It might come as a surprise to some of my fellow countrymen, but recent events in Malta strongly affirm that we are living in the golden age of dubious legal coercion. Scan the local newspapers, or TV news broadcasts, and one will find many examples of creative coercion. Were it not for the very serious implications which have a direct bearing on fundamental rights and freedoms of each individual, protected under Malta's Constitution of 1964, the emerging drama might well be presented in the form of a hilarious comedy.
The latest act of do-good coercion is the effort to control speech. Like its mentor the European Union, Malta is determined to ban "racism and xenophobia", "public insults" of minority groups (read Arab) and other materials it finds offensive. The word racist could be broadly defined as an aversion to any ethnic group. Enter into the breach Simone Zammit Endrich, a Maltese opinion writer of note, who is facing prosecution in criminal court for having authored an eloquent article titled "Bitter Harvest", in which she extolled the dynamic nature and merits of the Jewish nation and its people, in sharp contrast to the backwardness of Arab cultures, as acknowledged by the world at large. She now stands accused of insulting Muslims, and of inciting hatred by local citizens towards resident Arabs, based on a subjective police interpretation of what she had intended to convey through her scathing article. It is almost as if in the eyes of her vindictive accusers, Simone is championing a fight of survival between the cross and the crescent, as in the glory days of old.
In similar fashion the famous Italian journalist, Oriana Fallaci, is currently on trial for inciting racial hatred in passages of her new novel that disparage Islam. A French novelist is also facing a tribunal for offending Muslims, not in his new book but in comments he made about the book. The liberal drivel never ends. Where Europe has sneezed, Malta has now gotten a severe case of the flu, in a convulsive way which might threaten its very survival as a free democratic country. Beware all those who might be foolish enough to, in violation of human rights quote the Bible verses on homosexuality, or for that matter Koranic verses which appear to promote child brides and pedophilia. Presumably if the authors of the Bible had been available for trial, Malta would have dealt them a court summons to join Simone as perpetrators of hate. The officials probably mean well. Coercive people usually do.
Leaving aside the suffocating bombardment of society by bans of various hues and colors, Malta owes Simone an eternal vote of gratitude in that her "Bitter Harvest" article served as a lightning rod to awaken a somnolent Maltese public to the creeping influence of Islamic culture, which is slowly but surely percolating sub-strata, to dilute its Christian values. What the Turks failed to conquer by the sword during the great siege of 1565, is being slowly taken away by stealth, using Malta's own laws and constitution to rob it of its hard won freedoms. It may not happen tomorrow, the day after, or even three generations hence, but in the end by force of sheer numbers if none else, Malta will revert back to its Arab past, when Aghlabid invaders from North Africa conquered and held on to Malta between 870-1090 AD. Intermarriage and the unchecked migration from Arab lands, will ultimately tip the scale for mosques to replace Christian places of worship. Before one thinks about alarmist plots I suggest they take a close look around at the changing population demographics in Malta. The long term consequences are not pretty nor reassuring.
The first solid clues that the Arab invader was already inside Malta's gates came, when two so called Maltese citizens of Arab birth, abetted by the Tunisian ambassador, colluded with the Maltese local authorities to lay criminal charges against Simone. More disturbing is a well founded suspicion of political intrigue, which pits Simone's constitutional right of freedom of expression, against the vested interests of Arab commercial interests. It would appear that cheap oil bought from Libya will be paid in part, by restricting her ability as a single mother, to pursue her journalistic profession by which to earn a living.
Since Malta appears unwilling or is indeed impotent to stem this encroaching Islamic tide from reaching its vulnerable shores, the one viable solution that will allow for a continuation of its Christian heritage and coveted western way of life, is for it to seek protection under the aegis of the European Union. Only then can an effective seaward barrier be undertaken, that will be difficult if not impossible for refugees from North Africa to penetrate its borders with relative ease. Meanwhile let us not allow political correctness gone wild to subvert our national identity, even at the risk of being called racist for our conservative beliefs and strong held convictions.
E-mail to Joseph Vella: vellajoseph@msn.net
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