Tuesday, April 29, 2008

More crap from the 'Independent'

They may have a new editor but the Independent has excelled itself today with this. Take a look at the headline "Neo-fascist sweeps in as Rome's mayor". Then read the first sentence (emphasis mine),
A former street-fighting neo-fascist won a crushing victory in Rome’s mayoral election last night, crowning the victory two weeks ago of Silvio Berlusconi and the centre-right in the general election
Subtle isn't it? Call him a neo-fascist in the headline, but concede in just the second word that he isn't one actually.

Then we have the top of their leader on the same subject headlined "The demons of the far right raise their heads again". So now it's the "far right" even thoug within the report on the election victory it's the centre-right. You will also note that no metnion is made of the Red Brigade, it's all about the nasty right wingers who are the epitomy of pure evil.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

That the Daily Woe Woe and Thrice Woe prints crap is not much of a revelation

Anonymous said...

I don't read the Independent, so I don't much care what they print, but it might be advisable to think through your criticism before you rant.
Given that the word "neo-fascist" appears in the headline, the word "former" does not IMO refer to the word "neo-fascist", it is a reference to the new mayor's "street-fighting" activities, which, in his new position, are far more likely to be "former" than current.

Anonymous said...

they don't have a new editor. he hasn't started yet and simon kelner is still in the hotseat. it's fine that you don't keep up with the goings on in the national media, after all i reckon it's all a bit dull for people who don't work in the industry, but you really oughtn't criticise what you don't understand.

dizzy said...

I'll critcise about what the fuck I like.

Mr Eugenides said...

You're right about the Indy, of course, but it is perfectly fair to describe him as a neo-fascist, because he is one.

His party are the National Alliance, who, like the Northern League, are without any doubt "post-fascists". They are, however, going to be part of Berlusconi's coalition, but Silvio is of course centre-right, as is his party.

So it's fair to say that the victory of this post-fascist gives Berlusconi and the centre-right a boost. It may be phrased slightly tendentiously but I'm not sure I'd have written it that differently.

dizzy said...

"It may be phrased slightly tendentiously"

Only slightly! The thing that annoys me most is the way you would never see them critcise Antonio Negri in the same way, that you can guarantee.

Ewan Watt said...

Yup, this shows a distinct ignorance of Italian politics. Gianni Alemanno broke from the MSI to join the AN in the mid 90s. 'Neo fascist'? How would the Left react if we tarred everyone in Europe who used to be a member of a Communist Party as a Communist?

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Watt,

Your comment perfectly illustrates the point Dizzy is making and the fact that you can't see it is something you should be utterly, utterly ashamed of.

There are huge numbers of people active on the left wing today, in what are absurdly called 'progressive' politics, who are or were members of the Communist Party. They joined up to these Parties at a time when Commnunist Parties held down the whole of Eastern Europe and Russia by brute force AND threatened us with destruction unless we 'deterred' them with nuclear weapons. Fortunately our ability to deter them worked long enough for these 'progressive' left-wing parties in delightful, freedom-loving states like East Germany to collapse under the weight of their own inefficiencies, brutality and corruption.

Now, the Communist Party in Russia and its satellites were EXACT equivalents to the National Socialist German Workers Party which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. Nazis as they are sometimes known.

Compare the huge mumbers of people on the left today in Europe who can see nothing wrong with being, or having been, Communists, with what you would consider to be 'right wing' Parties. How many Conservative Party members, for example, are former members of other, totalitarian, Parties? Probably none.

Ewan Watt said...

Sir, you've obviously wasted a lot of time on this post. Perhaps I was merely echoing his sentiments?

Anonymous said...

"Gianni Alemanno broke from the MSI to join the AN in the mid 90s"

Er... no. The Mussolini admiring MSI dissolved into the AN.

The last leader of the MSI: Gianfranco Fini.

The last leader of the AN: Gianfranco Fini.

Look closely at an AN logo. It says MSI in the middle of it.

Alemanno only followed Fini (and the rest of the AN) in joining the centre-right PdL in February.

The guy also still likes wearing a facist symbol round his neck.

Hence the references to him being little more than a regular centre-right politician.


The Red Brigade aren't mentioned in the article because no current/former member of the RB is mentioned in the article. Pretty straight forward.

Antonio Negri was never shown in court to be a member of the Red Brigade or convicted of any of its murders.

People often support facists because they're racist. People often support communists because they like the idea of state ownership. That's the big difference.

dizzy said...

You'll be telling me next that Stalin's pogroms were not racist, or that the Marxist principle that human nature can essentially be perfect through the power of the collectivist action doesn't equally result in the logical conclusion of racist policies.

Anonymous said...

Um Ewan Watt, I am the now humble Anon 12:56.

Yesterday was a rather busy day at work for me as I do have quite a demanding job bringing up and paying for my children with ever worse state support and ever increasing taxes (thanks, Gordon). I do ike to keep an eye on the blogosphere and am amazed as you are by the number of apologists for mass murder, or communists as they used to be known, still exist.

Apologies that I mistoook the intent of last question in your post. Thank goodness I don't put my real name!