two-sided. Both sides now "judge shop" to find a judge who will rule in their favor. Neither political party wants to pass laws that may make some constituents dislike them, so they've ceded more authority to the courts. That way they can say "we tried to limit immigration but the court stopped us" or "we're moderate on abortion policy but the court decided the abortion pill is illegal."
There is a lot of forum shopping for sure. Which is why appellate courts matter. But I think you have hit the nail on the head - the lack of a functioning legislature, particularly at the national level. Congress has been AWOL for decades now. Which empowered the executive branch and has created what we face now -career bureaucrats refusing loyalty to a duly elected president to the extent that they hand-picked the one we have now. He might as well be their lap dog. And it is not because he is Democrat. If a strong Democrat candidate emerged they would back the weakest Republican they could find. But do not kid yourself, they are our rulers at this point. Unelected. Unaccountable. Serving their own interests rather than yours or mine.
The legislators who are there to get rich and the administrative networks that are unelected. I think that this was Trump's most significant insight---the destructive impact of the permanent, unregulated power held by people who are unaccountable to anyone.
I agree. The measures they have used against him are extraordinary.
George Soros is the the “something behind this that is not obvious but seems nefarious.” He is a globalist, open borders, one-world government guy who significantly funds causes and politicians around the world who support his view. He is one of the wealthiest people on the planet.
It is the globalists who push the agendas and have convinced politicians and corporations and elites to enforce their views.
Europe needs to get out of the EU.
And the WHO
And the UN
Any global institution.
Why is it that George Soros can fund politicians around the world?
Or Bill Gates?
The five nations need to reclaim their sovereignty for their citizens.
Vast immigration needs to stop.
It is a Trojan horse.
Philly, I suspect that Wilders won't be given the keys to anything resembling power unless he softens his rhetoric further and jettisons some his campaign promises, similar to the right winger in charge of Italy, Giorgia Meloni (though her recently proposed 40% windfall tax on bank profits may reveal her true colors). Wilders needs the support of a few other parties to form a government. He wants power, so he'll do it. Let's see what he does with it - he'll soon find out how far he can go vis a vis immigration without upsetting his banker, the EU.
My understanding is that in both Italy and the U.K. the courts have nullified common sense plans to limit immigration. Don’t have all the details though. If true, it doesn’t matter what the government wants to do.
Perhaps in the UK, but in the Eurozone? I think it's quite different.
www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/10/04/eu-countries-agree-new-rules-to-deal-with-future-migration-crises-after-italy-compromises
"While I am hopeful, I am also continual astounded at the resistance from the establishment at what seems to be both popular will and common sense. " This might be the point where a representative republic system breaks down and true democracy needs to be instated, at least temporarily. It is remarkable how surprised the politicians and media act when people get to vote on a single-issue referendum, and the results are the opposite of the policies they relentlessly push.
Ever hear of "elite capture"?
Yes but I do not think that applies to my argument in a macro sense. In my view, we have multiple elites in multiple countries, some of which have competing agendas (gays vs. Islamics, military secrecy vs. media) for example. While elite capture can explain success within each discrete institution, is does not explain why these separate elites should band together under a global agenda that actually hurts their specific self described goals. Why are gays supporting Muslims? Why does black leadership support a green or immigration agenda that will hurt their constituents? I posit that the people we think of as elites are merely tools and are being made to follow a larger agenda, even if it hurts their own pseudo-cause.
"Yes but I do not think that applies to my argument in a macro sense. In my view, we have multiple elites in multiple countries, some of which have competing agendas (gays vs. Islamics, military secrecy vs. media) for example. " Of course there are multiople elites in multiple countries; I am focused on our elites, and the ways in which their policies have sold out the country to the interests of these foreign powers, especially China and the oil rich, Muslim Arab states and Iran.
