I received this email this morning from Paul Kamolnick, a professor at East Tennessee State University who was instrumental in bringing me to the campus. He kindly gave me permission to publish it.
Dear Robert,I want to sincerely thank you for your presentation. I also very much enjoyed the time we were able to spend before the talk talking about these questions more generally. My thoughts on the evening's events.
1. I felt that your presentation was excellent, eloquent, and your argument, very well substantiated. I was very impressed with your public speaking skills and found you a delight to be with.
2. The Muslim leadership of the mosque obviously took this opportunity to organize a forceful Da'wa event for themselves; treat you with hateful disrespect; and as you have pointed out in your writings and in our earlier conversation, did not challenge the facts upon which your case rests. I consider it a personal insult that Taneem Aziz misrepresented the Muslim presence to me. His last communication to me suggested that some members of the Muslim community might attend, but it is obvious that this was a leadership-organized affair.
3. I was asked by several persons how the event went, and my response has been: It was extremely unpleasant, and not at all what I had hoped for. When I went home I began pondering the evening's events and thinking seriously about what you had said about the limits of engaging the 'modernist' apologetic, and why it is not enough.
4. I apologize to you Robert, for the rudeness and hate you experienced. I am deeply impressed with you as a human being, and student, and speaker.
5. The lessons learned by me were enormously productive, and I think at least a few persons in attendance got to witness something that will lead them to research for themselves, the 'peaceableness' of this faith, when confronted with the prospect of its own imperialist past.
I wish you the best Robert, and hope that sometime our paths cross again.
Sincerely yours,
Paul
Lead us from the valley of death. From darkness into light.
Was your talk filmed, Robert? I'd like to see it.
Was your talk filmed, Robert? I'd like to see it.
Posted by: Janus at October 31, 2008 4:15 PM
That ´s a great idea! Have them exposed, film those thugs, and let many more people get a clear picture of what these people really are.
In many ways they remind me of members of the communist party of my homecountry, only much more organised, the death penalty for apostasy is effective.
the pseudo-argument of not having a degree in islame is obviously one used broadly, had you not known arabic, they would have used that one too.
Kudos, and pls. don´t give up mr. Spencer
I salute you Mr. Spencer and I am unanimous in that. Please never despair of the burden you carry for all of us. Remember simple drops of water over time created the Grand Canyon. Time and the simple truths of what you say will move mountains.
I'm doing what I can to help and so are many others. I'll be stepping into the wall of the hurricane myself very soon, since my novel A Plague on Both Houses will be available for distribution in a matter of days. Then I'll join ranks with you as buck private and go-fer. I stand in your shadow, but with humble gratitude for all you've taught me on this site and in your works. You have my highest respect and esteem, sir.
Hats off to you Robert, you showed these thugs for what they really are.
The speech was apparently videoed and Robert along with others is trying to access it at this time per comments made in the first article on the East Tennessee speech posted earlier today.
"When the Spirit is in a person, his words blaze with truth - well done, Robert Spencer" -- by jewcat
You are the clarion call to reason, Robert. May your voice ring across spaces and time to touch, enlighten and embolden all for the long and tumultuous journey ahead.
Bless you, Robert.
A good letter, but this line makes me think your work is not quite done yet: "when confronted with the prospect of its own imperialist past."
It's an imperialist past, present and future, not just "past."
Perpster
Excellent job, Robert. I feel bad that you had to endure the tue hate and filth that drives islam. As the author of the letter to you mentioned; he learnred alot about islam and how it misrepresents itself and tries to intimidate and subvert any and every voice that speaks out against the REAL and TRUE dangers of islam. Shame on ETSU for allowing the muslim students and others to treat you this way. These losers of islam and "pcness" run amuck have shown how they truly are, narrow minded bigots who refuse to even acknowledge an honest discourse on any level. Especially when it proves them wrong, again. I am learning so much from this and the other website, thank you for taking this stand for our freedoms are truly at stake.
perpster:
I wrote exactly that this morning to Professor Kamolnick.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
The increasing shrillness and thug-like nature of Robert Spencer's opposition is testimony to the fact that he is winning.
