Do you remember Pim Fortuyn? Possibly not, because, unlike Jo Cox or Martin Luther King, you’re not really supposed to. He was the gay Dutch politician shot in the head back in 2002 for daring to express sceptical thoughts about the likely negative consequences for men like him of allowing large numbers of Muslims to flood into his nation, post-9/11. A large number of his countrymen evidently agreed with Fortuyn’s pessimistic assessment of Islam as being “a backwards culture”, as he seemed set to win big in the upcoming Dutch general election – until, that May 6th, he got some free bullets in his head, JFK-style.
As the event becomes gradually lost in the mists of time, most people, logically enough, tend to misremember that Fortuyn was perhaps shot by a mad Islamist, but this is incorrect. In fact, it was a nutty far-Left animal rights activist who did for him (hadn’t he heard how halal cattle are slaughtered?) Pim’s true killer, Volkert van der Graaf, who heart-wrenchingly “struggled to explain his veganism at dinner parties”, viewed Fortuyn as a threat to minority rights, which, ironically, was just what Fortuyn was arguing himself about Islam.
Van der Graaf: Generator of Controversy
In 2003, Van der Graaf got 18 years behind bars, but was released in 2014 anyway, because that’s just how fake judicial sentences work these days. When he originally failed to get the life sentence demanded by prosecutors, observers booed, stamped their feet and left the courtroom. He has since been allowed to emigrate somewhere more congenial to his tastes (Tehran? Islamabad?), whence he is obliged to submit a semi-regular “written report on his progress” to Dutch probation services, which presumably goes something like this:
Dear Insp. van der Valk,
Just to let you know: still haven’t brutally killed anyone else of ‘populist’ opinions who deserves it lately, not even Geert Wilders. Hope to keep it up!!!
Best,
Volkert xxx
According to completely unbiased Dutch media reports about his lenient parole conditions, “far-Right MPs said the decision was scandalous”. Of course, no normal people could ever have objected to this wholly reasonable and not-at-all overly-soft measure, could they? Only evil fascists would care one teeny, tiny, iota about punishing a man who had quite understandably murdered an Islamophobe.
As Fortuyn had been relentlessly demonised in the mainstream Dutch media as supposedly being a far-Right extremist – as so many flamboyantly homosexual liberals who selfishly object to being thrown off tall buildings by Taliban-types are these days – some of his supporters blamed the press and TV for his murder. According to this interpretation, journalists were guilty of generating an atmosphere in which a suggestible idiot like van der Graaf could essentially end up being brainwashed into thinking that, by popping a bullet in Fortuyn’s skull, he was doing humanity a favour by wiping out the next Hitler before he could begin converting all the mosques into gas chambers.
“The media did it!” chanted crowds outside the Dutch Parliament building as the death of their vanished hero Pim was officially announced. As they did so, one hard-Left agitator on the scene pulled out a poster of Mr. Fortuyn and tore it up before the crowd’s eyes. In the years since, I strongly suspect this individual may have gone on to occupy a prominent role within the U.K. journalism industry.
Jumping the Gun
If the media really did ‘do it’, as the crowds back in 2002 asserted, then has history just repeated itself over in Slovakia, where the country’s currently bullet-ridden Prime Minister, Robert Fico, has just narrowly survived an assassination attempt of his own? According to his supporters, Fico’s assassin was also primed to pull the trigger by unrelenting media demonisation of the victim. Personally, I much prefer to blame the actual perpetrators for such crimes, not newsmen, but there is little doubt Fico generally gets a bad press.
Full details are as yet unclear, but the alleged shooter, who has already been named in early reports as a 71-year-old amateur poet and former security guard named Juraj Cintula, is said by some sources to be a Left-winger of some kind, albeit not an eco-nut like Volkert van der Graaf. According to one source, he was “constantly described as a radicalised Left-wing, ultra-liberal thinker by those who knew him closely” whilst another called him “a Left-wing militant with a passion for poetry”.
