Once upon a time, or so the story goes, a reporter asked Gandhi what he thought of Western civilization.
“I think it would be a good idea,” Gandhi is said to have replied.
This story kept popping into my head as I worked my way through the seemingly unending torrent of horrendous Tweets that comprise the #FightForWesternCivilization hashtag on Twitter. I discovered the hashtag last night while looking at the reactions of assorted Internet-famous Nazis and their fellow travellers to the horrific attack in Nice yesterday. (You can see the results of this investigation in my previous post here.)
Even a quick glance at the #FightForWesternCivilization hashtag reveals that these would-be defenders of Western Civilization have a very strange notion of what civilization consists of, with some taking inspiration not just from Donald Trump, their lord and master, but from such historical figures as Adolph Hitler and Augusto Pinochet. The hashtag is lousy with raging Islamophobes and white supremacists, full of violent fantasies of retribution against the Muslim “invaders.”
Never mind that we don’t even know if the apparent killer in Nice was even motivated by radical Islam; neighbors told a French television station that Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was less into religion than he was into women and salsa dancing. Local mosques say he never stepped through their doors.
But his name is Mohamed, so to those posting in the #FightForWesternCivilization hashtag he is not only a radical Islamist but the representative of all of the world’s Muslims.
As many of these self-declared civilization-defenders see it, Muslims are “savages” who need to be expelled from Europe and the US.
#FightForWesternCivilization Deport them. Burn their mosques to the ground. Let them live in the sand and filth best suited to savages.
— Ed Draper (@eddraper) July 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/KAISERHRE/status/753835250497695746
https://twitter.com/DogDuffy/status/753771842427432960
#FightForWesternCivilization means one thing: Expel Islam from the West.
— StoneFree2Rant is a Semi-fascist(Same on Gettr) (@StoneFree2Rant) July 15, 2016
You're either with the #FightForWesternCivilization and Trump, or your with the savages. pic.twitter.com/Uyx7j4zhe4
— Memelord 🐸🇺🇸 (@AltRightMemes) July 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/Toni_Price/status/753846254254206976
One Twitter Nazi suggested that expelling “kebab” would only be the beginning of a broader ethnic cleansing.
https://twitter.com/Fash__McQueen/status/753822780550852608
https://twitter.com/Fash__McQueen/status/753802113440894976
Others directed their animus at “the Jews.”
https://twitter.com/Linkshaender1/status/753773361025646592
https://twitter.com/TakeBack_USA/status/753810908661452800
https://twitter.com/WJudengas/status/753854146894176256
Regardless of their opinions about Jews, most of those using the hashtag seem to see”western civilization” as synonymous with “white culture.” Some tried to wake the “white man” to the alleged existential threat of Islam.
https://twitter.com/FashNova/status/753929139774644225
Others suggested that the honor and purity of white women were in danger:
https://twitter.com/apurposefulwife/status/753762421618020352
David Duke — yes, that David Duke — weighed in with this photo of an angelic-looking young white mother with baby.
https://twitter.com/DrDavidDuke/status/753929201267257344
This Tweeter Nazi-signaled by quoting the famous fascist “14 words.”
https://twitter.com/Slugulysses/status/753896510622867457
And let us not forget hot white chicks, who could easily turn into hot white mothers:
https://twitter.com/SergioSarzedo/status/753838010232221696
Others gave big thumbs-up to white people in general:
https://twitter.com/SkinheadNeoNazi/status/753811844939157504
https://twitter.com/SergioSarzedo/status/753835149456924673
https://twitter.com/Hungry_Goriya/status/753809489485103104
Some warned ominously of the alleged dangers of “diversity.”
https://twitter.com/TruthVictorious/status/753795754657853440
https://twitter.com/lama_escondida/status/753879119704752128
https://twitter.com/ExoAmericanus/status/753742235305385985
Others talked excitedly about taking up arms and/or fists against Muslims and various alleged Islamophiles.
https://twitter.com/FUFeelinz/status/753782284243898368
https://twitter.com/FUFeelinz/status/753784772292476928
https://twitter.com/justbrowsing22/status/753846219152044032
#FightForWesternCivilization we are in a war even if the politicians try to convince us to accept Muslims. Get a gun and learn to shoot.
