Dramatically Dissimilar Headlines Nearly The Far Correct Prague Conference

Tomio Okamura, the Czech-Japanese leader of the Czech nationalist party, SPD, who got over 10% inwards recent elections was naturally viewed every bit a counterpart of Marine Le Pen inwards French Republic or Geert Wilders inwards the Netherlands. She has endorsed him earlier the elections, as well as and then forth. I recollect Okamura is an articulate pol alongside perfect Czech who proposes "direct democracy", a ban on Islam, as well as other things. But I recollect that inwards many debates, he was able to verbalise most lots of to a greater extent than full general political questions every bit good – although I don't claim to concur alongside him on a bulk of those – as well as then I recollect it's incorrect to consider him a one-topic politician.



I accept never considered to vote for him (and I in all probability accept much to a greater extent than problem alongside his typical voters' views as well as sentiments than alongside himself) fifty-fifty though Marine Le Pen, his apparent "counterpart" inwards France, would last probable to earn my vote. The divergence is clear: inwards France, everyone else has suicidal opinions most some essential questions spell inwards Czechia, opinions most multiculturalism that are clearly at to the lowest degree about compatible alongside my views are promoted past times almost all political parties. For this unproblematic reason, I believe that Okamura's average voter is unavoidably "more radical" than Le Pen's.




At whatever rate, Okamura has invited the stars of the European nationalist political spectrum to Prague for a conference during the weekend. They were rattling overnice to each other, some protesters – including Okamura's own, multicultural blood brother – appeared inwards front end of a building. But at that topographic point was a somewhat greater publish of big fans of these parties during numerous events, too. They clearly enjoyed the events.

Aside from Le Pen as well as Wilders, less famous folks from other countries accept attended the gathering. For example, UKIP lawmaker Ms Atkinson was attacked past times a Czech leftist. Her shoulder was injured as well as she rightfully complained most the "fascist filth". ;-)




Now, how practice the journalists bargain alongside such a story? Most of them thankfully wrote somewhat neutral stories alongside titles informing that these parties – unfortunately ofttimes called "far right" – accept gathered inwards Prague to criticize the EU as well as advise a Europe of acre states instead (a destination I evidently consider a proposed improvement).

Well, some of the titles were much less neutral. The New York Times wrote a even out titled

European Far-Right Leaders, Meeting to Condemn the E.U., Are Greeted With Boos

Cool, as well as then half of the even out is some boos. Compare the NYT championship alongside a championship inwards a summit Czech intelligence server, Novinky.cz:

Standing ovations as well as waving alongside the flags. Le Pen as well as Wilders accept attracted hundreds of fans.

Compare the NYT as well as Novinky.cz headlines. Can you lot spot a difference? ;-) These 2 titles were somewhat cherry-picked but the generalized message of these titles is basically true. In Czechia, alone Romea.cz, a small-scale PC server meant to defend the gypsies, ran a negative article that was comparable to the NYT story. Others were neutral, matter-of-fact, as well as sometimes picked positive aspects. Info.cz chose the next summary inwards their title:

"Tomio for president!" [Literally: "Tomio to the Castle".] Islam's critic Wilders described Czechs every bit a acre of heroes, he earned explosive ovations.

Well, it's in all probability overnice for a acre to last labeled a acre of heroes. ;-) Incidentally, Tomio isn't running for the Castle – he has basically endorsed the electrical current president Zeman's reelection bid. Some other titles say that Wilders was strongly urging Czechs to popular off along on resisting migration, he said that migration has to last fought against past times the walls if they're needed. Some other Czech journalists prominently speculate that the Western European nationalist leaders came to practice goodness from Okamura's success, as well as and then on.

But you lot tin hand the axe rather easily larn to the balanced data through the Czech media fifty-fifty if you lot alone follow several (or one) of them only. In the U.S., particularly if you're i of the people who alone pay attending to the titles, you're existence manipulated big time. You may conclude that some extremist, hated politicians accept gathered inwards the Czech majuscule as well as the acre has booed them.

That has naught to practice alongside reality. There were only hundreds of critics of the conference. H5N1 vast bulk of Czechs is evidently OK alongside the event. On summit of that, the Czech nationalist leader is half-Asian (quarter-Japanese, quarter-Korean) as well as he was born inwards Japan. This unproblematic fact past times itself is plenty to ridicule the thought that his voter base of operations is some bunch of sick folks who are controlled past times xenophobic feelings. Clearly, i sees that fifty-fifty these people's views must last classify of meritocratic.

On summit of that, fifty-fifty folks similar Marine Le Pen as well as Geert Wilders demo their natural tolerance for other ethnic groups past times having Tomio Okamura every bit their skillful friend, don't they?

Underneath the intend propaganda, at that topographic point are political parties whose political plan is basically every bit legitimate as well as non-radical every bit the political programs of other parties. But a huge fraction of the citizens inwards Western Europe as well as the USA are existence discouraged from fifty-fifty "daring to consider" this interpretation of these parties. It's a sign of a serious shortage of democracy. As long every bit anyone assumes that the media "have to be" basically sensible, he's existence squeezed as well as manipulated into some heavily distorted, intend views towards some parties as well as their voters that are comparable to 10% of these nations.