Due for an oil change
Tuesday night I spoke at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. It was a great evening. The Conservative Union students who invited me were outstandingly well organized, and had publicized the event efficiently; the event was attended by an overflow crowd, standing all around the doorway and in the aisles; some of the usual hostile questions were asked but there was none of the atmosphere of thuggish intimidation that was in the air at places such as East Tennessee State University and to a lesser degree elsewhere.
There was also no sign of any orchestrated propaganda campaign against the event, as there was in East Tennessee and again to a lesser extent elsewhere. I was told that one Iranian professor spoke disparagingly of me in his class the afternoon before the event, and he did come to the talk, but he left without asking a question. (Here again I wonder: why not? You would think it would be easy to refute what I say, if what CAIR and the MSA etc. say about me were true.)
One hint of the disinformation fog came from a girl who said that she had heard rumors that I was a Catholic and had a secret religious agenda -- I readily admitted that I'm a Catholic, and asked her whether she thought it was an efficient way for me to pursue a secret religious agenda by speaking in defense of the non-establishment of religion (as I had during my talk) and not engaging in anything even close to proselytizing. But otherwise the question period was calm and maybe even illuminating. A defender of CAIR, a lone questioner trying to assert -- in the teeth of the evidence -- that I had claimed that all Muslims were pursuing jihad against the West, but all in all a pleasant and mutually respectful exchange.
Anyway, after that I got back into the Jihad Watch company car, our beautiful Maxwell Roadster, and hurried back to the offices just in time to repack my suitcase -- I'm heading down this morning in the Maxwell to the David Horowitz Freedom Center's Restoration Weekend. Speakers there will include notable anti-jihadists such as Caroline Glick, Yaron Brook, Melanie Phillips, Daniel Pipes, and Frank Gaffney, and I will be speaking as well.
Then next week I'm back in the Maxwell again, heading to the great cities of the Great Satan, Washington and New York, for activities related to the official release of my new book Stealth Jihad. Soon after that it's off to Chicago and then in mid-December to the Facing Jihad summit in Jerusalem. I am not sure how I'm going to get the Maxwell over to Jerusalem. Have they finished the bridge yet?
UPDATE: I won't have to worry about the bridge just yet, as the Jerusalem conference has been postponed until after the Israeli elections.
Head up through canada and over the northern ice cap. It's pretty much solid now. If you set off tomorrow you should make it to Moscow by the end of the month and then it's just a nice straight drive south through, um, Azerbaijan and Syria, I guess.
Hm, I just had a thought. is it possible that the critics have decided that they don't need to make the effort any more? A lot of the jihadi types have been, shall we say, rather happy in the face of Obama's win. Could they have reached the conclusion that he's going to make all their problems go away now? Methinks they're a tad premature, if it's true.
If. Maybe. So many unknowns.
One helluva full schedule, Robert.
God go with you....and please tell David that he's well-loved and respected here at the JW fraternity.
So glad the Eau Claire event was not marred by the Gestapo and their Apologists.
It speaks volumes that the Iranian professor did not harass you with hostile questions - he knew you were speaking the truth about Islam!
Does anyone know where RS will be in NYC? I'd love to go hear him. How can I find out? Thanks
People - here is the article in the student newspaper, The Spectator, about RS's talk. You MUST read - and it's got a nice photo of RS, too:
http://media.www.spectatornews.com/media/storage/paper218/news/2008/11/13/News/Speaker.Discusses.Radical.Islam-3540878.shtml
Darcy,
Thanks. Interesting for several reasons, one was that it seemed well balanced, another that it (over)emphasized Robert's standard disclaimer that all Muslims are terrorist, and still another was how sophomoric the entire article seemed. It read like something one might expect from a High School newsletter.
Our universities are obviously doing a wonderful job.
You're welcome. Here's the link again:
http://www.spectatornews.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=6583c75a-2732-4df1-a24b-7ea05d976192
Darth Batman, where on earth did you find a liberal arts college with well-mannered students who didn't shout you down or spit on you and chant excessively annoying things? It's a miracle!
Will your Chicago engagement be open to the public?
From article: then in mid-December to the Facing Jihad summit in Jerusalem. I am not sure how I'm going to get the Maxwell over to Jerusalem.
Over inflate the tires and float across the sea. Don't forget the oars...
I may be duh swami, but you da man...
I hope Mr. Spencer will be in DC for an appearance on C-SPAN on Book TV. One of my husband's co-workers saw him on one of your previous appearances and when he mentioned the program, my husband was quite well-informed of his background due to my lurking here on JW. (That and the fact that we have a number of his books here in our library.) His co-worker was very impressed with his appearance and his encyclopedic knowledge of what islam really is.
Another Chicagoan chiming in here - please tell me this is a public event so I can attend!
Folks:
Thank you for your kind interest. As far as I know the Chicago event is not a public event, but I will ask.
Re DC: no plans for C-Span. But everything is kind of up in the air right now as to what exactly I'll be doing and when.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
C-SPAN's BookTV covers events outside DC. Not everyone is at Politics and Prose, so I have little doubt that we will see Robert on C-SPAN soon.
Maybe C-SPAN will be at the Freedom Center.
" Darth batman..where on earth did you find a liberal arts college with well mannered students who didn't shout you down or spit on you....?"
posted above
Online?
Master Spencer,
If you deign to alight to Jerusalem, saddle-up Ant-al-Buraq and fly in, as behooves a contrarian cult leader.
Keep us posted! Let us know how DC goes.
Robert,
You did not mention if the NY event was a public one. If so, can you give us notice.
Thanks,
Al
Robert,
Will you be doing any book signings while you are in DC? It would be great to hear you speak in the area. Please keep us posted on details pertaining to the DC trip! Thanks very much!
Robert's publisher has stated to me (via email) that neither the DC nor the NY appearances are public.
He will appear on local conservative radio programs on or about the same time.
There are not mant muslims in Eau Claire.
Thus the courtesy.