Know Your Bigots II: Michelle Malkin
The best writer in Blogtopia ( and yes, Skippy, you did invent the term) David Neiwert of Orcinus, is guest-blogging over at Firedoglake, with an examination of how the members and ideals (though perhaps the use of the word ‘ideals’ gives them too much credence) of the fascist far-right have been subsumed into the GOP, giving special attention to the self-despising Michelle Malkin:
Right-wing bloggers have played a central role in this, but in a way that reflects the extent to which they are simply another cog in the conservative-movement propaganda machine. Carefully examing how the right blogosphere operates, as such, reveals important truths about the nature of the larger movement.
So let?s take a good look at how it?s structured. The first thing you?ll notice is that right-wing bloggers are generally careful to never express any overt or naked racism. Instead, what they do is act as a transmitter, taking an old far-right appeal or idea and present it as a fresh, if “politically incorrect,” way of thinking.
Michelle Malkin ? certainly one of the leading lights of the right-wing blogosphere ? provided us with a vivid example of this in a recent column, with a charge that she later repeated on national television and on her blog.
[…]
Malkin, in truth, was simply following in the footsteps of the most prominent right-wing blogger, Instapundit Glenn Reynolds, who for several months in 2004 was likewise promoting the “reconquista” notion while arguing, groundlessly, that the student organization MEChA was a pack of “fascist hatemongers” comparable to the Klan.
But in Malkin?s case, the thread from far-right extremism to mainstream consumption is especially pronounced, since she herself has a considerable history of dalliances and associations with extremists and far-right organizations, most notably VDare, the SPLC-designated hate group that publishes not just Malkin?s work but that of Steve Sailer and Jared Taylor.
Malkin, of course, has never explained her association with VDare, just as Reynolds never recanted his groundless smearing of MEChA. Similarly, they never confront the effects of their reliance on old appeals from the far right, because that would undermine the whole enterprise.
Rather, they trot them out for consumption and play coy about any of the deeper implications of what they?re saying. Then, they leave it up to their readers to complete the connection.
Thus, the editors at sites like Little Green Footballs, Free Republic, or RedState provide few substantive instances of outright racism ? but plenty of examples of repackaged extremism. Their commenters, however, are another story altogether; as we?ve seen, their audiences are all too glad to revel in the underlying bigotry.
I’ll never understand how Malkin can look herself in the mirror and write what she does. Can she actually see her skin colour or is her self-image so warped that what she sees is some blonde, bimboid, Orange County cheerleader?
Does she think she’ll get a special exemption when the men in the white hoods turn up at midnight with flaming torches? Does she think being married to lily-white hubby Jesse (and there’s a whole book to be written on that warped relationship dynamic) will protect her when they’re dragging her away to the detention camps she espouses for those other brown people?
Somehow I doubt it, based on his alleged previous behaviour:
Commencement exercises had just finished, and Mr. Malkin was talking with College Treasurer Charles Tharp, somewhere close to the memorial arch. I approached them and circled around quickly, trying to find the best angle. I knew Mr. Malkin was a Rhodes scholar, founder of this publication, and that he had been Mr. Tharp?s intern. In other words, here was someone whom I thought should definitely be in the yearbook – he was important. As I circled around, I raised my camera?I snapped on picture.
Suddenly, Mr. Malkin turned to me, yelling ?Don?t take my picture?? I wondered why he was yelling, but lowered my camera. There were other, equally important people whose pictures I had yet to take. Suddenly, he lunged out at me, shouting, ?Don?t fuck with me, or I?m going to kill you!? He grabbed my arm and tried to grab my camera, continuing to spew insults and death threats. The civilized scholar had suddenly transformed into an uncontrollable savage. Fortunately, a friend managed to pull me away from his grasp. Malkin must have regained his senses as his vicious fit ended and he ended his attack. This friend and several other people were all witnesses to this act of violence.
Now, Malkin himself has stated in an article that ??rejecting reasoned discourse and free inquiry, such behavior is the antithesis of liberal arts education.? In fact, in the same article he assered that one of his major reasons for choosing Oberlin ?was because of its reputation for tolerance and diversity. I was impressed by Oberlin?s history and commitment to social justice,? Could Jesse Malkin have gone so far in rejecting some of his most basic beliefs?
If I were Michelle Malkin ( and I thank providence that I’m not) I’d be stashing an emergency getaway kit somewhere for when the war against liberals and non-whites that she’s promoting so hard finally comes down. And I’d be watching my back at home too.
But I doubt she will. Malkin is enjoying her time as the Far-right’s current pet brown cutie way too much to see she’s accelerating her demise with her own actions.
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