Shocka! Journalist who called Mark Steyn ‘racist’ has history of ‘mental health problems’

That’s right — it’s our pal Jonathan Hari.

Remember him?

Independent columnist Johann Hari describes Mark Steyn as a racist in this interview with British writer Martin Amis. His comments, like the law students’ complaints against Steyn’s book America Alone, deliberately distort the book’s contents. Steyn corrects Hari’s errors here.

Who is Johann Hari? A while back I came across this bizarre first person column in which he brags about seducing neo-Nazis and Islamic extremists. He despises their ideas, of course, he just finds them sexy….or something.

Well, he’s been making news himself lately, as I’ve told you.

Here’s the latest:

Why did Simon Kelner, then Editor of the Independent, apparently do nothing when a charity contacted him, alleging that Johann Hari’s 2007 report on the Central African Republic contained outrageous fabrications? I ask this question for two reasons.

First, Kelner was happy to run columns – obviously not properly fact-checked – by a young star writer about whom questions had been raised as early as 2003.

I have been hearing stories about Hari’s dubious methods for years; why is it only now that the Independent is investigating his track record?

The other reason I think the spotlight should now land on Kelner is that it may be humane to ease up on Hari himself for a short period. He is still only 32; many of his fabrications occurred when he was much younger and, if we are to believe him, was struggling with mental health problems.

…a close friend of mine has been frightened by the cyber warfare waged against her after she fell out with Hari.