Last Monday a presentation of the Slovenian translation of Alain de Benoist’s book “Manifesto for a European Renaissance” was announced at the Ljubljana City Library. Due to the political left-wing pressures, the library called off the event. Dr Tomislav Sunić should have participated in the discussion that evening, after the presentation of the book, instead he agreed to a brief discussion for our magazine.
Today (29 October 2018) we should have participated in an evening discussion for the presentation of the book in Ljubljana.
I was invited and I looked forward to the conversation and presentations. I am disappointed with the leadership of the library, which gave way to left-wing pressures, but it did not surprise me.
Usually the left-wingers start screaming and shouting only after the events, but this time it happened in advance, especially the article in the Mladina magazine has helped a lot …
I read this article and am surprised by the ignorance that stems from it and by the generalized labeling. Also, these people obviously do not even have a clue about the actual meaning of these labels. You should write this down: I wonder what kind of half-intellectuals, if I can even talk about intellectuals, sit in that Editorial Board. Before they wrote that nonsense, they could have called me and asked me. I would be glad to respond and teach them.
Could you say that the generalized labeling by the left – fascist, racist, xenophobic – has been around for quite a while and is quite usual?
This label hides their inability and also their unwillingness to even have a debate with their political opponents. Instead of debating, their adversary must interpret and prove that he is not a -ist or -phobic. You are placed in a subordinate position and instead of being able to explain your point of view, you must defend yourself against the discreditation if they even give you the chance to defend yourself.
So, does the Left have such an influence in society that it can actually carry out censorship?
In the western world, the Left has a cultural hegemony. It practically has complete dominance in universities. It has major influence also in the secondary schools, the academic sphere, in culture, in the media and in civil society. It can thus set standards of what is “acceptable” and what is not. These standards are, of course, purely for their own benefit. Those who do not adhere to it experience an immediate pogrom. Because of this, many people resort to self-censorship, they are very careful not to bring a pogrom on themselves.
Do you mean also the various half-hearted right-wingers?
I know a few of them, they personally agree with my views, but they do not dare to express them publicly. They are afraid that these views could harm them in their careers, take away their bread. It is not just the right-wingers, but also those who do not define themselves politically. However, they side with the left, playing into their game just in case, to show “awareness”, so that they might not rub anyone the wrong way.
Are they opportunists or is that not the right label?
Not really, I would say cautious, cowardly, maybe even weak. Opportunists are different, they do not have a conviction they think they should hide. They take on a belief and then express it. They are usually among the most fervent, if it helps in their careers, in their well-being. If it were necessary, they would turn around one hundred and eighty degrees in a moment, and I know a few like that. They make me recall those German communists from the 1920s and 1930s who became fierce Nazi Stormtroopers overnight.
So, can we say that a good part of this leftist cultural hegemony is based on the weak and the opportunistic?
We could and that is why the Right must therefore primarily aim to break this cultural hegemony of the Left. The protests on the streets, the words and the flags, all of this is great and encouraging. However, it is only for that moment, for one day, it is superficial. It is necessary to go deeper, to spread ideas through people who do not allow themselves to be intimidated.
Do you think that this is already happening with the emergence of identity and patriotic movements?
Of course it is, this is why there are now so many primitive reactions by the Left. They are afraid that they will lose the support of the opportunists and the weak-minded and then their cultural hegemony will be over, and thus their power in society will end as well. That is why they will do everything to prevent this. That is precisely why there are so many calls to “zero tolerance to hate speech”, which are at the same time a call to censorship and self-censorship. They thus prevent political opponents from publishing, lecturing or gathering at higher education institutions. Or, as we have seen, they try to prevent a public presentation of a book that the Left is uncomfortable with.
