Yessss! A technical university, full of engineering students and assorted scientific types, the only academic places left where any critical analysis and thinking exists.

There are some lefties who pollute the engineering profession, but they are few.

Posted by: Pelayo at October 26, 2007 3:12 PM

I don’t see the problem with calling traditional Islam a fascism. The definition of fascism (philosophy, politics) given in http://www.answers.com/topic/fascism seems pretty good:

a. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

Thus while Islam is not a typical fascism as it does not explicitly embrace nationalism and racism, it still calls for the system of government as described.

It's just calling a spade a spade.

Posted by: FM at October 26, 2007 3:12 PM

"I retired to my room in the pink-themed Madonna Inn in San Luis..."
-- from the report above

"Madonna Inn"? In "San Luis"? How very Westernocentric, or even Christianocentric of you. In a demonstration of interfaith enthusiasm, you might on this occasion have chosen the well-known Ramadan Inn instead. Or did I misread the motel sign?

Posted by: Hugh at October 26, 2007 3:29 PM

When it comes to examining the meaning of a word, I like to always get as deep into the roots as possible.

"Fascism" comes from the Latin "fasces," a bundle of rods. A single rod or stick can be easily broken, but a bunch bound together cannot - strength in unity.

In Nazi Germany the individual was subsumed into the State.

I think it's obvious that Islam has a similar estimation of the worth of the individual.

Posted by: non-croyant at October 26, 2007 3:40 PM

PS I don't think that the term "Islamofascism" is inaccurately descriptive, but I do have a visceral reaction to it as sounding corny.

It might be appalling to some who read this blog, but I think it is a manifestation of politically correct notions - a desire to be able to argue that you don't have anything against the religion per se, but only to one expression of it.

Posted by: non-croyant at October 26, 2007 3:49 PM

"They sent up the usual smokescreen, going on about Christian wackos bombing abortion clinics"
------------------------------------------------

When a Moslem bombs a Women's Clinic, it will not be covered in the MSM. Women in some Arab countries can't get treatment for Breast Cancer, never mind a routine Ob/Gyn exam!

Posted by: CTYankee at October 26, 2007 3:50 PM

Mumbling on about "extremism," "radicalism," "Islamism," etc. only serves to obscure what is really going on. I even had to dissent from the term "Islamo-Fascism," which, while it helpfully indicates the repressive political agenda of the Islamic supremacists, nonetheless gives the impression that we are dealing with a sort of bastard love-child of Sayyid Qutb and Benito Mussolini. The jihadis aren't cutting people's heads off because they are fascists but because they are faithful Muslims acting in accordance with the injunctions of the Quran and the example of Muhammad. Or so I have argued.

My point - exactly!!!!

Posted by: Infidel Pride at October 26, 2007 3:59 PM

Hugh

Do you suggest Greg should prefer Ramada(n) to Madonna? Tough choice ;-)

Posted by: Infidel Pride at October 26, 2007 4:03 PM

Pelayo,

If the hard science and engineering education ever abandon reason the way the humanities have (or at least a significant portion of the humanities departments) we will be totally screwed. Scientists and engineers will be reduced to foaming at the mouth, baying at the moon, and counting their fingers as the cognitive dissonance of latest new "way of knowing" dissolves brain cells.

For many in society it will be a short term problem though, since we will no longer be able to feed ourselves. But nothing could make the extreme left happier, as they view humanity, particularly Western humanity, as a viral infection of the planet.

If your not familiar with him already, lookup Alan Sokal, a physicist at NYU. His books "Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals' Abuse of Science" and "The Sokal Hoax: The Sham That Shook the Academy" left me wondering whether to laugh or cry. This return to the primitive would be hilarious, if it hadn't spread so thoroughly, particularly in academia. It is an organized campaign against the West, rationality, and the scientific method. Of course, adherents to this "philosophy" make themselves and those that depend on them extremely vulnerable to "others" who still use a reasoned, rational approach to technological development… particularly weapons technology.

