Jacob Laksin, a senior editor at FrontPage and a fine writer and journalist (with terrific taste in ties), has reviewed my book Stealth Jihad over at Pajamas Media. It's a generally positive review. Laksin concludes this way:
Spencer’s intermittent lapses into Spengler notwithstanding, his thesis deserves a serious hearing. Emboldened by successes abroad and multicultural diffidence at home, Islamists may soon make more radical demands on American society. “This debate is going to have to take place sooner or later,” Spencer notes. In his enjoyably provocative way, he has gotten it started.
I take Laksin to be referring not to the Asia Times puffball, but to Oswald Spengler, the early twentieth-century author of that monument of pessimism, The Decline of the West -- since right before this Laksin says that the stealth jihad in the U.S. is not "cause for despair."
Now, I'm all for not despairing. As they say in South Carolina, dum spiro spero -- while I breathe I hope -- and I will never give up fighting to defend human rights and human dignity against the jihad and Islamic supremacism. But maybe Jacob is right: maybe I am a bit overly gloomy, albeit "enjoyably provocative." His argument here is twofold. First, he says I exaggerate the importance of government guidelines forbidding officials to use words like "Islam" and "jihad" when discussing Islamic jihad terrorism:
Spencer ably deconstructs such wishful thinking. But on occasion he overstates the scale of American self-delusion. For instance, he makes much of a January 2008 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo that urged government officials to avoid using terms like “jihadist,” “Islamic terrorist,” “Islamist,” and “holy warrior.” There was much wrong with that justly maligned memo, but Spencer exaggerates the case when he submits it as evidence that “the U.S. government refuses to address the connection between jihadist terrorism and the theological tenets of Islam.” In an interview earlier this year, for instance, Dan Sutherland, the head of the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at DHS and an advisor to Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, rejected the idea that the memo represents the view of the U.S. government. “We would definitely not agree with parts of it,” Sutherland told this reviewer, adding that he would not oppose describing terrorists as “Islamic.” Sutherland also noted that his boss, Secretary Chertoff, regularly refers to “violent Islamic extremists.”...
Sutherland was being disingenuous. A well-placed source in CENTCOM tells me that it was Sutherland's office that published these guidelines in the first place -- making it likely that his later disagreement with the memo was born of the negative publicity it received. My source adds: "I don’t believe that the memo from his office was floated 'just because.' Someone was trying to make a difference or a mark, or something. It and the NCTC memo (and the identical State message) were not published in the hope that nothing much would come of them." The State memo was signed by Condoleezza Rice herself. You can read a pdf of the DHS memo here, and of the NCTC memo (which State used word-for-word in their cable, signed by Rice) here. And here is a CENTCOM Red Team paper that was written largely to debunk those two memos -- and would not have had to have been written if those memos had had no influence. And Chertoff himself has just recently shown that he has no understanding of the Islamic doctrine of jihad -- and thus it is unlikely that he has formulated a comprehensive response to it.
Laksin also says,
...Spencer seems to underestimate the capacity of the United States to resist the more aggressive demands for accommodation from Islamic extremists.
He offers, however, no basis for this confidence, so I asked him in an email, and he referred to America's ability to assimilate immigrants. Unfortunately, however, it seems to me that multiculturalism has paralyzed that capacity to assimilate. It isn't difficult to foresee what the consequences of the non-assimilation of Muslim immigrants could all too easily be.
And finally, in an email Laksin also said: "Another issue I had is that the shirt in your author's photo is much too orange." Now, Jacob, that one really hurts. And thank you for the review!
By the way, here is the photo in question, from the book jacket. You be the judge!
I have dark brown eyes too, Robert, and I wouldn't be caught dead in that color. Hope this helps! :-)
I love orange. I have a wonderful orange cat, also called a Marmalade cat, named "Whiskers." I love orange.
The photo is fabulous, brown features/orange. Love it!
P.S. RS looks good in ANY color!
