Social Media, Politics and the State by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781317655466
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)

The relativisation strategy is very important for GD, as crucial terms for their discourse, such as ‘Nazism,’ ‘Hitler’ or ‘dictatorship,’ bear very negative connotations in the Greek public sphere. Thus from the moment of its election and its elevation to a mass organization, GD attempted to hide its Nazi identity by saying that they are ‘Greek nationalists,’ but also by being playful with it, constantly attempting to trivialise the meaning of Nazism. In this way Nazi crimes are relativised in statements such as “history will judge Hitler in due time” or “we do not think that Hitler is the one responsible for the problems of the world.”19 Nikos Michaloliakos known to have ‘ziegheiled’ his audience in a mass rally of his organization, said that “these hands may sometimes wave this way, but they are clean hands, they never stole anything.”20 GD also tries to present the fascist salute as a ‘Doric,’ ‘ancient Greek’ salutation, and accordingly to claim an ancient Greek patronage of the swastika. Such a rhetorical tactic lessens and trivialises Hitler’s crimes, preparing the audience for a Nazi reading of Hitler and a Nazi historical revision, where the meanings of the Second World War are discredited as fabricated by ‘Jewish conspiracies.’

Kasidiaris’ (and other GD members’) mode of argumentation violates the rules of reason through the use of arbitrary generalisations, unproven ‘facts’ and positions, and conclusions not supported by evidence or data. The Nazis attempt to destroy conversation, while giving the illusionary impression to a viewer that their opponent is defeated. Furthermore, GD public performances are usually accompanied by an emphatic voice and bodily attitude that is meant to stupefy and dazzle the viewers into aporia and fascination. The point of such tactics is for GD’s public personas to construct themselves as superhumans (Horkheimer 2004). The public cultivation of a personality cult is a classic Nazi-fascist strategy, where the fascist subjects make themselves into a spectacle, an image.

By not being explicit about Nazism, GD manages to maintain its connection both to its hardcore Nazi followers, who understand this as a necessary strategy because society is not yet ‘radicalized enough,’ and to broader masses of conservative or indignant people who may regard GD as an honest political party because they are not ‘thieves.’ Simultaneously, GD’s declared denunciation of violence and proclaimed faith in the constitution aim at fabricating its position as a legitimate party.

On GD’s English webpage, where its programme is posted, “free of Western Marxist propaganda” in the group’s own words, the approved comments are only those from like-minded people across the world, accompanied by explicitly Nazi expressions, so as to create the illusion of international solidarity with their cause:

Anonymous December 29, 2012 at 12:56 AM. Hail GD!!!! once you take your country back, others i think will follow

slovenski domoljub March 7, 2013 at 12:21 PM Heil the GD, i hope soon that you will be able to open one of your offices in Slovenia becouse we need one, every european country needs one but we have to work

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