The Big Lie (The Euro press fanning the flames of hatred.)

Town Hall ^ | November 9, 2003 | Herbert London

[quidnunc]

The Big Lie is as prevalent in public life today as it was in Hitler’s Germany. So rash and irresponsible is European reporting about the Middle East that in a recent European Union poll Israel was regarded as the number one threat to world peace, ahead of Iran and North Korea.

This view so strains credulity, that it appears as if a kind of brainwashing that afflicted Germans during World War II has occurred in Europe today. Moreover, it confirms a deeply held suspicion among many Jews that anti-semitism has raised its ugly head in Europe yet again.

A European Union poll of 7500 found that 59 percent deemed Israel “a threat to peace in the world,” with figures rising to 60 percent in Britain, 65 in Germany, 69 in Austria and 74 in Holland.

Greta Duisenberg, the wife of the departing president of the European Central Bank, called the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank “worse than the Nazi rule in Holland.” This statement might be dismissed as the rantings of an ignorant person were it not a claim shared by many others in Holland, a nation where almost all of its 100,000 Jews were exterminated by the Germans during World War II.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center argued that the poll results reveal the E.U. bias and serve as proof positive that many Europeans have swallowed the press corp’s vilification of Israel “hook, line and sinker.”

As one might guess there is a correlation between this anti-Israeli sentiment and the rising tide of anti-Americanism. Asked if America poses a threat to peace, 55 percent in Britain said “yes”, 52 in France and 45 in Germany. In Greece the figure reached 88 percent, with 96 percent calling the Iraq war “unjustified.” Only Danish public opinion continues to back the U.S. intervention in Iraq.

What is remarkable about these polling results is the dramatic shift in public opinion over a very abbreviated period. As late as eight years ago the Dutch were overwhelmingly pro-Israel. One Dutch based editor said, “This is the strangest poll I’ve ever seen. The Dutch have always been pro-Israel and so I ask myself how can this possibly be?”

Alas, what this editor has overlooked is the effect of unrelenting criticism of Israel and the corresponding Muslim influence throughout Europe. In fact, much of this editorial criticism has been reckless when it suggests parallels with tyrannical policies imposed on helpless people.

-snip-

[Porterville]

Good thing we Americans back the Israelis and will kick Euro Weanie ass for fun...

Bunch of stinkin' anti semites can't wait to blame the Jews. Every 50 or so years the anti semites raise their ugly godless heads and want to place some form of communism and dictitorial regime over the good God loving people... but this time we have the muscle that has no equal.

[lainde]

ditto

[jim35]

ditto

[SkyPilot]

I would rather America and Israel be villified by every nation on earth rather that capitulate to evil. I believe God chooses sides, and I would rather be on His.

America was attacked on September 11th, 2001 for one reason: we stand with Israel and its struggle against evil.

I am not much of an "end times" follower. God has His own schedule, and I don't like to read every tea leaf looking for proof. But, there will be an Anti-Christ, the world will go mad following him against Israel, and there will be horrible, bloody war unlike anything ever witnesses by mankind.

Let everyone choose their side.

[Clintonfatigued]

This is scary. Isn't this what brought Hitler to power? How can all of these college-educated, modern reporters and editors espouse this kind of anti-semitic garbage? Don't they realize that the people they're siding with are basically a cruel, medeival culture which commits atrocities not seen in Europe since the Inquisition? How did this happen?

[cmotormac44]

Satan rules the earth!

[SAJ]

You are entirely naive, evidently. A considerable majority of colleges, and practically EVERY J-school, have no intention of dealing in or educating their students in either formal logic or rational thought.

These silly sods who inhabit the J-schools aren't taught to report news objectively; they (pardon my barfing) ''WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE'', and, to that end, they are uniformly taught to reject objective fact and report how they ''feel''.

Never mind that they haven't a clue about history, geography, science as it affects political events, or any other objective measure of knowledge, they WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

And. that ''want'' supersedes EVERY other consideration, except of course their promotion within the structure that insists on such a foul operative premise.

