The Media Are the Message

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The recent “Declaration 2018” about illegal immigration caused a stir in Germany. JLH has put together a summary of the brouhaha, including a translation of an essay by Henryk Broder.

The Media Are the Message

by JLH

On March 15, 2018 (six days before the French Intellectuals’ declaration) the following Declaration 2018 appeared in Germany. Reading the original signers, you will recognize at least a few names. Thereafter, the statement was thrown open to further signatories, and a very great number added their names. See here.

Declaration 2018

With increasing dismay, we watch as Germany is damaged by illegal mass immigration. We join with those who demonstrate peacefully for the restoration of constitutional order at the border of our land.

Original Signatories:

Henryk M. Broder
Uwe Tellkamp
Dr. Thilo Sarrazin
Jörg Friedrich
Dr. Jörg Bernig
Matthias Matussek
Vera Lengsfeld
Prof. Egon Flaig
Heimo Schwilk
Ulrich Schacht
Dr. Frank Böckelmann
Herbert Ammon
Thomas-Jürgen Muhs
Sebastian Hennig
Dr. Till Kinzel
Krisztina Koenen
Anabel Schunke
Alexander Wendt
Dr. Ulrich Fröschle
Dr. Karlheinz Weissmann
Thorsten Hinz
Michael Klonovsky
Eberhard Sens
Matthias Moosdorf
Dieter Stein
Frank W. Haubold
Andreas Lombard
Annette Heinisch
Klaus Kelle
Eva Herman
Prof. Max Otte

Two weeks later, on March 29, 2018, the first of the original signers, Henryk Broder, wrote this comment — a typically snarky, broderish romp through the German media and “commenterati. From Die Achse des Guten:

Declaration 2018: Germany Freaks Out

I hesitated a little before signing the “Common Declaration 2018.” It seemed too general, too friendly, too unengaged. I thought the discussion was further advanced. There was a report of the Bundestag’s scientific service, which left the question of the constitutional basis for the opening of the borders unanswered. Previously Horst Seehofer [Bavaria’s CSU leader] had caused nation-wide consternation when — in an interview with the Passauer Neue Presse — he spoke of a “reign of injustice,” referring to an opinion of constitutional expert, Udo di Fabio, who maintained that the government had a duty to protect the German border. “There is no internationally sanctioned obligation of unlimited acceptance of victims of civil war or national collapse.” Rather, the Federal Republic “is duty-bound to re-establish effective control of the national borders, if the general European system of border security and immigration is temporarily or permanently dysfunctional.” Anyone interested in the legal implications was acquainted with a decision of the Regional Superior Court in Koblenz in February, 2017, which established clearly that “illegal entry to the area of the Federal Republic” is “at the moment no longer legally prosecuted.” In this respect, “legal order in the Federal Republic has been deactivated for approximately one and one-half years.”

Against this background, the “Common Declaration 2018” is of a downright touching harmlessness. Like the first sentence in Article 1 of the Golden Rule, “What you don’t want someone else to do to you, don’t do that to anyone else.” Okay, I thought, it’s not the best, it’s not the beginning of undoing the Gordian Knot, but maybe it’s the lowest common denominator acceptable to a few people who are concerned about the erosion of the rule of law. So I signed.

I had anticipated everything possible, but not the storm of outrage that broke out. As if a couple of nutcases had demanded rebuilding the internal German wall or introducing sharia in Bavaria. Starting with one of my industrious biographers, who caught me off guard, and on to the flagship of political correctness in Germany [Die Zeit], where people were surprised at “Who-all is signing Declaration 2018,” e.g. “ministerial undersecretaries and plastic surgeons,” that is, exactly those people who are prized by Die Zeit as subscribers and readers.

It was, you could say in all modesty, a tempest in a teapot. Expressed positively, it was a festival of freedom of opinion, even though it sounded as if the participants were all about doing away with it. Here is an incomplete but quite representative selection of voices:

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Loony Hijacks Truck, Goes on Rampage in Würzburg

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The following report by Egri Nök was published earlier at Vlad Tepes in a slightly different form.

Four Wounded: Mentally Ill Person Hijacks Truck, Goes on a Rampage Through Würzburg

by Egri Nök

Your ordinary Wednesday in Germany. An original translation from Merkur:

Four Injured, Property Damage

Arrest! Insane Person Speeds Truck Through Würzburg

Horror drive through Würzburg: a supposedly mentally ill person raced through the city, injured people and damaged property.

