Lileks Time
James Lileks really goes to town on that "Guardian undercover at the Olive Garden" article by Matthew Engels that I blogged yesterday. I'm not going to pull out any quotes, because I can't choose. Oh, yes I am. Here's one:
Engels: Europeans are inclined to think that the Americans, having been late for the last two world wars, are determined to be early for the next one.Lileks: Damned witty, Wilde. Damned witty! Deuce it all! Look: we were “late” for the last world wars like a policeman is usually late for a murder. One could easily say that Europeans are determined to be late for the next world war because they’re still feeling guilty about the last time some nutcases wanted to slaughter all the Jews. Except, of course, they’re not guilty at all. That was all Hitler’s fault. He had that big shiny hypnotism coin from the novelty catalog, and everyone just fell in his power.
One more quote:
Here’s the deal: we don’t need your support. But understand that if Iraqis had flown planes into Big Ben, we’d take out Saddam, because we understand that an attack on you is an attack on us. The West is not defined by Belgian edicts on acceptable levels of tomato sauce viscosity. The West is a set of ideas that need defending. Forgive us our passable wines; forgive our standardized veal. Forgive us our simple-mindedness, for we - from Alabama on outward to outer, distant Alabama and beyond - have a gut feeling that “quarrels” usually boil down to two sides. Forgive us for believing that fascism's side ought to lose.And if we seem arrogant when it comes to beating fascism, forgive us once more, for we have something you don’t.
Practice.
At any rate, the blogosphere has not been kind to Mr. Engels. Bill Quick also has some pointed comments on his swill opinion piece. The Brits themselves are even getting into the act. At least Natalie Solent is, and so is Iain Murray who has it on good authority ("political friends," don't you know) that Engels is a "dreadful person." Strong words...