I'm confident that you'll extrapolate the disaster this implies; the only remaining variable is that of time to perdition.

[11B3]

You have also described the difference between getting a degree in science versus a 'liberal arts' degree. 'Liberal Arts' majors all want to make a difference in the world, and are ideologically open to the suggestions given by their liberal professors. Since they are essentially taught nothing of value, many of these graduates don't find work in the real world, and then must resort to teaching. The cycle continues.

[ladyinred]

Let everyone choose their side.

I agree, and I have. I do follow prophecy so I am keeping an eye on this BIG TIME!

[jazzlite]

What is wrong with Europeans? If they did not learn the lessons from WWII, what could possible teach them about the principles which produce peace in society?

[Leisler]

It has reached critical mass and they are recycleing themselves.

[arthurus]

I wonder if the generals and the more rational politicians in Israel are considering the possibility that Israel may soon have to defend itself militarily from Europe? If Europe were to launch a military strike/invasion would the US strike against Europe? or would we effectively say "tough luck, Israel, it was fun while it lasted." I expect that there will be first boycott then ultimatum once Europe is sucked into a single entity, or maybe sooner if the Brussels socialists deem a diversion necessary to hasten union.

[squidly]

This would be more worrisome if Europe were not today so committed to pacifism, relying on the U.S. as its mercenary army if trouble should ever arise.

[squidly]

I wouldn't worry about that too much. These "Brussels socialists" (nice term) haven't shown enough backbone to be interested in fighting for anything. So long as the U.S. military exists to solve Europe's problems, I don't see that as changing. Spineless, gutless, amoral (or postmodern, if you prefer), and impotent. It's fortunate for the EU that they have money, because they have little else these days.

[arthurus]

At some point the Euros will determine that they must quit depending on American military protection, or they will cease to see any need for it. The very rapidly escalating antiAmericanism-antiSemitism suggests that a point will arrive in a fairly short time when Europe will try to rapidly militarize, especially if it is seen as a useful way to finally force union on the countries now getting colld feet. This will be dangerous only for a short period as militarization in a socialist system will precipitate economic decline and a resultant inability to support a military sufficient to actually whip America or possibly even Israel, assuming that American trends toward socialism don't finally stifle our own economy and that Israel continues to lose its socialist inclinations.

Actually, with the rising antipathy for America, we might well be better off by withdrawing militarily completely from Europe and forcing Europe to really protect itself. That will precipitate a real decline. They are able to support their tremendous welfare state because Uncle Sam is effectively paying all their true defense bills.

Socialist Germany was able to rapidly militarize and Europe blew up because Germany's foes were pretty much as socialist as was Germany and were not militarily that much superior to Germany, even right after the 1918 armistice. Now therre is a tremendous inferiority of every nation vis-a-vis the US.

Even China will not catch up sufficiently to be a real threat because China cannot catch its economy up short of full democracy and fully free markets or at least as free as America. If China attains that status China will no longer be in the conquest business.

[SAJ]

Exactly so. Very well said!

[Nebr FAL owner]

We might have the muscle if we completely mobilized this nation as in WW2 but I seriously doubt that we have the will to fight the good fight.

[Guillermo]

America was attacked on September 11th, 2001 for one reason: we stand with Israel

Bullsh*t!

[MarkL]

I had thought for many years that the reaons for the lukewarm support in Europe for the creation of the State of Israel was two-fold. First, it allowed the europeans to assuage their guilt for what they had done to the Jews. And secondly, by placing them, pretty much defensless, surrounded by people who were calling for the death of every Jews in the middle east, they would be able to finish the job that they just didn't want to do themselves... Get rid of the Jews.

They didn't expect for the Jews to be able to defend themselves, and not only survive, but thrive. And the only reason that there's any problem with their arab neighbors today is the fact that Israel has been stopped over and over again (primarily by the UN), since 1956, from completely obliterating the arabs' ability to make war. In 1973, Israel was less than 50 miles from Damascus, and had a huge number of Egyptian soldiers surrounded. And they were stopped again.

Mark