This video is nothing short of shocking, as radio host and author John Ziegler is repeatedly berated and abused by David Keene of the American Conservative Union for the crime of asking questions that make Keene uncomfortable. Video thanks to Pamela, who has the background -- don't miss it.
What does this have to do with jihad? Everything. The Ziegler video, with its depiction of Keene's egregious behavior, gives a good opportunity to spotlight the failure of the conservative mainstream to deal with the jihad issue. David Keene is not only the head of the ACU, but also of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which I criticized in Newsweek last February for its Grover Norquist-mandated refusal to deal with the jihad or Islamic supremacism in any meaningful or effective way.
At the time I was interviewed by Newsweek, Pamela Geller was working tirelessly behind the scenes to secure a speaking slot for Geert Wilders at CPAC, but CPAC was dragging its feet. With that in mind, I told Newsweek that people were afraid to deal with this issue, and added at Jihad Watch that "Keene's, or someone's, priorities are seriously out of order. Wilders should be front and center at CPAC, and the defense of free speech its central theme."
I didn't know it at the time, but after I was interviewed by Newsweek and before their article appeared, Keene decided to honor Wilders at CPAC and give him an award. But when the Newsweek piece hit, with quotes from me as well as David Horowitz saying, "How is it possible that a conservative conference does not have a single panel on the threat from radical Islam?," Keene was furious. He was so furious that he canceled the award for Wilders and refused to let him speak at all, saying he wasn't going to look as if he was being pushed around by Robert Spencer. Suddenly a few remarks in Newsweek by David Horowitz and me were controlling David Keene's world. Principles? Free speech? Jihad and Islamization? Pah. For Keene, it was just a schoolyard fight, and he was behaving like a schoolyard bully -- as he does here with Ziegler.
Pamela Geller, of course, had the last laugh. She never gave up, and single-handedly organized a wildly successful evening for Wilders that was held at the Omni Hotel in Washington, the site of CPAC, during the time CPAC was being held, but it was not a CPAC event. She gave Wilders much greater, more effective exposure than he got an any other stop on his American tour at the time -- indeed, it was a great event, an event for the ages. I was honored to be able to assist a bit with that effort, and to speak briefly there. Her amazing work shows what one determined and hard-working citizen can accomplish, despite the roadblocks thrown in her way by the likes of David Keene. See Pamela's account and pictures here and her other reports here.
And this video now shows yet again -- the conservative movement needs new leadership. David Keene should be removed from any leadership role with the ACU and CPAC. But as long as Grover Norquist, with his jihadist friends and allies, still wields so much influence among conservatives, that is unlikely to happen.
Don't miss this video also. As Ziegler says, "If David Keene is a leader in the conservative movement, that's a movement I don't want to be part of." Amen to that.
Keene's egregious behavior, gives a good opportunity to spotlight the failure of the conservative mainstream to deal with the jihad issue...
Which is every bit as shameless as the deafening silence we've heard from feminists since they institutionalized themselves back in the 70s.
*** Bukhari Vol 4 Bk 52 Nbr 268 ***
Deceipt from an aggressor is understandable. Self-deceipt while under attack is intellectual cowardice at its absolute worst because it is so dangerous.
*** Bukhari Vol 3 Bk 48 Nbr 826 ****
But maybe such yellow-bellied behavior can be understood too.
I was at the Geert Wilders event at the Omni in Washington and it was indeed a very successful evening, with people being turned away because the room wasn't large enough to hold everyone. Pamela did a great job, but Robert is understating his own role. There were some Islamic apologists handing out propaganda before the event which Robert appropriately shot down by referencing their own Islamic sources (I believe the reference was Reliance of the Traveller, but I could be wrong).
What was ironic is that before the Wilders event started in a room on the opposite side of the hotel from the CPAC conference and banquet rooms, is that many of the Geert Wilders attendees were asking young, smiling CPAC hosts where the Wilders event was going to be held. More people were asking about Wilders than any of the CPAC events that were being held at the same time.
CPAC screwed up then, and they are screwing up now. Some people never learn.
Lacy: "Free speech is a privilege not a right" Sounds like a leftard to me. He should switch parties.
In no way does David Keene and the ACU represent the entire conservative "movement"...and while he's been right to publicize Keene's and particularly Grover Norquist's betrayal, I think Robert is making a mistake in his wording, implying above that because of Keene and Norquist, the conservative movement in general is an impediment to our cause ("Amen to that").
With very few exceptions, the voices in the anti-Jihad ARE CONSERVATIVE! Our job is not to mimic Charles Johnson and try to discredit the conservative movement as a whole, it is to discredit that narrow strain of conservatism - represented by Grover Norquist - that remains impervious to Jihad.
Flounder grew up!
What a sleaze bag. Keene actually tried to get the local police to usurp a speaker previously approved because he didn’t like what he had to say! Ya. Way to go for free speech. Just like your typical Jihadist actions, which always speak louder than words, which is what they fear, just like Keene seems to also fear.
By the way Keene, ‘word from Dune, “…fear is the mind killer, I must not fear…”
WaNk ExTrEmE.
Are you kidding Cornelius? Most conservatives are at best silent about Islam, at worst they whitewash it and parrot the same "tiny minority of extremists" crap.
Are you kidding Hesperado?
Besides Bruce Bawer, you'd be hard-pressed to find a Liberal who is a bona-fide member of the anti-Jihad! Meanwhile, here is a list of conservatives who are unqualified supporters of our cause...
Victor Davis Hanson
Mark Steyn
David Horowitz
Diana West
Rick Santorum
Tom Tancredo
Charles Krauthammer
Pamela Geller
Michelle Malkin
The four Rep. in the House who recently called attention to CAIR infiltration of sensitive committees
Dennis Miller
Daniel Pipes
Joseph Farah
Scores of conservative bloggers who trumpet the anti-Jihad
Jamie Glazov
Ibn Warraq
Ayan Hirsi Ali
These are just off the top of my head...if I did some actual research, I'm sure I could come up with dozens of others.