Würzburg — A suspected mentally ill man raced through Würzburg with a stolen small truck, injuring four. The 35-year-old hijacked the delivery truck of a bakery on Wednesday before noon, and took off with an employee of the bakery in the rear, police announce. At high speed, the German sped away, rammed an oncoming car and several parked cars before the truck got wedged. After the 35-year-old exited the driver’s compartment, he pushed a motorcycle rider from his bike, and finally wounded himself. Four passers-by overpowered the man until police arrested him.

Property Damage and Injuries

The employee of the bakery, the driver of the oncoming car, the motorcyclist, and one of the passers-by were injured, according to police. At least eleven cars were damaged by the man on his run. He was taken to hospital.

Gates of Vienna News Feed 4/3/2018

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A young woman named Nasim Aghdam entered YouTube headquarters in California today and started shooting at people. Three people were wounded before Ms. Aghdam turned the gun on herself and committed suicide. Some reports say that she was angry at a boyfriend who worked at YouTube; others say that she was unhappy that YouTube had demonetized her videos and choked her views on her channel.

In other news, President Trump ordered the U.S. military deployed to the southern border to protect against the migrant “caravans” on their way from Honduras.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to Charles Low, Dean, JD, Reader from Chicago, SS, Vlad Tepes, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

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Islamic Terror Attacks Thwarted in Italy

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Italy was on heightened terror alert over the Easter weekend, but managed to avoid any attacks by breaking up networks and arresting conspirators before they could carry out their plans. In particular, a network of associates of Anis Amri, the Berlin Christmas market mujahid, was broken up.

Many thanks to FouseSquawk for translating this TV report, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling:

Video transcript:

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The Dogs Bark But the Caravan Moves On

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An excellent post from the Diplomad in which he outlines a robust approach to the problem approaching our southern border. If our readers have other suggestions (mayhem not being one), please share:

A couple of days ago I posted a piece on Trump’s foreign policy with a reference to the ancient Arabic saying, “The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.”

News reports tell us there is another sort of caravan on the move. Some 1000-1200 Central Americans, aided it seems by progressive groups and the Mexican government, are “marching,” driving, hiking, riding a train, whatever, on their way to the USA. It is some self-proclaimed “freedom caravan” that intends to arrive on our border, stream across, and then claim asylum in the USA from the violence in Honduras.

This seems to be a new take on the Moroccan “Green March” of 1975 used against Spain in the Western Sahara. The idea is to defy the superior armed Western power to use force against a “popular” march which seeks only some altruistic goal. Very touching. You will notice these sorts of tactics are not used against certain countries known to shoot without compunction.

Anyhow, this little stunt is outrageous as it is being, as noted, aided by a nominally “friendly” country, Mexico (see my take on Mexico’s friendliness here and here). Not only that but legally the marchers have no case. If they are fleeing Honduras, they can seek asylum in Mexico, the first stop in their “escape.” Mexico has the responsibility to grant them asylum, turn them over to the UN, or return them to their country of origin.

It is the political season in Mexico, and the presidential candidates are trying to outdo each other in “standing up to the gringos.” If this stunt succeeds, there will be a flood of similar “marches” very quickly. We either have a border or we don’t. We either have a regime of laws or we don’t. We either have a country or we don’t. This is an existential threat as much if not more so than any actions by Russia, China, or the jihadi crazies.

We cannot just have the dogs bark. They have to bite.

One of the articles I link above noted that Mexico has over fifty diplomatic and consular missions in the United States; Honduras has about dozen missions here. All of these, the Mexican ones especially, are centers of political and immigration activism. The Mexicans, as I have noted before, have been quite open in their meddling in our internal affairs, including in the last elections.

We need to tell these governments in no uncertain terms that we intend to shut down half of their missions immediately, and will shut down others in accordance with their behavior. We, furthermore, need to tell them that we will cease issuing visas, and even shut the border to normal trade and tourism if these sorts of officially tolerated and sponsored events occur.

This is no joke. Serious as a heart attack.

It’s worth going over there to follow the links in his post.

Thanks to Bill Keezer for the tip.

Gates of Vienna News Feed 4/2/2018

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement with the United Nations refugee agency to resettle more than 16,000 African migrants from Israel to Canada, Germany, and Italy. However, hours after agreeing to the deal, Mr. Netanyahu rescinded it. The deal would have compelled Israel to give an equal number of migrants permanent residence.