The competing agenda to which you refer are not relevant here, and I see them in a micro sense. Elite capture explains how and why American policy decisions on multiple levels [from the presidency on down to the swamp, and across to the IRS, FBI, CIA, DOJ, and individual prosecutors who selectively choose which laws to ignore] , in multiple segments of society (academia, teachers' unions, lawyer associations, corporate boards, social media, etc.) have led directly to the nation's endangerment, both ideologically anbd militarily.
We are in very serious, imminent danger. The decisions that have brought us here simply cannot logically be justified; our leaders have to have been corrupted, iedologically and/or financially--directly (outright payments of unmarked dollars flowing back from Iran Deal,) for example, or indirectly( use your imagination.)
I understand your perspective and our disagreement is only on the margins. Your last paragraph is dead on accurate. The almost religious like support for the Iran deal has always baffled me. I don’t understand its importance and the support behind it. There must be something beyond the deal.
The deal enabled the US to send billions of dollars in cash, unmarked. Some flowed back to the senders, perhaps? That's reason enough, if sufficient cash returned in unmarked bills.
Also it enabled Iranian mullahs to fund Hamas, and the Left, as we now see, holds a certain special place in its heart for those who like Hamas and like to talk genocide.
I think that individual rich people and the ruling classes of the U.S. and Western Europe want to be a global ruling class, like the European monarchists of previous centuries. I think that the ideologues arguing about Muslims, trans people, racism, etc. are separate factions that are mostly lower on the class hierarchy. "The left" is not a unified organization, and the various factions are in it for differing reasons.
I agree. My thought is that the real ruling class is not the people we think of like Klaus Schwab, Bill Gates, leftist politicians and others. I think there is something behind that. I can feel a murky presence. I know that sounds tin cap conspiratorial but it is my only explanation.
Because they will vote for that establishment.
Its not that they are popular, it is that the establishment pendulum has swung far left, without rational thought backing it up. We can do two things at once, be kind to those entering our society AND see that there are those entering who have ulterior motives, and therefore need to be reigned in. How to do that though is the $64M question. We cannot let these haters rip apart our civil society but we also can't let the pendulum swing wildly to the far right.
There were people two decades ago who saw (and spoke about) the suicidal nature of Europe's importation of immigrants who WOULD NOT integrate with the societies that they found themselves in. Immigrants with a high birth rate and a cultural bias against educating women (which tends to cause birthrates to fall). Combined with the refusal of native Europeans to have children, the end result was ALWAYS going to be the destruction of European societies. That is a simple matter of mathematics.
Even as I watch Europeans slowly wake up to the reality of what they've done to themselves in their efforts to signal what good and tolerant and caring people they are, I have difficult summoning up any sympathy for their situation. This is LITERALLY what they have been voting for.
I understand your point of view and largely agree with you. However, I would point out that here in the UK we have been voting for a reduction in immigration, etc. at every opportunity for the last 20+ years and the government, elected on a manifesto to address that issue, have consistently blocked all effective action to do so. It's why the British are currently so angry with all the main political parties.
So will you continue to take it - and see your people arrested simply because the speak the truth - or will you do something about it? I think Dublin is just the beginning. Or maybe I just hope so
Good question, Bruce. The British are generally slow to get angry but I feel that we are nearing the point where they will revolt. Hopefully that will be through the ballot box though we have a problem there in that the Conservative party is only interested in conserving that which it was elected to change, the main opposition parties) (Labour in particular) are likely to to do the same thing no matter what they say get get my vote and the Reform Party is inexperienced in government and thus difficult to assess (though their policies are likely to be very popular). We need either a mass revolt of Conservative MPs who vehemently disagree with the leadership of the party or a mass defection of those to the Reform Party... and we need it now!
Otherwise the Brits (English, in particular) will be revolting !
(I know, I know, they always were!)
Truss and Sunak were jokes. The Conservatives are their own worst enemies. And enemies to the British people, it seems, as well.
