Thank goodness this week is almost over. I found the entire Nick Griffin saga almost unbearable. Watching decent people furiously arguing on Facebook, Twitter and in the real world about whether the BBC was right to allow him on Question Time was so upsetting. Because it was all too easy to forget what we had in common: a loathing for the man and his politics.
That said, one of my favourite remarks on the saga came on Facebook. Commenting on Griffin’s nervous tic, my friend Jonathan Sacerdoti observed that “it looked like he was chewing his own face off”. Now that would be required viewing!
The other best statement came on Question Time itself, in the shape of Joel Weiner’s confrontation of Nick Griffin over his Holocaust denial. “How could you,” he asked. It was a straightforward, moving, brave and eloquent intervention. In this interview, Weiner says he was sickened by Griffin’s statement of support for Israel. “I thought [it] was disgusting,” he said. “I don’t want my culture and my people to be associated with him. I’m annoyed with myself because I should have told him that in my comment.”
He shouldn’t be annoyed with himself. He was a beacon of light on a dark evening.
“..it looked like he was chewing his own face off”
The medical term for a BNP Leader doing this is “Necrotizing fascistitis”
“Criticism of me to my face; Praise of me behind my back.” A paraphrase of Moses Maimonedes!
“How goodly are thy tents, O Israel”. Bilaam the Prophet.
Chas, Bilaam, as you know, was paid by King Balaak to curse the Jews, and came up with “Ma Tobu Ohaleja, Israel”, the words of which curse are emblazoned over the lintels of many synagogues all over the world.
So, rather than scream at the despicable modern Balaam of the BNP we should rather be using his words as praise for Israel. After all words of truth, albeit spoken by a miserable racist, are still words of truth!
Apropos this: When Cain, the merciless Killer, asks “Am I my brother’s keeper?” the sarcasm drips off his words; yet we find these words today used as the very basis of political philosophies. When Iago, the inveterate Liar, says “But he who steals my good name steals what benefits him not and makes me poorer, indeed” the irony pours off his words; yet we might use these very words to fight off untruths!
So History and Literature are replete with occasions on which wicked, disgusting people say things that are truthful and meaningful. Their words do not redeem their filthy natures; and yet truth remains TRUTH!
PS to the above:
First we believe in the Torah, and only much later do we believe in Moses!
Once again, it’s the SONG, and only much later, if ever, the SINGER!
I think I am right in saying that every so often the BNP try to “recruit” (if that is the word) various minorities to their cause. Another ggroup is the Sikhs – though no Siikh I would wnt to know wants anything to do with them. It is wholly opportunist. Clearly their “support” for Israel is of a piece with this and should fool no one.
Obviously there is an element of embarrassment for those of us who do love and support Israel but the simplest response to those who would use it against her is “surely you don’t beleive a word the BNP say anyway?”.
That’s an interesting erspective, Elixelx.
People do seem to struggle with the fact that they occasionally agree with something NG might say. Does that make him a less evil man? No, almost certainly not. Does it mean he’s ‘not so bad’? Again, no. Does it make those statements they agree with wrong, though? Also, no.
You are right to say that sometimes you can agree with something somebody dreadful says, without having to feel bad about it. But it’s not easy, and I sympathise and understand (if not share) the revulsion felt by those who heard him ‘supporting’ Israel. I suspect the difference between him and Bilaam was that Bilaam probably meant it. I do doubt the BNP’s ‘support’ of Israel.
Thanks for the comments. I hear all you say Elixelx and appreciate that input.
On a different note, isn’t life strange. The left (who should love Israel’s freedom, diversity and fine record on women’s rights, gay rights etc) all too often hate Israel and yet the extreme right (who oppose all those things) claim to back Israel.
How topsy turvy.
But like Jonathan, I doubt the BNP’s ‘support’ of Israel. Particularly since I’ve read a senior member of the party say he supports Israel because he’d prefer Jews to be over there than in the UK.
I might sound naive but I am more worried about Islamic fascism than I am about the BNP.
I know just what you mean, Anna.
So many of the people who were hopping mad about the BNP last week are the ones who are reluctant to criticise Islamic extremists.
It’s interestting – or to me at least, that NG tried so hard on QT to distance himself from the Nazi party; Adolf Hitler himself was passionately in favour of Israel – or at the time the concept was Judaifying Palestine, because that meant the Jews were not dirtying his Aryan Reichland. . .
If I may take the exegesis just a wee bit further–since these are weighty matters we discuss here–my own favourite philosophical saw is this:
“We had rather, in the paths of Good, follow our enemies, than in the ways of Evil walk with our friends” Jan Huss. (Bohemian clergyman, C14-15, burned the stake for heresy–his crime was translating the Latin Bible into his native language so that his congregation could understand their daily prayers! It was the first time that a Pope was required to utter the immortal and ever-so-evil words, “God does not understand this language!”)
My wife wears a Sheitel, a religious wig; who am I to say that a Muslim woman should not wear a hijab (headscarf)? (although I do NOT support the Niqab (face covering-a slave garment!)! I’m anti-abortion and believe that G-d created the world; the same as many religious Christians and Mullahs. Am I to jettison my beliefs just because some or many Anti-Semitic Christians and Anti-Zionist Moslems share them?!
That way lies madness! The world then would become a hysterical (funny and unfunny) play of hypocrisy!
The important aspect of Huss’ words then, are not about enemies and friends, but about Good and Evil. It’s these latter that should be the only determinants of our actions!
And what each of us believes is Good and Evil is what makes each of us unique!