← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Phillip Augustus

Thread 6906

Thread ID: 6906 | Posts: 14 | Started: 2003-05-25

Wayback Archive

Phillip Augustus [OP]

2003-05-25 06:56 | User Profile

Check out Brimelow's latest. Excellent column, though I found it disheartening that Tom Tancredo is quoted as renouncing VDARE. It is ludicrous that Tancredo, of all people, would be so silly as to do that.

For the OD link, click where Brimelow refers to his 'right-wing' critics. I like that he said 'right-wing' instead of 'racist'. No one will accuse Brimelow of being PC- and, unfortunately, I am starting to wonder about Tancredo now.

** Children Of The Angry Apes: Salon And Its Stale Smear By Peter Brimelow

The share price of Salon Media Group, the publisher of Salon.com webzine, closed Friday at $0.05 – that’s five cents – down more than 99% from its $15.00-plus high after the company went public some four years ago. (To this view this rape of the innocent investor, go to CBS MarketWatch and type SALN into the stock quote box top left. Click on “newsletters” in the menu bar at the top of the CBSMW homepage if for some reason you want to read my day-job columns on the financial markets.) In March, Salon warned in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it was dangerously short of cash.

From an editorial point of view, Salon’s sag is all too understandable. Why would you go online and pay to read smart-alec liberalism when you can find it by spitting at random into any newsstand?

Even Salon’s smears are stale. Witness this week’s attempt by someone called Max Blumenthal to present as some sort of Ku Klux Klan Klavern a remarkably variegated group of immigration reformers that included Chris Simcox of the Tombstone Militia, Glenn Spencer of American Patrol, John Tanton of Social Contract magazine and U.S. Foundation; and U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) (“Vigilante injustice,” May 22, 2003- click here to view stale smear sample. Do NOT pay to read the whole boring thing, click on the ad for a free day pass and go get a cup of coffee while it’s playing.)

Blumenthal even presents with a portentous flourish (“according to Form 990 returns filed with the IRS…”) the news that the Federation of Immigration Reform, in which the heroic Tanton has played a major role, has accepted grants from the Pioneer Fund. But this news has been endlessly aired. And, as Blumenthal surreptitiously concedes, the last grant was in 1994 – almost a decade ago. And, as Steve Sailer has noted here, the Pioneer Fund, despite the hysteria, is in fact a perfectly respectable institution that has financed, among other things, the famous Minnesota Twins project…

As a wordsmith, I am fascinated with how much of Blumenthal’s case rests purely on emotive language. There is, of course, the golden oldie “anti-immigrant” for “anti-immigration” (or, to be strictly accurate, “pro-immigration reform.”) There’s “migrant” (sort of like birds or butterflies) for “illegal alien.” There’s “accused of” and “linked to,” which essentially means that Blumenthal wants to accuse of and link to, without any need for boring details like, well, proof.

I believe that immigration enthusiasts, who are in the grip of a species of religious frenzy, quite genuinely convince themselves by the use of such devices, as I’ve noted before in the case of the Wall Street Journal’s James Tarantoad, and Goldberg Review’s David Frum.  The sheer intensity of their verbal vehemence can stampede cows, sheep and politicians. But no rational adult can take it seriously.

One bit of Blumenthal bafflegab is his slippery merging of “white supremacist” and “white nationalist,” by which he apparently means American patriotism. This is particularly interesting to us at VDARE.COM because he describes us as a “white nationalist Web site…that is named after the first white [actually, English] child born in the New World.”

Blumenthal, or possibly his researcher, Mark Follman, seem to have ambushed Congressman Tancredo with the allegation that his Immigration Reform Caucus website linked to us “white supremacists” (it now seems to have decided to link to nobody at all).

According to Blumenthal:

“When asked about the link, Tancredo was befuddled and indignant.

“‘If we are connected to VDare, and I don't think we are," says Tancredo, "then I will take action ... I do not want the support of these kinds of people and I do not need their support.’”

Blumenthal’s word on anything in the Salon webzine is obviously not worth the paper it’s written on – literally. But in fact I would not be surprised if Tom Tancredo was “befuddled and indignant.” I wouldn’t have recognized us from that description either.

As our right-wing critics have pointed out, VDARE.COM cannot be described as a white nationalist site. Not all of its contributors are white. We have defended the exquisitely moderate position that the American nation, like all nations, is an ethno-cultural entity, exclusively neither one nor the other.

But we certainly have published individuals who might fairly be described as white nationalists. (They are also law-abiding democrats who wear coats and ties). And we will continue to do so - because we believe that their point of view is at least as legitimate as Hispanic ethnocentrism, Black Nationalism or Zionism.