Yet to glance through many major mainstream news sources, you would be forgiven for thinking, at least at first glance, that Cintula was a leading far-Right activist, having as he apparently did links to ultra-nationalist paramilitary groups, who objected to outsiders coming into the country. Like a non-gay Pim Fortuyn, it appears Mr. Cintula wished to protect “the inhabitants, the country, tradition [and] culture” from invasion by unassimilable outside forces. But how does that square with his simultaneous alleged status as a “radicalised Left-wing, ultra-liberal thinker”?
It may well be that Cintula’s motives are mixed, or even incoherent. Like most of the British media, my prior knowledge of Slovakian politics is basically nil, and what counts as Left- or Right-wing there may not necessarily transfer easily across to a U.K. context. On economics, if not culture, Robert Fico is what we may broadly understand as being on the Left, and as such has often been described as a “Left-populist” by some commentators in the past. Nonetheless, it was evidently felt that a simple, easily-understood party line had to be taken on it all anyway, the line in question being as follows: Fico, like the equally non-PC Pim Fortuyn, was a borderline crypto-fascist who deserved to eat lead.
The Left Is Always Right
Just look at the tone of coverage of the event in the U.K., where the victim was constantly described as being ‘polarising’. How can any politician, of whatever ideological leanings, not be ‘polarising’?
Nonetheless, ‘polarising’ was the key adjective used in almost all early coverage of the attack. Sky News said things like Fico was a “populist” who was “very divisive in the EU” due to, for example, his staunch anti-immigration stance and outspoken nationalism, and therefore “it’s not surprising this sort of event might take place”. Did Sky News ever opine it was “not surprising” Jo Cox got stabbed back in 2016 because she was being “very divisive” by advocating mass immigration and publicly supporting Remain during the Brexit referendum? No, because that in itself would of course be just more ‘divisive’ rhetoric, whereas demonising someone of opposing, anti-EU, political leanings is merely a reflection of what the media think constitutes all normal right-thinking opinion.
The unspoken media subtext this time around, perhaps, is that Fico, as something of an anti-EU firebrand, and therefore supposedly ‘far-Right’, somehow had it coming: I thought the Left were none too keen on ‘victim-blaming’ these days? Depends what kind of victim it is, I suppose.
A major logical problem with this narrative, of course, is that, if Fico was indeed shot for being excessively Right-wing, as much initial reporting appeared framed to initially imply, then it would actually only make sense if he was shot by an opposing Left-winger. But this would create problems, as it would then obviously make Left-wingers look like the violent bad guys here. Thus, the alleged would-be assassin has instead to be presented primarily as a Right-wing ultra-nationalist who, for some strange reason, tried to shoot dead a politician who was every bit as anti-immigration as he himself appears to have been. Most media outlets were eager to reproduce social media images of Cintula meeting anti-immigrant paramilitaries from the ‘Slovenski Branci’ movement in uniform:
It is not illegitimate to publish such photos: they are apparently real, and may indeed turn out to point to his motives. Yet if so, then the basic consequent line of ‘Right-winger shot by Right-winger’ makes little narrative sense, at least from a propaganda viewpoint: ‘Right-winger shot by Left-winger’ does make narrative sense, but fails to impart the ‘correct’ desired message, so is automatically jettisoned by most outlets in favour of the former. For example, another public social media post of Cintula celebrated the birthday of noted far-Left paramilitary leader Che Guevara – and yet I could only find one single media outlet (Sky News, ironically enough) which mentioned this fact, someway down its analysis of the man’s previous online activities.
Maybe the most honest line to impart would be “We don’t know why this man did it, TBH, maybe he’s just mad”, but this would be to miss an excellent opportunity to demonise the Right – even if this opportunity would involve demonising both the victim and the alleged perpetrator alike as being borderline fascists, in the hope most viewers or readers don’t stop to actually think about this weird paradox properly. Fortunately, as the story involves Slovakia, a country most Westerners couldn’t give the slightest tiny shit about, the vast majority of consumers will basically just skim past the story after glancing at all the exciting images of a man they’d never previously heard of being brutally shot, whilst simultaneously and uncritically absorbing the intended media message that ‘all Right-wingers are bad and violent’.
Rivers of Mud
There seems to be something of a truth-muddying media-myth being promulgated at the moment, to the effect that acts of extreme political violence are only ever committed by members of the Far-Right, as with Jo Cox; a theory which might meet with some resistance from the ghost of Pim Fortuyn (or indeed of Leon Trotsky), I would imagine.
