0 comment Friday, November 21, 2014 | admin
A question for 2007
Diana West
Diana West, as I've said here before, is one of our most perceptive commentators when it comes to Islam. She doesn't have Steyn's laff-a-minute drollery, nor does she have the pedantic tendencies of many of the 'scholarly' pundits on Islam, but she does have clarity and the ability to cut through the nonsense and PC to the simple truth.
Taking a whack at prognostication at the end of 2005, it wasn't hard to imagine, as I did, that 2006 would be a rotten year for freedom of speech. Both inside the Islamic world and, more alarmingly, outside the Islamic world, Shariah laws prohibiting criticism of Islam were already working smoothly.
[...]I called 2006 "The Year of Speaking Dangerously," and that was before anyone likely imagined seeing "Behead Those Who Insult Islam" placards on jihadist display outside the Danish Embassy in London. What kind of year will 2007 be? What I fear most is that it will turn out to be "The Year of Shutting Up." As in: Why speak dangerously when you can simply not speak at all?
In fact, the Year of Shutting Up probably began back in September when Pope Benedict famously argued that the practice of forced conversion -- key to Islamic expansion over the centuries -- is inimical to both faith and reason. The eruption of anger among Muslims at such criticism was instantaneous and severe. Just shut up, the umma exclaimed. Basically, the pope did exactly that.'' [emphasis mine]
West goes on to laud the outspokenness of Congressman Virgil Goode, and takes his liberal critics to task.
Forgoing debate, however, Mr. Goode's critics have resorted to name-calling and platitudes about "tolerance," failing utterly to notice the gross intolerance of the Islamic tradition. Worst of all, their tactics seem designed to shut up Mr. Goode, and anyone else who might follow his bold example. Will they?
It's the question of 2007. ''
It is indeed, and we will see, as Islam continues its aggressions across the globe, utilizing every available means to advance the spread of Islamic rule, whether this will in fact be the 'Year of Shutting Up.'
I can say for certain that on this blog there will be no shutting up on the subject; I will keep on sounding the alarm even to the point of wearying my faithful readers, if God allows me to continue. And of course I do all I can in the 'real world', realizing that spreading awareness is something we can do in all areas of our lives. Sometimes it calls for a little more subtlety and tact, as we have to learn to tailor the message to the listener, and to their present level of understanding, but getting the word out is of the essence, even to the apolitical people we encounter. Such people, unfortunately, are legion. I do think that people are slowly awakening to the fact that there are louring clouds on the horizon, and that our survival, or our way of life at the very least, are at stake. There is a dim awareness dawning in our country, and I think in Europe, and Australia as well. I take this as a hopeful sign, because personally I need every sign of hope I can discern out there.
Diana West fears the civilized, Western world will 'shut up' and acquiesce to the aggressions of Islam. However, we have too many like Tony Blair, who are doing worse than shutting up; they seem to be announcing their submission and dhimmitude. What else can we make of Blair's little message to Moslems on their festival, Eid?
Eid al-Adha commemorates the devotion of the prophet Abraham. It is a time when Muslims around the world come together with friends and family. It�s also a time when Muslims focus on those who are less fortunate than themselves.
At this special time for our Muslim communities we can all reflect on the tremendous contribution of Muslims to our national life over many decades.
My best wishes to you and your family. Eid Mubarak.'
To be fair, he has been issuing statements like that for several years, as has our President, to the Mohammedan 'community'.
But as Islam becomes ever more overbearing and aggressive, these kinds of sycophantic statements become more unsettling. As these countries assert greater and greater claims in our Western countries, this kissing-up and appeasing becomes repugnant and outrageous to patriotic citizens of the West.
On the subject of Islam, Tiberge over at GalliaWatch
posts a link to this survey of American Moslems, citizens of the United States, and an opinion poll taken among them a few months ago. The results, as can be seen here, indicate some very unsettling (but not unpredictable) opinions among our 'assimilated, American' Moslems.
Scroll down for comments in the link above, and it's obvious that many Americans are still stuck on the idea that 'most Moslems are law-abiding, and we can't judge them all by a few,' and so on; we all know how it goes.
