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.
France is in the Crosshairs, but the Target is Western Civilization
Theodore Dalrymple in Law & Liberty crystallizes the recent riots in France to a simple equation: “Whole generations have been taught and come to accept that Western civilization consists of slavery, exploitation, and massacre.” Tearing it all down – not merely reforming it – is therefore not just understandable but desirable. Dalrymple disposes of the delusional trope that these are “student” protests, noting the preponderance of Muslim migrants committing the mayhem.
For a luminous glimpse into the singular civilizational achievements the rioters would tear down, read this C2C article by Patrick Keeney.
