"Polemics don't advance the debate," says the Brown Daily Herald in "Ignoring 'Islamofascism' hype," a vicious little polemic that accuses the organizers of Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week of wanting a "fight." The editorialist preens: "We're glad that the debate is being carried out at this level, not with signs and shouting."
Of course, there was shouting when I spoke at Brown last week, although not too much, so the Daily Herald has every right to be proud. Very proud, considering the immense provocation they had to suffer through:
Fortunately, despite confrontational remarks made by Robert Spencer, who said in his lecture here Thursday that he does not believe "that Islam at its core is a peaceful religion," Brown's campus remained largely calm.
Largely?
Anyway, this was not an assertion I made without evidence. I drew a distinction between teaching and practice and explaining the vulnerability of peaceful Muslims to jihadist recruitment on the basis of the jihadists' use of various passages of the Qur'an and Hadith (which I cited), I explained that all the schools of Sunni and Shi'ite jurisprudence have a doctrine involving warfare against and the subjugation of unbelievers.
This was and is a statement of fact. If it is false, the Brown Herald, or the Muslim community at Brown, should refute it. Anyone is welcome to refute it if they can. I can and have (in my books and elsewhere) explained it at length, with abundant citations from the Qur'an and Sunnah, as well as from mainstream Islamic commentaries on the Qur'an and Islamic jurists.
But they don't refute it. No one ever has refuted it. Instead, here the Herald treats it as if the very statement constitutes incitement to violence against Muslims. And in an unconscious irony, the Herald expresses relief that the campus remained "largely calm," rather than erupt into violence over someone daring to assert that Islam is not a religion of peace.
Well, bravo, Brown students! What admirable, nay, noble restraint! But if you really want a debate on the key issues, as you say in this editorial, simply heaping abuse and contempt on your opponent and being glad that nobody popped him one is not actually a demonstration of the falsity of his arguments. If you are willing to engage in a genuine discussion and debate of this question -- does Islamic doctrine actually teach peace? -- I am at your service, and will return to Brown.
If you do not wish to engage in such a debate, as appears clear, then be assured that you will not forever be able to ignore this question, or to act as if the mere asking of it is the equivalent of burning a cross on someone's front lawn. Unfortunately, those Muslims who do not believe that Islam is a religion of peace, who are the ones who benefit most from the ruling of this question out of polite discourse, will continue -- unimpeded by their peaceful coreligionists -- to commit acts of violence in order to advance the cause of Islamic supremacism. It is more than likely that this conflict will touch you personally, and your vilification of the anti-jihad movement and your refusal to engage it intellectually may at that point look very different to you from the way it looks today.
I suppose everyone at Brown is happy, then. The students can cease to panic at the prospect of being made to think about something, and they have the Herald to tell them how they should feel.
I wish my life was so simple. Oh, but wait--it is! I nearly forgot the Diversity training, and the company thought police.
That's what's awaiting you, at the end of your quest for a degree, kiddies--unless Sharia has taken over the country.
When that happens, all of you young women will have to go back home, take off your shoes (forever) and settle into whatever business is prescribed for you by your nearest male relative.
But, hey, you can feel good about it. The Herald says so.
Declaring Islam a religion of peace reminds one of the 1962 "Twilight Zone" feature, "To Serve Man".
Robert, just curious....do you ask these students at your talks, do you ask them then and there if they can refute what you're saying? You should, call them out on it if you haven't, though you probably do.
It's a shame that these students are truly brainwashed...of course not all, but so many cannot grasp what is literally right in front of their own eyes. Only in this present enviroment does insanity make sense.
Isn't it oxymoronic for institutions such as Brown, and the other sites for IFAW events, to call themselves 'Institutions of Higher Learning'?
"Isn't it oxymoronic for institutions such as Brown, and the other sites for IFAW events, to call themselves 'Institutions of Higher Learning'?"
Not really, getrealnow4. There's good weed on college campuses.
It only seems natural that leftist students would set down their beer cans, butt out the pot joints, and riot, at the mere suggestion that Islam is NOT the religion of peace. Many muslims have the same reaction, but probably not due to beer and pot. The Quran and Mohammad are their drugs, of a very potent variety.
Pot smoking vegans, of the young variety, only have two choices. Become saints, or go to university and become a leftist. Veganism is to diet, what Wahabbi is to Islam. If vegans would stick with diet, no problem. But the vegan concern for animals turns into liberal/leftism, where it is extended to the care and equality of people. 'Everyone is equal, all animals are equal'. 'All religions are equal'.
This sounds good in a lofty manner, but everyone, except pot smoking, beer drinking vegan leftists, knows that this does not work well in practice.
