Julia Ebner is a senior researcher at the Quilliam Foundation, which is supposedly dedicated to countering “extremism” and defending human rights. Quilliam is supposed to be an exponent of moderate Islam, but there are some anomalies. It is named for Abdullah Quilliam (1856-1932), who rather than being “moderate” himself, called for a worldwide caliphate under the rule of Sharia. And it is headed by Maajid Nawaz, a self-proclaimed “former extremist” who has said many accurate things about Islam’s jihad doctrine, but has also endorsed Muslim Brotherhood-linked Congressman Keith Ellison, an odd thing for a “moderate” to do. Nawaz also seems bent on exaggerating or fabricating outright a threat of “right-wing extremists” as the non-Muslim equivalent of Islamic jihadists, despite the manifest absurdity of likening a few political activists and analysts with those who have perpetrated 30,000 lethal attacks worldwide since 9/11. This libelous hit piece in Britain’s execrable Guardian is an example of Nawaz’s smear tactic.
Much more below.
“The far right thrives on global networks. They must be fought online and off,” by Julia Ebner, Guardian, May 1, 2017:
“Muslims are like cockroaches. An infestation that needs to be eradicated. Immediately. Permanently”, reads the tweet by one of thousands of anonymous far-right Twitter accounts that spread hate against ethnic and religious minorities each day.
Farther down, several of my colleagues and I are brought into this piece. Although none of us has ever spoken in this way, Ebner is attempting to use comments such as this one to discredit us by association, even though the association is entirely spurious.
Meanwhile, National Action calls for a “White Jihad”, right next to a tweet about their Miss Hitler 2016 competition. After National Action became Britain’s first far-right group to be banned, its web page was taken down. Yet, until a few days ago its official Twitter profile has been operative and hosts an arsenal of dangerous propaganda.
Once again, Ebner is deliberately conflating actual neo-Nazis with foes of jihad terror. This is an oft-used tactic, chiefly employed by the Southern Poverty Law Center, but it is no less defamatory for being common. Even though there is no connection between our work and the Nazis, and real Nazis actually oppose us and often support the jihad, particularly against Israel, Ebner hopes that her readers will take us all as neo-Nazis and shun us accordingly. The end result of this would be the silencing of all critics of Islam and jihad. Here again, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to escape the conclusion that she and Quilliam want to smear and marginalize foes of jihad terror so that jihad terror can advance unimpeded.
The home affairs committee’s new report released today, called Hate Crime: Abuse, Hate and Extremism Online harshly condemns social media companies for their failure to identify and remove illegal content. They are “shamefully far from taking sufficient action” to safeguard online users from harassment, abuse and promotion of violence, it warns. The report comes at a crucial time. Our research at Quilliam into far-right extremism and hate crimes, which contributed to the report’s findings, shows that the far right has gained influence on all levels: from far-right populism to white supremacist terrorism, from alt-right movements to neo-Nazi groups.
See? She continues talking about white supremacists and neo-Nazis. She will drag us in later, having rhetorically completed the association, as spurious as it is. And note the thuggery behind it all: she starts speaking about social media companies not acting against online abuse. What she wants is that we be censored, shut down, not allowed to speak. Her agenda is ultimately authoritarian.
The British far-right landscape is increasingly splintered and leaderless. But low membership numbers of street protest movements such as the EDL and Pegida UK are hardly comforting. Some of their former cohort have joined smaller, more militant groups while others have focused their efforts on spreading hate online. Increasingly, far-right movements show signs of collective learning and create powerful multiplier effects for their messages. As early adopters of new technology, they have been exceptionally good at using social media to widen their echo chambers and foster ties with like-minded groups abroad.
British “counter-jihadis” have stepped up their cooperation with American alt-righters, French and Austrian “identitarians” and even German and Polish neo-Nazis. This is the paradox of modern-day nationalists: they capitalise on the opportunities of globalisation to spread their anti-globalist views globally.
It is within this context that EDL founder turned Pegida UK leader Tommy Robinson features prominently on Alex Jones’s conspiracy theory show, Infowars, and receives support from American alt-right leaders Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller. Platforms such as Gates of Vienna, the FrontPage Mag and Jihad Watch provide outlets for all of them.
After all this talk of white supremacists and neo-Nazis, we get dragged in. The defamatory intent is patently obvious. And Pamela Geller and I are “alt-right leaders”? I never even heard the term “alt-right” until it began to be used during the presidential campaign. Generally it is used to denote racist, neo-fascist xenophobes. Here again, the defamatory intent is clear.
Ebner drones on and on in this vein, but you get the idea. If she, Maajid Nawaz, and Quilliam have an ounce of integrity, they will retract the claims that Pamela Geller and I are “alt-right leaders,” and apologize for associating us with white supremacists and neo-Nazis. But they won’t. And that in itself is telling.
mortimer says
The Quilliam Foundation is curiously two-faced. So which is the true face? Are they condemning the Muslim Brotherhood or defending it.
