| FrontPageMag.com | By Robert Spencer | By Hugh Fitzgerald | Books | Jihad Watch | Islam 101 | Qur'an Blog | Raymond Ibrahim | Robert Spencer |  |
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D. C. Watson discusses the recent dhimmitude displayed by America's beloved bookstore chain.
Should Muslim organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations be proud? Or should they be ashamed?Borders and Waldenbooks have made headlines for choosing not to carry the April-May issue of "Free Inquiry" magazine because this particular issue contains cartoons of Islam's prophet, Muhammad.
CAIR had no trouble posting this Associated Press article on their website, either.
Shouldn't this story fall under the CAIR website's "Incitement Watch" instead? Since Islam is a "religion of peace," shouldn't CAIR be adding Borders and Waldenbooks to its long list of "Islamophobes"?From the column: Beth Bingham, Borders spokesperson: "For us, the safety and security of our customers and employees is a top priority, and we believe that carrying this issue could challenge that priority."
Has CAIR viewed this as some sort of a victory? In truth, it is a defeat.
It is a defeat for this organization and others like it because Borders and Waldenbooks didn't choose not to carry "Free Inquiry" out of respect for Islam, but out of the fear of repercussions being carried out by Muslims against the bookstores' customers, property, and personnel.
If CAIR were anything close to a legitimate civil rights group operating in the United States, they would be encouraging two things:
1) That Borders and Waldenbooks feel free to carry any publication of their choosing, no matter the content, or whom it may offend.
2) That all Muslims living in America should respect free speech and expression, as it is guaranteed to all Americans by the U.S. Constitution, and that there should never be the slightest hint of retaliation against anyone for exercising this Constitutional right.
What a shame it is that right here in our own nation, there has to be a fear of Islamic retaliation over such trivial matters. It should come as little surprise, however, after Americans have learned about Mohammedans like Ali Warrayat, a student at Arizona State, who had a Qur'an and a Palestinian flag in his trunk as he rammed his car through the doors of an Arizona Home Depot store, drove his car through the store to the section that stocks the flammable liquids, and then set it ablaze.
Or about Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, a Mohammedan born in Iran, a current resident of Chapel Hill, NC, and recent UNC graduate. He plowed a rented SUV into a crowd of pedestrians at the UNC at Chapel Hill, injuring nine people, stating that he was "seeking retribution for the treatment of Muslims around the world," and that he wanted "to spread the will of Allah."
Yes, Americans, winners like these are here in our neighborhoods. The "Islamophobia" that groups like CAIR whine about doesn't exist: the discomfort that people have with Islam has continually been demonstrated to be for good reason. These two men are prime examples and living proof that Islam, as it is practiced by all too many Muslims today, and freedom are incompatible, and that immigration from Islamic states should be stopped. Islam is not a religion of peace or tolerance. It could be, maybe, if it jumped forward about fourteen centuries. Until it does, through badly needed reform, Islam will handle its business as it has from its beginning: with violence, and with the additional strategy of playing the poor, oppressed, innocent victim.
If our friends at the Council on American Islamic Relations would like to refute this, they are free to do so. We're all ears, Ibrahim. What we see all over the world, however, is not a figment of our imagination; it is sadly, all too real.
Back to Borders and Waldenbooks: A letter from a Borders employee was recently published at Little Green Footballs. The letter describes Borders receiving past complaints from Muslims that the Qur'an was stocked on the bottom shelf, and that it is now the Borders policy to stock the Qur'an only on the top shelf. If I owned a bookstore, I surely know where I'd stock them.
Fear, not respect, has created this policy at the bookstore. Is this the message that CAIR wants to see being sent?
This is a defeat for any Islamist puppet whose job it is to push Islam as a peaceful, benign faith. When it comes to winning Americans over with Islam, CAIR and groups like it are batting .000.
Posted by Robert at March 31, 2006 6:27 AM
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Islam or Cair will see it as victory, they know no shame, not on our terms anyway.
I agree though, the one flaw in their grand plan is they don't understand us and our concepts of pride and shame, we are not a submissive people.
