A disturbing development in contemporary political debate is the stratagem of condemning our adversaries as “haters,” individuals whose depravity places their opinions beyond the pale of civilized discourse. Demonizing our rivals is an enormously convenient ploy, one much favoured by totalitarian regimes. It proclaims our superior moral virtue while sparing us the tedious requirement of providing reasons and evidence in support of our views. Theodore Dalrymple, writing in Taki Mag, reminds us that hate is a universal emotion and fulfills a primary human need. Attempts to censor hate speech may arise from noble intentions, but they can only proceed by defining what constitutes an expression of hatred, an almost impossible task.
Yay Brexit!
Brendan O’Neill in Spiked enthuses that Brexit is superior to just about anything else in the world. “There should be street parties” on the 10th anniversary of the popular vote to withdraw from the EU, he writes. “Let the bells peal for that momentous day when in our millions we said No to globalism.” The continuing surfeit of saboteurs and naysayers among Britain’s “idiot elites”, O’Neill snorts, are gripped by Brexit Derangement Syndrome.