What? There is actually one in academia who is open minded and grateful? Shiver me timbers.
How wonderful to read a letter from an academic who is open-hearted and clear-sighted. Thank you, Paul Kamolnik -- you represent the best of American's excellence in education. Oh were there millions like you and here in Australia, too!
It is times like this that one wonders over the years whether all the continuous efforts of folks like Robert Spencer to educate people on the ideology of fundamental Islam will ever bear enough fruit, that those who we have vested the most power too, will be able to fully define and defend this nation or any nation that is conceived in liberty under Judao Christian principals.
Will they read what they paid for written by an expert on Jihad Major Stephen Collins Coughlin in the Pentagon who was drummed out by a Muslim named Hesham Islam who had the ear of the 2nd most powerful person in the Pentagon David England.
How many experts will it take to get the full attention of the Western World to understand this evergrowing clash of civilizations?
Read and keep in your favorites; Major Coughlins Thesis in pdf form:
“TO OUR GREAT DETRIMENT”:
IGNORING WHAT EXTREMISTS SAY ABOUT JIHAD
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/modules/newsmanager/center%20publication%20pdfs/coughlin--thesis__final__8_aug_07%20w%20appendices.pdf
To defeat an enemy you must be able to define him. You must also be able to define yourself.
General of the Armies
WW II
Douglas MacArthur
Paul Kamolnik thanks for listening to Robert and witnessing something that many people don't believe when told.
Great work Robert.
Unfortunatley Professor Kamolnick may now become the object of criticizm himself on the East Tennessee University Campus himself.
Hopefully the good professor keeps in touch with Robert as to how well this E mail is received by those MSA Students, and local Muslims who read Jihadwatch on the campus.
Congratulations on showing the Beast the reflection he cares not to see, while giving vision to the blind.
A mans work is never done but there is pride in his accomplishment.
Excellent...and appropriate...
I'm very sorry, Robert, but you were a big disappointment to us here at Harebrained College in East Delusion, Tennessee. It's obvious that you just want to put down Muslims because you hate the Muslim race. Shame on you. If it weren't for Muslims, there would be no science or math. And every sensitive person with a multicultural education knows that terrorism, which was invented by the Israelis, is only a reaction to poverty and and American colonialism.
Some day, after Barack Obama is elected, the United Nations will govern One World, using exactly the sort of progressive methods that troglodytes like you despise, and Islamophobia will be severely punished, by stoning.
And one more thing. Please stop taking passages from the Koran out of context. It just shows that you lack a real college education.
Professor Kamolnick has defended having Other speakers such as Robert in the recent past and has become increasingly concerned about the leftwing practices being demonstrated on the campus. See Jihadwatch article from October 10th were Robert Spencer considers not going to this campus.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/023047.php
PAUL KAMOLNICK: "The lessons learned by me were enormously productive, and I think at least a few persons in attendance got to witness something that will lead them to research for themselves, the 'peaceableness' of this faith, when confronted with the prospect of its own imperialist past."
A powerful statement to be sure, and Professor Kamolnick should be lauded for his sincerity, his kindness, his apology to Mr Spencer (even though he himself did nothing wrong), and his expressed awareness that something is apparently amiss inside the religion of peace.
Still, the Professor's terminology was telling; it was not the oppression of women and religious minorities or the barbarism of the hudud punishments that he felt compelled to mention, it was Islam's "imperialist past"...
...and why not, this is academe; the evils of imperialism loom large.
-----------------------------------------------
Sorry about the cynicism folks...I just couldn't help sharing the observation.
Cornelius: Why am I not surprised by your "observation?" I take your point. Even good folks have been corrupted by modern assumptions masquerading as axioms.
