Complaint by Vlaams Belang against racist [anti-Irish] hate speech

[orieleye]

The victory of the 'no' in the referendum on the Lisbon treaty has left politicians and journalists frustrated. Whether one supported the 'yes' or the 'no', if one says that Europe is built upon democracy, one should respect the outcome of a democratic referendum, but this is obviously not the case.

Paul Goossens, responsible for the European section of the official Belgian press agency BELGA, has written in the newspaper 'De Morgen' on 14/6/2008 that the Irish are a nation 'of parochial traditions, penny-pinching misers, catholicism and alcohol'.

Vlaams Belang defends freedom of expression for everyone, but a majority in Belgium has decided that there has to be a 'law against racism' that makes incitement to hatred based on ethnic origin a crime. This law makes sure that anyone, writing such a thing about Moroccans or Turks in combination with their religion and the alleged use of drugs, faces a criminal procedure.

Therefore we have decided to file a complaint against Paul Goossens at the Centre against Racism in Belgium because of incitement to hatred against the Irish people. If one proclaims laws against 'hate speech', they should be applied to all.

The Vlaams Belang will also send a letter to the Irish embassy to apologize for these inappropriate remarks in order to underline that the people of Flanders are very positive towards Ireland, and to point out that we in Flanders, too, hope to be soon no longer a 'province', but 'a nation once again'!

Frank Vanhecke, MEP
Philip Claeys, MEP
Koen Dillen, MEP

No surprise that the Irish embassy didn't spot this first, or complain about it. 'Parochialism, catholicism, alcoholism' are ephitets which appear in Ireland's 'progressive' media too. For them, Irish history is narrow and backward, very dull compared to 'reaching the European average', something uncritically good. Being insulted is of no consequence to them when 'Ireland is at the heart of Europe'.

Source

[Routasydän]

Originally Posted by orieleye

No surprise that the Irish embassy didn't spot this first, or complain about it. 'Parochialism, catholicism, alcoholism' are ephitets which appear in Ireland's 'progressive' media too. For them, Irish history is narrow and backward, very dull compared to 'reaching the European average' in the EU, something uncritically good. Being insulted is of no consequence to them when 'Ireland is at the heart of Europe'.

Source

The same phenomena is well known here in Finland as well. We drink too much, are backward and racist, unfashionable, etc, etc and on and on it goes. Let's see what will come out of this complaint, if anything.

[Kernunnos]

Originally Posted by wilpuri

The same phenomena is well known here in Finland as well. We drink too much, are backward and racist, unfashionable, etc, etc and on and on it goes. Let's see what will come out of this complaint, if anything.

If only people could realize how much stuff upper lips, bigoted and yes, racist they sound then we would get rid of the left very soon.

their hatred for common people is evident here.

They all behave like pseudo-intellectual Marie Antoniettes.

[Menydh]

Goossens is a miserable lowlife individual.

I applaud the Vlaams Belang statement here. However..

The Vlaams Belang will also send a letter to the Irish embassy to apologize for these inappropriate remarks in order to underline that the people of Flanders are very positive towards Ireland, and to point out that we in Flanders, too, hope to be soon no longer a 'province', but 'a nation once again'!

... the liaisons of Vlaams Belang with the British National Party which opposes the national reunion of Ireland and even puts into question the sovereignty of the Irish, taints that part of the statement as opportunistic and rests credibility to it.

[Llywarch Hen]

Originally Posted by Menydh

I applaud the Vlaams Belang statement here. However..... the liaisons of Vlaams Belang with the British National Party which opposes the national reunion of Ireland and even puts into question the sovereignty of the Irish, taints that part of the statement as opportunistic and rests credibility to it.

Whatever liaisons exist, they are of little importance to Vlaams Belang in the wider scheme of things, just as the Irish policy of the BNP is of little importance to the main mission of the party.
Describing VB as 'tainted' and 'opportunistic' because of this is nothing short of muckraking, the sort of thing done by multiculturalist journalists, and shouldn't come from a fellow European Nationalist.
The most important thing in this article is that VB are showing their enemies to be the hypocrits they are. The fact that they're not as whole-heartedly pro-Irish-Nationalist as you'd like them to be is beside the point, and shouldn't even be expected of Flemings, who have their hands full with their own problems.

And besides, your 'national reunion' involves the annexation of a smaller, religiously and culturally dissimilar, nation, the Northern Irish. The old fashioned term for that is imperialism, and something that's been giving decent nationalism a bad name since a long time now.

[M.R.]

Originally Posted by Llywarch Hen

And besides, your 'national reunion' involves the annexation of a smaller, religiously and culturally dissimilar, nation, the Northern Irish. The old fashioned term for that is imperialism, and something that's been giving decent nationalism a bad name since a long time now.

Since when are northern Irish a 'nation'? I don't see it as imperialism since it's Ireland, I hate how some people want to use the term 'imperialists' for people who only want to reclaim their land back. My nation has had it's land stolen trough history exactly due to imperialism and I know what is like. BNP is giving nationalism bad name since they support a state with shameful imperialistic past rather then it's nations and their interests.

[Llywarch Hen]

Originally Posted by M.R.

Since when are northern Irish a 'nation'? I don't see it as imperialism since it's Ireland, I hate how some people want to use the term 'imperialists' for people who only want to reclaim their land back.

'Ireland' is an island in the Atlantic Ocean. It's not necessarily the natural bounds of one single ethnicity, and never was. If Scotland and Ireland were joined by a spit of land, such simplistic views would be impossible, but ethnically speaking the two main islands in our archipelago are joined in something like a continuum.
Like it or not, there is a considerable ethnic group in the north of the island that doesn't feel the closest of kinships with those who were the architects of the Republic of Ireland, or those who at present control its political destiny. Why should their opinion not count? You asked 'since when', and I would answer that this has been the case since they ceased to be only Scots, Englishmen, Irishmen and Welshmen, and forged a common identity based on a common situation, strengthened by endogamy and religion. They constitute a relatively young ethnicity, sure, but should that be held against them? They cannot be compared with Russians in Estonia for example, as they have nowhere else to go.