Agreed. The ones in the Conservative party who speak out for fulfilling their manifesto commitments seem to get removed from their position in government. e.g. Stella Braverman. There are still a lot of Conservative MPs who agree with her and they need to stand up and be counted.
I see Braverman succeeding Sunak in a Conservative leadership review sometime in 2024/25 as polls continue to indicate a Labour landslide - just in time to rally the troops before the next election. Though how well she does with the public remains to be seen - the Conservative brand looks a little tired right now.
One could say the same about a significant portion of our Republican party too.
I have read several articles about Dublin and in one the writer was dumbstruck because they do not even have far right politcians/parties. I laughed until I cried. You might as well have the blind man reading aloud to his deaf partner.
Maybe you Brits need to buy a few weapons and stop being so squeamish about what the "right to bear arms" really means...
The best kings are "deposed" ones...
The last thing we need is to have more idiots going around with guns!
We have low levels of gun crime in the UK and don't want it increased, thank you.
Anyway, I like Charles III.
He isn't the one making promises and failing to fulfil them : that's what 'democratic' governments do for us.
"We have low levels of gun crime in the UK and don't want it increased, thank you."
Low levels of gun crime are not indicative of a healthy society. Britain without London is on a par with Mississippi in terms of wealth and prosperity...
True but I'd rather live in a poorer society with less violence, thank you.
Also most Britons do not live in London and are thankful for that.
It's also worth pointing out that carrying guns (and using them) IS indicative of a sick society and the presence of guns does not result in better economic conditions (except for the gun manufacturers, I suppose).
Not that I'm against democratic government, of course - it's the least bad system man has invented.
I would just appreciate one that does what it promises at election time!
I think Americans ( at least the right) knew this was happening but the liberals and now the universities were teaching tolerance until we see what they have done and are destroying our country. After seeing what the democrats have done in our schools and universities, I think American are waking up. Hope it’s not too late.
Mark Steyn wrote a book about the Islamic takeover of Europe into Europistan about 10 years ago. By 2050 Muslims will be the majority. Way to go, Europe.
Europe better soon enough find a new Charles Martel to save itself. And rid themselves of the totalitarians in Brussels who hate and try to destroy any European who loves his or her country.
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar
Yes, el Cid, too. And bring on a new Reconquista to cleanse Europe of the bacillus imported to finish what the caliphs could only dream of.
Vlad Tepes
Yes, the Impaler.. A fitting fate for those who behead babies and rape their mothers. And all those who cheer them on.
Europe ought to take Hungary's example to heart and let Orban lead!
I'm afraid 'their' situation is all of our situation. It's natural to feel some schadenfreude when the person drilling a hole in the lifeboat gets bitten by a shark, but everyone else in the boat is going to drown too.
We have a slightly different situation here in the U.S. The majority of the immigrants that Democrats have insisted on allowing to enter our borders illegally are from Latin America. Most are Catholics. They are able to integrate, for the most part, with American society because their cultures are, historically, a part of Western civilization. That isn't to say that there are no issues that arise from unchecked levels of immigration. But we aren't in the same position as Europe, which is overrun by immigrants who despise Western civilization.
True to a point but Dearborn is the poster child for their insane policies and they lead to a fundamental change in America. When did you ever think you'd see abominations such as Omar and Tlaib in the United States Congress?
It's true that the Marxists have been inviting their Islamic friends to invade the U.S. Mostly by importing "refugees" from conflicts the Left has promoted. But as a percentage of total immigration, they are not at the level here that they are in Europe.
Agree. And the degree to which the Islamic invasion has destabilized European society is sobering. Like some weird death wish. Imposed by the leaders on an unsuspecting populace that was too busy living their lives - until it became too acute to ignore.
Philly Guy and I want to understand why!
Yeah but Americans are bitterly divided. It will not take many to assure a tipping point. Permanently.