I wouldn't be afraid of sharing a dark alley with you, Robert, based on that photograph.
Anyways, Atimes Spengler is pretty still pretty interesting.
Robert, on you it works. On my monitor it is a most becomming salmon color.
Darcy, I totally agree!
RS looks like he knows something.
That's a funny comment about your shirt. I think it looks very nice.
Since he didn't mention it, I guess that means he likes your haircut.
; )
I enjoyed his review.
"dum spiro spero"
While I breathe I last.
Or alternatively:
No last breaths yet for me.
Did the cameraman survive..?
Hey, you're staring at me...... what?
Definitely too ORANGE. But, that contrasts with green, which suits.
Great book, and thanks Mr. Spencer.
Robert, I think it would be hilarious if you wore one of those gag t-shirts that has a tuxedo on it.
Also, one of those baseball caps with the hands that clap. Not saying you should wear that item on your book picture, I just think everyone American should own one. Hugh's been around, he's probably got one.
It's not the shirt, Robert, it's the look on your face. Looks like you just got caught with your hand in the cookie jar.
Robert, I think I recall my brother wearing the same shirt back, oh, around 1963. You should also get a package of assorted collar stiffeners.
If you want to look into some new shirts (and ties), look out for ones by Joseph Abboud, though I have reason to believe he might not agree with your writings.
"He offers, however, no basis for this confidence, so I asked him in an email, and he referred to America's ability to assimilate immigrants. Unfortunately, however, it seems to me that multiculturalism has paralyzed that capacity to assimilate. It isn't difficult to foresee what the consequences of the non-assimilation of Muslim immigrants could all too easily be."
We bring into the U.S. around 160,000 per month, or total of 1.7 million workers and immigrants per year. Not all are followers of this "faith" of islam, but these numbers should be a jolt, considering the condition of health of our present economy.
I could never wear that color but I do like it and it works for you. You probably shouldn't wear it when traveling incognito, just to be on the safe side.
Robert has a "furtive" look, which goes well with the book title!
Orange is my least favorite color, so I can't give an objective opinion.
I read someplace that everyone looks well in blue...
"Unfortunately, however, it seems to me that multiculturalism has paralyzed that capacity to assimilate."
That's a leading candidate for Understatement of the Year -- and just before entries are closed, at that. At this point in American history, even to suggest that immigrants ought to assimilate to American norms is treated like an obscenity of the first water.
Mr. Spencer, Stealth Jihad is one of the most important books of this young century. May it sell a hundred million copies!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
You know, Egon Spengler was the SMART Ghostbuster ... I would take this as a compliment! After all, we know that you are a SMART Jihad-buster!
Merry Christmas, all!
Lori B. :)
If you want to look into some new shirts (and ties), look out for ones by Joseph Abboud, though I have reason to believe he might not agree with your writings.
Posted by: Shy Guy at December 23, 2008 11:51 PM
Why wouldn't he? He's CHRISTIAN Lebanese. Like Brigitte Gabriel, and without doubt RS and BG are on the same page concerning Mohammedans and Islam.
You're a handsome guy, Robert, but I would have gone with a black shirt instead, given your eye/skin/hair coloring, and especially the book title. Pink/coral/orange, whatever you call that color, IMO seems to convey weakness or softness -- and you and your book(s) are anything but weak.
Shirt color -- minor detail.
Written content -- of major importance.
On the shirt color: Posh, Dah-ling! Simply Posh!
(Sorry. After reading the abovecomments I simply couldnt help myself.)
---------------------------------------------
On the book: Better to overestimate our adversary. ALWAYS!
Don't believe me? Let's ask Hitler about Moscow. How'd that work out for him, huh?
Oh, come off it. It's not like RS is wearing a pink shirt ;-)
Robert:
Wear blue. It suits you.
Although I like the shirt, it reflects off your face and makes that look orange also. It's also too casual.
CGW
If the Islamic supremacists do take over, Roberts fashion crimes may actually be punishable by death!