In reference to the previous post, here's a follow-up concerning the (withdrawn) invitation issued to members of Vlaams Belang. The editorial below is taken from the VB website (translated once again by VH):
U.S. Embassy is “mistaken”- - - - - - - - -
Three weeks ago all fraction leaders and the members and the mandatory members of the Foreign Affairs commission of the Senate, received an invitation to witness the taking of the oath by Obama at the Embassy of the United States in Brussels. This morning it suddenly seemed that Vlaams Belang was not welcome, when our Senate fraction received a last minute call from the Embassy to inform them it was a “mistake”.
By suddenly making a distinction between members of parliament on the basis of their political affiliation, the U.S. steps de facto into the Belgian logic of the “cordon sanitaire”. Apart from the fact that the manners of the Embassy do not testify to very good manners, and are improper for the largest democracy of the World — as Joris Van Hauthem expressed in a reaction — it must be noted that it is not the task of an Embassy — even if it is that of the United States — to mingle actively in internal politics of another nation. Or are we “mistaken”?
5 comments:
By comparison, a British Embassy.
Embassies are often the first view many people get of a country up close. Now, my experiences in the US, brief as they may be, reflect very little of my few experiences with US embassies. The Embassy in Asunción, Paraguay, for instance, was a 15 acre fortress. It wasn't welcoming (ironic given the way the US welcomes illegal immigrants these days?) and it seemed very much the stereotype of the US. Rich, boorish, distant, overbearing and so on and so forth.
Americans aren't like that, of course. I know that much.
In all things the United States seem to be a land of extremes (to employ a well-worn cliché), and in this they are no different. The American embassy can't do the British thing of inviting everyone and then quietly shuffling people around to prevent a conflict, giving the image of magnanimous equanimity and staying aloof from local politics. An American embassy has to do it the American way. Decisive, loud, brash and - unfortunately in this case - without compromise.
But this speaks less of America and more of the State department, populated by superior bureaucrats who so dearly wish to be the euroleftists they constantly emulate. To be closer to them they drop into the conflict uninvited and, as an added side-effect of the statist and leftist mentality displayed, on the wrong side. For a US embassy to act this way doesn't actually surprise me... though, it must be said, embassies are not normally known to insert themselves into national politics like this so in that sense it is a surprise. And then again, perhaps not.
Actually, I think my good colleagues higher up in the Vlaams Belang hierarchy are acting somewhat too emotional and premature (I am but a humble VB member).
This rejection should instead be seen as a GREAT HONOR bestowed upon us!!!
Outlaw Mike/Belgium
This rejection should instead be seen as a GREAT HONOR bestowed upon us!!!
I wholeheartedly agree. After having seen the megalomaniac festivities and media Stalinist worshiping at the Coronation of the Pharaoh in Washington, I consider it a badge of honor not participating in such a disturbing display of personality cult.
The fact that Vlaams Belang was disinvited protected their honor from being involved in a global Communist madness, which cost the American taxpayers, on the verge of a severe economic depression, more than 150 million dollars and counting. People are losing jobs and their life savings, yet the world is celebrating The Second Coming personified by a man who basically did nothing of importance in his whole life. It looks like the last days of the Romans, when people spent their time in grandiose public festivities while the Empire was crumbling.
It makes me ashamed...
We have welcomed leaders of every despotic nation. Hell, the lunatic from Iran has been given a forum twice at Columbia University. To "disinvite" the VB from the embassy is a true embarrasement to me. I will say however, that the State Dept. has been out of control for many years. As a citizen of the United States, I feel that the State Dept. doesn't represent me and hasn't even under the Bush Admin. All the happy talk out of our gov't of inclusiveness, etc... I guess that doesn't include native Europeans.
BTW, did you hear that Ted Kennedy had a seizure at the innaugural luncheon? Someone on another site said that half the country had a seizure today, why single out one man?
I wonder if emperor Calibama will appoint a horse as senator,,, Then be very worried!
Post a Comment
All comments are subject to pre-approval by blog admins.
Gates of Vienna's rules about comments require that they be civil, temperate, on-topic, and show decorum. For more information, click here.
Users are asked to limit each comment to about 500 words. If you need to say more, leave a link to your own blog.
Also: long or off-topic comments may be posted on news feed threads.
To add a link in a comment, use this format:
<a href="http://mywebsite.com">My Title</a>
Please do not paste long URLs!
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.