Yes. I live in San Diego County, quite close to the Mexican border. Many thousands of Mexican nationals have been coming in for decades, and in the last year or so, you can see groups of them walking into every little corner of Southern California. They are causing great strain on our infrastructure, i.e., schools, hospitals, and housing. I joked to my husband the other day, "At least they're not trying to kill us."
As we watch an institutional NYC Thanksgiving parade be marred and, worse, the Christmas tree lighting be hijacked, it's beginning to look a lot like Europe.
Oh Celia I do not think so. When they arrive waving the flag of their country of origin they are not here to assimilate. And even the ones who are here to work send massive amounts of money out of the country. Then add those here for the generous benefits and it is a recipe for disaster. Plus people from the world over are entering now. The truth is we have no idea who is here, how many there are, or why they are here.
The massive outflow of money to other countries is a serious problem. It's odd how the Democrats--who never met a tax they didn't like--don't seem very interested in taxing that the money flowing out of the country.
You do make a good point that our now effectively open border is attracting people from non-Latin-American countries. Apparently a lot of known Islamic terror suspects have been apprehended amid the flow of Latin Americans, and there are likely many more who have not been apprehended. I don't doubt that some coordinated terror attack is in the works. It seems only a matter of time before it occurs.
I lived in Europe (in the 80's, 90's and aughts) off and on for 3 years both studying and working. I was taken aback by how lockstep their ideas were across countries. They were all socialists of varying degrees whether they were French, Spanish, German or Irish. At the time, I attributed it to their long-lost feudal systems where kings ruled and gave peasants what they needed -most of the time. That in turn gave way to government-control, socialist rulers like Franco, Moussoulini and Germany's little 'darling' in the 30s and 40s. Even after all those failures, they still were looking for that 'contract with the state' and couldn't fathom why the roots of American freedom were a response to their oppressive, top-down need to be 'granted' their rights.
The author's lost me at the phrase ' ... consistent failure to draw a distinction between Islam and Islamism.' There isn't any.
Islam is proselytizing force that would not accept any other viewpoints as equal. History teaches that the Islam countries would allow other minorities as non-citizens, but never as equal 'brothers' or 'sisters'.
It's as if no one ever believes these people when they tell you exactly who they are.
You might not agree with the author’s level of assessment of Islam however she had some very good deductions if you continued reading. One of which was
“ It would be wise, in this moment, for the Netherlands to learn from America. If the American establishment (including some members of the Republican Party) had respected the result of the 2016 presidential election rather than concocting a story about Russian collusion and undermining Trump at every turn, perhaps America would not now be in such a combustible state. “
Learning from our own mistakes and from seeing consequences of the mistakes of others, and course correcting as a result just hasn't been happening.
You are so right and that applies to everyday life as well. Once any project is started and midway through the writing on the wall is that it is a big fail-instead of changing course, everyone seems to just keep on going. Issues large or small.
LL, I think I can agree with that quote while at the same time saying that had certain elements respected the results of the 2020 election, as in a President not willing to adhere to a peaceful and orderly transfer of power, things today might not be as combustible.
I thought that was the most salient point as well.
I agree. If there were a difference between Islam and Islamism then where are the normal Islamic followers? The silence is deafening. I contend that there may be a large moderate part of Islam that is afraid to speak out against the extremism. But it’s their responsibility to get control of their religion back and I see little evidence of that happening. Actually I see quite the opposite.
Until Islam moderates I think western cultures should refrain from any immigration of Muslim peoples.
Islam has (and communism had) a very effective method to silence their opponents...just kill them.
To add to my point above, the only difference between Muslim population is between those who choose, or are designated, to take up arms and fight, and others who tacitly support them and collect money for the 'right' causes.
Agreed. That's where I was lost as well. There is no distinction between the two. Some faiths have evolved and others have not. Islam is still stuck in the 13th century.
I think that is true. I also think it goes to the core of our beings to not judge the religion of others.