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at March 31, 2006 7:53 AM
When I read about them caving to islamic pressure yesterday, I decided to never step foot in their store again. I also mailed a letter to explain why I would spend my hard-earned money elsewhere. I believe in the power of the greenback, cut into their profits and they might, just might, decide not to allow themselves to be blackmailed and intimidated. I read their concern for my safety as cowardice, are they really admitting they think some islamo nutjob will attack me in the store?
From the column: Beth Bingham, Borders spokesperson: "For us, the safety and security of our customers and employees is a top priority, and we believe that carrying this issue could challenge that priority."
What do they think will happen? One muslim per store, armed with gasoline and a match burning books? Install cameras (they already have them) and aggressively prosecute anyone harassing your employees or us ex customers.
Mr Watson is right, we do have to be aware of potential muslim terrorism but businesses who side against our constitutional guaranteed rights have to be held accountable. Allowing any outside pressure to dictate your store policy is a surefire way to economic collapse. Borders and Waldenbooks may not miss me as a customer but I will miss them.
Ronin, actively seeking a new non PC book store.
at March 31, 2006 8:20 AM
As a matter of peaceful protest and civil disobedience that might just make headlines, here is my simple yet effective idea:
When you enter a Borders Books or Waldenbooks, go to the religious book section. Find the Korans. Politely remove them, scan them, the instead of placing them back on the shelf, put them on the floor.
Yes, the floor. This will force notice eventually by a staff member, probably long after you have left the building, and the books will have to be replaced on the shelf -- probably the top shelf, as we have all heard by now.
Well, imagine if this habit becomes chronic. Everyday in at least one bookstore in America, Korans end up on the floor.
Allow it to become a chronic social habit in the United States.
It will eventually send a signal that we are not blind, we are not happy, we are not without the will to act. And it harms nobody.
Try it. I will.
Foehammer
PS I wonder how long it will take Borders to start keeping their precious Korans behind locked plexiglass cabinet doors?
Posted by: Foehammer at March 31, 2006 8:41 AM
Omvi:
As I posted on another DW thread, I'm afraid Jill Carroll could move beyond Stockholm syndrome, Patty Hearst/Symbionese Liberation ARmy style. I'm sure she was subjected to an enormous amount of emotional abuse and brainwashing while in captivity.
Imagine the victory for Islam -- she was a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor and now she looks like she's chosen to revert.
Off topic, but one of the Canadian hostages gave a press conference yesterday in his home town in Nothern Ontario. The sound was off in the gym, and so was the captioning so I was spared having to listen to a gay man explain away his activities that lend moral support to myscogenistic homophobes.
Posted by: waterdragon52 at March 31, 2006 8:57 AM
I strongly encourage everyone to send a letter to your Congressman expressing your concern that this Borders/Waldenbooks policy is adopted, by their own admission out of fear, and it therefore affirms that the relentless assault on personal liberty in America by the Islamic community is yeilding ominous results: Write Your Representative
Posted by: Hulegu Khan at March 31, 2006 9:25 AM
Bloody good, Foehammer. I suspect that I will be seeing a Koran or two lying on the floor at my neighborhood book store, mate.
at March 31, 2006 10:31 AM
I guess I won't be buying any books from borders/waldenbooks.
Posted by: mustang65 at March 31, 2006 10:49 AM
Take the koran off the top shelf. Flick through a few pages. Put it back on the bottom shelf.
No one will notice who had done this, but if it pisses of a few sensitive souls, then so be it.
Repeat as necessary.
Posted by: Celsius at March 31, 2006 11:11 AM
I too sent an e-mail to Borders yesterday indicating that although I usually spend a few hundred dollars a year there, I would no longer be doing so. In addition, I advised them that I would encourage my friends and family to boycott them as well.
Posted by: dame cecily at March 31, 2006 11:21 AM
The response makes me very angry.
Here is the letter I received from Borders:
Dear Josip,
Thank you for writing to Borders with your concerns about our title selection.
Borders believes in the basic right of our customers to choose what they want to read and buy, and we feel that it is important for us not to take any political stance-but instead to remain a neutral store where customers can gather information about any topic and any opinion. We do not practice preferential treatment to authors based upon the author's political views; we simply carry and market all titles we feel our customers will buy.
The safety and security of our customers and employees is a top priority for us and we believe that carrying this publication could challenge that priority.
