Irish liberals have spent the last half decade accusing everyone remotely to the right of Karl Marx of being a “Nazi-Fascist-Far-Right-Uber-Hitler.” But now that label has been levelled at the government and their lockdown, that comparison is too far and simply beyond the pale.
The controversy came when Mattie McGrath TD of the Rural Independent Group once again compared the new vaccine passport law to something out of “Nazi Germany in 1933” – of course referring to the idea that certain sectors of society were to be systematically discriminated against by law on medical grounds.
“Are we back to 1933 in Nazi Germany?” Mattie McGrath eventually posits
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) July 13, 2021
This wasn’t the first time McGrath made this comparison – as well as branding the government’s conduct as Nazi-like, he also compared the division of society to a form of “medical apartheid” on more than one occasion.
Mattie McGrath TD has said that vaccine passports will create a “medical apartheid” and turn families against each other in a blistering Dáil speech this week.#gript https://t.co/dxhIZb7v4f
— gript (@griptmedia) July 8, 2021
Now, could you disagree with Mattie’s comparison and think it was a tad hyperbolic? Sure, one could possibly argue that he went too far. That’s an opinion.
But do you know who definitely can’t argue that? Irish liberals.
These are the same people whose letter ‘N’ key on the computer keyboard is worn out from how many times they accuse others of being a “Nazi” at the drop of a hat.
Take Fianna Fáil Minister Thomas Byrne, who slammed Mattie by saying:
“Nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to Nazi Germany. Every comparison made diminishes the memory of that unique evil, and the slaughter of millions of Jews.”
Nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to Nazi Germany.
Every comparison made diminishes the memory of that unique evil, and the slaughter of millions of Jews.
We must continue to remember the absolute horror and terror of the Holocaust to ensure it can never happen again.
— Thomas Byrne (@ThomasByrneTD) July 13, 2021
One wonders, then, did Thomas think he was diminishing the memory of millions of Jews when in 2016 he compared US President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler?
If it talks like a Hitler and walks like a Hitler … https://t.co/XC8MC3hc5A
— Thomas Byrne (@ThomasByrneTD) June 20, 2016
You made the rules, Thomas.
https://twitter.com/Ben_Scallan/status/1414975087388893187
Taoiseach Micheál Martin apparently takes great exception to McGrath’s comments every time he makes them, and continually engages in a kind of performative outrage dance, saying that McGrath’s comments were offensive and insulting to people.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has asked Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath to 'refrain from his frequent use of language' like 'Nazis' and 'totalitarianism' when describing Covid-19 measures, saying the comparison is insulting and offensive to people | Read more: https://t.co/eGUxxEjcpb pic.twitter.com/m6qdDpb8fB
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 13, 2021
And he almost got away with it too, if it wasn’t for meddling citizens and their stupid research: it was found that just a few years ago, Martin said, and I quote: “People who blatantly restrict the freedom of movement are essentially fascist in their approach to politics and society – and I make no apology for saying that.”
https://twitter.com/Ben_Scallan/status/1374803091086839809
Hilarious irony of this statement aside, can we assume that Micheál Martin was making comments that he himself regards as offensive and insulting to people by comparing his political opponents to members of a fascist regime?
Or take journalist Donal O’Keefe, who insinuated that Mattie must have been trying to offend when he compared the excessive lockdown measures to the Nazi regime.
Are you telling me you think Mattie McGrath meant no offence when he likened public health measures to Nazi Germany? Despite the actual Auschwitz Museum taking offence and Mattie not having the good grace or the balls to apologise? Cora, I know there's a good person there. Stop.
— Donal O’Keeffe (@Donal_OKeeffe) July 13, 2021
How bizarre then that one look at Donal’s timeline shows dozens of examples of him calling every Tom, Dick and Harry he sees a Nazi or Nazi-linked, including John McGuirk and Niamh Ui Bhrian of Gript.
McGuirk and his neo-Nazi-linked Youth Defence pals were begged by Down Syndrome Ireland to not use people with Down syndrome in their campaign. But sure who cares about Down Syndrome Ireland? #pknt #repealthe8th
— Donal O’Keeffe (@Donal_OKeeffe) April 10, 2018
The phrase you’re looking for, Irish media, is “Leader of #SaveThe8th Niamh Ui Bhrían, founder of the neo-Nazi-linked Youth Defence”. #repealthe8th
— Donal O’Keeffe (@Donal_OKeeffe) March 29, 2018
As an aside, not that it mattered to O’Keeffe, but it was parents of children with Downs Syndrome and people with Down Syndrome themselves who led that pro-life initiative. But I digress.
Based on his statements, is it safe to assume that Donal was attempting to offend and be insensitive to victims of the Nazi regime when he made those remarks? To paraphrase a famous song by The Clash, “O’Keeffe don’t like it.”
Look at blue tick self-described journalist Harry McCann, who previously stated that “Mattie McGrath should be embarrassed by his statement in the Dail today. He might want to better educate himself before he starts comparing our democracy to Nazi Germany.”
Mattie McGrath should be embarrassed by his statement in the Dail today. He might want to better educate himself before he starts comparing our democracy to Nazi Germany. https://t.co/T42DezYxiw
— Harry McCann (@TheHarryMcC) April 28, 2021
And yet, he once again compared Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler on another occasion.
Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Castro were unpalatable demagogues in many ways but at least… #IWorryForMankindSometimes 🙄 https://t.co/zShtkUcosV
— Harry McCann (@TheHarryMcC) July 23, 2018
I could go on and on, the examples are really endless.
So many of these sorts of people – journalists, politicians, NGO types – all either have made comments themselves or write for publications and parties which constantly invoke the name of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party to smear and slander their political opponents.
This has nothing to do with sympathy for the victims of totalitarianism – what we’re witnessing here, quite simply, is people who can dish it out, but can’t take it. They’re perfectly fine with this kind of language and accusation, until it’s turned back on them or someone they like.
Even the label of “far-right,” while not specifically in reference to Nazism, is clearly meant to conjure up the mental image of jackboots and stahlhelms. And how many times a day do we hear that levelled at people the media isn’t fond of?
What's behind the emergence of the far right in Irish politics? New Brainstorm podcast based on a piece by @kevcunningham @WeAreTUDublin, voiced by Erik Threlfall & now available wherever you get your podcasts https://t.co/zuFwjCFNps pic.twitter.com/Eq67CO25j3
— RTÉ Brainstorm (@RTEBrainstorm) July 5, 2021
The rule here is that liberals can weaponise these labels against conservatives, even when it’s unjust, but to use it on them in return is outrageous and insensitive apparently.
The whole thing is faker than a WWE fight. Please, lads, spare us the faux outrage.