We exist at VDARE.COM to press the edge of the envelope. On a wide range of issues involving immigration, race and the National Question, the establishment media, both liberal and “conservative,” has shown that it will not do so. Unquestionably, our role involves risk, especially with hyperventilating loonies like Blumenthal around. We don’t expect any elected official to associate with us. And we don’t associate with them.

We will continue to write about Tom Tancredo when he does something that falls into our area of interest - as with his recent press conference denouncing banks for accepting the matricula consular, which has usefully stimulated Hispanic officials into revealing a telling intolerance, no doubt culturally determined, of criticism and debate.

Establishment media muggers like Max Blumenthals grow on trees, or more accurately under rocks. A quick check shows that he seems to have written little of note except an attack on the possibility that Christians might be allowed to proselytize in post-war Iraq and an article on crime in Mexico – where, hypocritically, he doesn’t seem to disapprove of vigilantes at all.

Blumenthal is not brave enough to publish an email address. But no doubt Salon’s letter to the editor people would be happy to pass email along.

There’s a famous scene in the Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey in which a family of prehistoric apes are confronted with a mysterious monolithic slab, apparently from outer space. The apes’ first reaction is to jump up and down, screaming and howling, in the hope of frightening it away. The monolith does nothing. Eventually, the apes quiet down. They look at the monolith more carefully, and gradually approach it.

No translation is provided, but the apes were probably yelling “racist!” and “white supremacist!”

Four million years later, those apes’ descendants in the American political establishment, and their media sycophants, are reacting to the arrival of the National Question and those of us who dare to deal with it – National Conservatives, paleoconservatives, paleolibertarians – in exactly the same way.

If you want to email or print out, format by clicking on this permanent URL: [url=http://www.vdare.com/pb/salon.htm]http://www.vdare.com/pb/salon.htm[/url]

**

Centinel

2003-05-25 07:13 | User Profile

Bear in mind that Tancredo has some neocon traits.....he supported the Iraq invasion

Texas Dissident

2003-05-25 08:05 | User Profile

What a surprise! Nice find and thanks for posting, Phillip.

Thanks to Mr. Brimelow for acknowledging this board, labeling it as right-wing and not distancing himself or VDARE from it. Lord knows he's taken some heat from a few of us here.

VDARE has more to do with OD than readily meets the eye. Years ago it was posting a VDARE article that got me banned by Free Republic and an email from Mr. Brimelow thanking me for posting it there. Of course myself and all the more prominent paleo/traditional conservatives getting purged from FR was what prompted me to start up OD. Shortly thereafter Dr. Francis' board closed down and the rest, as they say, is history.

Little links like this one can do wonders for a site. Thanks again, Mr. Brimelow. We do like to think of ourselves as the authentic, grassroots voice of the right-wing and as long as I'm at the helm here we won't sell out.

Valley Forge

2003-05-25 16:52 | User Profile

Despite his unwillingness to name the Jew and embrace explicit White Nationalism, I have always admired the writings of Peter Brimelow. I remember when Alien Nation was first published, I was living in Miami at the time, and Peter Brimelow came to town to debate a local Jew attorney on the immigration question.

At that time, I was not yet a hardcore White Nationalist and had no awareness of the Jewish question, but I was firmly in Brimelow's camp in a crowd that consisted almost entirely of non-Whites. Well, as the debate proceeded, the Jew pulled out all the stops -- he talked about how immigration was a great tradition in the America, he quoted Brimelow out of context, levelled the tired old charge of "racism," and even made fun of how Brimelow describes his son in the book (as a blue eyed boy with blond hair). When the Jew was finished, he held up a gigantic photo of a decapitated Haitian and suggested that that was what Brimelow wanted to do to Haitain immigrants.

In looking back on the incident, although I didn't realize it at the time, I certainly realize now why Schopenhaur choose to characterize Jews as the Great Master of Lies.

il ragno

2003-05-25 17:01 | User Profile

Little links like this one can do wonders for a site. Thanks again, Mr. Brimelow.

A pretty smart move. A few uncut doses of Franco, and Brimelow'll look all but Presidential to those 'right wing critics'.

heritagelost

2003-05-25 17:10 | User Profile

Originally posted by Centinel@May 25 2003, 01:13 ** Bear in mind that Tancredo has some neocon traits.....he supported the Iraq invasion **

All of our elected officials are just bitches!

2600

2003-05-25 17:33 | User Profile

Mr. Brimelow deserves a big :th: for this. True, VDARE could take a more aggressively pro-white stance, but...all in good time.

I really like.....