This idea seems to have been around for a while, even in fiction. In 1970, a trash-thriller appeared in British bookstores, Who Killed Enoch Powell? by Arthur Wise, in which the hugely popular, but also hugely hated (or ‘polarising’, if you will), anti-immigration politician in question was blown to smithereens by a bomb whilst giving a speech in Yorkshire.
To judge by synopses, the answer to the titular question of who actually killed Enoch is ‘the far-Right’, who exploit the situation to engineer their own rise to power by blaming Leftists/non-whites for the outrage, thereby gaining public support to stage a popular fascist coup.
The awkward fact is, however, that in real life, Powell was indeed the subject of numerous intimidatory threats of violence against his person – but, naturally, as with Nigel Farage today, they came not from the anti-immigration Right, but the pro-immigration Left. Throughout the 60s and 70s, ‘Disembowel Enoch Powell!‘ was as common a student Trot placard slogan as ‘From the River to the Sea!’ is today. Black radicals marched through the streets bearing such signs alongside an effigy of Powell in a coffin, which they then proceeded to remove and burn. During one university speech, a protester placed a fake bomb on the stage where he was speaking (albeit a kind of comedy one, like from a cartoon), before Enoch was eventually forced to flee. So, the real-life Left threaten Enoch Powell, then we get a book in which the fictional Right are blamed for exploiting the fact.
Today, a sequel to the book could be called Who (Nearly) Killed Robert Fico?, to which the official answer would no doubt likewise be “An evil Nazi, it could be no other”. And yet, the very existence of books like this, which fantasise about Right-wing bogeymen being killed, would seem to suggest that Leftists, too, are actually capable of acts of extreme violence towards political opponents, not just Rightists.
I have no objection to authors writing stories about the murder of any given public figure they like. It’s fiction, after all. But, strangely, it only ever seems to be stories about Right-wing people getting murdered which end up getting published. ‘Divisive’ and ‘polarising’ figures existed on the Left during Powell’s own time in politics too, you know. And yet, I don’t remember major publishers ever having released any airport thrillers with titles like Who Stabbed Tony Benn? or Who Set Barbara Castle’s Head On Fire?
Such an unbalanced literary situation continues today. I find there are several novels and short stories by Guardianista-types imagining the violent murder of Donald Trump currently available on the market (How It Ends by Zoe Sharp was even printed in the New York Times), but none from reputable publishers treating Joe Biden similarly – although maybe that’s just because Joe’s pending appointment at Dignitas renders any sniper’s bullet wholly unnecessary anyway.
Just as the NYT was happy to print a tale about the killing of Trump, so in 2014 our very own Guardian was happy to print one called The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher – August 6th 1983, by Hillary Mantell. “Rejoice,” concludes Mantel’s story, once Maggie is no more. “Fucking rejoice.” Given the general tone of their coverage, you could be forgiven for concluding that’s precisely what the average Western journo these days thought about the shooting of ‘far-Right’ Robert Fico too, just like with poor Pim Fortuyn before him.
Forget the actual killings and attempted killings of public political figures in any of these cases, whether real or imagined: the true opportunity not to be missed is for a spot of light character assassination instead.
Steven Tucker is a journalist and the author of over 10 books, the latest being Hitler’s & Stalin’s Misuse of Science: When Science Fiction Was Turned Into Science Fact by the Nazis and the Soviets (Pen & Sword/Frontline), which is out now.
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The point Douglas Murray was trying to make was diminished by the childish insults. Is that the best debate on offer?
When Madeleine Albright was asked about half a million dead Iraqi children being worth it, she could just have blamed Saddam Hussein. She missed a trick there.
What does Mr Murray think of Netanyahu strenghtening Hamas as a means to prevent a two-state solution?
The point being that the only thing on offer for several weeks now, in response to the eloquent, and learned Mr Murray is childish insults. Maybe talking to people in their terms will have a far greater impact than trying to talk on a level above them..
It sounds like you need to find a better source of information rather than sticking with those who feel the need to debase themselves. Try Haaretz, they have more balance than most.