Posted by: RalphInfidel at October 26, 2007 4:17 PM

I attended the Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week demonstration at UC Berkeley. UC Berkeley is my alma mater. The event was held in Sproul Plaza, the famous birthplace of the "free speech movement" in the early 1960s.

Shortly before noon several guys in orange "Guantanamo" jumpsuits and hoods showed up and knelt on the steps of Sproul Hall. I'm sure these were the same people who disrupted Nonie Darwish's speech on Monday. There were also people in "Peace not Prejudice" t-shirts, which are a lovely shade of Islamic green. There were also quite a few hijabbed women present.

I brought a sign I made reading "Stand Up for Free Speech" "Against Islamo-Fascism", with a picture of the famous Danish cartoon of Mohammed with a bomb in his turban. ( I do agree that the term "Islamo-Fascist" does have its problems, but in the end I feel it is fairly accurate. I had little problem using it.)

The event was run by the College Republicans. The speaker (I know he is the head of the College Republicans--I did not hear his name because there was too much heckling) opened with a request that he be allowed to speak. Many in the crowd started yelling "No!" and tried to drown him out. When he cited this being the place where the free-speech movement was begun, he was met with jeers. He made it clear that he was not speaking about all Muslims, but only extremists.

The heart of the event was simple, but really quite brilliant. Several speakers just read quotes from various Islamist groups--from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, from the Hamas Charter, from Hassan Nasrallah of Hizb'Allah, from Adam Gedahn, from Osama bin Ladin, and others. The quotes revealed hatred of the US, of the West, of Israel, of Jews, of all non-Believers, and many urged the most terrible violence in the name of Jihad.

At no time did any of the counter demonstrators actually address *any* of the issues brought up about Islamo-Fascism--either at the Nonie Darwish speech or the demonstration. Instead, people with Revolution Books handed out fliers claiming that David Horowitz, Rick Santorum and Ann Coulter--none of whom were even present--are racist and homophobic.

The speaker said he spoke for all the victims of radical Islam--in New York City, and Washington, and a field in Pennsylvania, and London, and Bali and Madrid--men, women, gays and called for those across the political spectrum, including the left, to stand up against radical Islam (at this point a heckler yelled "f*** you!").

He noted the lack of free speech under radical Islam, and quoted an Al-Qaeda manual, "Islam does not coincide or make truce with unbelief, but rather confronts it. The confrontation that Islam calls for with these godless and apostate regimes, does not know Socratic debates, Platonic ideals nor Aristotlian diplomacy. But it knows the dialogue of bullets, the ideals of assassination, bombing, and destructiuon, and the diplomacy of the cannon and machine-gun."

The speaker said the Jihadists hate us for our values, and a heckler yelled, "they hate you because you're a racist!" The speaker closed with the timely quote from Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing."

Certainly, the counter demonstration group was larger than the anti-Islamo-Fascists, and there were many students, as always, just out eating lunch on the plaza on a sunny late autumn day. I do think that there were quite a few people listening, though. I hope the message got through to some.

Posted by: gravenimage at October 26, 2007 4:31 PM

How civilized for Mr. Spencer to be able to enjoy a fine Pinot Noir after his movie presentation - kind of sums up the dichotomy between the West and Islam when it comes to free speech.

Posted by: HOV Dummy at October 26, 2007 4:32 PM

Just backing up Pelayo and Ralphinfidel

some illuminating remarks from M Scott Peck's "People of the Lie". He is talking about the principle, or entity, which he calls 'satan' - his experiences in practising psychology forced him ultimately to the conclusion that some such entity existed.

He notes that there are two things that the thing he calls 'satan', the Power of Lies, does not comprehend. The first is love, holy charity: "by virtue of its extreme self-centeredness, it has no real understanding of the phenomenon of love. It recognises love as a reality to be fought and even to be imitated, but utterly lacking it itself, it does not understand love in the least."

