Late 20th and early 21st century Euro-Racism
In an exhibition of my works held during June-July 2009 I was criticised for the sentiments which underlie my works by the owner of the gallery in which my works were being exhibited. According to this gallery owner/director (Robert Cripps, refer exhibition), criticism of Judaism or Christianity, or Zoroastrianism, is acceptable, but any criticism of Islam (by citing the Koran in the same way that I cite Biblical passages to criticise Judaism/Christianity) is, as he claimed, "racist", because if applied to "Palestine", it would mean that the Muslims, and not Jews are responsible for what ails that region.
Nearly 65 years after the end of WW2, and the views of Hitler are rehabilitated.
ADOLF HITLER AND THE 21ST CENTURY LEFT
Hitler's racist disciples: the political Left
A large number of the "conscientious" Left are (or claim to be) oblivious to what Hitler actually wrote, but denounce him for for what they claim is his racism. Nevertheless, this "conscientious" Left have adopted what Hitler wrote in the Mein Kampf, and express these very same sentiments as a demonstration of the sincerity of their good conscience!
Neo-Hitlerianism is a phenomenon of the European political Left. It exists in Australia. It is claimed that this phenomenon is part of a "secular" criticism of Israel. However, the exponents of the new Left are RACIST Christians feigning a secular impartiality. The most prominent of Australia's Leftist Christian racists is the cartoonist Leunig.
Leunig: case study of an Australian Nazi
Hitler's disciples of the Left claim a profound concern for the plight of "Palestinians". This is expressed as a racial hatred of Jews, with arguments which are derived directly from the Mein Kampf. In the case of Leunig the clearest example of his racism is his cartoon which is illustrated below. In this cartoon is represented a Jew, not an "Israeli", in 1942; Israel, it must be remembered, did not exist until after the war. This Jew is entering a concentration camp. In the second frame of his drawing, a Jew, this time an Israeli, is walking into a camp where the sign reads "war brings peace". This is not simply a criticism of Israel. This is a criticism of Jews. It uses the pretext of criticism of "Israel" to disguise its blatant Nazi racism. (Basically, Leunig's cartoon claims that Jews are responsible for what crimes others have committed against them).
Leunig's cartoon is still available via the ABC tv (Australia) webpage to accompany the story which was featured on the program Media Watch in 2002. It is reproduced according to the principles of Fair Use.
It is still available at http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/stories/popups/060502_s5f1.htm
The image is accessible from the "MediaWatch" transcript page
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/060502_s5.htm
The claim that such criticism of Israel is impartial is without substance.
In the Mein Kampf Hitler writes:
"…the
Zionists try to make the rest of the world believe that the national
consciousness of the Jew finds its satisfaction in the creation of a
Palestinian state…[not] for the purpose of living there; all they want
is a central organisation for their international world swindle endowed
with its own sovereign rights and removed from the intervention of
other states…" p. 294, A Reckoning, Mein Kampf, (Manheim translation).
Those of the political Left such as Leunig claim that the insidious aims Hitler claimed for the Jews have been fulfilled via the creation of the state of Israel! They, like Hitler, believe that their sentiments are conscientious, and though identical to those of Hitler, they believe somehow that though Hitler was a racist that they are not.
The claim that Hitler's racism was a rejection of Christian values is one often cited by the pseudo-secular Christian Left. This claim is at odds with what Hitler wrote:
"[The
Jew's] life is only for this world, and his spirit is inwardly as alien
to true Christianity as his nature two thousand years previous was to
the great founder of the new doctrine. Of course, the latter made no
secret of his attitude toward the Jewish people, and when necessary he
even took to the whip to drive from the temple of the Lord this
adversary of all humanity… In return, Christ was nailed to the cross,
while our present-day Christians debase themselves to begging for
Jewish votes at elections…" p. 278, A Reckoning, Mein Kampf, (Manheim translation)
Hitler's attitude is Christian, from the Christian New Testament:
“For
you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are
in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things
those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and
the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile
to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so
that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to
the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.” 1 Thessalonians 2.13-16
Thus a Christian Hitler writes:
"...I
believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty
Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the
work of the Lord." p.60, Mein Kampf, (Manheim translation)
Leunig, like Hitler is Christian:
With regard to the above cartoon, Leunig "…confessed this week, even 'God came in from the paddock and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder'." quoted by Andrew Bolt
17feb06
from (the now archived page) http://heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18169930%255E25717,00.html
Leunig has had several of his Christian prayer books published:
Among
them are books such as "When I Talk to You: A Cartoonist Talks to God"
and "The Prayer Tree". Though out of print in Australia his Christian
books are available via Amazon.com.
