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Revision as of 21:10, 3 May 2012 editBenjamil (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users1,299 edits moved remaining sentence in "The Blog" section to the end of "Editorial stance"← Previous edit Revision as of 21:12, 3 May 2012 edit undoAltetendekrabbe (talk | contribs)3,798 edits →Attacked by Belgian government: coatrackNext edit →
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==Attacked by Belgian government== ==Attacked by Belgian government==

===Criticism===
In April 2006 the Belgian government accused the blog of "racism" and forced the removal of a Dutch language article on the site, "Geef ons Wapens!" (Give us Weapons!).<ref>{{nl icon}} </ref> The incident caused the site to shift to English-centric in order to be able to present future such cases to the international media. In April 2006 the Belgian government accused the blog of "racism" and forced the removal of a Dutch language article on the site, "Geef ons Wapens!" (Give us Weapons!).<ref>{{nl icon}} </ref> The incident caused the site to shift to English-centric in order to be able to present future such cases to the international media.


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On 27 July 2011 Belgian media reported that the Belgian security agencies will ask the federal prosecutor to open a case file investigating relations between The Brussels Journal and ], the alleged perpetrator of the ]. The security agencies would want clarity about a number of articles that have been published on the web site, and that are part of '']'', Breivik's manifesto.<ref name="Breivik">{{nl icon}} , Gazet Van Antwerpen, 27 July 2011.</ref> On 27 July 2011 Belgian media reported that the Belgian security agencies will ask the federal prosecutor to open a case file investigating relations between The Brussels Journal and ], the alleged perpetrator of the ]. The security agencies would want clarity about a number of articles that have been published on the web site, and that are part of '']'', Breivik's manifesto.<ref name="Breivik">{{nl icon}} , Gazet Van Antwerpen, 27 July 2011.</ref>

===Support===
The ] carried an editorial deploring the stance of the Belgian authorities on 17 August 2006 concluding 'From what we've seen of the English version of the Brussels Journal, the accusations of racism are utterly baseless. Mr. Belien is guilty only of vigorously expressing his opinion, and in many cases it would benefit Belgium—and Europe as a whole—to heed the advice from the Brussels Journal rather than to criminalize it.'<ref>, Washington Times</ref>

Writing for the ], ] wrote "A number of us here in the United States have witnessed, with growing concern, reports of the government of Belgium's harassment of the weblog, "The Brussels Journal." We consider The Brussels Journal to be an invaluable source of information and opinion on matters European. By no means are all of us necessarily in agreement with everything that appears on The Brussels Journal. Nor are all of us by any means traditional Christians. Nonetheless, Americans recognize The Brussels Journal as one of the few web-based sources of European news and opinion from a conservative and Christian point of view, and we consider it essential that all sides of political and cultural questions be permitted a place in public debate."<ref> ], Stanley Kurtz, 14 August 2006</ref>


==Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy== ==Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy==

Revision as of 21:12, 3 May 2012

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The Brussels Journal is a conservative blog, founded by the Flemish journalist Paul Beliën. It is consistently named as one of the Counterjihad movement's main channels. It was founded in 2005, and has both an English language section with various international contributions, and a Dutch section. It is published by the Society for the Advancement of Freedom in Europe (SAFE), a Swiss non-profit organisation.

Editorial Stance

The Brussels Journal opposes political Islam, and what it says is its accommodation and appeasement by the West, especially by governments and authorities as well as by the Left. It is also a supporter of Israel, and has argued that the nation should become a part of NATO. It has continually highlighted antisemitism in Europe, most recently in reaction to the conflict in Gaza in January 2009.

The Brussels Journal opposes Iran's nuclear program, and has called for an Israeli military strike on Iran. The journal has labelled the EU parliament as "unaccountable" and " undemocratic."

The Brussels Journal bills itself as a member of the OpinionJournal Federation but does not appear among the list of members on OpinionJournal's own site.

The Brussels Journal and Vlaams Belang

Paul Beliën's wife, Alexandra Colen, is a parliamentary member of Vlaams Belang. However, Beliën himself has been at odds with the party at times, criticizing the party for its populism. According to Brussels Journal, it is a nonpartisan publication, and most of its writers, both Belgian and non-Belgian, have no affiliation to any political party or organization.

Support for self-defence weapons

According to a polemic in the Wall Street Journal by Bret Stephens, after Joe Van Holsbeeck a 17-year old Belgian boy was murdered by gypsies from Poland, Paul Belien wrote an article calling for the decriminalization of the possession of "self-defense weapons." The left-wing government agency Center for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism attacked the article which called for self-defense as "incitement to violence" and ordered him to remove it, or face state prosecution for holding that opinion. Belien removed the article.