The second is Science, which bears directly on your observations as made above.
"Satan also does not understand Science. SCIENCE IS AN ANTI-NARCISSISTIC PHENOMENON. It assumes A PROFOUND HUMAN TENDENCY TO SELF-DECEPTION, employs the scientific method to counteract it and holds truth higher than any personal desire.

'Deceiver of itself as of others, satan cannot understand why any beings would not want to deceive themselves. Enamoured with its own will and hater of the light of truth, it basically finds human science incomprehensible".

Fully-instructed and aware Christians, even if they are not scientifically trained or practising science, can see through and reject Islam because they sense that there is in it no genuine love.

And those who pursue truth in science - those who practise a genuine scientific vocation, which means, as you say, that they have to learn critical analysis and thinking - will see through and reject Islam (no matter what may be their non-Muslim RELIGIOUS training, or lack thereof) because they will see very clearly the appalling shoddiness of the arguments and assumptions of the Muslim spin-doctors.

Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at October 26, 2007 5:12 PM

RalphInfidel, engineers and physical scientists are problem solvers. The other divisions of academia are problem starters.

I read about the Sokal Affair. It was misspelled in the review I read (Sokol). He proved his point. Social Scientists will believe anything, and they have the gall to claim that it is a science. Well, then, voodoo is a science.

Posted by: Pelayo at October 26, 2007 5:22 PM

"They sent up the usual smokescreen, going on about Christian wackos bombing abortion clinics,"

Someone once commented that more abortion clinics have been bombed in Law and Order episodes than in real life.

Posted by: johnb at October 26, 2007 5:41 PM

Would someone please let me know the particulars on how Mo died? Did he suffer any, same as his victims?

Posted by: allat at October 26, 2007 5:42 PM

Greetings:

As an alumuns, I am glad you were well received at Cal Poly. It is one of California's hidden gems, out in the middle of the ranchlands.

It is often referred to as SLO-town, short for San Luis Obispo and it is. If I had to park a couple of kids some place for four years of education, Cal Poly would be my first choice.

The Madonna Inn, on the other hand, while it is the premier local hostelry, is most certainly a front for America's secret campaign of emasculation.

Posted by: 11B40 at October 26, 2007 5:45 PM

Glad your speech went well, Mr. Spencer. Speaking of hotels, I saw this it's kinda funny (dr.sanity.blogspot)

HOTEL CALIPHORNIA

On a dark desert highway, adopted by CAIR
I was passing through Mecca, on my way to Bel Air
Up ahead in the distance, within the simmering blight
I said a prayer and made the sign of the cross--
Something just wasn't right.

I heard them chanting in anger,
'Death to the infidel'
And I was thinking to myself,
'These guys are praying, but this must be hell!"
Then this girl in a burkha, silently stood in my way
More prayers coming from the mosque,
I thought I heard her say...

Welcome to the Hotel Caliphornia
Such an ugly place
I can't see her face (it's a deep disgrace)
They're blowing things up at the Hotel Caliphornia
All throughout the year
Girls know what to wear

Her mind is Mohammed-twisted, she got the Bin Laden flu
She wears a veil and the Qu'ran tells her just what to do.
If she has any questions, she can ask the Imam.
If she wants to wear color, she can strap on a bomb

So I questioned the Caliph,
And asked him how could this be?
He said, 'I have wondered the same thing now since sixteen eighty three,
When the Ottoman army kind of lost its way.
We're still reliving that past
Even to this day...'

Welcome to the Hotel Caliphornia
Just the kind of place
For a master race.
The shari'a is nice at the Hotel Caliphornia
It is blasphemy
Just to think, you see.

Virgins in a black room,
But you can't afford their price;
And one said 'We are all just prisoners here, of our own device.'
Then the grand ayatollah,
Decreed I should die;
And when he issued a fatwa,
I thought I heard Allah sigh.