Thanks for the advice…
Ms Albright should indeed have blamed Saddam Hussein.
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20171123123237/http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk//media/231473/2003-02-14-fax-owen-to-rycroft-pms-speech-question.pdf
‘It is now known, however, that the ICMMS (child mortality) results for the centre/south of Iraq were a deception.’
‘The objective of Saddam Hussein’s government was to heighten international concern and so get the economic sanctions ended.’
Changing views on child mortality and economic sanctions in Iraq: a history of lies, damned lies and statistics, Dyson, Cetorelli 2017
Thanks although that was just an example of where the excuse for killing civilians can be applied.
Since when has it ever needed an excuse? War is war!
There can be no excuse for the killing of ‘non participants’ in a conflict.
Common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions prohibits “violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture” when perpetrated against persons “taking no active part in the hostilities.”
As we have seen, in practice, this is extremely difficult in densely populated urban areas during operations against non uniformed irregulars.
It is, of course, less difficult during irregular operations against open air festivals attended by non combatants.
Tell that to Hamas.
to be fair to all military actions, innocent lives cannot always be protected.
It was very much an on-point and justified insult, speaking directly to those in the leftist bubble who arrogantly assume they know everything they need to know without having to go out into the real world.
Having watched the interview prior to the clip, I can see why it was edited down. He doesn’t do himself any favours. I didn’t know he’s an FSU director. Perhaps that also explains some of the selective reporting on here?
“ Perhaps that also explains some of the selective reporting on here?”
I think the reporting here is reflective of the views of the site owners/funders/managers. I don’t know what Will Jones and Noah Carl think about the Israel business (can’t remember what they written, sorry) but Toby Young’s views are pretty clear so I don’t think it requires influence from Murray. Luke Johnson is also a director of both FSU and DS and his views on this are pretty clear too. They are all of the political right which provided a lot of the opposition to lockdowns but is also traditionally more pro-Israel than the left.
I was thinking less of influence and more of shared mindset which you’ve answered to some extent.
No net-zero, climate news links? oh well, maybe try this one;
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/12/22/old-king-coal-at-cop28-uninvited-guest-or-star-of-the-show/
While TPTB in the western world are taxing oil/gas boilers and mandating the end of petrol/diesel (ICE) cars, over in the real World annual world wide use of coal is at record levels.
China is being feted as ahead in the eco net-zero stakes because it has so many Battery electric cars (BEV) and fast charging points. But China also has over 3000 coal fired power stations to supply the electric for all those BEVs. It does seem less about going green and more about destroying the ICE car industry in the west and setting China up as the dominant automotive super power.
It is difficult not to feel that we are being played for a bunch of fools.
Sadly there are way too many people who don’t question what is right in front of them.
That is exactly the play.
China makes itself rich and prosperous following the well trodden reliable route using cheapest, most available most reiable energy while supplying the west with all the rope it needs to hang itself with its NetZero fanaticism.
Triple pay off. They get rich, the west gets poorer and they get even richer helping the west get poorer.
So because a school quite rightly maintains it is apolitical it gets targeted by the fanatical Hamasshole Hate Mob and forced to close, whose noses have been put out of joint. Permanent victimhood for the win then;
”A primary school, which is the UK equivalent to an elementary school, in London has been forced to shut down over threats made by pro-Palestinian protesters. The threats came after parents had sent their children with Palestinian flags and political messages during a Children in Need day last month.
In response, the school sent home letters to eight families, where they wrote that “inappropriate comments made at school, including extremist or divisive comments,” would lead to the UK Government’s counter-terrorism program, according to the Evening Standard.
“In the light of escalating threats against staff and the school, based on malicious fabrications being broadcast by various media outlets, the Lion Academy Trust will be closing the school from 20th December 2023 to all parents and pupils for the Christmas break,” the Lion Academy Trust said about Barclay Primary School in a press release on December 20.
On Thursday, Barclay Primary School in Leyton was surrounded by protesters who claimed that the school’s request discriminated against Muslims, the Standard reported.”
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-779053
The school term ends on 21st December but the school closes on the 20th “in light of escalating threats”, those threats being reported on 5th December. Forced to close?
