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In "The Role of Journalism Today," a speech to the National Press Club, Ayaan Hirsi Ali tells truths that the assembled journalists cannot bear to hear from anyone else.
...It is not the end of history. The 21st century began with a battle of ideas, and this battle is about the values of the West versus those of Islam.Tony Blair, a leader I admire, wrote in the first issue of this year's Foreign Affairs magazine that what we were facing after the 11th of September was a battle of ideas, a battle of values. In his article, Blair began by incisively outlining the most crucial conflict of our time, but then lost the line of his argument in inconsistency when he came to clarifying the parties involved in the war of values. He backpedaled against his argument and declared that the Koran is a great book, ahead of its time and good for women.
Why are Westerners so insecure about everything that is so wonderful about the West: political freedom, free press, freedom of expression, equal rights for women and men, gays and heterosexuals, critical thinking, and the great strength of scrutinizing ideas--and especially faith?
It is not the end of history. The 21st century began with a battle of ideas, and this battle is about the values of the West versus those of Islam. Tony Blair and the Pope should not be embarrassed in saying it, and you should stop self-censoring. Islam and liberal democracy are incompatible; cultures and religions are not equal. And perhaps most important of all, Muslims are not half-wits who can respond only in violence. The Koran is not a great book; it is reactionary and full of misogyny. The Byzantine emperor's analysis of Muhammad was correct: he spread his faith by the sword.
Read it all.
Posted by Robert at June 20, 2007 8:27 AM
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Print this out. Magnet. Refrigerator.
Posted by: Hugh![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/nav-commenters.gif)
at June 20, 2007 8:56 AM
Hirsi Ali, I appeciate you. The unreformed islamics are indeed, "Westernophobic."
Posted by: mustang65 at June 20, 2007 8:58 AM
I not only printed it out, I sent it to many friends. She is great!
Posted by: darcy at June 20, 2007 8:58 AM
Why are Westerners so insecure about everything that is so wonderful about the West: political freedom, free press, freedom of expression, equal rights for women and men, gays and heterosexuals, critical thinking, and the great strength of scrutinizing ideas--and especially faith?
I wish to thank Ms. Ali for her courage and perceptive observation above. For, even though popular culture in America often plummets to new depths of filth for profit, America is still a great country. What separates the Evangelicals from the Atheists is a constant source of irritation for both camps, but it is also a counterweight to extremism. Christians understand that "hating the sin, but loving the sinner" is a key component of extending Christ's love to all people in all circumstances.
It is unfortunate that the feminists in this country do not have the collective spine and voice to oppose the human rights' violations that are being spread around the globe in the name of Islam. Their silence is deafening and speaks to their complete cowardice and self-absorption.
While Hitlery positions herself to seize the reigns of power and put her bridle into Bill's mouth, pressing him into service as ambassador-at-large, she could galvanize her credibility if she spoke out against the very injustices that Ms. Ali points out at peril of her life.
But, I doubt that principles will appear more tantalizing than Saudi money, and, as Dick Morris so eloquently pointed out, this is a serious conflict of interest.
Posted by: BurkasforHitlery at June 20, 2007 9:05 AM
Islam and liberal democracy are incompatible
We all know this so why do the leaders of Western nations insist on treating their Muslim populations as just another minority group?
BurkasforHitlery:
Christians understand that "hating the sin, but loving the sinner" is a key component of extending Christ's love to all people in all circumstances.
Run that by me again: "hating the sin, but loving the sinner". What kind of warped logic is that?
Posted by: watling at June 20, 2007 9:18 AM
This woman is absolutely brilliant and a fearless crusader in defense of our precious Western ideals. We need many more like her who are willing illuminate, from personal experience, the darkness of islam. Her challenge to the press to begin to reporting the lies, hatred, and social inconsistencies that is being so zealously perpetrated by this false religion is absolutely critical - if we are indeed to survive as a great civilization. Ms. Hirsi and those valiant few like her need to be encouraged and nurtured with everything our yet free society has to offer!
Posted by: descendantofacrusader at June 20, 2007 9:31 AM
Here's what Hirsi Ali is up against: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/opinion
Posted by: scaramouoche at June 20, 2007 9:39 AM
Sorry. Here's the link I meant to post: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21933512-5000117,00.html
Posted by: scaramouoche at June 20, 2007 9:40 AM
Thanks, Scaramouche, for that informative link. I found this on that page. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21933512-5000117,00.html
Can anyone verify for me that Christians in Africa genitally mutilate their daughters as this Muslim woman claims? Or is it just another good example of taqiyyah?
Posted by: Isabellathecrusader at June 20, 2007 9:45 AM
Watling said in response to BurkasforHitlery
“Run that by me again: "hating the sin, but loving the sinner". What kind of warped logic is that?”
Exactly that: Christ taught the two most important commandments were to “Love God with all your heart and, secondly, your neighbor” i.e. that sin or evil exists but that all are created innocent and equalo in God’s sight – all have the same redeeming potential through Christ. There is virtually no inconsistency (or warpege) in logic here except for possibly a muslim.
at June 20, 2007 9:46 AM
A shame it takes a woman from another culture to remind the Western leaders (and media and people in general) of their own values, and strengths, and hard-fought-for greatnesses.
What ever happened to the study of History?
Or Comparative Religion?
Or Philosophy?
Anyone who has ever read the Koran would be appalled by its calls to violence, contempt for all non-Muslims, distortions of Jewish and Christian doctrines, revenge fantasies, misogyny and superstitious silliness, -with a little meaningless "compassion" gilded on its edges to make it looks shiny.
Blair, Bush, at al, are simpletons when it comes to the most important issue of our time.
Derelection of duty is the only distinguishing characteristic of all Western leaders.