In other news, the Greek coast guard rescued dozens of migrants off the coast of the island of Samos after the refugees’ vessel encountered rough seas.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to Charles Low, Dean, Reader from Chicago, Red Mike, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

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Sweden: A Warning to the World

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Sweden: A warning to the world
by Svenne Tvaerskaegg

In February 2013 the then-Swedish foreign minister and former prime minister Carl Bildt announced to the world that Sweden had become a “Humanitarian Superpower”.[1] Ikea and Volvo, the great international symbols of modern, progressive Sweden were joined by another mighty symbol: Sweden, humanitarian superpower and moral beacon for the whole of mankind. Sweden was to be known as the land of tolerance and acceptance, a safe haven for the world’s dispossessed where all were welcome and multiculturalism worked. The world was to look up to Sweden in admiration, the Mother Theresa of nations.

Sweden’s borders had been opened to mass immigration decades before Carl Bildt’s proclamation, and for a long time this was no problem. Sweden was a rich, well-functioning and modern country with a high standard of living, and it was easy to accommodate the refugees and migrants who slowly began to arrive. Over the decades the trickle turned into a flood as hundreds of thousands of migrants from some of the world’s most dysfunctional and violent societies poured into the country. Immigrant ghettos sprang up round Sweden’s towns and cities. Most ordinary Swedes never came into contact with the crime-ridden ghettos and were not affected at first, their blissful ignorance helped by a largely politically correct and censorious media committed to the state ideology of Multiculturalism. For years it was possible to live in Sweden and actually believe the country was a multicultural paradise where mass immigration made the country a better, richer and more interesting place to live.


But a tipping point has now been reached. Riots, shootings and gang rapes, once practically unheard of in Sweden, have become regular occurrences. Crime is spreading out from the ghettos, and ordinary Swedes are increasingly coming into contact with the terrible effects of their disastrous immigration policy. Sweden’s shopping malls, some of the best in Europe, are being invaded by gangs of North African and Middle Eastern youths from the ghettos. It is in these malls that many Swedes get their first real taste of Multiculturalism. Sweden’s largest mall, the Nordstan mall in Gothenburg, is no longer a showcase of Swedish modernity and prosperity, as immigrant gangs attacking, mugging and sexually assaulting shoppers are turning it into a no-go zone.[2]

Just before Easter a news story broke about a particularly violent attack in Stockholm’s showcase Mall of Scandinavia. A 17-year-old Swedish boy was approached by a gang of approximately ten Somali youths who, according to police, were “looking for trouble”. When the boys’ father intervened to rescue his son the gang turned on him and beat him to the ground. The gang of ten then formed a circle round the prostrate father and treated him like a football, aiming repeated and savage kicks straight into his face. The badly injured man was hospitalized with what police described as “serious facial injuries.” Police say they believe the gang came from the nearby ghetto of Järva.[3]

As incidents like this increasingly intrude into the lives and consciousness of Swedes, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the illusion of a multicultural paradise. What is particularly worrying for Sweden’s political elites is that news of what is happening in their country is leaking to the outside world. It is seriously damaging their long fostered image of the “humanitarian superpower.”

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A Syrian culture-enricher was offended. Vivien got stabbed. Sometimes these things just happen.

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Several days ago, as part of a larger report on a wave of knife crimes in Germany, Egri Nök discussed an incident in which a young woman named Vivien was viciously stabbed by a 17-year-old Syrian “refugee”. In a subsequent report, Vivien’s parents went public about what had happened to their daughter.

Among other things, the following video features an interview with the Syrian attacker’s older brother. Many thanks to Ava Lon and Egri for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling:

Video transcript:

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Heinz-Christian Strache Calls for “Immediate and Consequent Deportation” of Criminal Migrants

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For anyone who is used to the typical PC waffling by Western European politicians when discussing the migration issue, the following video is astonishing and refreshing.

Heinz-Christian Strache is the leader of the FPÖ (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, Austrian Freedom Party). He is the current vice-chancellor of Austria, in coalition with the ÖVP (Österreichische Volkspartei, Austrian People’s Party) with Sebastian “Boy” Kurz as chancellor.

In his statement, Mr. Strache not only speaks plainly about the dangers posed by criminal migrants, but even identifies the ethnicities (Chechens and Afghans) that display the most brutality. He emphasizes the pointlessness of attempting to “integrate” such thugs, and insists that criminal migrants must be immediately deported.

I never expected to hear such remarks by a leader from any European country west of the Iron Curtain. Mr. Strache’s position is for all intents and purposes the same as that of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The difference, of course, being that Mr. Orbán doesn’t have to deal with the presence of large numbers of viciously criminal migrants in Hungary, because he had the prudence and foresight to deny them entry in the first place.

Many thanks to Oz-Rita for translating and subtitling this video:

Video transcript:

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Wolfgang Schäuble: They’re Here, You’re Kafir, Get Used To It

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The following report by Egri Nök was published last night at Vlad Tepes in a slightly different form.