In fact, our inventory is based primarily on what Borders shoppers have shown they are interested in purchasing-only 50% of the titles in our stores are common to every store and the other 50% is driven entirely by the shopping habits of our customers. As a result inventory varies greatly from store to store. All of the hot sellers, which a majority of the election and candidate-focused titles are, are stocked in every Borders store.
We firmly believe that our customers are intelligent, curious people who enjoy exploring all types of books and periodicals. They come to Borders because they know we carry a variety of titles that vary in political views, tastes and interests and our selection of titles is as diverse as the customers that we are proud to serve.
Thanks once again for sharing your comments with us. If you have any further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at ccare@bordersstores.com.
Sincerely,
Courtney
Borders Customer Care
at March 31, 2006 12:59 PM
All I can think of after hearing Beth's Bingham's explanation of Border's dhimmitude is the old saying from the British sit-com classic 'Allo 'Allo where Rene' gets caught in the arms of another woman by his wife for the umpteenth time and bellows out to her:
YOU STUPID WOMAN!
Stupid, because the dhimmitude shown in these two instances will not save them from the wrath of future Islamic rage, but will forever put them on the radar of the Islamofascists at the slightest hint of the company veering from the path of dhimmitude. They have shown weakness and the wolves will be circling their prey. Stupid indeed.
Posted by: William The Crusader at March 31, 2006 1:24 PM
The letter from the Border's rep cited in Josip's comment contains the key to the challenge. Would Border's, whose safety and security of its employees and customers is paramount, continue to stock the koran in any store if demonstrators started to appear outside with placards claiming Border's sells antisemtic and antichristian hate literature. A big sign with large letters calling Jews apes and pigs should shock bystanders, and add to their befuddlment when they read in the fine print the source of the hate. Go into Borders, take a koran to the stroe manager and demand from him how he can even stock this hateful filth in his store.
Posted by: Lisa at March 31, 2006 1:56 PM
I just got back from lunch, where I stopped in at The Borders next door to my office. I did exactly as Foehammer suggested. I walked up to The Koran shelf (yes, they were on the top shelf, but they were lumped in with "Eastern Thought" and did not have their own section with shelves and shelves like they did for The Bibles and, to a lesser extent, Jewish Scriptural Literature. I can say that's somewhat comforting.
I looked through a few of the different translations and set each one on the floor as I was done. Once I realized no one was paying any attention to me, I put all 50 or so copies on the floor. Then I walked out. I felt so good leaving that store that my smile could be seen by my girlfriend, in the car, 50 yards away...
Posted by: Monty at March 31, 2006 2:33 PM
Here is letter Number 2 Conflict Resolution from Borders:
Dear Joseph:
Thank you for your expression of concern about our decision not to carry the issue of Free Inquiry magazine featuring cartoons depicting Muhammad.
Borders is committed to our customers' right to choose what to read and what to buy and to the First Amendment right of Free Inquiry to publish the cartoons. In this particular case, we decided not to stock this issue in our stores because we place a priority on the safety and security of our customers and our employees. We believe that carrying this issue presented a challenge to that priority.
We value your thoughts and sincerely appreciate that you invested your time to tell us how you feel about the issue. I can assure you that our management team gave careful deliberation to this decision and considered all sides of the issue before reaching this conclusion. As always, we are interested in customer feedback about our choices and while we know you do not agree with our position, we hope you can understand the challenge of balancing the needs of our customers, employees and our communities.
We appreciate the time you have taken to bring your concerns to our attention. If you should have any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Best,
Dan
Customer Resolution Specialist
www.BordersStores.com
at March 31, 2006 2:54 PM
Maybe the same tactics should be employed for making book stores putting Bibles on the top shelf as having another book higher than the Bible renders it obsolete.
In the UK, public libraries are forced to put the Koran on a higher shelf than any other religious book regardless of the Dewey system. It's a totally mad situation.
Our society seems to be both exposing it's neck and handing the enemy a sharp knife.
Posted by: IceDragon at March 31, 2006 5:40 PM
Nice letter you wrote, OMVI!
Our regular 'Nasseem' here once quoted: 'If you have the Koran, why do you need other books...?" Try that one with the bookstores and see how you go! Good luck...
