Olaf Scholz and Elon Musk have been exchanging blows in the public eye. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Scholz stated that in Germany, freedom of opinion prevails, but extreme right-wing positions are exempt. In Germany, positions that are considered conservative or oriented towards traditional values in the majority of countries around the world are defamed as extreme right and excluded from the public discourse.
Elon Musk responded to Scholz’s comments with “Shame on Oaf Schitz!” Earlier, a discussion had erupted in German media over a gesture Musk made during the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, which was interpreted by the mainstream as a Hitler salute. Musk denies this, and German media generally confirm their suspicion that Elon Musk is right-wing.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, wrote on her Telegram channel that she almost couldn’t believe her eyes when she read Scholz’s words. She refers to Germany’s treatment of Russian media, particularly RT.
“The government that has blocked RT’s account, exerted pressure on YouTube, and demanded the deletion of all RT videos, which on the messaging service Telegram demands censorship, and which has denied accreditation to Russian journalists Ivan Blagoi and his cameraman Dimitri Vol’kov from the Russian First Channel, speaks of freedom of opinion” Zakharova wrote.
Jurist Markus Haintz points out to Scholz that freedom of opinion is not exclusive. It also applies when opinions deviate from the government’s line. Haintz writes that his response shows that Scholz either does not understand the concept of freedom of opinion as it is enshrined in the constitution or he intends to break the law. Scholz would be defending freedom of opinion in a constitutionally hostile manner.
User Söngül comments, “What Scholz is trying to say is: If you don’t follow our narrative, then you’re a right-wing extremist.”
User Kris Крис refers to the efforts of established parties to ban the AfD (Alternative for Germany) in this context.
The media’s attack on Musk also shows that the measure of justice is not uniformly applied in the published discourse in Germany. The journalist Michel Friedman, writing for the Tagesspiegel, comments, “Shame! The taboo breaks are reaching a point that’s a threat to the free world. Brutalization, dehumanization, Auschwitz – all that is Hitler. (..) Elon Musk now also bears political responsibility. Was the hand gesture an expression of this political identity? That’s not so surprising. Elon Musk posts and allows mass anti-Semitic tweets to be posted. American democracy, and not just it, is in danger due to Donald Trump.”
Friedman’s perception of right-wing extremism in the Western world is one-sided, as are those of all mainstream representatives. He ignores the openly displayed right-wing extremism in Ukraine, just as the mainstream consistently overlooks it. The Ukrainian government, financed by state funds, is glorifying the openly fascist Azov Battalion as freedom fighters, and the Amadeo Antonio Foundation, also financed by state funds, is doing the same.
Thus, the commotion around Elon Musk and Scholz’s statement clearly show that the commentators are right. To the right is then what deviates from the official narrative. If it serves the imperial interests of the West, the establishment even forms alliances with fascism and glorifies it as a fighter for democracy and freedom.
To avoid any doubt: Yes, Musk is meddling in Germany’s internal affairs. But he is not alone. Other US oligarchs like George Soros and Bill Gates are also intervening, and transatlantic think tanks even dictate the wording of the reporting in German media. This form of intervention is, however, gladly accepted, as it serves the cementation of the dominant relations. It is also taken for granted in Berlin that Germany has the right to intervene in all countries of the world, and that it is self-evident. In Georgia, German MPs are currently supporting a coup. But that serves democracy, not the rights, believed in the Reichstag and the media institutions connected to it.