— Infidel Investor (@Free_True_North) July 15, 2016
And if you can’t be with the gun you love, just grab a sharp pencil and aim for the eye:
https://twitter.com/GoPandora/status/753790008453111808
One Trump fan suggested that if the Donald failed to win the election in November they would be willing to help him shoot his way into the White House:
https://twitter.com/Jupiter_Giant/status/753839715170684928
Some looked back fondly on the original crusades:
https://twitter.com/AntichampReview/status/753862140474175488
https://twitter.com/Sighter/status/753812772425650176
While others call for a new one:
https://twitter.com/GAlighieri3/status/753815172771254274
#FightForWesternCivilization stop islam 2016. Start the crusades
— BuildThatWall (@wall_that) July 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/ramsesr93/status/753792799510790144
https://twitter.com/Bernietorbustty/status/753919971445571584
Naturally, there were more than a few clucking about cucks:
https://twitter.com/Erik_The_Fem/status/753742424158208000
https://twitter.com/Western_Triumph/status/753798148355723264
https://twitter.com/FantasyNugs/status/753808747747696640
https://twitter.com/ChrisCharabaruk/status/753733055018328064
Brainwashed beta male cucks saying #FightForWesternCivilization is racist are why we are in this spot in the first place.
— Stan Zbornak, Jr (@SouthernDandy55) July 15, 2016
One inventive fellow argued that to win the war for Western civilization, right-minded right-wingers need to take aim not only at Islam but also such wily enemies as Buzzfeed, the long-defunct Soviet Union, Israel, Planned Parenthood and My Little Pony.
We must uncuck the CUCKED. #FightForWesternCivilization pic.twitter.com/7WjnPQ8nLO
— Memelord 🐸🇺🇸 (@AltRightMemes) July 15, 2016
This imagined Western Civilization that these people think they’re fighting for isn’t a place I want to live.
Considering the overwhelming majority of destruction and killing in the world is done by men, it’s baffling how a bunch of online whiny-babies think they have one thing in common with civilization.
Once again, Becky Hopkins wins the thread.
The best thing on twitter today (Potentially NSFW)
https://twitter.com/FullFrontalSamB/status/754005058786910208
It must be so strange to want to live in fear and hate, as these people so obviously do. And it will never end for them. If they somehow got their wish, and an authoritan government “cleansed” their country of muslims, and jews, and “leftists”, and anyone not white or orange, they would simply find new people to be scared of. People with disabilities. People with advanced degrees. People who speak foreign languages: they’re probably talking about you. You can always find an “other” who is a threat in some way. And then, one day, you find that you’re the “other” to the people in power.
I’ve probably mentioned this here before, but it made a huge impression on me so I’ll mention it again:
http://www.1001inventions.com/
I happened to catch the exhibit years ago at the Science Museum, and both the content and presentation were excellent. I learned a hell of a lot. But the best part was seeing all the wide-eyed excited Muslim kids learning about their heritage, and discovering that far from being ‘savages’ they were the inheritors of an incredibly rich, vibrant, creative and sophisticated culture.
Most mass shootings in the United States are perpetuated by white men. To save American society, these savages must be deported immediately!
@ moggie
There was a great bit from Barry Shitpeas (the distaff counterpart to Philomena Cunk) about Nick Griffin and the BNP. Barry listed all the BNPs ‘enemies’. It started off with “Blacks, Jews, Muslims…” and went on from there, but what really made me laugh was it ended with “people on a different phone tariff”. Worryingly there’s probably some truth in that.
@feartheminotaur
Precisely.
Heck, the Spanish history curriculums in school are as Western-focused as can be without actually denying that other civilizations exist and still Islam is usually discussed in detail.