Aren't you doing the same thing by othering all followers of Islam? Your comment suggests that you believe that any Islamic viewpoint is unequal to yours. Every ideological group thinks theirs is superior to others..with varying degrees of tolerance.
I think the difference is that Islamists are okay with murdering "infidels," along with other Muslims that are killed in the process as they are "martyrs." I live in a diverse area and I've never known a Muslim to be okay with terrorism and all have been lovely people. I had a coworker from Egypt, who is a devout Muslim. He legally immigrated to America with very little money, became very successful, and was a very vocal Trump supporter.
We are talking about what the doctrine of Islam *literally* says. The fact that you ignore this because you know "lovely people" whom you believe would never harm you in the name of their religion suggests naivete.
The Arabs I like and am friendly with are secular.
Of those the Maronites, Druze or Mizrahi can and do hold criticism of islamic practices. I'm not very friendly with any muslim for long. You will never convince them they practice a bloody form of belief.
Does that mean I have to worry about the devout Muslim who delivers pizza to my door? He seems like a nice guy. I thought my only issue was ordering either extra cheese or mushrooms.
Maybe I'll do take out next time.
For the moment, probably not. But there is literally no way to know (because you can't read his mind) whether he is devout enough to participate in his faith's violent colonialism against non-Muslims if given either the orders or the opportunity.
All your lovely Muslim friends will side with the Islamists, when push comes to shove.
I never suggested that anyone's viewpoint is unequal, or inferior, to mine. However, I do not believe in 'innocence' of the no-combatant Muslims. Why would they share with you the inner beliefs when they know the majority would never accept it? You can have lovely neighbors, on the surface there are a lot of educated, regular people seemingly sharing your values, but you do not know for sure what 'ideological group' they belong to.
My family learned the true face of Muslims during WWII when they had to flee to Central Asia/Afghanistan. Why wouldn't I believe my grandmother and mother, who was 6 at the time, and who is still alive and in full presence of mind?
I am a legal immigrant, too, came to US 40 years ago with 2-year old daughter and $93 in my pocket. The fact does not illustrate my viewpoints or loyalties.
Some ideas and religions are superior than others. Your thought process is part of the reason that Europe is on this mess. When you think everything is equal and all societies are able to reason, celebrate diversity and allow for dissent is when you fail the litmus test of knowledge.
As a Christian, I believe that Christianity is the superior religion. Atheists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc. will disagree with my belief. That's okay. Jesus taught us to live by the principals of love, tolerance and peace. None of the commentary on this thread espouses these principals. This level of hostility to all Muslims based on the actions of Hamas and other terrorist groups is precisely the type of attitude that leads to more hate and violence.
Europe has largely abandoned their Christian roots in favor secularism which has lead to lost souls searching for a new "religion" that has led us to this Leftist ideology. It is this ideology that has led to the mess that Europe is in, with America following suit.
"None of the commentary on this thread espouses these principles[.]" is particularly shallow and illustrative of the thought processes which Europeans embraced to the point they may well have assured their own destruction. You can turn the other cheek til the cows come home. It is after all the easiest thing to do. But it is also taught that the Lord helps those who help themselves. I think the Lord, my God gave me free will and I use mine to stand up for my values.
So what's the solution?
Assuming election integrity, vote. If you can get involved with the party of your choice at the local level. Reasonable Democrats and Republicans need to get involved and make their voices heard. Usually precincts meet after an election. Sometimes election night. If you go and get familiar with your local party members you will be asked to go to the state convention which is where the state party platform is decided and the delegates to the national conventions are chosen. It really is one of the most meaningful things we as individuals can do.
🤦♂️ you cannot be serious.
Rarely so, but which part are you having trouble with?
Your utter inability to see reality based on your one personal friend. Have you not been watching the news lately with the Hamas marches? The Jews are first, the rest of us are next.