My nation has had it's land stolen through history exactly due to imperialism and I know what is like. BNP is giving nationalism bad name since they support a state with shameful imperialistic past rather then it's nations and their interests.

The BNP are far from perfect, and often express themselves incorrectly, but they are at least fighting to end immigration into my country. And there's no shame in an imperialistic past per se, or half of Europe would be hanging its head in guilt! There are many things to be proud of in our imperial past, but that is a question for history. The BNP's Irish policy is rooted in an appreciation of the ethnic status quo on the island of Ireland, not in history as such.

[Errigal]

It is up to the people living in the six counties of Ulster still in the UK to choose their own future. I would recommend they join a united Ireland, but it is for the people of Northern Ireland to decide.

[Llywarch Hen]

Originally Posted by Errigal

It is up to the people living in the six counties of Ulster still in the UK to choose their own future. I would recommend they join a united Ireland, but it is for the people of Northern Ireland to decide.

And they have my blessing should they ever do so. I'd probably recommend them having a bit of home-rule sort of thing, like Scotland has within the UK. Until then, I hope the BNP continue to stand up for their option to choose their fate.

And what could be fairer than that? Eh, Mynydd?

[Marcus Marulus]

This move by Vlaams Belang is laudable, independently of what someone thinks of this party in general, its pattern of alliances at the international level etc.

[orieleye]

Originally Posted by Llywarch Hen

'Ireland' is an island in the Atlantic Ocean. It's not necessarily the natural bounds of one single ethnicity, and never was.

Originally Posted by Llywarch Hen

You asked 'since when', and I would answer that this has been the case since they ceased to be only Scots, Englishmen, Irishmen and Welshmen, and forged a common identity based on a common situation, strengthened by endogamy and religion.

I doubt if Northern Loyalists ever considered themselves Irish. They are loyal to the British crown, and Britain is "an island in the Atlantic Ocean. It's not necessarily the natural bounds of one single ethnicity, and never was". Whatever has been forged, it isn't an ethnicity.

Yet the BNP and the separatist Vlaams Belang are linked and from what I've seen on the internet the BNP were very pleased with Ireland's vote. Certainly no slurs such as what this Belgium journalist uttered.

[Marcus Marulus]

Paul Goossens, responsible for the European section of the official Belgian press agency BELGA, has written in the newspaper 'De Morgen' on 14/6/2008 that the Irish are a nation 'of parochial traditions, penny-pinching misers, catholicism and alcohol'.

This Paul Goosens is certainly a sub-human lowlife filth. Given the fact that he is speaking in the name of an artificial creation (Belgium) that is no nation, but merely a state run by corrupt socialist mandarins, he better keep his mouth shut. Not to speak about the euro(c)rats whom he also supports and who are fine specimens of honesty and fairness.

Except for the part about alcohol, everything else he said can be taken as a compliment for the Irish. What is wrong with "parochial traditions" and "catholicism"? Maybe Belgian pedophiles are better, or drugged Belgian DJs running rave parties are so superior? And what about "penny-pinching misers" part? As far as I know, thrift is one of the main pillars upon which the modern prosperity of European nations is based. The Irish should be mindless squanderers, I guess, to please this lowlife scum.

[orieleye]

Originally Posted by Marulus

Except for the part about alcohol, everything else he said can be taken as a compliment for the Irish. What is wrong with "parochial traditions" and "catholicism"? Maybe Belgian pedophiles are better, or drugged Belgian DJs running rave parties are so superior? And what about "penny-pinching misers" part? As far as I know, thrift is one of the main pillars upon which the modern prosperity of European nations is based. The Irish should be mindless squanderers, I guess, to please this lowlife scum.

You're right. I should have said 'intended slurs' above.

[Llywarch Hen]

Originally Posted by orieleye

I doubt if Northern Loyalists ever considered themselves Irish.

What about those (we'll imagine that you didn't use the political term 'loyalist' but rather referred to the descendants of Protestant settlers) who were involved in various movements like the United Irishmen in the late Eighteenth Century?

And what of descendants of the same settlers who continued in their migrations and ended up in America? They described themselves as Irish, and organised St Patrick's Day parades and the like.

They are loyal to the British crown, and Britain is "an island in the Atlantic Ocean. It's not necessarily the natural bounds of one single ethnicity, and never was". Whatever has been forged, it isn't an ethnicity.

Absolutely, but there is a community of shared history and culture there. I'd like to be able to use the word 'Commonwealth' but I fear it's been blackened in its more recent usages...

Yet the BNP and the separatist Vlaams Belang are linked and from what I've seen on the internet the BNP were very pleased with Ireland's vote. Certainly no slurs such as what this Belgium journalist uttered.

Aye. Go raibh maith agat indeed to the sean bhean bhocht!

[orieleye]

Originally Posted by Llywarch Hen

What about those (we'll imagine that you didn't use the political term 'loyalist' but rather referred to the descendants of Protestant settlers) who were involved in various movements like the United Irishmen in the late Eighteenth Century?

And what of descendants of the same settlers who continued in their migrations and ended up in America? They described themselves as Irish, and organised St Patrick's Day parades and the like.

They're a mixed bag. I didn't notice the 'ethnic group in the north' speaking out against the Lisbon Treaty, or applauding the Irish vote.

Originally Posted by Llywarch Hen

Aye. Go raibh maith agat indeed to the sean bhean bhocht!

Tá fáilte romhat.