We all know the expression, "The Emperor's New Clothes" which, I believe, derives from a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale.
For those too young to have been raised in traditions of "talk-story", as Maxine Hong Kingston puts it, this story has to do with a deceitful ruler who, with the help of canny sages, had slaves weave non-existent cloth, embroider it with non-existent threat, adorn it with non-existent buttons, get his entire entourage help him to put it on and wear it-to the enthusiastic accolades of those who benefited from an industry of non-existent goods.
Periodically, this emperor would show himself to the adoring masses, wearing his birthday suit, and no one had the guts to call him on the carpet for his fraud-until an honest child cried out: "But look! But look! The Emperor HAS NO CLOTHES !"
That is where we are now. And it is most instructive to observe how desperately the august Emperor now tries to keep the grand illusion going.
From France, we recently received the following:
". . . All Europeans should have a look on Germany, the central power of our continent. Under the admittedly new varnish of democracy, we have to face the resurrection of an old authoritarianism, out of the Prussian mold, which facilitated the rise of Nazism to power in the 30s.
Now the official enemy is whoever does not consider the foreign-devised constitution the sole source of patriotism. The general prohibition to study and reinterpret the historical events of the 40s is construed by the local courts as a free for all chase of political dissidents.
Among them the political colors are quite spread out. Some are revisionists, some are not, some are nationalists, some are not, some are pro-Nazi, many are not.
The number of political prisoners is on the rise. Books and magazines are seized by the police. People are thrown into jail because they have uttered, in front of private audiences, ideas which are deemed heretical by authorities.
More and more intellectuals are going into exile to avoid long terms in prison. Big fines are imposed. One publisher is fined because he asked someone to help him interview G. Rudolf, a dissident chemist.
Courts which are said to bee too lenient are dissolved and judges dismissed while their rulings are revised for more punishment. (G. Deckert case in Stuttgart)
Germany is becoming even more repressive than during the already heavy period of the Red Brigades. Frivolous accusations and ridiculous assertions do not stop prosecutors hunting down the non-liberal dissidents. . . "
The United States serves up a fellow named John Schwartz, a Washington Post staff writer, who had this to say:
". . . A lot of journalists are discovering "hate speech" on the Internet -- racism, antisemitism, the whole vile package. It's the cover story for the current issue of Emerge, with the arresting image of a mouse cord tied in a noose.
Such groups as the Simon Wiesenthal Center in California try to persuade publications to run stories on this loathsome trend, AND THEY URGE GOVERNMENTS to drive those who spread messages of hate from the Net. . . " (emphasis added).
From Canada comes this exchange between one Bernie Farber, whom we believe to be the Director of Community Relations and spokesman for the Canadian Jewish Congress, and young Marc Lemire, whose Freedom-Site was unceremoniously kicked off the air by Pathway Communications. We offer it here without comment:
Bernie: "Hey Marc, such is the beauty of our capitalist system. Pathway communication (sic) has decided that it does not want you as a customer. This is it's (sic) right. You have the right to find another server. As for your financial problems with Pathway, small claims court is available to you."
Marc: " Bernie, I'll tell you what--I'll open a business and refuse to serve Jews. Would you agree that this is my right also?"
And on and on and on.
Let's say you are the emperor, and suddenly you find yourself parading in front of millions in the buff. And next you realize that from your opposition's point of view, a problem well stated is a problem already half solved. That will be your cue to talk yourself red, white and blue in the face-which seems to be now in full swing.
Ingrid
Thought for the Day:
"In a museum in Havana there are two skulls of Christopher Columbus, one when he was a boy, and one when he was a man."
(Mark Twain)