Attacked by Belgian government

In April 2006 the Belgian government accused the blog of "racism" and forced the removal of a Dutch language article on the site, "Geef ons Wapens!" (Give us Weapons!). The incident caused the site to shift to English-centric in order to be able to present future such cases to the international media.

After Hans van Themsche's murder spree in Antwerpen, in May 2006, the blog article was accused by the Workers Party of Belgium, a communist fringe party, of "racist propaganda" which allegedly had prepared the ground for the murders. In June, Belgian police summoned Belien for questioning regarding several articles, he wrote for the Brussels Journal. According to Belien the police continued to invite him in for questioning but he refused to show up.

On 27 July 2011 Belgian media reported that the Belgian security agencies will ask the federal prosecutor to open a case file investigating relations between The Brussels Journal and Anders Behring Breivik, the alleged perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks. The security agencies would want clarity about a number of articles that have been published on the web site, and that are part of 2083: A European Declaration of Independence, Breivik's manifesto.

Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

The Brussels Journal was the first news and opinion site to cover the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy in English, bringing its attention to US bloggers, including Michelle Malkin, and the mainstream media.

The Brussels Journal republished the cartoons. This action was called a "deliberate provocation by the neocons," by an editorial in the Dutch language Knack magazine (which noted that the blog had been cited by Daniel Pipes) According to Knack, Brussels Journal's aim was to "make Americans and Europeans believe that all Muslims are violent and dangerous, after which the clash in Palestine, Iran and Syria can really kick off."

The Brussels Journal has written a number of articles in support of those it calls "moderate" Muslims (in Denmark and elsewhere), and those who oppose what the Journal considers as radical Islam.

Notable contributors

The Brussels Journal has featured contributions by Diana West, Daniel Hannan, John Laughland, Fjordman, Tiberge, Koenraad Elst, Takuan Seiyo, Jos Verhulst, and Matthias Storme among others.

References

  1. Nikolaj Nielsen (16 April 2012). "EU authorities accused of blindness on 'counter-jihad'". EU Observer. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  2. 7"Europe's radical right focuses on fighting Islam". Dawn. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  3. Karl Ritter (8 December 2011). "Anti-Muslim groups on the rise in Europe". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  4. Bjørn Stærk (1 March 2012). "En nettreise gjennom islamkritikkens tiår" (in Norwegian). Samtiden. Retrieved 3 May 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  5. "The Threat of Lawful Islamism and the Need to Fight It". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  6. "The Truth About Islam in Europe". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  7. "Meet the Most Courageous Man in Britain: a Pakistani". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  8. "Allah Takes Over Catholic Church". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  9. "Britain: Soft on Terror". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  10. "European Socialists Take Aim at "Islamophobia"". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  11. "Hypocrisy in the U.K. – Or Why Liberals Have Gone Jihadi". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  12. "Why Europeans Should Support Israel". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  13. "The Loss of Self: Europe Should See Israel as One of Its Own". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  14. "The Purpose of NATO Is to Prepare for War". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  15. "Spain's Jewish Problem". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  16. "French Police Fails to See Anti-Semitism". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  17. "Pro-Hezbollah Group Will Demonstrate in Brussels on 9/11". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  18. "Anti-Semitism Sweeps Europe in Wake of Gaza Operation". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  19. "The UK, Anti-Semitism, and Reaction to the Gaza Conflict". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  20. "The UK: Labour, "Conservatives" and the Israel-Hamas Conflict". The Brussels Journal. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  21. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/2465
  22. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/1304
  23. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/865
  24. "Opinionjournal Federation". Opinionjournal.com. 1 January 2000. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  25. ^ Bret stephens (27 August 2006). "The Many Faces of Belgian Fascism". Wall Street Journal.
  26. Nicolas Raemdonk (30 November 2005). "Liberalisme is geen Fascisme". De Tijd.
  27. Template:Nl icon Het Centrum heeft een einde gesteld aan haatartikel van Beliën
  28. Template:Nl icon Persmededeling PVDA • Bij de racistische moorden en aanslag in Antwerpen, Workers Party of Belgium
  29. Template:Nl icon Politie tevergeefs bij Belien, De Standaard, 20 July 2006
  30. Belgian Regime Keeps Harassing The Brussels Journal (2), Brussels Journal, 9 August 2006
  31. Template:Nl icon Veiligheidsdiensten vragen onderzoek naar verband Breivik en Belgische site, Gazet Van Antwerpen, 27 July 2011.
  32. Malkin, Michelle (22 October 2005). "The Cartoons Islamists Don'T Want You To See". Michelle Malkin. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  33. Template:Nl icon Paul Beliën en zijn vriendjes, Knack, 15 February 2006
  34. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/811
  35. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/758
  36. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/752

External links

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