** Even Salon’s smears are stale. Witness this week’s attempt by someone called Max Blumenthal to present as some sort of Ku Klux Klan Klavern a remarkably variegated group of immigration reformers**

Anyone care to guess Mr. Blumenthal's ethnicity? :P

Texas Dissident

2003-05-25 19:12 | User Profile

Originally posted by AntiYuppie@May 25 2003, 13:33 ** Have you tried dropping him a line about the subject Tex? **

Yes, I sent him an email back when we first started up. Never received a reply. :(

W.R.I.T.O.S

2003-05-26 05:06 | User Profile

I have respect for Brimelow but not for Buchanan. Brimelow has never lead pro white people on only to slam the door in their face at the moment of truth the way Buchanan has.

Okiereddust

2003-05-26 05:43 | User Profile

Originally posted by Texas Dissident@May 25 2003, 19:12 > Originally posted by AntiYuppie@May 25 2003, 13:33 ** Have you tried dropping him a line about the subject Tex? **

Yes, I sent him an email back when we first started up. Never received a reply. :(**

Not to be discouraged on this account. Linking to other sites is an very risky venture I've been told, especially to forums, with their uncensored content.

Remember the way the press made Free Republic, no less sound, when the Senator from Arkansas (Hutchinson) wanted to invite them to a meeting.

One could also point to purely cyber politics, such as the grief Mercuria took on FR from VinnyTex for one link linking to Carol on the web, because Carol had one link to Kevin Strom!

Neo's have always claimed restrictionists are crypt-WN's and even Nazi's. Links to this forum would merly be used to substantiate them. Not that I question the legitimacy of WN's arguments, but part of the premise of conservatism is that policies like immigration restrictionism need not be justified purely or even substantially because of mainly WN arguments, but can be on more general grounds.

We allow a wide variety of viewpoints here, and that is part of the price we pay (not that I begrudge it).

PaleoconAvatar

2003-05-26 06:56 | User Profile

Originally posted by Okiereddust@May 26 2003, 01:43 ** One could also point to purely cyber politics, such as the grief Mercuria took on FR from VinnyTex for one link linking to Carol on the web, because Carol had one link to Kevin Strom! **

The entire premise of the "world wide web" is that pages have links. It stands to reason that when one links to a page, the page that is linked to also has links itself to other pages, and so on down the line. Each step of the way, the editor of the page has his or her own reasons for linking to certain other pages, whether it be for informational purposes or for reasons of expressing support. Why hold the editor of Website A responsible for the links on Websites B, C, or Z?

Linking to a page does not imply that one supports everything (or anything) on the page. The whole notion of "guilt by association" in terms of web links has always struck me as foolish and obsessive. Apparently VinnyTex doesn't understand this.

Besides, even Pat Buchanan cites Kevin Alfred Strom's 1993 American Dissident Voices broadcast about the NEA and American education in the footnotes of his book, The Death of the West. :lol:

Hugh Lincoln

2003-05-27 19:13 | User Profile

P. Brim's pretty cool. OD is now famous. Or famouser.

And, my sources say that, like Francis, he gets the Jewish thing but doesn't go a-ranting for obvious reasons.

Okiereddust

2003-05-27 19:42 | User Profile

Originally posted by PaleoconAvatar@May 26 2003, 06:56 **Linking to a page does not imply that one supports everything (or anything) on the page. The whole notion of "guilt by association" in terms of web links has always struck me as foolish and obsessive. Apparently VinnyTex doesn't understand this.

Besides, even Pat Buchanan cites Kevin Alfred Strom's 1993 American Dissident Voices broadcast about the NEA and American education in the footnotes of his book, The Death of the West. :lol:**

"Foolish and obsessive". :lol: You know, if the political world wasn't "foolish and obsessive" especially with regard to non-PC issues, there wouldn't be a need for this forum. Seriously, I am told that WN's with lawyerly bents are very suspicious of linking. "Guilt by association" after all is just the standard modus operendi of any anti-PC witchhunters.

You may judge the principle or link worthy of defense, but rest assured it is an inviting target for attack.

As to Pat, he still isn't anywhere near to winning "ADL man of the year". :D

toddbrendanfahey

2003-05-27 19:59 | User Profile

I've had several e-interactions with Peter Brimelow.

Most have been positive, though I've yet to gain any real traction with him.

To wit: Vdare.com is registered as a 501 c 3 (or some such assignation) tax-exempt non-profit corporation. As such, and despite my vigorous push of Vdare, Brimelow couldn't reciprocate w/ a link or banner to DumpMcCain.com (though he said he surely would if he could--he was explicit in his disdain for McChurian).

As for www.FriendsOfLiberty.com and www.SiaNews.com, he's never responded as to banner or link-swaps, despite a coupla requests.

To be very fair, my drug/libertarian tendencies, I think, freak him out a bit.

But on the whole, I still dig Vdare.com. So, three cheers to Peter Brimelow; don't sell out; stick Tancredo's feet to the fire, etc.