Story false: there is no BNP-VB alliance
Baron Bodissey writes from
Gates of Vienna:
Thank you for your coverage of Robert Spencer and the BNP angle with VB.
I now have confirmation from someone who was present at the “Cities Against Islamization” event that there was no official BNP component to the occasion, and no VB alliance with the BNP.
It’s important to remember that Mr. Spencer was drawn into this free-for-all by CJ’s latest onslaught—it’s something that he must find difficult to avoid, given his circumstances.
But the whole thing is a part of a broader attack by vigorously PC anti-jihad elements against those of us who defend the right of traditional European cultures to preserve and defend their identity. I don’t agree with the BNP (especially its socialist/statist ideology), but I do not attack it for attempting to defend the British cultural identity.
Gates of Vienna, CVF, Fjordman, and Lionheart and his defenders (to name a few) are being viciously attacked from a number of quarters, places that we mistakenly thought were our allies.
This process, although painful, constitutes a clarifying moment. It highlights the difference between those who would defend traditional Christian (or Jewish, or Hindu) civilization, and those who demand a doctrinally pure ideology that might be termed “Islam-Free Liberalism.” The latter will be our undoing if too many of our erstwhile allies defect to it.
As always, I remain grateful for your fine essays.
LA replied:
Thank you for writing.
Spencer’s source was The Australian, so it’s not yet clear to me how he was brought into this by LGF.
In any case, as you point out, even if the BNP angle is not true, this situation provided an opportunity for people to work out their ideas on whether it is legitimate to associate with a race-conscious, though non-racist, non-fascist, non-Nazi party.
Milos L. writes:
Hello again. :-)
The topic on Jihadwatch about the BNP and VB created quite a lot of responses. They vary from clashes between the gloating Charles Johnson sycophants (aka lizards) and those who oppose him, through the defense of the BNP and/or rationalizations of an alliance with them all the way to truly disheartening stories, if true (and I am inclined to believe they are), about what is going on in some British cities these days (Muslims attacking children and the elderly on the streets in broad daylight and the police not willing to do anything).
I did stumble upon one interesting thing. Remember Oyvind Strommen, the leftist who attacked Bat Ye’or at the behest of Johnson? Well, apparently he has also atacked none other then Mrs. Anti-Jihad herself, Oriana Fallacci! See here.
Also, while some have correctly pointed out that there are organizations in the UK that base their membership on race but which are non-white and non-indigenous British and that it is hypocritical to call the BNP on their restriction of membership based on ethnicity, nobody asks Spencer the ultimate question: if an African or, let’s say, a Japanese party expresses anti-jihad stance but restricts membership only to blacks and Japanese respectively, would he hold those parties to the same standard as he does the BNP?
LA replies:
Good question.
A reader writes:
According to Gates of Vienna the claim regarding a VB/BNP alliance is bogus. It’s not the first time Charles/LGF jumps on a piece of faulty info. The claim apparently stems from a single Australian news source, apparently unsubstantiated. This is from the post at Gates of Vienna:
Before I wade any further into the inevitable controversy that will accompany this post, I must note that it has been widely alleged that the BNP (British National Party) was a partner in this coalition. This assertion derives from a single source—an Australian newspaper—and is uncorroborated by the European media. There is no mention of the BNP in the Radio Netherlands report.In addition, I received an email from a reliable contact in Belgium who confirms that the BNP was not represented in the coalition. Here are some excerpts from his email:
I just spent an hour googling “BNP Antwerp” and “BNP Antwerp Dewinter” trying to find other press reports than Australian ones about the “alliance” between VB and BNP. Found nothing. Nothing at the BNP website either. You would imagine that the BNP would mention their “alliance” with the VB, wouldn’t you? Since when are Australian MSM reports authoritative sources about Belgium? Australia!! No place can be further away from Antwerp.You are not wrong if you write that the BNP is not part of the Cities against Islamization group.
Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 22, 2008 05:47 PM | Send