According
to one Amazon reviewer of one of these books, "This book contains
several down-to-earth prayers that inspire and enlighten through
simplicity."
The Amazon Editorial Review Product Description on another of Leunig's books states:
"[Leunig] is sharing his illuminating prayers and drawings worldwide in
When I Talk to You, a collection of more than 80 of his poignant
prayers and delightful drawings. The book looks at life in all its
sadness, joy, and-at times-seeming absurdity, and offers people hope
through the power of prayer."
[Urls: http://www.amazon.com/When-Talk-You-Cartoonist-Talks/dp/0740756966 ;
http://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Tree-Leunig/dp/1863710345.]
The Christian idea of martyrdom (that is, being killed for simply being a witness to the claimed truth of Jesus being the Christ) is a state which is attained as a consequence of being persecuted by those who deny Jesus. The definition for martyrdom is found in the New Testament. Those accused of persecuting the believers of Jesus (as the Christ) are Jews:
“...[those
who deny Jesus] will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will
deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before
kings and governors on account of my name. This will result in your
being witnesses to them... and they will put some of you to death... By
standing firm you will save your selves.” Luke 21.12-19
Like Hitler, Leunig is guided by his Christianity which sees Jews as the enemy of his religion. Leunig's stance is derived from his religious prejudice unencumbered by reason.
[Leunig's hatred of Jews is of such intensity that he is blinded by it and he sincerely believes that Muslims and Christians share a common set of values. Yet the Koran states unambiguously:
"Unbelievers are those that say: 'Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary.' ...Unbelievers are those that say: 'Allah is one of three.' There is but one God. If they do not desist from so saying, those of them that [so] disbelieve shall be sternly punished." The Table 5.66 -74
which is repeated in Mary 19.88, The Cave 18.2-5. Islam is as antithetic to Christians and Christianity as it is to Jews and Judaism.]
[An assessment of Hitler's Christianity]
Leunig and the Left
In an interview of Leunig that appears on the UK "Socialist Review" website he concedes to his political leanings and to his limited intellect:
"I grew up with a left wing outlook. My father was a communist in the 1950s when the Communist Party was illegal in Australia…I was not a good scholar and I wasn't good at school…I was very organisationally involved, although I was never a Communist Party member."
URL: http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=9242.
Leunig's most ardent defenders, and those whose rhetoric is most like that used by Hitler, are the Left. Below one such Left defense of Leunig from the "World Socialist Web": "Zionists witch-hunt Australia’s leading cartoonist" URL: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/feb2006/leun-f23.shtml
Hitler actively conscripted Muslims in the Balkans who killed Jews and Orthodox Christians.
"Himmler observed a fanatical, blind obedience in the Bosniaks. He thought that Muslim men would make perfect SS soldiers, as Islam "promises them Heaven if they fight and are killed in action."… Himmler was inspired by the success of Bosnian infantry regiments in WWI." Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_Waffen_Mountain_Division_of_the_SS_Handschar_(1st_Croatian)
(screenshot below)
Hitler's Muslim Nazi soldiers: the Mufti of Palestine "greeting Bosnian SS volunteers
Wikimedia Commons. From the German Federal Archive ." (below)
Deutsches Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive), Bild 146-1980-036-05
Titel: Amin al Husseini bei bosnischen SS-Freiwilligen.
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1980-036-05, Amin al Husseini bei bosnischen SS-Freiwilligen.jpg
URL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1980-036-05,_Amin_al_Husseini_bei_bosnischen_SS-Freiwilligen.jpg
Hitler's
Muslim Nazi soldiers: "Soldiers of the Handschar,1943, Wikimedia
Commons. From the German Federal Archive." They are reading a book
published by the Nazis entitled "Islam and Judaism", (below)
Deutsches Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archive), Bild 101III-Mielke-036-23
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101III-Mielke-036-23, Waffen-SS, 13. Gebirgs-Div. "Handschar".jpg
URL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101III-Mielke-036-23,_Waffen-SS,_13._Gebirgs-Div._%22Handschar%22.jpg
All of the above images have been uploaded into the Public Domain on the Wikimedia Uploads by the German Federal governement.
The shared objective of Islam and Nazism:
What is written in the Koran: