April snow

April snow alludes to a snow storm that surprised us one evening only a few days ago in the French Alpes Maritimes. The icy blizzard whipped the snow in such a way that it was hard to see to walk the dogs. It reminded me of scenes from the film 'Dans les forêts de Sibérie'. Early the following morning one could see the wind swept serrated pattern effects of the snow that still clung to the blades of grass. Naturally it's also a rare, unexpected occurrence here, even at this fairly high altitude at this time of year.
Similarly certain surprising reactions in response to expressed opinions might sometimes be felt as chilling. Such exchanges give one food for thought.
The following FB exchange, for example, is interesting in as much as it seems to illustrate the categorical, politically pigeon-holed, communitarian way in which society is evolving.
Naturally most people defend their convictions. Some might regard anyone who dares to go against the grain of those convictions as a threat.
 
One will never get FB 'likes' from anyone who believes that their objective, ideology, aspiration, faith, way of life, thus future is questioned, if not threatened by an intruder. Indeed one can even suffer the ultimate humiliation of being 'unfriended', God forbid, simply because of a phrase, or a misunderstanding, no doubt because the times in which we are living have become so critical.
 
One welcomes constructive criticism from those whom one respects on FB, and I would certainly never want to try to establish a club of think-alikes. Perfection is an illusion, and this is revealed by beauty, and life itself. None of us can pretend to weild aloft the glorious white light of truth. It's not even white light. It's everything, of which we are a infinitesimal yet intrinsical part.
The following FB exchange is between me and some European federalist enthusiasts who follow the page 'My Country? Europe'.
My introduction to incite the exchange was provocative, also because of the annoying way in which Brexit is being criticised with such disdain by the EU club. 

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Me
GB is geographically, historically, politically and economically part of Europe. Without GB and the American allies, the EU diktat institution that seems to be engrossed in selling the European continent, its cultural diversity, its identity, history and patrimony to Islam, wouldn't exist today.
 
Shep
"GB is geographically, historically, politically et economically part of Europe.
"We agree, which is why we supported Remain.
"Without GB and the American allies,
"You do know NATO hasn't been disbanded, right, Mirino?
"the EU diktat institution"
Ever heard of European elections?
"engrossed in selling the European continent, its cultural diversity, its identity, history and patrimony to Islam"
[Citation Needed]
Also, yeah nice try but that won't fly here. Most Eurofederalists are deeply secular, and some are Christians. Someone's been selling you cheap Kremlin propaganda, Mirino.

Me (reply to Shep)
Thanks for your reply.
Going from point to point, I believe it to be very pretentious to claim that GB is no longer a geopolitical, economic and strategic European nation if it has decided democratically to quit the EU club.
During the WWII, GB was the only nation from where it was possible to launch D-Day. NATO didn't exist then, right Shep? The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in 1949, four years after the end of the war.
The 'EU diktat institution' is a reference not only to the fact that no European nation feels properly represented by the EU, it refers to the officious manner in which certain members behave. Junker, for example, seems to be believe he has the right to dictate European policies which are not in the interests of European nations.
Uncontrolled immigration of Muslims on a no border basis, for example, is a dangerous, culturally destructive inanity, which, if continued, can only lead to chaos, conflict and Dystopia.  

I maintain I am more European than average, but I certainly never elected Juncker, nor anyone else of the EU club for that matter.
The only words you have used re. mass, uncontrolled, Islamic immigration is- 'citation needed'. No citation is necessary. One only needs to open one's eyes to what's taking place, and all the negative consequences it's causing.
You must be aware how many thousands of migrants drown in the Mediterranean each year, for example, this after their being fleeced by traffickers. The EU is indirectly responsible for these deaths by encouraging illegal immigration in a vain bid to establish neo-Marxist, multicultural globalism. Any other objective doesn't hold water. We are not talking about refugees. If we were, the multiculturalism would include, amongst other ethnics, Copts, Kurds and Christians, and generally far more women, children and old folks.
If 'some members of the EU institution are Christians', as you maintain, why have they not used their position and influence to do what real responsible Christians should do, and help their fellow men? Why is the EU orchestrating this programme by only accepting in principle a majority of male Muslim migrants from all over the world?
Finally, no one has been selling me propaganda. Only a fool would be blind to what's taking place. You mention the Kremlin. Let's not forget that Russia was also an ally of WWII that European survival also depended on. A solution to end the war in Syria (a war that has been exploited by the West for ideological motives) can never be found without intelligent cooperation with Russia.
I thought the Ukrainian affair was a fiasco. It seems ironic that one wants to treat Russia as the 'expansionist enemy' when it was the EU and the USA under Obama who seemed to be pushing for expansion. You must know that the previous Ukrainian gouvernement was an elected one. The paid off puppet, pro European substituted effort was certainly not an elected alternative. Where was the respect for democracy and freedom from the EU, Obama, Clinton and Soros then?
 

K.B.
Today it is 2017. If Britain does not wish to take part in democratically agreeing to treaties designed to improve the quality of life in this part of the world, then clearly Britain will not be playing a strategic role in Europe. The major role for Britain outside the EU will be as a vassal state controlled by the US war machine, and this will not be helpful to the British or to the member states of the EU. Quote from the Financial Times: "Britain joined what was then the European Economic Community in 1973 as the sick man of Europe. By the late 1960s, France, West Germany and Italy — the three founder members closest in size to the UK — produced more per person than it did and the gap grew larger every year. Between 1958, when the EEC was set up, and Britain’s entry in 1973, gross domestic product per head rose 95 per cent in these three countries compared with only 50 per cent in Britain. After becoming an EEC member, Britain slowly began to catch up. Gross domestic product per person has grown faster than Italy, Germany and France in the more than 40 years since.
By 2013, Britain became more prosperous than the average of the three other large European economies for the first time since 1965." Leaving the EU will be a tragedy for this country, morally as well as economically and we will lose all our independence to the US.
 
T.B.
'Citation needed? You need only open your eyes!' - I see... so... what that means is 'there is no evidence for my assertions. But I really really believe them!'. Absolute arsewater. 'Diktat' was the first clue.
 
Me (reply to K.B.)
That is how one wishes to appreciate the situation. Do you seriously believe that GB will sink miserably into oblivion because of its decision to leave the club? The fact that you seem so sure of yourselves, without going into the history of GB which virtually became a democracy when the Magna Carta was signed, makes one all the more convinced that the people were right to vote out.
I also note that there is no argument to defend the inanity of no borders and continuing to allow uncontrolled immigration of Muslims from the world over. There is no explanation for this nor is there any offered justification in having encouraged North Africans to risk drowning themselves in the Mediterranean, literally in thousands, all for the sake of a hare-brained ideology that can only lead to Dystopia.

Me (reply to T.B.)
First of all, insults aren't arguments. Secondly pick up any honest news paper virtually any day, of any democracy that has been subject to the inane idea of imposed immigration thanks to its bought out heads of State, (eg. Turnbull of Australia, Trudeau of Canada, Juncker of the EU, Merkel, and the deplorable effects of Obama's reign, and you will read the latest negative, often atrocious and certainly tragic consequences of irresponsibly encouraging uncontrolled immigration of Muslims. The other alternative would be to continue to dismiss it all by playing at being the three monkeys.
 
A.R.
Mirino Cameron You are very loquacious for such an ignorant person. Your verbiage must be a comfort on those lonely nights.
 

Me (reply to A.R.)
Another comment totally void of content. If you have nothing to say to defend the noble EU institution, and all the negative consequences caused by its idiotic globalist aspirations, including the recent terrorist attack in Paris, (because we are all aware that ISIS terrorists are infiltrating the uncontrolled ranks of Muslim migrants) then please do me the pleasure of not bothering me for nothing. Thanks.
 
A.P.
And without the Battle of Hastings the UK as we know it wouldn't exist today. Yada yada yada.....
 
Me (general reply)
We all know that Europe isn't a country. It's a continent made up of nations, the culture and patrimony of which represent the true wealth of Europe. But one never gets the impression that the EU values this wealth of diversity. On the contrary it seems determined to make everything conform from cheeses, cauliflower to culture, with an obvious emphasise at the present time on Islam. 
To dismiss the negative effects of what is taking place is to adopt the stance of the three monkeys. But multiculturalists don't seem to have an argument to defend this naive, tacit globalist inanity. The replies I'm getting are either empty or idiotic.
 
M.P.
Given that almost all your comments include the phrase "uncontrolled Muslim migration", I think we can see where you're coming from.
 

A.P.
It's also factually wrong because Muslim immigration mainly comes from the former colonies of the UK and France, not the EU! Muslim migration from war zones is not uncontrolled either - in fact, none of it is.

