There was a question yesterday, asking if, since Johann Hari had made his name "pretending" (not my word) to have seduced a male neo-Nazi at a convention and a male Islamist at Finsbury Park mosque, he had ever also seduced "the pro-life, pro-family, pro-worker and anti-war voice of an economically social democratic, morally and socially conservative patriotism towards the North of England, the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and Christendom"?
I was, and am, happy to confirm that he has never seduced this one. Nor, to the best of my knowledge, has he ever "pretended" to have done so.
But there is more going on here. Militant atheism is fine. Extreme social liberalism is fine. Highly politicised homosexuality is fine. But to be a repentant and recovered neocon, and an articulate social democratic critic of the Coalition's neo-Blairism, is on much the same level as to be a pro-life, pro-family, pro-worker and anti-war voice of an economically social democratic, morally and socially conservative patriotism towards the North of England, the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and Christendom. Which is to be on much the same level as a neo-Nazi or an Islamist.
Isn't it...?
I take your point but you are still being too nice to him. The brilliant stuff on your blog roll about Kamm, the airy admission that Fleet St. knew about Kit Cunningham all along, Mabel's employment of him anyway and subsequent dismissal, that is the category that this belongs in.
ReplyDeleteGay neo-Nazi Tory Socialists of the World unite. You have nothing to lose but your jokes. Etc.
ReplyDelete