Posted by: sheik yer'mami at March 31, 2006 5:56 PM
It should be borne in mind that, to a muslim, translations of the koran are not korans at all: they are given titles like "the meaning of..." or "the interpretation of.." and have the same status as any other book. It is only the original arabic koran, containing the actual words dictated by the angel gabriel, that has the status of a fetish object, must be kept on the highest shelf and can be desecrated. Of course, translations often have a sample of the original arabic text as cover or frontispiece ornaments but i don't think this makes a lot of difference.
Posted by: wallyUK at March 31, 2006 6:38 PM
"All females who work at Borders should be forced to cover their heads, if not their entire bodies. They should ideally be fired because they mingle with men too much, but I guess if they cover themselves modestly, it'd be okay. Also, non-Muslim religious texts should be purged from their stocks. It's so offensive to see a book on Hinduism, Taoism, Christianity, or some other anti-Allah religion there. My wife cried herself to sleep, begging Allah to judge American bookstores for stocking Rollingstone, Time, and other sexually charged magazines and books. It's disgusting. Submit to Islam or be denounced as insensitive, racist, and Islamophobic. Also, don't forget we love a juicy lawsuit."
- Ali Muhammad Bubbersnout, proud member of CAIR
Posted by: Forest_Green at March 31, 2006 6:53 PM
A couple of months ago, I looked for Irshad Manji's "The Trouble With Islam Today" at a number of Borders and Barnes & Noble book stores, none of which carried it. The book was well into paperback at this point, Manji had appeared on cable news and elsewhere in the media, and IMHO neither chain had any excuse NOT to carry it. The strategy was obvious to me; I'm not surprised to read the above.
Posted by: Dum Dhimmi Dum Dum Dum at March 31, 2006 7:06 PM
Yeah, I agree with you Dum Dhimmi. . . By the way, I was just satirizing an annoyed Muslim in the post above. I thought it was funny.. .
Posted by: Forest_Green at March 31, 2006 7:23 PM
A less obvious approach would be to put each koran in backwards or upside down or both. Just a thought.
Posted by: dms at March 31, 2006 7:44 PM
In his article entitled, “Creeping Sharia Watch,” Blogger Andrew Sullivan writes:
“If you care about freedom of expression, don't buy books from Borders or Waldenbooks. And if you want to draw a lesson from the entire episode, it's obvious: violence against free writers and artists gets results. We have all but invited more.”
http://time.blogs.com/daily_dish/2006/03/creeping_sharia_1.html?promoid=rss_daily_dish
I thought I would mention this article here since it is clear indication that Sullivan is familiar with (and probably reads) Robert’s blog.
at March 31, 2006 7:51 PM
Omvi
Brilliantly written, although too good for a Mohammedan given the writing skills that we see. Only problem with it - that Borders will take Abdulla Rahman's suggestions seriously enough to go ahead and implement them.
Maybe a series of follow-up letters - urging them to get rid of all books and magazines except the Quran, and replace all their cafe selections with Halal foods - would push them over the edge. Not the Mohammedans aren't stupid enough not to try it.
Posted by: Infidel Pride at March 31, 2006 11:47 PM
Simply go into the nearest Borders and request a copy of Free Inquiry magazine, acting puzzled because you can't find it in its regular place.
Cause a stir with the functionaries until they discover what their employer has done in supressing the First Amendment for their illusory "safety".
Once it comes out that this specific issue has been banned by Borders, storm out in disgust and attract the attention of other customers on the way by saying loudly:
"I'll never shop in a store again that censors free speech!"
Personally, I stopped shopping there the moment I heard of this craven idiocy.
But tormenting these cowards is still profitable.
Posted by: profitsbeard at March 31, 2006 11:56 PM
Josip:
I also got the same response from Borders that you did, also from Dan. Apparently "Borders Customer Care" has one message and "Customer Resolution Specialist[s]" have another.
Posted by: Don Miguel at April 2, 2006 4:39 AM
I'm not a frequent-flyer at Borders. Wonder if they have the cojones to carry the "Satanic Verses" and other banned books?
Posted by: MP at April 3, 2006 8:25 PM
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