Me (reply to A.P.)
The Obama administration was pushing for 'no borders', as is even still, and in spite of so many negative consequences: Juncker, Merkel and other 'multiculturists' (a more politically correct term for 'globalists'). To pretend that there is border control when God knows how many radicals from ISIS are already somewhere in the sticks of Europe, could be regarded as a cynical joke. This masquerade started on the noble pretext of generously giving asylum to war-torn refugees. Gradually even Merkel began to refer to them as migrants. And why are the majority male Muslims? Where are the children, the women and old folks? Where are the persecuted Christians, the Kurds and Copts?
 
(As an aside, because I know that I will never score any points through exchanges with people who tar the opinions of others with a political brush, I find your collective responses interesting enough to ask you all if you would have any objection to me publishing them on 'Viewfinder'. No doubt you are all convinced that I am a racist, fascist, Trumpist, Putinist, which could well be the case, if not worse, and that you all think alike and have the courage of your convictions. If so, in principle you might agree to this request).

(Continuation- 12th May, 2017)

Me, to My Country Europe.
One forgot to allude to the Treaty of Versailles which was largely responsible for isolating Germany, depreciating the value of the Deutsch Mark and fostering a monster, that could have never been defeated without the help of Russia and the USA.
One makes no allusion to the present hare-brained project of Islamising the European continent thanks to Merkel, Juncker and sectarian neo-Marxist multibillionaires. The sketch is obviously idealised and incomplete.

Reply:
billionaires,
Marxists,
pick one

-Tracer
 
Me, to My Country Europe.
G. Soros

Reply:
Of course. Every progressive is a Marxist. Including myself. Tell me something original.

- Soros

Me, to My Country Europe.
Well, you have spelled it out perfectly honestly, which is commendable, but hardly reassuring to Europeans who still believe in democracy and wish to preserve the history, culture and patrimony of their nation. It seems however that neo-Marxist ideologues imposing an inane idea doomed to fail, have no respect for PM's like Viktor Orbán who give priority to the interests of the nation and the people they were elected to represent.

Reply
Reads an ironic comment about how foolish it is to think every progressive is a Marxist.
Proceeds to claim it was "spelled out perfectly"

Wew lad

- Shep

Me, to My Country Europe.
Is that an argument or a personal remark? As yet no one has come up with a valid argument to justify the direction that the EU institution is still obstinately taking, in spite of the negative consequences. 'Progressive' is also an ironic choice of word when the establishment is bent on imposing a regressive, incompatible 7th century cult on Europeans.

M.D
Europe is more diverse than most continents, with an extremely rich and varied history stretching from the Palaeolithic, through to antiquity and the middle ages, and into the rise of distinct national cultures and the reinvigoration of old ones which were decimated by empire. Why any 'european' would want to, or thinks Europe should continue down a path of homogenisation and centralisation in politics, economics, and culture is both denying the lessons of history and allowing an ideology to destroy disparate entities which should be conserved, celebrated, and allowed to evolve as they naturally would. Not the way the EU wishes them to.

Me to M.D.
Exactly.

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In conclusion, I believe in a Europe of nations. I think it would be a grave error to try to fabricate a federation based on imposed, sterile, 'norms'. Most cultivated people, including cultivated Muslims, value and appreciate the diverse cultures of Europe. They would never want Europe to become a conform, characterless entity. They would hate it if ever it were fated to become a pseudo Arabian compromise, and obviously more so if it were to become regressively Islamic. Each European nation has its own roots, identity, patrimony, and many precious specialities and customs based on its particular culture and history that the EU should highlight and defend, rather than dismiss, or try to render conform to laws that have absolutely nothing to do with culture, if it seriously aspired to represent Europe.
It's also foolish to mock History, because history is always a precious reference. If you are not bothered to know where you've been, how do you really know where you're going?
In occupied Paris towards the end of WWII, Hitler, then knowing that his war was lost, ordered that Paris be destroyed by fire. An infantile, vindictive command that fortunately was ignored by his officers in Paris. This also illustrates the value set on culture and patrimony, even then by the battle-worn, bitter Wehrmacht officers, and maybe even the Waffen SS officers. If they valued not only their own culture and patrimony, but also French culture and patrimony, surely the EU can do a lot better... 
(But this is only an opinion. One would be very welcome to continue to try to counter it with constructive arguments).

Intro, conclusion and images © Mirino. (With thanks for the use of the FB exchange).

April 2017