A vegan who has a grip will strive toward personal sainthood, while the rest strive for political liberalism. A poor substitute.
I would like to take a poll at some of these leftist university protests, and see just how many are vegan/vegetarian, or omniverous. I would also see how many would admit to smoking pot, or drinking beer, just prior to the demonstration.
duh swami is a vegan...but no leftist...
This reminds me of the world reaction to the Danish cartoon, depicting The Prophet Mo (PBUH) with a bomb in his turban. I have never seen said cartoon, thanks to censorship by the "free-speech" MSM.
To prove that Islam is the religion of peace(TM), some protestors in Africa murdered Catholic priests and nuns. I don't remember exactly which country that occurred in.
--
CT yank
Greetings:
Moral Superiority - the cocaine of the 21st Century.
Welcome to the wonderful world of political correctness & multiCULTism where they have to praise the kids for *ahem* not rioting...
after all, children, we must be good little lackeys,
don't listen to those eeeevil islamophobiacs!
The pied piper has spoken!
Remember the days of common sense when they didn't bother to praise the kids for not rioting, since they knew better...the kids knew their role, and could identify the enemy within.
We get what we tolerate.
Here's the Berkeley Daily Planet's coverage of Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week . . .wait, actually, they don't cover this event, not exactly. The headline reads, "Students Protest Islamo-Fascist Week on Campus". They cover the "Peace not Prejudice" (great name) counter-demonstrations.
A spokesperson for the Muslim Students Association, Saman Khalid, said, "Islamo-Fascist Week (sic) represents ignorance and *indirect* oppression of American Muslims" (emphasis added). "It's against Islam . . .its offensive not just to Muslim students but to everyone". He never stated just what form this "indirect oppression" took.
Khalid told the Planet that Berkeley College Republicans' (the group sponsoring Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week) actions were threatening the safety of women wearing a hijab on campus.
"There was a man here on campus not affiliated with BCR who was carrying a huge sign that said 'Islam Abuses Women' and that it 'promoted polygamy and wifebeating' if you are someone who has no idea about what Islam is then that message could give the wrong impression".
Khalid says nothing to refute the truth of the message on that sign, neither does he make clear how that message, understood or not, could threaten the safety of women wearing hijab on campus, nor does he make clear how any of this actually relates to the Berkeley College Republicans. All is innuendo and implication.
Ross Lingenfelder of BCR said, "The only complaint we are getting is that others might try to interpret our message in the wrong way".
This would seem to be more than enough for UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, who stopped by the "Peace not Prejudice" table, and told them, "You are doing the right thing."
He then apologized for allowing Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, but claims he was obligated to "since Berkeley was the birthplace of free speech."
"My pride is with Peace not Prejudice because they are conducting themselves in a dignified manner when they are being subjected to insult".
The "dignified manner" is certainly debatable, since it included slander, jeering and attempting to intimidate speakers and drown them out.. It was also unclear what "insult" these counter-protesters suffered, unless they actually identify with violent radical Islam.
CTYankee wrote:
This reminds me of the world reaction to the Danish cartoon, depicting The Prophet Mo (PBUH) with a bomb in his turban. I have never seen said cartoon, thanks to censorship by the "free-speech" MSM.
...................
CT Yankee, I used that image for the sign I made for Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week--"Stand Up for Free Speech" "Against Islamo-Fascism".
I agree it is disgusting how few newspapers printed the cartoons. The San Francisco Chronicle online version at the time linked to Das Bild's homepage--you had to be able to read German to navigate the site! (Luckily, Ich spreche ein bischen Deutsche--not sure how many other readers did, though) The Chronicle then congratulated themselves on their bravery. The sad thing was, by the standards of most of the rest of the MSM, they weren't wrong.
Here's one link to the image:
http://www.pekingduck.org/archives/mohammed%20cartoon%20danish-thumb.jpeg
If you looked inside these students' heads would it be like homer simpsons'?
I'd love an omelette right about now.
I wasn't there in 1936 but I imagine it was much like the political climate now. People all desperate not to see the dire danger the world was in, desperate to keep the voices of reason quiet for fear that they may have to do something about it. Logic and reason thrown to the wind.
Brown Muslim undergraduates are too busy preparing to go to law school so they can join CAIR to riot. They realize where jihadi victory in the West really lies: in the legal and cultural realms.
Islam is the religion of peace. But like the term "innocent" it is important that non-Muslims know what a Muslim means by "peace".
Just ask a Muslim and they'll be more than happy to tell you what it means.
Brown, another high priced institution of lower learning. Jihad Johnny is happy. He has many willingly giving servitude.
The worst thing for some about a College education is thinking they actually got one.