A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing

Glenn Beck has implied that Geert Wilders is a fascist. Beck warns that the far right in Europe, which he labels “fascist,” is on the rise. Wilders is the only example he cites by name for that proposition.
Beck notes, ominously, that Wilders was banned from entering England last year, but this year has not only been allowed into that country, but has also succeeded in Dutch elections. Beck somehow finds shades of authoritarianism in Wilders’ recent successes, not in the decision to bar a major political figure from England based on his production of a film that merely compiles and presents Islamist statements and threats.
Beck hosted Wilders on his show a year or two ago. If Beck can host Wilders, I don’t know why he’s concerned that England did.
I happened to see Wilders’ appearance on Beck’s show. Beck did not challenge Wilders’ statements as fascist. He made a comment that, to me, indicated a bit of discomfort with Wilders, but only after Wilders was gone.
It was apparent to me that Beck was out of his depth with Wilders. Pamela Geller makes the same point in response to Beck’s latest attempt to engage the WIlders phenomenon.
I’ve said before that the European “right” is a complex phenomenon that does contain fascist elements. It takes a little bit of work to identify those elements.
Beck complains that he lacks the staff to keep track of European “right-wng” politics. That’s a good reason to exercise more caution than he does in his comment on Wilders.