Many of you will know of the recent attack against the AFA by, first of all, the liberal blog Media Matters, and subsequently by the pagan blog The Wild Hunt. Their respective URLs are
http://tinyurl.com/6jmcz95 and http://tinyurl.com/5uaz5rs
Also referenced is the National Policy Institute, at http://www.thenationalpolicyinstitute.org .
My response is below. I have nothing else to say on the matter.
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
[Statement follows]
I have investigated the current controversy and have discussed it with the AFA Board of Directors. Here is my statement:
Four (not “seven to fourteen”) members of the Asatru Folk Assembly did attend a conference hosted by the National Policy Institute. They did this as private individuals, not as representatives for the Asatru Folk Assembly. The only way the original blogger, Brian Powell of the left-wing blog Media Matters, knew that they were AFA members is because, by his own admission, he craned his neck to see what one of them was writing on a piece of paper. At no time was there any attempt to speak for the AFA or to identify the ideals of the AFA with the subject matter of the conference.
The AFA will not dictate to its members which meetings they are permitted to attend as private individuals. There are suggestions that we discipline them for the crime of being present in a room where extreme statements seem to have been made. We will not do this. There will be no exposure, no witch-hunt, no apologies, and no reprimands.
A careful reading of the original post on the Media Matters blog makes it clear that Mr. Powell “cherry picked” the most extreme comments possible while ignoring the rest. He admitting that he expected “a little more anger, a little more foaming-at-the-mouth hatred of non-whites.” He further notes that “foremost on the minds of the attendees was not white dominance, it was white extinction.” His main objection, in short, was that people of European descent dared to meet to quietly discuss issues of concern to them as a group.
Let me very clearly state these two points: 1. The AFA will never advocate, condone, or excuse illegal or dishonorable acts directed at any person because of their race. 2. That said, men and women of European descent have exactly the same right to meet and to promote their collective interests as do any other group. To demonize them for doing this, when every other group is encouraged to do so, is to indulge in a vicious double standard.
9 comments:
Wonderfully put! There will always be those who try to deny everyone the right to freedom of thought and ideas if they aren’t their own thoughts or ideas. It makes me very happy to hear your statement. This is still America and any private person should be free to go where they chose and think what they like no matter who likes it. I don’t know the exact phrasing but I always liked the statement, Show me a man who will fight to defend another’s freedom of speech even if he detests what he says and I will show you a true patriot.
To truly say it is our right to be free us must respect others right to be free no matter what we think of the way they choose to use their freedom.
Thank you for your stament.
A good, measured response.
Freedom of assembly is a right for all, as is freedom of expression...something modern illiberals seem to forget.
I'm sorry, Ullarsskald, but I do not think name calling all liberals is either frithful or useful in this circumstance. There are plenty of us who are proud to be Liberal who still do not appreciate libelous accusations on behalf of an organization OR who have problems understanding our First Amendment Rights (and responsibilities!) in the USA. This is not an issue because it was a liberal blog, and I don't think making this political is at all useful. I was raised to believe that, no matter how abhorrent I personally found a message, it was my duty as a citizen to allow it to be said lest my own right to say my own message be taken away.
That said, I think the response of the AFA was right on since it shared the facts of the situation and refuted inflammatory posts. It is making me reconsider my subscription to the wild hunt at the very least. So thank you for clearing this up. Kudos, AFA.
Thank you Mr. McNallen for the comment. And thank you for respecting the freedom of your members to live as they will. I know it isn't easy, especially with our Heathen paths so often called racist, to avoid the temptation to police thought, even thoughts we all find horrid and put us in a bad light. But it is only in freedom that we can truly follow our paths and walk with our Godkin. Thank you for taking your stand the way you have.
Well said Mr. McNallen. Now, don't defend yourself anymore - you don't have to. Don't give liberal groups the attention they crave.
If they want to be universalists then let them go to church. Their hypocrisy is alienating the very people they need to give themselves legitimacy. They need a you to engage them. You don't need them.
I wonder if the blogger has attended other equivalent groups who espouse similar matters?
So what if he has? Last time I checked, this is still a free country. Me, I find it interesting that Mr. Powell was quite dishonest with the other attendees as to why he was there. Hmmmm....
Although I do have to say that sometimes the left goes TOO far....there is now a campaign, called "Drop the I Word," that is trying to classify the word "illegal" (as in "illegal immigrant") as a "racial slur" and they are encouraging people to take a pledge stating they will never call a person "illegal." Supposedly the word "illegal" is "dehumanizing."
I can think of many words that are "dehumanizing"...and "illegal" isn't one of them.
Forgot to add: the PC term is "undocumented worker" or "undocumented immigrant."
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