German politicians and media promoted the ideology on display in Charlottesville
By
Johannes Stern
16 August 2017
German politicians and media outlets have responded to the right-wing extremist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, with sanctimonious denunciations. They have criticized the response of US President Donald Trump, who defended the fascist mob and whose right-wing advisers in the White House encouraged and incited the violence. But they completely ignore their own responsibility for the rise of the extreme right.
“Trump’s half-hearted manoeuvring after the outbreak of right-wing extremist violence is fatal,” stated Justice Minister Heiko Maas (Social Democrats, SPD) on Monday in Berlin. “All Democrats should find clear words to oppose racism. Anyone not taking a clear stance must accept that they are encouraging neo-Nazis,” he added.
Chancellor Angela Merkel (Christian Democrats, CDU) expressed her sympathy with the victims. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said that Merkel was very sad to hear of the death of a young woman at the hands of right-wing extremists this weekend. He referred to “absolutely repugnant scenes” at the march. “There was an explicit display of racism in its most despicable form, anti-Semitism, hatred. And it is repulsive regardless of where such images and slogans take place.”
German newspapers detailed the connections between Trump, the White House and right-wing extremist circles who were behind the Charlottesville march. The Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote of the “dark ties” between Trump, his chief political adviser Stephen Bannon and the far-right news outlet Breitbart News.
Spiegel Online cited the response of the neo-Nazi Daily Stormer to Trump’s “underwhelming message.” “He didn’t attack us,”…