The EU, Nationalism and Censorship

Politico reports that European Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova has given a speech in Vienna in which she discussed the problem of rising nationalism.

Indeed this is a problem for the EU (and much of the Western world for that matter). Two of the already dissident V4 nations (Hungary and Poland) are in a state of semi-revolt and other member states like Bulgaria, Austria and Italy are close to jumping on board. It wouldn't take much for Spain and Greece to join the party. The Brexit process is in a state of free-fall.

What's the solution? This author has no stake in the question apart from a general interest and a desire to monitor the geopolitical situations that Christians must function within.

What struck me as interesting is that Jourova echoes what we're hearing from various sectors within the US Establishment. What's needed (we're told) is a media clampdown, regulation and ultimately censorship.

And of course in light of The Age of Terror, the United States as well as various other governments have taken steps to empower the state and under the aegis of 'emergency powers' the state can intervene... for security purposes of course.

Even as the West largely moves on from the phony Terror paradigm, new 'threats' have emerged that threaten the Atlantic capitalist order. There is almost palpable sense of unease and even fear among the Establishment. This is even as it wars against itself. It fears the masses coming together whether as workers or in the form of populist nationalism. The propaganda campaign along with its scapegoat-ism has kicked into high gear, but I think its effectiveness is questionable as the mainstream media no longer holds sway like it did twenty and thirty years ago. The Establishment is in the process of appropriating social media and the tech sector but without overt censorship (which will be marketed as regulation), they cannot stop the tide.

It's particularly disturbing for Biblical Christians because on the one hand we reject the Establishment along with its narratives, values and goals. And yet rejection is not the same as political opposition. And yet because of the opposition our voices are likely to get caught in the censorship campaign. Whether this incidental or by design will probably depend on the specific circumstance. Regardless we should be vigilant and hopefully thinking a few steps ahead.

The situation is additionally complicated by the fact that hordes of Evangelical and Confessionalist Christians will continue to join the voices of Right-wing political opposition and will conflate their views with nationalism and the violence it is likely to generate. The present state of affairs is governed by confusion and has become dangerous. It's hard to know who to trust and with all the wolves running rampant in the Church, the dangers are manifest.