Vive Le Pen!

In the autumn of 1987, Jean-Marie Le Pen came to Athens as my father's guest. The old man gave a glittering party for Le Pen, one that was, obviously, boycotted by the great and the good, by which I mean the hypocrites, phonies and parasites that make up the political world in the birthplace of selective democracy. In a funny way, Daddy used Le Pen. When the parasites later came with outstretched hands begging for the root of all evil, he sent then packing. "You refused my invitation to the Le Pen ball, I now refuse to bribe you..." or words to that effect.

The best, of course, was after dinner. When the great man left our house, a rent-a-mob of a couple thousand commies had gathered outside, screaming abuse. I accompanied Le Pen to his car, parked behind a strong police presence. As the jeering reached a crescendo, I gave the mob the Greek version of the finger. The fuzz told me not to excite them any further, and then warned the rabble not to throw anything our way or else. The MAT, as the riot police are called in good old Hellas, is made up of poor village boys who believe in such ludicrous notions as honor, duty, country, as well as in the family and God. I suspect cracking a few lefty heads would have given them the kind of pleasure I'd feel if Bill Clinton came down with a severe case of the clap, but they never got the chance. I drove Jean-Marie to his hotel?incidentally, back then it was owned by the Taki family?and returned home safe and sound.

Fifteen years later, the parasites and hypocrites are once again screaming bloody murder about Le Pen, but this time they've gone international. Le Pen is a victim of one of the most dishonest propaganda campaigns in the history of modern politics. Just as Haider and Berlusconi are. Here's the rub. The ones most opposed to Le Pen are the very same people who not only have not condemned Soviet crimes against innocent people, but have not even been exposed to serious moral opprobrium. This is not politics, it's Kafka. Lenin and Stalin presided over civil war, enforced a famine that killed millions, enslaved a people for 70 years, murdered in the millions, but according to their apologists, disciples and followers, it's Le Pen, Haider and Berlusconi who are the bad guys. One hundred thousand students march to show their opposition to Le Pen, classes are suspended so the students can demonstrate; artists, intellectuals and celebrities join in the hand-wringing, and Chirac, a fraud and a crook, refuses to debate, and this is called democracy? Kleptocracy, yes, hypocrisy, yes, but democracy, never.

The ex-Enron consultant Paul Krugman, writing in the Times, compares what is happening in France with what's going on in Washington, and warns us against some populist Christian rightist taking over. The most overtaxed, overregulated and overgoverned country in Europe is compared to America, where free enterprise lives and is flourishing. No wonder Enron went belly up. A consultant like Krugman can sink Microsoft, GM, IBM and GE in a jiffy.

Here's what Le Pen is all about. He's against immigration. France has about five million Muslims, with more and more arriving daily. They arrive dead poor but well versed in Islamic law. They get houses and welfare benefits but do nothing. Their numerous children turn to drugs and crime, and their "quartiers" are almost no-go areas to non-Arabs, including the police. Le Pen's most ardent followers are poor, white, hardworking French men and women who cannot afford expensive houses on the Avenue Foch, or to send their children to elite schools. The elite parasites that govern France, Belgium, Britain and Germany do not give a damn about poor and middle-class people, and manage to demonize those who raise their voice in protest by calling them racist. It's the same policy our newest Noo Yawk daily, The Sharon, has about Israel. If you are against the tanks killing civilians, and the illegal settlements, you are one and the same with Eichmann.

Just look at the way normal French people are scared to give their names to the media and admit they voted for Le Pen. In Brussels, the capital of the world where child molestation, buggery and coverups are concerned, Le Pen was heckled by his fellow Euro MPs. Just think of it. It's as if in the House of Representatives a congressman is physically blocked by other congressmen wearing "Stop the Nazis" stickers. The one I liked the best was the student who avoided the cameras because "at my university, the professors can be very, very angry if they knew I supported Le Pen." Again, some democracy.

But not to worry. Le Pen will get a terrific drubbing in the second round, but a warning shot has been fired across the parasites' bow. There will be more Le Pens, as long as the crooks disregard the very people whose taxes keep them living the high life. One can ignore the working poor, the farmers and the small-business owners, but one day soon the little people will be a-comin'. Vive Le Pen!

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This is "Top Drawer"'s last issue. It's been almost four years since we started, and I've rarely enjoyed anything more. Three of my faithful writers, Scott McConnell, George Szamuely and Classicus, will appear sometime in the future in another medium. I am staying on, and will let you know of their progress. In the meantime, on their behalf, I wish to thank Russ Smith, John Strausbaugh and Lisa Kearns for all their kindness, understanding and help.