March 12, 2004
WHAT'S LEFT THAT'S WORTH FIGHTING FOR IN EUROPE?:
After Madrid: a strange sort of solidarity (Mick Hume, 12 March 2004, Spiked)
If people are uncertain as to who they are uniting against, they seem even less sure of what they are standing up for. The big rally planned for Madrid on Friday night was promoted by the Spanish government (in itself an unusual idea for a political protest) under the slogans 'For the victims, For the constitution, For the defeat of terrorism'. These slogans say nothing - exactly who in Spain is against the victims and for the victory of terrorism? The expressions of solidarity look less like a political response to Eta or al-Qaeda than an incoherent outburst of empathy and anger. The pictures of protesters all holding their hands in the air conjure up an image, not so much of resistance as of resignation. [...][I]f the terrorists' actions reveal their brutal vacuity, perhaps our confused reactions betray the hole at the heart of our own societies. Solidarity with the victims is not enough to provide a sense of purpose. Instead of becoming fixated with the threat from a relative handful of terrorists, we would do better to focus on sorting out what ideas and values the rest of us wish to uphold. The more certain we are of what we stand for, the better equipped society will be to cope with bombs and bombers.
The New Labour government is now pointing to Madrid as 'proof' that those of us who protest about governments exaggerating the threat from terrorism are wrong. Of course terrorists can always stage a spectacular attack. Where Blair and co exaggerate the threat is in describing these attacks as a threat to the British and Western way of life - part of a final 'Armageddon'-scale battle between Good and Evil, as the prime minister put it last week. But while bombers can blow up trains, they cannot bring down civilisations - those tend to crumble from within.
Terrorism is certainly the least of Europe's worries. Well, besides GM food... Posted by Orrin Judd at March 12, 2004 12:55 PM
If you ask just about any American what we are fighting for in the war on terror, they will say "Freedom". How often do you hear Europeans use that word? The constitution, yes, but why the constitution, if not for freedom?
Posted by: Robert Duquette at March 12, 2004 1:16 PMThe author of the article got part of it wrong. I was reading a blogger who's in Spain, they have a habit after a terrorist attack to show respect at noon the next day. Anyone who wants to participate can.
This is their way of mourning.
When Britain does this, they really shut down. I remember the stories on 9/14.
Posted by: Sandy P. at March 12, 2004 2:45 PMit occurs to me that we are at a seminal moment.
Aznar's party was significantly ahead two days ago. If they now lose the election, it would be seen as because of this, and would be an ENORMOUS victory for the perpetrators of this heinous act.
If Aznar's party loses, look for a massive attack in the US before the election, by people drawing the appropriate, if incorrect, conclusions.
Posted by: Andrew X at March 12, 2004 3:17 PMRobert
There are Americans who say for Oil. I would like to think Americans were fighting for Freedom, but I'm afraid I don't get any kick out feeling superior to Europeans, when I see similiar attitudes from fellow Americans. I guess what I am saying is that it's a closer call than you indicate unfortunately.