For many people, 2007 may well be the 'Year of Shutting Up' , or it may be the year of toeing the line and embracing dhimmitude, in word and in deed, as our 'leaders' seem quite prepared to do.
There is always some stubborn soul who will say, when they hear of Blair's kowtowing, 'he's just saying what he has to say; it's just soft-soap, it's diplomacy'. If you insist; but just think about that phrase: 'just saying what he has to say.' In a free country, can a political leader, a head of state, no longer speak the truth? Does he 'have to say' anything to placate or appease Moslems? If so, how free is he? Is he not in fact a dhimmi, a lackey, bought and paid for, if he 'has to' say anything? Any political leader who 'has to say' anything is not a leader, but a sock puppet, as far as I can see. In the 1950s, there were states in Eastern Europe which were spoken of as 'puppet regimes', with installed 'leaders' who simply did as they were bidden by the Soviet Union. Have we reached that stage in the proud, 'free West?' And it does not matter who he or she is; if they 'have to say' something to truckle to the Moslems, the Moslems are in charge. Plain and simple. If our leaders 'have to say' what they say, are they not already under the heel of Islam?
So will 2007 be the 'Year of Shutting Up' as Diana West asks, or the 'year of saying what your masters tell you to say or else?'
In a free country, every year should be a year of speaking the truth freely, boldly, with no fear of offending someone. As long as our speech is curtailed by such considerations, we are not truly free.
In many parts of the West, including Europe and Canada, free speech is limited severely by 'hate speech' laws, and people face prosecution and imprisonment for 'offending' protected groups. I hope 2007 will not be a year in which such Orwellian laws spread further, because without the right to speak freely and without fear we will be easy prey for conquest.
I hope 2007 will be a year in which we contemplate how precious free speech is, and how very fragile it is. And having considered the fragility and preciousness of it, may we use it to best advantage while we still may; our freedom of speech will only be preserved by using it and using it well, to speak the truth openly and to spread truth freely.
Long live freedom, true freedom of speech.
Diana West
Diana West, as I've said here before, is one of our most perceptive commentators when it comes to Islam. She doesn't have Steyn's laff-a-minute drollery, nor does she have the pedantic tendencies of many of the 'scholarly' pundits on Islam, but she does have clarity and the ability to cut through the nonsense and PC to the simple truth.
Taking a whack at prognostication at the end of 2005, it wasn't hard to imagine, as I did, that 2006 would be a rotten year for freedom of speech. Both inside the Islamic world and, more alarmingly, outside the Islamic world, Shariah laws prohibiting criticism of Islam were already working smoothly.
[...]I called 2006 "The Year of Speaking Dangerously," and that was before anyone likely imagined seeing "Behead Those Who Insult Islam" placards on jihadist display outside the Danish Embassy in London. What kind of year will 2007 be? What I fear most is that it will turn out to be "The Year of Shutting Up." As in: Why speak dangerously when you can simply not speak at all?
In fact, the Year of Shutting Up probably began back in September when Pope Benedict famously argued that the practice of forced conversion -- key to Islamic expansion over the centuries -- is inimical to both faith and reason. The eruption of anger among Muslims at such criticism was instantaneous and severe. Just shut up, the umma exclaimed. Basically, the pope did exactly that.'' [emphasis mine]
West goes on to laud the outspokenness of Congressman Virgil Goode, and takes his liberal critics to task.
Forgoing debate, however, Mr. Goode's critics have resorted to name-calling and platitudes about "tolerance," failing utterly to notice the gross intolerance of the Islamic tradition. Worst of all, their tactics seem designed to shut up Mr. Goode, and anyone else who might follow his bold example. Will they?
It's the question of 2007. ''
It is indeed, and we will see, as Islam continues its aggressions across the globe, utilizing every available means to advance the spread of Islamic rule, whether this will in fact be the 'Year of Shutting Up.'
