You can't "handle" the truth . . . we won't let you.
"The consistent triumph of an ideology over reality is a good definition of totalitarianism. As a writer, I have always found this subject fascinating. In a totalitarian world, the only reality that is regarded as real is that which agrees with the ruling ideology and any truth that contradicts ideology must be visciously outlawed, suppressed, censored and, ultimately, forgotten. Freedom of speech is one avenue that should, at least theoretically, leave open the possibility of the acknowledgement of reality and is often praised as a virtue and a value because of this, but in practice totalitarian ideologies work hard to create a social climate where citizens feel anxious to speak their minds if it happens to go against the ruling philosophy of the day. Truly successful totalitarian ideologies make people feel anxious simply for acknowledging reality or thinking thoughts that go against what is considered acceptable. This is the essence of political correctness. In the ultimate totalitarian regime, citizens will refuse to speak up against ideology even when ideology creates circumstances of utter evil in reality and will actively shout-down and castigate anyone who dares mention the evil that is in plain sight. The Rotherham rape gang scandal is a perfect example of this. For over a decade officials, social workers, police, and politicians willingly chose to abide by the ruling ideology of political correctness, multiculturalism, and anti-racism instead of coming to the defense of over a thousand girls who were systematically abused, tortured, and gang-raped by groups of Muslim men. After Rotherham, it was discovered similar atrocities had been and were occurring all over the United Kingdom. Unspeakable acts of evil were simply ignored and allowed to happen in order to protect ideology - this is not only totalitarian ideology at its finest, but also evil at its purest.
Fast forward to recent events and notions of freedom speech. When the Charlie Hebdo massacre happened in Paris I remember feeling a little discomfitted by the universal outpouring of defiance in the defense of freedom of speech which included a sombre parade of politicians, arms-linked, marching in unity in support of this unapproachable right. I felt uncomfortable because I knew that most of the politicians and the plebs that followed them through the streets of Paris were anything but true defenders of the right to freedom of speech. Angela Merkel was one of those "Je Suis" politicians yet barely more than a year later she was captured on an open-mike ordering Mark Zuckerberg to essentially censor any and all criticism of the migrant crisis that might make an appearance in his facebook realm. Since then, Germany has made no secret of its censorship and blackouts when it comes to anything related to the migrant crisis. In Merkel's world, the right of a puerile and tasteless cartoon satire rag that goes out of its way to offend must be protected, yet the right of a country's citizens to voice valid concerns about developments that directly affect them and their society must be suppressed and outlawed.
For months the German media was flooded with only positive images of the migrant crisis because the German elite were convinced, rightly so in my opinion, that the German public would not be able to handle the truth. Oh, there were hugs and chocolates and signs welcoming refugees and great selfies and big smiles. But all of that is melting away and many Germans are waking up to the fact that the migrant crisis is not all hugs and chocolates and warm, fuzzy Wilkommenskultur. The ruling ideology will not bend, however. If truths about current circumstances exist, they are certainly not allowed to be aired. If there are truths that deserve to be heard, Merkel does not want her citizens to "handle" them.
And here we are in November fresh off another Muslim terrorist attack in Paris - the second in a year. Unlike Hebdo, which was more or less a targeted attack against a publication that freely mocked Islam, the latest attack was a direct and brutal attack against the people of France. The reactions, thus far, have been entirely predictable. Candlelight vigils, a lot of weepy faces, and vows of "not giving into hatred and intolerance" while in the background cleaning crews work hard to mop up the blood from the streets. Hollande has declared war and has thrown a few bombs into the Syrian desert. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of unscreened and unvetted migrants continue pushing their way through Greece and up into the Balkans toward Germany and Sweden.
Naturally, most EU politicians, Merkel and Juncker at the forefront, have made the assertion that there is no viable or meaningful connection between the terror attacks and the migrant invasion. Even thinking anything that comes close to this notion is anathema and makes you a xenophobe and well, a horrible person who needs to go die a lonely death somewhere far away from happyland. Despite the brutal slayings of over one hundred of their own citizens, they have reasserted that any criticism of the migrant crisis or "inappropriate" remarks about Islam and its connection to the Paris attacks will be deemed hate speech and dealt with in the harshest manner. As is to be expected, most people in Western Europe are more than thrilled to tow this line. Firmly trapped in their liberal comas they will continue to subscribe to the ideology politicians like Juncker represent even when it threatens their very existence. This is totalitarian ideology of liberalism in its purest, rawest form.
