Michael Ignatieff and the Banality of Evil

By David Edenden
Below is my comment on the Slate article by Michael Ignatieff, How To Learn the Language of Evil.

Michael Ignatieff

Michael, please rewrite this essay, using yourself, as former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, as the poster boy for evil.

You and your party militantly and aggressively adopted the Greek position on the "what's in a name dispute" between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. For what ... less than one percent of the vote ... that is evil.

Greece is trying to destroy ethnic Macedonian culture in the Greek province of Macedonia. You implicitly support this ... for what ... less than one percent of the vote ... that is evil.

Greece is trying to force the Republic of Macedonia the change its name, its Macedonian language, its Macedonian Orthodox Church, and every singe Macedonian folk song which references Macedonia (aka wipe off the map). You implicitly support this ... for what ... less than one percent of the vote ... that is evil.

If in 1949, when Greece applied to join Nato, it was a condition of membership. that Greece grant human rights to its ethnic Macedonian minority, then minorities in the Balkans could count on Nato to protect their rights. Nato didn't ... so they couldn't.

If in 1974, when Greece applied to join the EU, it was a condition of membership, that Greece grant human rights to its ethnic Macedonian minority, then minorities in the Balkans could count on the EU to protect their rights. The EU didn't ... so they couldn't.

If in 1986, when Greece offered amnesty to communist combatants of the Greek Civil War to ethnic Greeks but not ethnic Macedonians, Nato/EU forced Greece to treat ethnic Macedonians equally, then minorities in the Balkans could count on Nato/EU to protect their rights. Nato/EU didn't ... so they couldn't.

If in 1992 when EU Commissioner Robert Banditer reported that only Slovenia and Macedonia qualified for recognition because of their commitment to rule of law and human rights ... had recognized Macedonia,  then minorities in the Balkans could count on Nato/EU to protect their rights. Nato/EU didn't (only Slovenia and Croatia were recognized) ... so they couldn't.

If in 1993 when Greece blockaded Macedonia and forced it to accept the "UN temporary compromise" of that insulting name of "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which is listed under the "T" section (more insults), the UN/Nato/EU had refused, then minorities in the Balkans could count on the UN/Nato/EU to protect their rights. The UN/Nato/EU didn't ... so they couldn't.

If Nato had eccepted Macedonia in 2010 ...
If the EU had admonished Greece in 2011...
If,If, If, If, If, If, If, If, If, If,  If,  If,  If,  If,  ...

Michael, I am sure that, someday, you will be called upon to mediate some conflict somewhere, somehow, by someone (the UN, the EU or Nato). I urge you to accept. At your first meeting get up and say these words ...

 "The UN is evil, Nato is evil,the EU is evil ... and I, Michael Ignatieff, am evil.

Anyway ... thank you ... God bless ... and don't be a stranger.