How much SUPREMACISM is the right amount of supremacism?
How much CENSORSHIP is the right amount of censorship?
Who will decide the ‘right amount’ of censorship or supremacism? Presumably, Quilliam Foundation will decide.
The Quilliam Foundation cannot defend their views in debate with Robert Spencer whose expertise and knowledge of Islam exceeds their own, so they engage in SLANDER AND AD HOMINEM ATTACKS.
Slander is NOT a valid intellectual argument.
Know Thy Enemy says
I am one of those who have been perplexed by this two-facedness of Maajid and his pals all over the west (including some ex-Muslims). For a while I thought they were doing some kind of taqiyya but the potency of their attacks on many Islamic ideas ruled that out.
IMO what they are doing is, even though they have given up Islam (or the problematic aspects of it), they have not given up the supremacist values that it imbibes its followers with. And so they are trying to keep the supremacy via an indirect way. They are creating a ‘Muslim’ identity similar to the ‘Jew’ identity. Recall that people have accepted a person to be “Jewish” simply for having a Jewish ancestry and for following Jewish culture. A person could be an atheist and still be “Jewish”. Heck, a person could be following Buddhism and still be “Jewish”. And all Jews enjoy at least some privileges in the west e.g. special protections against antisemitism. (Note: I am not pro or against the “Jewish” identity. I am simply pointing this out for explanation of Maajid’s designs.)
This is exactly what Maajid and pals are trying to do with Muslims. On twitter you will see them railing against identity politics yet identity politics is exactly what they themselves are playing. If they succeed in their aims (imo unlikely) they will be the leaders of the “Muslims”, and this greed for power and recognition is what drives them.
This also explains why they aggressively attack Christianity (on Twitter). Most of the anti-Jihad work is done by Christians but Maajid and pals do not want Christians to get any credit for it. If Muslims leave Islam (or become liberals) they want all the credit for themselves. This explains why they not only refuse to do anything with Robert Spencer or Pamela Geller but actually smear them and simply keep their mouths shut when others attack Robert, Pamela, or Christianity in general. When Maajid was put on the SPLC list, they whined about it but never said that others too are unfairly on that list. They want their competitors to be on that list. This is pure dirty politics.
gravenimage says
Jews have not smeared good people in forging whatever new identities they have wanted to adopt.
Know Thy Enemy says
I agree. This is where Maajid and pals are different. These opportunists will do anything and smear the whole world to ensure that theirs is the only voice available to westerners regarding Islam and Muslims.
martin says
They are just the common lying muslims, hoping to disguise islams agenda for a bit longer untill they feel they have enough numbers to rise up and slaughter us.
John A. Marre says
So wanting to preserve our civilization is now called “Extreme Right”?
mortimer says
Yes, not wishing to commit general cultural suicide is called ‘extreme’.
TL says
They betray their own willful extremity with that mediocre noise.
J_not_a says
And neo-nazi xenophobic racist white supremacist as well, you left that out.
mortimer says
The factual dishonesty of Maajid Nawaz is to unconscionable for someone involved in a moral endeavor. One wonders what he hopes to achieve by slandering everyone who has a valid critique of Islam?
Maajid Nawaz has a duty to speak the truth METICULOUSLY or else his entire enterprise is valueless and he himself is a total fake.
We don’t need more BS, propaganda and concocted fakery. Islam has real ethical problems in its primary source texts. Those Islamic principles in the primary texts guide people today who murder, lie, deceive, torture and repress ‘others’. This is pure bigotry.
Why should only ‘ISLAMIC BIGOTRY’ get a free pass from moral condemnation. Clearly, to be consistent, ISLAMIC BIGOTRY SHOULD NOT GET A FREE PASS.
Maajid Nawaz is like the boy who said, ‘You can’t criticize my brother, but I can.’
One wonders how long Maajid Nawaz will get away with his two-faced routine. When will the terrorists get offended and come after him? Islamic terrorists do not see themselves as ‘extreme’, but they see Maajid Nawaz as a ‘kafir’ and an apostate. The terrorists think Maajid Nawaz is ‘extreme’… extremely apostate.
Baucent says
Quilliam Foundation are the quintessential Stealth Jihadists. On the face of it they portray themselves as well dressed reasonable, moderate Muslims, trying to calm everyone down, and oppose “Extremism”. But the true mission of Quilliam is simply let birthrates and demographic changes bring in a bloodless muslim conquest of Britain while they make soothing noises to the native masses.
gravenimage says
Yes–you are correct.
MacUalraig says
Well said.
Benedict says
I repeat: A python will never turn into a golden retriever no matter how much Maajid Nawaz or others try to cuddle or reform the beast.
The genes and memes of Islam are the decisive factors.
A good Muslim is a bad Muslim is an apostate Muslim.
Tya says
Did you see how Tommy Robinson directly confronted the author Julia Ebner about being called a “white supremacist”?
https://youtu.be/wFkCzwW3n3Q
Angela says
I saw that! He was amazing! Good for him! Calling out the enemies face to face!