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To a faith without the gore
'Relax,' said the Imam,
We are programmed to believe.
You can convert any time you like,
but you can never leave.

Posted by: j_not_a at October 26, 2007 6:11 PM

Sixty or more volunteers for the Jihad Awareness Project will be sending copies of the DVD Islam: What the West Needs to Know to senators and congresspersons soon.

Imagine a few senators sitting together in one of the offices, maybe after hours, maybe sipping drinks, watching the DVD together.

With 60+ DVDs going to Congress, there could be a lot of viewing pleasure. Let's hope so.

Posted by: traeh at October 26, 2007 7:02 PM

Ummar Lee's Blog
http://umarlee.com/2007/10/26/horowitz-gives-bigoted-rambling-speech-at-gw-umar-is-roughed-up-by-guards-and-hassled-by-reporter/

Posted by: AllahSnackbar at October 26, 2007 8:39 PM

Risotto: Proving Einstein’s Theory of Insanity

* Einstein said that repeating the same action over again expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

You won’t believe this:
Rice taps Clinton, Carter for Middle East advice

http://sheikyermami.com/2007/10/27/risotto-proving-einsteins-theory-of-insanity/

Posted by: sheik yer'mami at October 26, 2007 9:07 PM

Wow, Greg...
ya did get the good one...though cal-poly (equivalent is an MIT of the west coast) shows many forms of what we see elsewhere in wackodemia, they're not nearly as violent about it...they can't afford to be.
(remember cal-poly is contracted out to NASA/JPL, and bad PR can kill a contract, but that's another story...)
Their anti-Americana is more to the tune of removing soldiers pictures from the post office (which caused a major uproar)
http://michellemalkin.com/2007/10/22/soldier-photo-tribute-banned-at-us-post-office/
...and nearby Pismo Beach/Oceano/Grover Beach/PasoRobles have a LOT of wealthy retired folks who are OLD-school libs (like Hubert Humphrey, JFK, Truman types) and don't put up with violence.
(I know the area well, we go to Oceano Dunes a LOT, 4X4ing as well as helping with the Plover habitat right next to the beach sands-it works out great & we enjoy doing it, too. Check out their July 4th shows,too, they're HUGE
Just don't waste time at the pier-it's a tourist trap like the Wharf in SFO, lol)

So yeah...you got the gravy job, lol.
I'd bet ya made a great impact, too, since I haven't noticed anything adverse in the press...kudos.
That's the one just out of immediate range...maybe next time.

Posted by: jcom972 at October 26, 2007 9:40 PM

Allat: Sources differ on the cause of Mohammed's death, but it wasn't a pretty one. Some say it was a "fever." Certainly the more persuasive story is that a Jewish woman whose family he had murdered, and whom he had repeatedly raped as one of his many sex slaves, poisoned his food.

In both versions, Mohammed died on the lap of his favorite and child-bride Aisha, whimpering and cursing Jews and Christians after the fervent prayers of the "Angel" Gabriel failed.

Posted by: Marwan'sDaughter at October 26, 2007 9:48 PM

HOV Dummy and j not a:

Just for your information, I didn't write this. My friend and colleague Greg Davis did.

You'll note the "Davis" in the headline and the "Posted by Greg" marking at the end of the post.

Cordially
Robert Spencer

Posted by: jihadwatch at October 26, 2007 10:27 PM

The project made O’Reilly’s first segment. Thank you to Greg and Robert and everyone else involved.

O’Reilly, dressing down Muslim students:

“You have to define the problem before you can contain the problem.”

Yes Bill, you have a point. Here’s your chance to move from paychecks to the history books. You…..can…..do…..it. All you have to do is discuss the truth.

4:89 Have no unbelieving friends. Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them.

Read it on TV. Just read it.

