The triumph of lies continues unabashed in Washington DC. After a young Quebec anti-immigrant “troll” took up arms against local Muslims and murdered six of them during prayer, the president’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, had the gall to exploit this tragedy to justify his boss’ order to exclude Muslims from America. This is a man who has no shame. Muslims are massacred by a lunatic whose Facebook Likes include Marie Le Pen, Donald Trump (not to mention United for Israel, and Israel Defense Forces), and Trump’s PR flack tells America with a straight face that this is why we need to keep Muslims out.
Further, the alt-right social media trolls were out in full force last night. After I began posting about this horrific attack, they began tweeting at me that the shooter was Muslim. Another said he was “Saudi.” All of it wasn’t even “alternative facts,” it was outright falsehood. Fed by whom, I wondered? By FoxNews of course, which reported the arrest of a second suspect who was allegedly Moroccan. It turns out the second individual wasn’t a suspect, but a witness who was discovered by police near the mosque.
Further, another witness reported that during the assault the shooter yelled “Allahu Akbar.” Apparently the alt-right believes only Muslims are permitted to speak these words, and that therefore the killer must be Muslim. None of it is true. But this is an exemplar of the perversion of truth engaged in by the alt-right. If reality is against you, transform it into something that favors your world-view. Even if it’s resemblance to truth is non-existent.
Alexandre Bissonnette is a student at Laval University, where many Arab students from foreign countries are also enrolled. He is described by those in the local anti-immigrant movement as a “troll.” Apparently a troll who decided to become a killer. He may’ve been further inspired by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s generous offer to all those Arab refugees turned away by America: he told them Canada would take them in. Another way in which Trump may’ve indirectly provoked this bloodshed.
Another tweep last night asked me to justify my claim that Donald Trump hates Muslims. He rejected the notion that Trump deserved any share of the blame for this incident. Of course, Trump didn’t pull the trigger. But his words, his hate, and most of all his election victory has turned on a switch within the alt-right movement. Acts of violence which might’ve been restrained or rejected before, all of a sudden are empowered by victory. The alt-right expects much from Comrade Steve Bannon. And in order to expedite things, they’ve determined to take matters into their own hands.
On a different subject, CNN reporter Jim Sciutto tweeted this recently:
Just in: Israel seeking clarity on #TrumpTravelBan – 145,000 Jews born in 7 countries listed in EO incl 54,000 in Iraq & 45,000 in Iran
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) January 30, 2017
In other words, Israel has 145,000 citizens who are natives of the seven banned Muslim states. Will they be excluded from U.S. travel as well? You can be damn sure Trump will carve out an exemption as big as a Mack truck for these Israelis because they’re among the alt-right’s Chosen People.
Building Walls
Over the past few days, I’ve been posting about walls: from Robert Frost’s inimitable “Something there is which doesn’t love a wall;” to Warsaw ghetto walls; to Israel’s Sinai wall; to Trump’s Mexico wall. Thanks to reader Raviv for linking to this extraordinary song, Why Do We Build the Wall. It’s from Anais Mitchell’s musical, Hadestown. The solo singer in the song is Hades, king of the underworld:
[HADES]
Why do we build the wall, my children, my children?
Why do we build the wall?[CHORUS]
Why do we build the wall?
We build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free[HADES]
How does the wall keep us free, my children, my children?
How does the wall keep us free?[CHORUS]
How does the wall keep us free?
The wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free[HADES]
Who do we call the enemy, my children, my children?
Who do we call the enemy?[CHORUS]
Who do we call the enemy?
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free[HADES]
Because we have and they have not, my children, my children
Because they want what we have got[CHORUS]
Because we have and they have not
Because they want what we have got
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free[HADES]
What do we have that they should want, my children, my children?
What do we have that they should want?[CHORUS]
What do we have that they should want?
We have a wall to work upon
We have work and they have none
And our work is never done
My children, my children
And the war is never won
The enemy is poverty
And the wall keeps out the enemy
And we build the wall to keep us free
That’s why we build the wall
We build the wall to keep us free
We build the wall to keep us free