For myself, I have no compunction about assuming imperialism is just fine four out of five times if it's in the right hands (which it never is if Muslims are engaged in it). As an example, the British in India ended "suttee," the burning of the widow alive at her husband's funeral. But for British imperialism, this stupid, barbaric custom would have continued for quite a bit longer. Anyone care to argue it should have? Anyone care to argue that the British imperialists here were disrespectful of long-standing Indian custom? As another example, it was the British imperialist military, acting principally for ethical reasons, which, more than any other concrete factor, terminated most of the African slave trade across the Atlantic and even within Africa by the end of the nineteenth century.
Sobering to see how even sensible people have succumbed to modernist thinking. Ah, corruption of properrly assessing things is indeed deep and pervasive, exhibited none more so this year than by the present emotionalism about a certain major party candidate for the office of the Presidency of the United States. Done here.
Robert,
with deep sadness I notice Charles (lgf) threw you under the bus tonight. I am a European, a German (GASP!NAZI!), I laud your stand and I less and less understand people who throw around the prefix "neo" - be it "neo"conservatism, "neo"facism, "neo"liberal. What is "neo"? Why are they as uncompromising as Mohammedans, in their vain quest in chasing whatever looks like a "nazi" in their eyes?
You, Sir, earned my deep respect in understanding the conditio humana, being always fair and never blinded by ideological blinkers. You are truly human, because you don`t only argue correctly, but also because you listen very carefully.
"with deep sadness I notice Charles (lgf) threw you under the bus tonight."
When did this happen? Link?
JR:
Check Comments. Scroll down, watch for "Robert Spencer" and "Charles",highlighted in green.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/31764_Friday_Evening_Open/comments/#ctop
Dear Robert,
I know that you don't like to talk about this. You probably don't even like to think about it. Nonetheless isn't your personal safety at risk when you come face to face with these sub-human Hate-Mongers. Frankly for those of us who look to you for leadership, this is a genuine concern.
R. Kyle
When speakers like Robert Spencer are treated with such disdain, and rank rudeness, I sometimes think "free speech"(dare I say it?) should have some limits. Or at least tape over their mouths and handcuffed to the chair! (No I don't really mean it, but #@#@#@ it angers me to hear about it. I guess it's a good thing I wasn't there 'cuz I would have started throwing pencils and apple cores at the perps!
Hope our sympathy helps a little, Sir Robert!
only the truth hurts...... this is why Robert Spencer is attacked by the brainwashed ,crazy Muslims students.
"perpster:
I wrote exactly that this morning to Professor Kamolnick.
Cordially
Robert Spencer"
Dear Mr. Spencer,
Have you ever noticed how Professor Kamolnick and I never appear at the same place at the same time? ;-)
Sorry, just a bit of levity to help you out from under the bus. Thanks for all you do. Keep up the good work. You have much support.
Perpster
Robert,
Thanks for all your efforts. You know, I was reading CS Lewis' work "Miracles" the other day, and I came up with a quote from Lewis that pretty much describes your endeavors at getting people to look realistically at Islam:
"The ascertained nature of any real thing is always at first a nuisance to our natural fantasies---a wretched, pedantic, logic-chopping intruder upon a conversation which was getting on famously without it."
---C.S. Lewis
DEATH TO ALL RELIGION OR RELIGION WILL BE THE DEATH OF US ALL
Now would be the most opportune time for Professor Kamolnick to show expose' films such as "The Third Jihad", "Obsession" and "Fitna" to the student body. Inundate the university bookstore with ALL of Spencer's published books and articles, not to mention educational materials on islam and jihad from the likes of Lewis and Phares, etc., etc., etc. Hopefully the hate-filled rants from fellow muslim students have piqued the curiosity and disturbed the souls of non-mulim students enough to whet their appetites on the true nature of islam and its intentions.
Robert,
You are a beacon of light in the all too present darkness. Do not lose hope; you are on the right path. May God watch over you, and allow the truth you so bravely put forth to pierce the minds that are now clouded to the threat of Islam.