You mean the Hamas marches in Western universities and city streets filled to the brim with deluded, uninformed, historically illiterate Gen Zer's and Millenials? Most of them by far come from white anglo saxon homes living the good life on their parents' dime, spewing anti-semitism - I don't think there are many true Muslims among them..though I'm sure they're there, hiding somewhere..
Useless useful idiots.
More than one, it's just an example. I'm not willing to put 1.6 billion people in the same bucket as Hamas terrorists.
If we heard many of those 1.6 billion speak out against the extremes of Islam you’d have a point. But I’ve only heard a couple myself. The silence is deafening and speaks volumes to what Islam preaches and what the followers truly believe.
Remember that the Koran says it’s fine to lie to infidels if it furthers Islams goals. Could be that those lovely Muslims you know are simply humoring you.
If it quacks like a duck?
Except 1.6 billion peace loving followers of Islam should be able to put Hamas in a bucket. And they will not do so. I am all for cleaning our own barns but Islam seems unwilling or unable to do so. Why do you think that is?
This is really very simple - if you have eyes to see and a brain to process.
The elitist Left wants to tell you what to think, what to say and how to live. They even tell you what to eat, wear and drive. They are authoritarians. With cadres of Red Guards to enforce their madness. They don't believe in God or Country - unless it's to give full rein to the followers of the prophet of the Satanic Verses who are their foot soldiers in their mad quest to tear down borders and Western civilization, itself. Their thirst for wealth and power knows no bounds. Now they even coddle their followers to exult in the beheading of babies and rape of their mothers simply because they dare follow a religion based on justice and fealty to God.
In dramatic contrast, conservatives - whom they call guilefully call the "Far Right" - stand for ordinary, law abiding citizens who love their God and Country. Conservatives who stand for your rights - to worship as you see fit, to love as you see fit, to do and say as you see fit. To work as you see fit And to respect the long history and tradition of the West that has meant so much to liberty. I have been a conservative since I was a little boy and always stood gaping with incredulity as people swallowed the lies and fantasies of the Left.
Now, however, the world appears to be waking up. You can only fool people for so long. Sadly, our own beloved nation seems to be lagging but this, too, will change. The globalist, leftist cabal is now frightened. But more and more Americans can see that we are led by a senile imbecile who is deeply corrupt and exists only as a puppet for the globalist cabal. It is time to ask yourself this - "Do you love your country and is it worth fighting for?" Well......is it?
The Italian PM has banned fake foods, like fake meat, and insects in the Italian food supply. She scores!
Did you seen the UN (I think) report saying that we in the West must curb our meat consumption? These people want to control every aspect of our lives. Isn't it long past time for them to fear for theirs?
Yes.
Maybe pissed off Europeans need to develop a flag with Madame Guillotine on it.
Like Dickens's old Madame Defarge, sitting up there knitting whilst the heads went rolling by?
Yes, I love my country, and I have already sworn to fight for it.
Yes.
My oath of enlistment has no expiration date.
Am I the only one?...
Thinkin' somethin' ain't right?...
Good stuff Bruce.
I do hope there is still enough "America" left in Americans to fight the fight if/when it comes.
I dont think these leaders will ever get behind what America stands for, unless the $ benefits are off the table. Long shot there.
rich
Preach, Bruce, preach.
Now that's actually funny. When I lived briefly in Albany NY, there was a Lutheran pastor with the same name and I sometimes got calls intended for him, some seeking solace and advice. And, yes, I was tempted but I never did.
That visual made me giggle.
I think that there is a lot at play here.
Yes, the center left and far left have been played for idealistic fools. They somehow convinced themselves that inviting in people who's fundamental values are in conflict with your own was gonna be ok because the new arrivals would give up their views and change. Bad bet.
Second, globalists want more labor and they want more consumers. They are not interested in the overall quality of life for any one group or nation. They want to mine nations of their economic value. That is it.
I agree with this. But I see them as complicit not merely as gullible.