It should be noted that the odious Wolfgang Schäuble, the finance minister in the current GroKo government, is a leader of the Christian Democrat Party, and thus an ostensible “conservative”. His attitude isn’t discernibly different from that of a Social Democrat, or a Green: “We invited the Muslims in. They’re here now. You must defer to them. There isn’t a damned thing you can do about it — get used to it.”

As Fjordman said (and it can’t be repeated too often):

“The European Union is the principal motor behind the Islamization of Europe. It is formally surrendering an entire continent to Islam while destroying established national cultures, and is prepared to harass those who disagree with this policy.

“This is the greatest organized betrayal in Western history.”

German Finance Minister: “We Can’t Change the Course of History. Accept That Islam is a Part of Germany Now.”

by Egri Nök

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU) told Germans:

“We can’t stop the course of history. Everyone will have to deal with the fact that Islam has become a part of our country.”

While Schäuble said that Muslims in Germany needed to realize that they live in a country that was not shaped by Islamic traditions, he concluded:

“And the rest of the population has to accept that there is a growing proportion of Muslims in Germany.”

Wolfgang Schäuble is one of Angela Merkel’s most loyal old confidantes; he has served as the Federal Interior Minister under her in 2005-2009; and as the Finance Minister from 2009 until present.

[Photo caption (not shown): Old confidantes: Angela Merkel and Wolfgang Schäuble.]

Gates of Vienna News Feed 4/1/2018

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A restaurant called the “Dixy Chicken” mysteriously exploded today in the English city of Birmingham. Two men — who were both treated for burns — have since been arrested on suspicion of arson.

In other news, hundreds of supporters of Catalan independence marched in Berlin to protest the detention of Carles Puigdemont, who is wanted in Spain on a charge of rebellion. I feel compelled to point out that “rebellion” is one of the few crimes, possibly the only one, that can be punished by death in the European Union.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to Charles Low, Dean, Reader from Chicago, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

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Syrian Arsonist Blocked Apartment House Door So Residents Couldn’t Escape

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As a follow-up to last night’s report, Egri Nök posted this article earlier tonight at Vlad Tepes in a slightly different form.

Update: Police Think Syrian Set Leipzig House on Fire Intentionally, Wounding 16, Killing 1

by Egri Nök

As we reported, a Syrian refugee set fire to an apartment house in Leipzig in the early morning hours of Good Friday, wounding 16, and killing one woman.

The Federal Prosecutor confirms to Bild newspaper that the man was arrested and specifically charged with first-degree arson, murder, and attempted murder. Police think that the arson was intentional. The man had set fire to a rubbish bin at the rear exit, so that the entire stairs and hallway caught fire within minutes, from the ground floor to the roof. The house’s entrance appears to have been blocked with a sofa.

According to neighbours, the Syrian regularly fought with his wife so fiercely that police came to intervene several times.

The woman who died in the flames is not yet identified, but is believed to be the tenant Sandy B., 40 years old; while a yet unidentified man, who is in critical condition with utmost severe burns, is believed to be her partner.

The two who had to jump from the roof into the firefighters’ cushion, a man and a woman, suffered broken bones, but are otherwise fine.

What was left of the staircase collapsed Saturday night.

Once again, visit Vlad’s place for the photos to go with these captions:

1.   The fire spread through the hallway from the ground floor to the roof within minutes.
2.   People locked on the roof jump down into the firefighters’ cushions.
3.   The hallway collapsed the next day.
4.   Aerial view of the house.
 

You’ll Find That You’re in the Rotogravure

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Hum along while Mark Steyn explains the origins of the only secular Easter song I know…

Irving Berlin’s “Easter Parade” has its beginnings in a very obscure chin-up song from the Great War written in 1917. In this audio special, Mark traces its origins as a First World War morale booster to its re-emergence a generation later as the American Songbook’s only Easter standard. Along the way, we’ll also explore the long languished tradition of Easter parades, the meaning of the word “rotogravure”, and whether anyone actually could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet.

There are lots of old versions out there; this one is the earliest I could find. Notice that it keeps the original foxtrot cadence:

So were you ever curious about that word “rotogravure”? I was…

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Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/31/2018

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Austria has handed down fifty fines to women for violating the burka ban since the law came into effect last October. Most of the charges were issued in November and December; after that, violations tapered off.

In other news, a 25-year-old Moroccan “youth” was arrested in Italy on suspicion of raping a teenage girl on a train in Bologna.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to Charles Low, Insubria, JD, MC, Reader from Chicago, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. We check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

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