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What is ’civilized politics?’
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Klaus Emmerich, a "veteran commentator" for Austrian state broadcaster, ORF, in reference to Barack Obama’s victory, said a few days ago, he "would not want the western world to be directed by a black man." When invited to retract the comment, the man described by Spiegel Online as "the Wolf Blitzer of Austria," stood defiantly by what he said, stating "blacks are not as politically civilized."
Adding insult to injury he went on to conclude that Obama’s election was as misplaced as a Turk becoming the next chancellor of Austria. It is easy to dismiss these despicable remarks as belonging to someone who has a screw loose in the brain. Given the state of political developments in Austria and elsewhere in Europe, however, they have to be taken seriously and commented on.
Besides, Emmerich could not have gained the status of veteran commentator if he was not somehow representative of the society he lives in. Given the far-right has made significant gains in that country, and employing the methodology of a famous; and in this case, "truly civilized" Austrians, namely Sigmund Freud, it is clear Emmerich’s remarks express an atavistic fear embedded in the national subconscious.
The historian Mark Mazower in an article in the Financial Times on Monday, carrying the title, "Prejudice in Europe is more than skin deep," wrote a comment such as Emmerich's "would be political suicide in the United States," whereas in Austria, "it earned little more than a slap on the wrist."
Mazower; a master of deconstructing European history and reconstructing it the way it should have been written in the first place, went on to ask, "How is it that while both places have their fair share of racism, one finds such contrasting public and political responses?"
That question we leave to political scientists and social psychologists to answer. But the relatively muted public and political response Emmerich received in his own country is further evidence in support of the contention he is "representative," and this is what makes it even more intriguing.
It is a mystery how Emmerich, and those that think like him in Austria and elsewhere in Europe, could even dare to suggest, given Europe’s dark and bloody history, that "blacks are not as politically civilized," as them.
Unless, that is, they believe one of the most "uncivilized" political monsters the world has ever known was not actually of European stock, but a "crypto-black man," or a "hidden-Turk" from some strange latter-day "Moriscos" or "Marranos" stock.
It is intriguing how they can even think "blacks are not as politically civilized," when the world can clearly see that politicians in Austria today who claim the Nazi’s were not so bad after all, are still able to garner public support. Given this discrepancy, it is clear Emmerich and his ilk have to explain what it is exactly they mean when they say "politically civilized."
As for Obama’s historic election, Emmerich conveniently overlooks, even though we are told he served as ORF representative in Washington for some years, and one wonders who he hung out with while there, that this "black man" was elected to the "White House" by whites.
It is pretty clear that until views such as Emmerich’s are relegated to the rubbish heap of history and attract the correct public and political response, questions will remain about Austria, for all its veneer of "civility" and somewhat inflated self-image. This of course applies to quite a few countries in Europe today. As Mazower says, "History can be cruel. Generations of Europeans grew up with the goal of ethnic homogeneity as one nation after the other across the continent tried to purify themselves."
For this, they had to go through World War II. Today, however, they are faced, no doubt as some kind of divine retribution for colonial sins, with a host of new minorities which, in their perverse minds, are "worse than the Jews."
To quote Mazower, "The result is a kind of cognitive dissonance. Europeans inhabit increasingly globalized multi-ethnic societies; yet their attitudes remain shaped by a 19th century mindset." It appears, in light of this basic truth, there are quite a few Europeans who are due for a rude awakening in the face of reality as it is unfolding in the world today. This environment provides good "political fertilizer," of course, for all sorts of nut-case, neo-fascist supremacists, whose impossible dream is to try and return the world to what it was in the 19th century.
We hope, for the sake of truly civilized Austrians, that their country elects a black man or a Turk as chancellor as soon as possible.
Besides, Emmerich could not have gained the status of veteran commentator if he was not somehow representative of the society he lives in. Given the far-right has made significant gains in that country, and employing the methodology of a famous; and in this case, "truly civilized" Austrians, namely Sigmund Freud, it is clear Emmerich’s remarks express an atavistic fear embedded in the national subconscious.
The historian Mark Mazower in an article in the Financial Times on Monday, carrying the title, "Prejudice in Europe is more than skin deep," wrote a comment such as Emmerich's "would be political suicide in the United States," whereas in Austria, "it earned little more than a slap on the wrist."
Mazower; a master of deconstructing European history and reconstructing it the way it should have been written in the first place, went on to ask, "How is it that while both places have their fair share of racism, one finds such contrasting public and political responses?"
That question we leave to political scientists and social psychologists to answer. But the relatively muted public and political response Emmerich received in his own country is further evidence in support of the contention he is "representative," and this is what makes it even more intriguing.
It is a mystery how Emmerich, and those that think like him in Austria and elsewhere in Europe, could even dare to suggest, given Europe’s dark and bloody history, that "blacks are not as politically civilized," as them.
Unless, that is, they believe one of the most "uncivilized" political monsters the world has ever known was not actually of European stock, but a "crypto-black man," or a "hidden-Turk" from some strange latter-day "Moriscos" or "Marranos" stock.
It is intriguing how they can even think "blacks are not as politically civilized," when the world can clearly see that politicians in Austria today who claim the Nazi’s were not so bad after all, are still able to garner public support. Given this discrepancy, it is clear Emmerich and his ilk have to explain what it is exactly they mean when they say "politically civilized."
As for Obama’s historic election, Emmerich conveniently overlooks, even though we are told he served as ORF representative in Washington for some years, and one wonders who he hung out with while there, that this "black man" was elected to the "White House" by whites.
It is pretty clear that until views such as Emmerich’s are relegated to the rubbish heap of history and attract the correct public and political response, questions will remain about Austria, for all its veneer of "civility" and somewhat inflated self-image. This of course applies to quite a few countries in Europe today. As Mazower says, "History can be cruel. Generations of Europeans grew up with the goal of ethnic homogeneity as one nation after the other across the continent tried to purify themselves."
For this, they had to go through World War II. Today, however, they are faced, no doubt as some kind of divine retribution for colonial sins, with a host of new minorities which, in their perverse minds, are "worse than the Jews."
To quote Mazower, "The result is a kind of cognitive dissonance. Europeans inhabit increasingly globalized multi-ethnic societies; yet their attitudes remain shaped by a 19th century mindset." It appears, in light of this basic truth, there are quite a few Europeans who are due for a rude awakening in the face of reality as it is unfolding in the world today. This environment provides good "political fertilizer," of course, for all sorts of nut-case, neo-fascist supremacists, whose impossible dream is to try and return the world to what it was in the 19th century.
We hope, for the sake of truly civilized Austrians, that their country elects a black man or a Turk as chancellor as soon as possible.
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