Pope Benedict excepted.
(And even he is too mild and modest and retiring on this vital, fateful subject.)
Where are the Western Hirsi Alis?
Oh, yeah, I forgot. Theo Van Gogh.
Who received the standard Muslim reply to all such criticism of their dismal dogmas: -horrific death on the streets of his hometown.
His public slaughter appears to have worked.
(The silence is deafening among the Western mainstream media, artists, film-makers and opinion-setters.)
May Hirsi Ali keep shaming the cowardly.
Posted by: profitsbeard at June 20, 2007 10:11 AM
Watling: your brother has been living on immoral earnings. You try to get him and his woman to see to what an extent they are degrading themselves. You argue; you get angry; and as a last desperate resort, when nothing has worked, you publicly denounce your brother. Are you doing this because you hate your brother? No. The truth is absolutely opposite: you hate what your brother and his woman have been doing to themselves, you hate the way they have been degrading themselves, just because you know that they can and should be able to do infinitely better. In other words, you hate the sin BECAUSE you love the sinner. To hate human beings for what degrades and ruins them is to hate them for being victims: a contemptible passion. To hate what degrades and ruins human beings is to love the human beings themselves: the Christian demand. And this demand really corresponds with the truth of ordinary human feeling.
Posted by: Paolo at June 20, 2007 10:14 AM
It comes from the saying: Hate the sin, but not the sinner.
It just means you can hate someone's actions without hating them.
It's not warped, and Secular's use it all the time with criminals, illegals, et al. How's that attitude different from the Christian mantra Love Thy Neighbor & Don't Hate the Sinner?
Jesus is, IMHO, one of the best lecturers on the combination of morality, philosophy, and psychology.
Why must I be religious to get his message and follow his moral teachings?
Posted by: Miss_Anthrope at June 20, 2007 10:18 AM
Bravo. Keep shaming them, Ali, keep on shaming them.
Posted by: Miss_Anthrope at June 20, 2007 10:22 AM
Islam is hostile to our way of life. Know your enemy - who blindly hates you.
Muslims are so childish in their thinking: it is a good thing to attack our freedoms and way of life, but it is wrong to point out the mentally deficient failures in their religion, their human sufferings, and enslaved oppressions in their world. How do you fight an enemy so entrenched in their ignorance? It's like fighting a bunch of murderous village idiots.
Proud to be free, thank God!
Posted by: Battle_of_Tours at June 20, 2007 10:26 AM
Good to see she is not bad mouthing Chatolics. That might have been well received in Europe but It makes her look like an all purpose bigit here.
Otherwise she is doing a great job. She can talk to left and get them to relise what Islam is. Islam is the snake in the grass and no friend of liberals. The left needs to reexamine multicultureism. Maybe a good looking black woman can show them the way.
Posted by: Ruebacca at June 20, 2007 10:33 AM
I've just finished Hirsi Ali's Infidel and encourage everyone to read it. She gives great insight into the reasons for the actions of the Somali taxi drivers and other Somalis who act as the muslim brotherhood foot soldiers in the U.S.
God bless her and keep her safe.
Posted by: the poetess at June 20, 2007 10:52 AM
"If we do not understand the differences between Islam and the West--why one is so great and the other so low--and we don't fight back and win this battle of ideas in order to preserve our civilization, in my view there is no point to your profession or mine."
Indeed. I wonder if anyone from the NYT or BBC was in attendance at her speech?
Posted by: kaffirchick at June 20, 2007 2:24 PM
an excellent speech.
Posted by: M Al-Content at June 20, 2007 4:36 PM
Standing ovation. Stamps, cheers and whistles.
Copies of this speech should be sent to the Editors of every single newspaper in the West and to the heads of the Schools of Journalism in our Universities. And to anyone any of us personally knows who is or has been a journalist.
They need to know that if they print stuff that tells the truth about Islam they will get MORE SUBSCRIPTIONS. And that if their offices or presses are bombed for telling the truth we'll buy the two-page newssheet printed on the rented photocopier.
at June 20, 2007 6:00 PM
Brilliant speech by Hirsi Ali...
Posted by: traeh at June 21, 2007 12:40 PM
scaramouoche:
Here's what Hirsi Ali is up against:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21933512-5000117,00.html
I read this but I dont think Hirsi Ali is "up against" this. Somehow I think they are talking past each other.
To SHERENE HASSAN I would ask questions like
- What happens in Islamic countries where men force women to wear the veil (as they do so in Iran, Saudi Arabia) and you can be beaten or prosecuted if you do not comply? You are enjoying Australian freedom to wear what you want but in Islamic countries, that choice is removed from your sisters. It could be argued that you are helping to bring the day when removal of choice for Muslim women in Australia comes into force.
- I would also like to discuss with her the killing of Apostates, the requirement for 4 male witnesses to say rape happened (Hudood laws - Pakistan), the testimony of women is worth half that of a man in a court of law all with references to the Quran and Hadith.
These things are indisputablely Islamic unlike Female Genital Mutilation.
Shereen Hassan would not be able to say "Islamophobia" particularly if the opposing points are taken from the Quran and Hadith.
To HIRSI ALI I would say, "Choose your battles carefully". Some things she opposes are cultural rather than specifically Islamic. On FGM, I have heard Muslims argue both ways in that it is Islamic, it is not Islamic. And it is true that other non-islamic cultures practice FGM.
Hirsi Ali should stick to opposing Islamic practicies that are strickly provably Islamic.
Robert does not waste time fighting side-battles where the issues are less clear, neither should Hirsi Ali.
at June 21, 2007 3:49 PM
Freedom and Democracy are incompatible with "Submission/Islam".
Posted by: Timur at June 23, 2007 6:50 PM
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