What is the reason for bringing so many people from the Middle East into European countries? There must be a rationale, be it misguided or what. Could it be the low birth rate among Europeans, and an expectation of the incoming Muslims to fuel the economic system that would in turn support the growing faction of elderly requiring support? These are the same people denying population collapse while refusing to see the disparity between Muslims and Europeans that will irrevocably alter European culture. And because Muslim birthrate is high, Europeans and the values of the West WILL DIE OUT.
Rather than import a complete cultural overhaul, Europeans need to start having children again.
On another note, in conversation with a friend, I noted that this influx of mostly military age men does not bode well. They are isolated from the dominant culture, a petri dish for fomenting radicalism. They could easily become military outposts, Trojan Horses.
He scoffed at my "racism." Have you ever read The Art of War, I asked?
But their countries are in chaos! He cried.
Then they need men to overturn that, I replied. Instead, they are creating chaos in Europe.
But my mother was a Jewish refugee! He cried.
Did she come to the US to hibernate in a ghetto? To rape European girls? Piss on their children?
The Left's vision is one of complete ignorance to human nature. To be naive like this is to LOSE EVERYTHING.
A "right wing" takeover is Europe's only hope of survival. It's one thing for Muslim immigrants to come to the US (although there ought to be a moratorium on it, given the fiscal problems that NYC is facing now, with cuts to public services -- thousands of police quit, allegedly -- but O, let them in!
Sorry, no. Stay home and fix your own country, and leave us to fix the mess we've made in ours.
The otherwise good article made no mention of the Dutch farmers who are in open revolt against the draconian climate policies of EU mandated restrictions enacted by the Dutch government. That would have been an interesting aspect of this story to know what impact the “Dutch farmer revolt” may have had on Wilder’s success. Hopefully others will address this issue in the Free Press.
^^^ this. It’s been a huge issue. “When the Dutch government announced plans to buy out farms close to nature reserves and cut the country’s livestock herd by as much as one-third, farmers revolted, staging massive demonstrations and destabilizing politics in the Netherlands”
“While the elite obsess over climate change and “woke” identity politics, ordinary people face crime and an untenable cost of living.”
-------------------------------------
And it is getting worse with the flood of illegal immigration and a Biden Administration that cannot be trusted on virtually any issue.
Denmark, in its polite yet unapologetic manner, is razing the Muslim immigrant tenements and redistributing the inhabitants throughout the country, where they will be expected to participate in work, learn to speak Danish, and hopefully will embrace the Danish set of values. They are tactful and pragmatic in this: they state that they do not want what they call parallel societies, and do not want to sacrifice the Danish way of life. No surprise that they are rated one of the happiest countries on earth. Their extensive social benefits rely on a long-standing culture of hard work, universal, participation, and outstanding family and Denmark, in its polite yet unapologetic way, is razing the Muslim immigrant tenements and redistributing the inhabitants throughout the country, where they will be expected to participate in work, learn to speak Danish, and hopefully will embrace the Danish set of values. They are tactful and pragmatic in this: they state that they do not want what they call parallel societies, and do not want to sacrifice the Danish way of life. No surprise that they are rated one of the happiest countries on earth. Their extensive social benefits rely on a long-standing culture of hard work, universal participation, and the resulting outstanding family and individual benefits. A very good life. Why would any country sacrifice this to immigrants who do not share their values? And in the name of tolerance, far too many in the west are afraid to state this obvious and pragmatic truth. To our peril.
The Danes seem to have been the first to see the writing on the wall. I'm not sure how they have managed to overcome the Leftist voices insisting that requiring immigrants to assimilate is "racism," but I'm impressed that they have already started to take actions to try to win the hearts and minds of immigrant children to Danish values instead of allowing them to grow up in Islamist enclaves.
Considering the virulence of Islam, I'm not sure it will ultimately do any good, but at least they recognize the problem and are attempting to implement a solution.