I agree wholeheartedly, but I gather the school was quick to fly Ukrainian flags when the war broke out last year. Perhaps lessons about keeping politics out of primary education altogether should be learned.
Yes I agree that politics should play no part in the education system, especially primary schools. So all of those school kids who went off to protest in school time recently was just bang out of order and smacks of indoctrination. Many examples of similar brainwashing in relation to other topics, of course. The gender ideology tripe being an obvious one.
But in the story above the parents could’ve just accepted the school’s stance and left it at that, but no, the victim card was once again played and this is how a non-issue snowballs into something more significant.
Islam is winning Mogs, and the west in letting, no, encouraging it!
Seems that way, Dinger. I’m at a waterpark, on our lunchbreak, and it’s the first time in forever I’ve not seen a woman in a bhurkini, though the day is yet young.
Crikey Mogs. Isn’t it a bit cold for a waterpark?
I’m sure British teachers can’t fail to be aware of the rising Islamist attacks on teaching staff over in France, so no wonder they want to de-escalate a situation when tensions rise and they’re threatened by a certain community. Don’t think there’s been any UK teachers killed by Islamist psychos yet but give it time;
”The increase in Islamist attacks in France in recent months has particularly affected the teaching profession. State schools have long been a symbol of the French nation and the Republic, which explains this focus by terrorists.
Since the beheading of history teacher Samuel Paty in October 2020, who was murdered for commenting on cartoons depicting the Islamic Prophet Mohammed in a lesson on freedom of expression, terrorist acts targeting teachers have increased in France.
Schools have become the battleground of choice for Islamists, whose influence is growing among teenagers who ingest the rhetoric of jihad via a number of influential social media accounts. The aim is for these budding fighters to bring the battle to school. From there, everything becomes a pretext for stirring up controversy and demanding respect for Sharia law or Mohammed in the classroom.”
https://europeanconservative.com/articles/analysis/frances-battlefront-islamist-attacks-escalate-in-schools/
Do the 6 downvoters think this stuff isn’t happening?
The usual motley crew of terrorist supporting, Jew-hating, rape apologists love all this stuff. They welcome it because they hate the West. Never seem to be able to scrabble a pair of bollocks together and comment though, do they?
And when they do it’s just vitriol and abuse. They’re nothing if not predictable.
Well the thing is that you can take a completely opposite view to yours regarding the Israel business but still be concerned about the subject of your post above – the two things are sort of related but I see no reason why disapproval of Israel means you’d be OK with attacks on teaching staff in Europe. So maybe you’re being downticked for your other views and not specifically for this post – which is a bit disappointing.
It’s always personal though, have you not noticed? You’ve been commenting at least as long as me on this site. That’s why I have to laugh because if it’s a psy op it’s a pretty piss poor one.
Is it supposed to be having some sort of effect on us by now??
I will always post what I want when I want so the pettiness is water off a duck’s back for me after this long. I guess the idiots don’t realise that the more regularly they dislike posts the more desensitised we old-timers and regulars become.
Sucks to be them i guess. Imagine having that as a hobby??
I’ve been posting since July 2020 and was probably lurking before then.
For an internet forum dealing with contentious topics with what seems like light-touch moderation, the standard of debate is pretty good compared to other places I’ve seen, but the Israel business has certainly divided opinion and led some to lose sight of arguments at times and descend into slanging matches, which is a shame.
That’s part of the plan. Gaza has flipped the script and now it’s partisan rightists that are behaving like ignorant lovers of totalitarianism.
https://off-guardian.org/2023/12/22/the-year-of-the-mindfuck/
“scrabble a pair of bollocks together”
Right here.
Seconded.
Batley teachers still in hiding. Huddersfield teachers sacked or paid off over Syrian boy being ‘bullied’. No murders yet.
There was a time I would have not believed possible some of the comments and headlines I’m reading recently… But, hey ho, times they are a changing !
The sad reality is, Dings, our kids and grandkids won’t experience life in a society remotely like we did growing up. I grew up in the 80s/90s, and I know it’s easy to look back with nostalgia, our rose-tinted glasses firmly in situ, and I know change is inevitable but not necessarily for the better. Change doesn’t always equate to progress, IYKWIM…Are kids really better off nowadays?