Of course, living in a peninsula which had Islamic territories for freakin’ 700 years also helps.
(I remember when I actually realised the scope of the Spanish Islamic presence: it was in 1992 during the festivities for the 5th centennial of the discovery of America, which happened to also be the 5th centennial of the conquest of the kingdom of Granada, the last Muslim territory. Well, I thought “Wait a minute. This happened 500 years ago and it seems like a really really long time. Well, the Muslims rulers were here FAR LONGER THAN THAT. The narrative we’ve all been fed, that they were “temporary” invaders which were “expelled” to “reclaim” the land DOES NOT HOLD WATER”)
…Didn’t “Western Civilization” ultimately lose the Crusades, though? Most of the Crusader kingdoms were pretty short-lived, if I recall correctly.
Not that I expect Twitter Nazis to have a particularly good grasp of history.
Okay, leave Vlad Dracula out of this. Leave, in fact, all of Eastern Europe out of this. Don’t most white supremacist don’t think they’re white enough anyway or is that something I randomly assumed for some reason?
Not exactly on-topic but there are reports of an attempted coup in Instambul (and maybe other Turkish cities ?) this evening.
Exact truth seems extremely unclear at the moment but whatever the actual situation hope any Turkish mammotheers are safe.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-primeminister-idUKKCN0ZV2HK
Crusader’s Will Rise? So like, the will of a crusader is floating? Is it a command or a magic word from a Magician’s show?
I am with the “savages” if it mean not being with thoses people. Someone said it’s better to be alone than in bad company.
I do find that it’s excessive to say the western civilisation isn’t civilized, but I will gladly cite the supposed Gandhi quote to any hateful guy just to to piss him off. I don’t want to come back to 18th century, thank you very much. Even despite being the most privileged group then (and still now), I would gladly give away any of thoses privileges for what diversity have brought, both in term of using the skill of more people than white cisgender heterosexual males. Like Curie or Turing, for example.
@Matchstick : dread news to me. I consider Erdogan to be a dictator, but here and now, I don’t think what will emerge if he fall will be an improvement. I kind of think it could change Turkey into a new Irak.
Yeah, whatever the reasons and potential justification there are soldiers on the streets and reports of gunfire.
People get hurt in this kind of situation we’ve had WAY more than enough of that shit already this week.
Given the current news, I hope for the military to depose Erdogan quickly and as cleanly as possible. It’s ugly, but there’s a bit of hope that it don’t destroy the state.
Maybe, in fact I hope so, but with the way 2016 has panned out so far I can’t help but fear the worst.
Ohlmann: Yeah, I’m seriously worried about another Egypt situation.
As much as hitler has quite a few things that people can feel justified in criticising him for there was also quite a few things that are noteworthy too.
The national socialist party brought the german economy back from a deliberately orchestrated period of hyper inflation caused by the banker the allies put in charge to ensure that such a thing wouldnt happen and so that germany could service its war debts. Not only did it turn the economy around but in not much more than 10 years it became one of the worlds strongest currencies when it removed the fiat currency that had been introduced under allied control and replaced it with a gold standard currency
In the same time they initiated an immense public infrastructure program of housing, hospitals, schools and transport, introduced a sustainable welfare program, free social healthcare and many workers rights and entitlements not seen anywhere else in europe at that time
He introduced the transfer aggrent which allowed Zionists to begin the invasion of palestine and be able to take all of their wealth with them which was forbidden under the allied money transfer restrictions. Which personally I think was abhorrent, but many would view it quite differently in our current judeo christian society
Had negligible unemployment levels, poverty and crime as well as some of the highest average earnings and lowest taxations in western countries at the time despite its social infrastructure and welfare systems which other european countries didnt mimic until well after the war.