All true. My sister lived in Denmark for many years, and I have visited often. They will not give up their cherished society. They pay enormous taxes and realize that that is why they have free healthcare and an abundance of other benefits. It almost sounds as if they govern for the good of the people. Stockholm, by comparison, has no-go zones where the police do not enter. Sharia law in Sweden. we are suicidal fools not to stop this in the name of equity and diversity.
These elites who turn their noses up at those of us who "cling to our religion and guns," have ruined the west.
They have allowed a fifth column into our world, while giving themselves kudos for being multicultural, whether through some misguided belief in altruism (Kindness to the cruel, is cruelty to the kind), or because they are ensconced in their little gated communities unharmed by the barbarians at the gates.
These elites really thought so little of the average person, that they are surprised by the body politic hitting back in some way. If those in power truly want to do something helpful they need to start clamping down on those who wish to destroy the western ideals of the enlightenment from both the right (political and Islamist) and the genocidal illiberal left.
This, of course, would take introspection, unfortunately, something the political classes in the EU and the US, do not possess.
Kindness to the cruel is cruelty to the kind A brilliant statement! This is starting with defund the police and not prosecuting crime. This leaves our vulnerable citizens at risk.
Read article by Alison Pearson in today’s Telegraph on recent riots in Dublin. It seems that Ireland is as badly affected by immigration as the Netherlands & France
The description of what's happened in Holland is indistinguishable from the situation in the UK where major political parties continually promise to take people's concerns seriously while blocking effective action to address those issues at every opportunity. A new party is growing in popularity - the Reform Party- who promise - as Geert Wilders promises - to take action to address these issues.
There are many important points in this article. In terms of "practicality", the incompatibiity of open borders and a welfare state is the most important. Immigration is highest (by miles) to the West (US / Europe / UK) yet the West dominates charitable giving: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-charitable-countries) so the West cannot be accused of being hostile to lending a helping hand.
But WELFARE is not charity. Welfare is not good will generosity. Welfare is the forcible taking from some to give to others. And when there are legitimate concerns about inflation, cost of living and the futures of one's children, it is only natural to expect backlash about forcibly taking domestic tax money to give immigrants. Adding to this, when it can be easily observed that there are sectors of immigrants who do NOT assimilate and are hostile to Western values (and the so-called "elites" preach cultural relativism and refuse to condemn such behaviour and instead pour scorn on "deplorables"), you get Geert Wilders.
On its face in its most simplistic form the differences between Progressives, (the woke) with their illiberalism and normal everyday citizens who are somewhat conservative (meaning slow down on your remaking our country) are easy to understand. One side believes that others, the elites, the government is best suited to run peoples lives. The other side essentially says individuals are best suited to run their lives. Clearly anarchy is an awful state but at its end point having a totalitarian government can be just as deadly.
Unregulated migration, immigration from poorer countries to wealthier nations with generous welfare policies is going to cause friction. Migration of people who have divergent ideas about the freedom of women, belief of a religion that taken on its face says to kill infidels is problematic. Holland cannot afford to feed, house, educate tand provide jobs to the world. Neither can the US. Those who hold power don’t care and they do so at their own peril.
Look at NYC right now. That is exactly what your comment is speaking to.
Indeed. Same in Chicago. In our past immigration riots were much worse but I fear they will get out of hand at some point. Believe or not around 1850 we have the Bible Riots.
"Today, although most Dutch voters do not wish to leave the EU, there are growing concerns that, especially when it comes to migration and borders, too much authority has been ceded to supranational institutions."
Any time that you give up existing culture to a competing dangerous one you risk the possibility of national death! People need to recognize the threat, and then deal with it! Put aside the fallacy of "open-ness" and deal with the real threat, an acknowledged goal od Islam "reclaiming the world for Allah"! Borders MEAN something! Enforce them!!!
Borders mean something! Enforce them. It starts with borders. We are in agreement, Robert Moore.