Signs & Portents
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Pagan News Beagle: Fiery Tuesday, March 1
It's Super Tuesday, which seems like as appropriate a time to discuss politics as ever. This week for Fiery Tuesday we bring you a look at the rise of right-wing populism in modern Germany, comedian and political commentator John Oliver's take on Republican front-runner Donald Trump, and an update on the uneasy political situation in Hong Kong. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
The rise of right-wing populism in the United States, as demonstrated with the strong showing of Donald Trump in the Republican primaries, has drawn a lot of attention. But America is not the only country facing an eerie return to 1930s politics. In Germany, many are increasingly worried by the "Alternative for Germany" party, which has long indulged xenophobic fears within the country.
Here in the West, Muslims are often marginalized, harassed, and persecuted, with some openly calling for a racist ban on Muslim immigrants. But in other parts of the world the story is different. In Malaysia, Muslims are the dominant cultural elite and Hindus are the ones who often find themselves marginalized.
Perhaps the most infamous book in the world, Mein Kampf today is a synonym and byword for racism and extremist political ideology. But does that mean it shouldn't be studied? Or can lessons about the dangers of extremism be made more concrete from examining one of the most legendary examples history has to offer? Those are the questions Germany's academics are now tackling with as a new edition of Hitler's book debuts.
Since leaving Comedy Central's The Daily Show, formerly hosted by Jon Stewart, comedian John Oliver has become one of America's favorite political commentators with his new semi-comedic, semi-serious commentary show Last Week Tonight, which has tackled a number of obscure but important subjects from net neutrality to prison reform. Now he turns his ire towards a far more prominent target: Republican front runner Donald Trump, explaining why the candidate is dishonest, racist, and ultimately far less successful than he claims to be.
After a year in the background, Hong Kong returned to the spotlight recently when protesters clashed with police in the city's streets over a recent crackdown on street vendors. The protests were stifled quickly but they indicate a continuing issue for the city: a growing anxiety about the seeming unsustainability of the "one country, two systems" model mainland China officially endorses and a fear that Hong Kong hopes for democracy are futile.
Top image by Gage Skidmore
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