And despite having to pay crippling war reparations which the british and several other european countries later admitted had been unfair due to germany not starting WW1, but being dragged in because of defence agreements and then despite that being the ONLY country to not only be saddled with huge payments but also having large areas of its soveriegn territory confiscated and shared out amongst other european countries it still became one of the worlds strongest manufacturing countries whos products were in great demand all around the globe
These are the reasons why Hitler featured not once, but twice on the cover of time magazine. And why the british and some of the other european countries opened talks with germany to discuss giving them back their land and cancelling the war debts they were being forced to pay to the rothschild BIS bank. Until a jewish assassin killed their envoy to the talks and derailed them
So yeah they might have done some things that some people will disagree with. But so has every other western country too, the british for example caused the deaths of many10s of millions of people on the indian subcontinent by creating artificial famines and then banning neighbouring countries from shipping in their excess food to name just one attrocity that rarely gets taught in british schools and is deliberately omitted from most history books.
But all of the good that occured in germany between the wars is conveniently overlooked or rarely gets mentioned. But had they not been pressured into WW2 who knows what they might have achieved considering they were decades ahead of all other western countries for the time on practically every social level there was
Mike : fuck off. I am not in the mood to hear someone ignorant in history trying to explain the actually hotly contested at best “good side” of Hitler.
@Mike
You do realize you’re trying to do balance of history when right fucking now the military literally took over Turkey and declared Martial Law.
Well 2012 wasn’t the doomsday, they should have picked 2016, everyone would be hell of alot more convinced.
Two ironies I noticed in the posts:
The ‘hot women’ one included an Italian, a Czech, and a Pole (1). All three were considered ‘untermenschen’ by the Nazis, although they did feel a large percent of Czech’s and a small percent of Poles were ‘re-germanizable’. The Poles in particular were hated and persecuted by the Nazis, more so than anyone short of the Jews (2) and communists of any stripe.
Second: the word ‘Savages’. Just lol. The Germanic tribes were the original savages at the gates. In fact, there is a popular theory that the word ‘German’ derived from a word meaning ‘outsider’, ‘alien’, or ‘barbarian’.
@Mike: Hitler solved Germany’s economic problems the same way Roosevelt did: by re-arming and preparing for war (3). That ‘recovery’ you speak so glowingly of was paid for in something like 60 million lives (). He gets no credit for that. The deficit is just too great.
1: judging from the flags on their cheeks
2: which of course makes it much more terribly ironic that the Poles own anti-semitism led many of them to actually help the Nazis hunt down their Jewish fellows.
3: true fact: America didn’t really start climbing out of our depression until FDR started arming Britain and Russia via the lend-lease program
4: mind you, that’s the estimated total body count of WWII and includes 10-20 million dead in the Pacific, China, and SE Asia, so the Nazis were responsible for only 40-50 million of them
Are you actually surprised that a right-winger would dislike “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”? Apart from the fact it’s set in a cross between a monarchy and a theocracy, it couldn’t get more liberal. It promotes environmentalism, vegetarianism, anti-racism, diversity, redemption, peace and rainbows. Lots and lots of rainbows. On top of that, all 6 lead characters are female. They live in a town governed by a female mayor, in a kingdom ruled by two princesses.
@Joe
Have you ever made a comment here that wasn’t shit? 1st page, like 10 or so down, here comes Joe^ to take a pee all over the thread. Every fuckin time!
@Mike
True. I have found that some people tend to disagree with genocides. And I’m just like, pfft. Don’t they understand that white people were economically sound while they were rounding up minorities for extermination? How silly “some people” can be, huh?
Mike, seriously, please don’t. You’re saying similar arguments as our right wing when they try to refute that the biggest social improvements in Spain have been under Socialist governments by bringing up Franco’s social plans.
Of course much of the reason why they needed to set up so many social plans, industry nationalization and such in 40s Spain was because we had just endured a fucking Civil War. Which is also the reason why there was such a big economic growth. It’s like when some pseudo-Libertarian tried to convince me that there can be economic growth without a government by offering Somalia as an example.
There’s no merit in growing when you’re in a situation in which the only possible way is up.