Anyhoo, enough of me being philosophical, I’m off to hit the slides once more. You can’t have too many wedgies on any given day, in my humble opinion..
Right back at you , Ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ding-dong-ding!
Thoughtful piece comparing the situation in Palestine with that of Chechnya by Alice LoCicero on Substack, cross-posted by Diane Perlman.
https://alicelocicero.substack.com/p/is-israel-following-stalins-playbook
What did Richard Kemp call the IOF the other day, the most ‘moral’ army? Riiiiight. This article might disabuse that idea (‘power targets’ anyone?), as does the second by Jonathan Cook regarding 7th October.
https://www.972mag.com/mass-assassination-factory-israel-calculated-bombing-gaza/
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israel-palestine-war-media-ignoring-evidence-actions-7-october
Not including Kemi Badenoch or Suela Braverman in the advertising is sensible. As Ministers it is expected that they will have brief tenure and will likely be replaced at the next reshuffle or change of government. They are each, as Robin Day once eloquently put it examples of a ‘here today… gone tomorrow politician‘. What is more concerning is that the advertising seems to assume that the civil servants have got their feet under the table for life.
“Not including Kemi Badenoch or Suela Braverman in the advertising is sensible. As Ministers it is expected that they will have brief tenure and will likely be replaced at the next reshuffle or change of government”
Maybe, but do you really think that’s the reason? Or is it because those two are not proper black/brown people because they are conservatives?
Direct answer: I would hope Ministers would not be the advertising ‘face’ for their departments or the advertising will need to be redone every time there’s a shuffle.
However, I’m also absolutely convinced that far too many in that part of the ‘blob’ think that, as you suggest, “those two are not proper black/brown people because they are conservatives”
To get back to the point – what the hell are they crowing about diversity for? Can they get the job that the government requires them to do, done? If not, they’re failures.
“what the hell are they crowing about diversity for?”
Bang on!
I’ve got no problem with euthanasia, on a case by case basis, Not one size fits all!
“Why are birth rates falling?” – Countries globally, including the U.K., are experiencing falling birth rates. But what’s the real reason people are having fewer children,”
Aside from mother nature, who’d want to bring kids into this western nutbox?
Let me have a stab at this hugely complex question… Trick women into believing motherhood is unimportant and another tool of patriarchal oppression. Anything else? Nope, that’s pretty much it. Next.
“Guardian staff fear for their pets in work from home crackdown”
Ahrrrr, didums do it! You’ve know suffering haven’t you?
If there was another war could the army fight from home?
What did Tiddles and Fido do before lockdown..? My cats, tend to sleep until I get home, then they appear from wherever they have been, and demand food. They are a bit shaky on the whole ‘what time is it?’ thing.
“Muslim migrants are destroying European culture, says Poland’s ex-PM”
Correct sir!
Welby knighted. Reward for failure. Just like Cameron.
Wow, there’s no limits to hypocrisy these days is there?
I understand its an ancient honour bestowed on the bishop officiating at the Monarch’s Coronation.
Having said that, he is still a dreadful stain on the so called Church of England.
“Why are birth rates falling?” – Countries globally, including the U.K., are experiencing falling birth rates. But what’s the real reason people are having fewer children, asks Fraser Nelson in the Spectator”
It’s almost like Gaia is trying to tell us something.
Stick to trying to interpret the messages from Santa and the Easter Bunny…
Signs of the move towards the globalist multipolar order emerge as US coordinated operation in the Red Sea collapses as nations only want NATO or EU coordination:
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pentagons-operation-prosperity-guardian-falls-apart-spain-italy-france-reject-request
Spain’s Defence Ministry said it would only participate in NATO-led missions or European-coordinated operations – not ones commanded by the Pentagon:
Italy’s Defence Ministry voiced similar concerns, indicating it would send naval frigate Virginio Fasan to the Red Sea but only respond to requests by Italian shipowners.
“Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea has practically Collapsed as France, Spain, and Italy have all announced their Withdrawal from the US Command Structure for the Operation, with the Three Nations stating they will only conduct further Maritime Operations under the Command of NATO and/or the European Union and not the United States,” X account OSINTdefender wrote.