I can say for certain that on this blog there will be no shutting up on the subject; I will keep on sounding the alarm even to the point of wearying my faithful readers, if God allows me to continue. And of course I do all I can in the 'real world', realizing that spreading awareness is something we can do in all areas of our lives. Sometimes it calls for a little more subtlety and tact, as we have to learn to tailor the message to the listener, and to their present level of understanding, but getting the word out is of the essence, even to the apolitical people we encounter. Such people, unfortunately, are legion. I do think that people are slowly awakening to the fact that there are louring clouds on the horizon, and that our survival, or our way of life at the very least, are at stake. There is a dim awareness dawning in our country, and I think in Europe, and Australia as well. I take this as a hopeful sign, because personally I need every sign of hope I can discern out there.
Diana West fears the civilized, Western world will 'shut up' and acquiesce to the aggressions of Islam. However, we have too many like Tony Blair, who are doing worse than shutting up; they seem to be announcing their submission and dhimmitude. What else can we make of Blair's little message to Moslems on their festival, Eid?
Eid al-Adha commemorates the devotion of the prophet Abraham. It is a time when Muslims around the world come together with friends and family. It�s also a time when Muslims focus on those who are less fortunate than themselves.
At this special time for our Muslim communities we can all reflect on the tremendous contribution of Muslims to our national life over many decades.
My best wishes to you and your family. Eid Mubarak.'
To be fair, he has been issuing statements like that for several years, as has our President, to the Mohammedan 'community'.
But as Islam becomes ever more overbearing and aggressive, these kinds of sycophantic statements become more unsettling. As these countries assert greater and greater claims in our Western countries, this kissing-up and appeasing becomes repugnant and outrageous to patriotic citizens of the West.
On the subject of Islam, Tiberge over at GalliaWatch
posts a link to this survey of American Moslems, citizens of the United States, and an opinion poll taken among them a few months ago. The results, as can be seen here, indicate some very unsettling (but not unpredictable) opinions among our 'assimilated, American' Moslems.
Scroll down for comments in the link above, and it's obvious that many Americans are still stuck on the idea that 'most Moslems are law-abiding, and we can't judge them all by a few,' and so on; we all know how it goes.
For many people, 2007 may well be the 'Year of Shutting Up' , or it may be the year of toeing the line and embracing dhimmitude, in word and in deed, as our 'leaders' seem quite prepared to do.
There is always some stubborn soul who will say, when they hear of Blair's kowtowing, 'he's just saying what he has to say; it's just soft-soap, it's diplomacy'. If you insist; but just think about that phrase: 'just saying what he has to say.' In a free country, can a political leader, a head of state, no longer speak the truth? Does he 'have to say' anything to placate or appease Moslems? If so, how free is he? Is he not in fact a dhimmi, a lackey, bought and paid for, if he 'has to' say anything? Any political leader who 'has to say' anything is not a leader, but a sock puppet, as far as I can see. In the 1950s, there were states in Eastern Europe which were spoken of as 'puppet regimes', with installed 'leaders' who simply did as they were bidden by the Soviet Union. Have we reached that stage in the proud, 'free West?' And it does not matter who he or she is; if they 'have to say' something to truckle to the Moslems, the Moslems are in charge. Plain and simple. If our leaders 'have to say' what they say, are they not already under the heel of Islam?
So will 2007 be the 'Year of Shutting Up' as Diana West asks, or the 'year of saying what your masters tell you to say or else?'
In a free country, every year should be a year of speaking the truth freely, boldly, with no fear of offending someone. As long as our speech is curtailed by such considerations, we are not truly free.
In many parts of the West, including Europe and Canada, free speech is limited severely by 'hate speech' laws, and people face prosecution and imprisonment for 'offending' protected groups. I hope 2007 will not be a year in which such Orwellian laws spread further, because without the right to speak freely and without fear we will be easy prey for conquest.
I hope 2007 will be a year in which we contemplate how precious free speech is, and how very fragile it is. And having considered the fragility and preciousness of it, may we use it to best advantage while we still may; our freedom of speech will only be preserved by using it and using it well, to speak the truth openly and to spread truth freely.
Long live freedom, true freedom of speech.
Labels: Shutting Up