Posted by: pez at October 26, 2007 11:25 PM

It made The O'Reilly Factor, so it's all over the place now (he's bigger than every competitor combined-in fact he's bigger than CNN & MSNBCs entire 4-hour primetimes combined with a million left over, lol)...and he's already in the history books, but this will just make it even bigger.
That's where THE audience is...and we saw that buffoon trying to defend islamism...pathetic. lol

Posted by: jcom972 at October 27, 2007 12:00 AM

"And I don't think there is any easy answer to the fact that Muhammad hacked off anywhere from 600 to 900 heads in a single day and took the surviving women and children as slaves, which he did not dispute"....from headline.

This is the resume of a savage serial killer -- not a prophet from God.

Posted by: champ at October 27, 2007 12:14 AM

Thanks to all who are involved in trying to wake the West up to the world we live in! War on terror, indeed. I subscribe to the Cold War being WWIII and the current war against Islamo-Fascism as being WWIV. We can't win a war we don't even know we are in. The Islamo-Fascism Awareness week is a great start. Thank you for your patriotism.

Posted by: Infidel1 at October 27, 2007 12:40 AM

Robert Spencer:
Just for your information, I didn't write this. My friend and colleague Greg Davis did.

While Robert Spencer did not write this article, one could have hoped that Spencer himself could had taken the time during the so-called "Islamo-fascism Awareness [sic!]" week to spread some awareness about the vital point that his friend and colleague Greg Davis just pointed out in this article, namely that:

"[W]e must be willing to speak plainly about the thing itself, namely, Islam. Mumbling on about "extremism," "radicalism," "Islamism," etc. only serves to obscure what is really going on. I even had to dissent from the term "Islamo-Fascism," which, while it helpfully indicates the repressive political agenda of the Islamic supremacists, nonetheless gives the impression that we are dealing with a sort of bastard love-child of Sayyid Qutb and Benito Mussolini. The jihadis aren't cutting people's heads off because they are fascists but because they are faithful Muslims acting in accordance with the injunctions of the Quran and the example of Muhammad."

Posted by: anonymous at October 27, 2007 9:55 AM

Rev: "...and the nations became angry..."

Infidel1,
I agree...it IS WWIV, and now things are about to get hotter.
As per a take I made some time back (about why we haven't already hit them back, hard-that the real people behind them will be forced into the light and voice their siding with the islamists)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IJ26Ak06.html

Well, Vlad proved me right once again...I knew their fraud couldn't be hidden for long.
Now ya know why the mOslem munchkin & his peers, both overtly hostile to sanity and righteousness, and those who pretend to be on our side (like Yemem recently), have gotten a lot bolder, and that's just level 1, as the communist occupation forces in mainland china still have to conceal their primary status as big dog of it all, since they've a lot more to lose as their alarming military buildup isn't complete yet for the main event in all this...(see "shanghai cooperation organization")

Forget the fact that his cheap copycatting doesn't work since USSR had OFFensive missiles in Cuba, we're just planning DEfensive missiles as a deterrent (not even in place, unlike theirs was), and forget the fact that it's just more proof they never let go of a grudge (they're still humiliated by 1962-obsessed much? LOL)

Communism didn't collapse in Russia...it just repackaged is all, only they're all just one big KGB mob these days (the entire duman is infested with old KGBers).

Looks like this is gonna be a longer weekend than planned.

Rev: "...and the nations became angry..."

Posted by: jcom972 at October 27, 2007 1:18 PM

...as have the islamicommie lackey 5th column, too.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071028/ap_on_re_us/iraq_war_protest
(planned AFTER hearing of IAW in the works some time ago, and aided & abetted by their owner george "the capo" soros,who owns that same AFSC noted at end article-gee, what a coinkiadink!-and rallied their *ahem* troops from dailykook SPindymedia DU & other kook fringe schizopaths).

They're very upset...gee, wonder why?
lol

Posted by: jcom972 at October 28, 2007 1:13 AM