Summary
Elon Musk livestreamed a conversation with Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, on his platform X, endorsing her and urging support for the AfD ahead of Germany’s February 23 election.
The livestream, which drew over 200,000 viewers, raised concerns across Europe about Musk’s influence in foreign politics.
AfD, under observation for extremism, has gained popularity amid discontent with Chancellor Scholz’s government.
Musk’s promotion of Weidel and controversial remarks on other European issues are being monitored for violations of the EU’s Digital Services Act.
The world is trending towards atheism bud. This Islamic fear mongering is horseshit. “Many people” who don’t like the “conservative values” that come from Islam are likely the same people who don’t like the conservative values that stem from Christianity or Catholicism and yet that’s far more prevalent in the US or Germany - in same cases literally baked in to their government - than the number of Islamic migrants could ever reach. It’s just smoke screen for blatant racism and xenophobia. Those two religions are more similar than they are different and yet one is tied to brown people and immigrants (looking for a better future). I bet if we looked at immigration statistics for the US the number of Islamic immigrants would represent a minority percentage of the total immigrant population. And that’s not even considering the fact that some people label themselves as the religious group they grew up with but aren’t practicing and possibly have even fallen out of faith.
I’m a Christian immigrant in Germany but I’m probably more likely agnostic at this point. Now tell me what my values are? Tell me what cultural pressure I’m putting on Germany? The reality is religion, except for heavy practitioners, is not necessarily indicative of their beliefs.
Immigrants bring skilled labor that societies need to survive. Its Not just Germany being poorer, it’s Germany not having working infrastructure, hospitals and clinics having larger wait times, it’s less organic and ethically produced products in your neighborhoods, it’s worse education and more expensive housing. Populations are declining and the best way to ensure every job is still filled, for the betterment of society, is immigration. Culture is a horseshit political word for people who didn’t grow up in my small town, which is most people.
Europeans and racist Americans talk about culture as if we’re in a fantasy or sci-fi setting, like people across an imaginary border don’t use money and don’t like music and don’t like good food. It’s stupid.
this really doesn’t have anything to do with the concerns caused by a minority of culturally conservative islamists
it’s ok to dislike religious fascism in all its forms though? right? one might take the view that it’s ok to limit it coming from abroad as it’s hardly going to improve the situation.
this is patronising. there are racists and there are xenophobes and there are people who would prefer that immigration be slower or just less. these are overlapping groups of people but they are not the same. by making it impossible for moderate politicians to talk about immigration control on the basis of values, it leaves only the more exteme ideologues
we are talking about Europe…
are you homophobic? do you think being gay should be illegal? think gay teachers should be fired? want to see sharia law implemented? support violence against people for drawing offensive cartoons? stay silent when others express support for terrorism? i expect you would answer ‘no’ to most of this. it is not unreasonable to express some discernment over people who would answer ‘yes’ to any of these when they are seeking to enter the country.
the necessity of immigration is a consequence of class warfare. only immigrants will accept the poor conditions fostered by neglect of the working class. global capitalists want to shift workforces wherever it is profitable, urban elites agree because it’s unfashionable to express any discernment over an immigrant’s values. meanwhile it’s the working class whose struggle is masked by all this and who bear the brunt of social problems when immigrants are funneled into underequiped areas of the country.