This totalitarianism has always been there as long as liberalism has reigned, but never has it been so absurdly obvious, so astonishingly on-the-surface. One could almost argue that perhaps it has been irrevocably exposed. And I have a feeling that more people are becoming aware this exposure. Ideology can be strong, but reality is inevitably stronger. Even the most brainwashed will find it hard to ignore reality if their own lives are at stake. If liberal ideology is becoming exposed, it faces an acute "emperor has no clothes" problem. Unlike that story, most people in Western Europe will not listen to the first or even the thousandth person who points and shouts, but if enough people begin pointing and shouting it could begin a chain reaction. For the sake of Western Europe, it had better.
Fast forward to recent events and notions of freedom speech. When the Charlie Hebdo massacre happened in Paris I remember feeling a little discomfitted by the universal outpouring of defiance in the defense of freedom of speech which included a sombre parade of politicians, arms-linked, marching in unity in support of this unapproachable right. I felt uncomfortable because I knew that most of the politicians and the plebs that followed them through the streets of Paris were anything but true defenders of the right to freedom of speech. Angela Merkel was one of those "Je Suis" politicians yet barely more than a year later she was captured on an open-mike ordering Mark Zuckerberg to essentially censor any and all criticism of the migrant crisis that might make an appearance in his facebook realm. Since then, Germany has made no secret of its censorship and blackouts when it comes to anything related to the migrant crisis. In Merkel's world, the right of a puerile and tasteless cartoon satire rag that goes out of its way to offend must be protected, yet the right of a country's citizens to voice valid concerns about developments that directly affect them and their society must be suppressed and outlawed.
For months the German media was flooded with only positive images of the migrant crisis because the German elite were convinced, rightly so in my opinion, that the German public would not be able to handle the truth. Oh, there were hugs and chocolates and signs welcoming refugees and great selfies and big smiles. But all of that is melting away and many Germans are waking up to the fact that the migrant crisis is not all hugs and chocolates and warm, fuzzy Wilkommenskultur. The ruling ideology will not bend, however. If truths about current circumstances exist, they are certainly not allowed to be aired. If there are truths that deserve to be heard, Merkel does not want her citizens to "handle" them.
And here we are in November fresh off another Muslim terrorist attack in Paris - the second in a year. Unlike Hebdo, which was more or less a targeted attack against a publication that freely mocked Islam, the latest attack was a direct and brutal attack against the people of France. The reactions, thus far, have been entirely predictable. Candlelight vigils, a lot of weepy faces, and vows of "not giving into hatred and intolerance" while in the background cleaning crews work hard to mop up the blood from the streets. Hollande has declared war and has thrown a few bombs into the Syrian desert. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of unscreened and unvetted migrants continue pushing their way through Greece and up into the Balkans toward Germany and Sweden.
Naturally, most EU politicians, Merkel and Juncker at the forefront, have made the assertion that there is no viable or meaningful connection between the terror attacks and the migrant invasion. Even thinking anything that comes close to this notion is anathema and makes you a xenophobe and well, a horrible person who needs to go die a lonely death somewhere far away from happyland. Despite the brutal slayings of over one hundred of their own citizens, they have reasserted that any criticism of the migrant crisis or "inappropriate" remarks about Islam and its connection to the Paris attacks will be deemed hate speech and dealt with in the harshest manner. As is to be expected, most people in Western Europe are more than thrilled to tow this line. Firmly trapped in their liberal comas they will continue to subscribe to the ideology politicians like Juncker represent even when it threatens their very existence. This is totalitarian ideology of liberalism in its purest, rawest form.
This totalitarianism has always been there as long as liberalism has reigned, but never has it been so absurdly obvious, so astonishingly on-the-surface. One could almost argue that perhaps it has been irrevocably exposed. And I have a feeling that more people are becoming aware this exposure. Ideology can be strong, but reality is inevitably stronger. Even the most brainwashed will find it hard to ignore reality if their own lives are at stake. If liberal ideology is becoming exposed, it faces an acute "emperor has no clothes" problem. Unlike that story, most people in Western Europe will not listen to the first or even the thousandth person who points and shouts, but if enough people begin pointing and shouting it could begin a chain reaction. For the sake of Western Europe, it had better.
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