TL says
Their rhetoric is more fruit of tolerating, appeasing, and indulging communistic internationalists, the most toxic pests on Earth. Courage and ACTION decades ago would have terminated the problem, but Conservatism, Inc., made certain that it would not be so.
Now read between the lines of the internationalists’ claptrap. Detect their growing FEAR.
The Nazis and Fascists, whatever their severe faults, have been among the few to beat down the internationalist pests in the streets, and the FEARFUL pests know it. So they expect every significant threat to their dominance to come from Nazis and Fascists. Also, for a very long time the pests been cossetted and coddled by the bow tie brigade, aka Conservatism, Inc. It appears, however, that the lies, idiocy, and stuffy cowardice of Conservatism, Inc., are no longer enough to satisfy its audiences. People are awakening, and reasonable people want ACTION against the pests sufficient to terminate the infestation promptly. Reasonable people don’t want to their lives to be consumed by futile jabberjawing about the problem of populist, international collectivism.
gravenimage says
Nazi apologist TL wrote:
The Nazis and Fascists, whatever their severe faults, have been among the few to beat down the internationalist pests in the streets, and the FEARFUL pests know it.
So they expect every significant threat to their dominance to come from Nazis and Fascists.
…………………………………
What a load of tripe. Hitler infamously admired Islam, and snuggled up to Muslim thugs like the genocidal Mufti of Jerusalem.
And today, while Muslims in general hate and despise Infidels, they love Hitler, and Mein Kampf is a bestseller in many Muslim countries.
“Muslim ‘human rights activist’: Hitler ‘great man’ who ‘exposed truth about Jews’”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/11/muslim-human-rights-activist-hitler-great-man-who-exposed-truth-about-jews
“Turkey Shrugs Off Success of Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2005/03/turkey-shrugs-off-success-of-hitlers-mein-kampf
Does TL honestly think we do not know about this?
More:
Also, for a very long time the pests been cossetted and coddled by the bow tie brigade, aka Conservatism, Inc. It appears, however, that the lies, idiocy, and stuffy cowardice of Conservatism, Inc., are no longer enough to satisfy its audiences. People are awakening, and reasonable people want ACTION against the pests sufficient to terminate the infestation promptly. Reasonable people don’t want to their lives to be consumed by futile jabberjawing about the problem of populist, international collectivism.
…………………………………
Well, we know what TL wants–Nazis beating any who oppose them in the streets.
Not, of course, that this will help in any way with the threat of Islam…
Custos Custodum says
Please let’s avoid the term “Nazi.”
Although routinely hurled by Left-totalitarians at anyone in their way, the real effect of the abbreviation is to gloss over the fact that the term is short for “National SOCIALIST.” And yes, the original National Socialists themselves were indeed SOCIALISTS in word and deed.
ALL dictators and totalitarians throughout history – certainly going back to Caesar – adopted some “SOCIALIST” measures on the way to achieving total power.
None of this means that *social* policies are right or wrong per se. However, one must always watch out for POLICIES that are proposed and implemented for extraneous POLITICAL ends. To a greater or lesser extent, there are ALWAYS extraneous political objectives behind every seemingly high-minded policy proposal.
Indeed, a good rule of thumb is that the more noisily high-minded a policy proposal, the more pernicious are the real intentions behind it. Voters beware!
David Barrett says
So sue!!!
Theresa May Must Unban Robert Spencer from the UK Immediately And Say Sorry says
Quilliam is such a sham! Ebner’s pathetic article does nothing but cackhandedly try to blur the lines and nudge Robert, Pamela and Tommy into the same camp as Nazis, when they couldn’t be less Nazi-ish. Robert Spencer a Nazi? What a strangely laid-back and avuncular Nazi he would be, with his jazz playing in the background.
Nobody in the UK believes the rubbish spouted in the Guardian, not even the seven people who buy it, they all know it’s a lying propaganda rag and they don’t need to read their own propaganda. But none of us want to read it either. So it’s just a massive, money-losing propaganda echo-chamber that nobody even pays attention to, except to tell it to shut up and stop lying!
More Ham Ed says
There’s nothing more deceptive on the face of the earth than islam (lowercase be upon it).
Share a ham sandwich with someone today!
J_not_a says
Wasn’t Tommy Robinson aka Stephen Yaxley Lennon, playing footsie with Qulliam a few years back? Does he still have dealings with them, anyone know?
Theresa May Must Unban Robert Spencer from the UK Immediately And Say Sorry says
Tommy’s book ‘Enemy of the State’ reveals he was forced to leave the EDL and join Quilliam under threat of jail time. Quilliam boasted on Twitter that they had ‘decapitated’ the EDL!
The police have also tried to have him killed in jail by throwing him into a block full of jihadis serving life sentences!
He has been criminally persecuted by the British establishment. He has brilliantly documented all of this with his phone. If he wasn’t born here they would ban him from entering too!
But millions of ordinary British stand with him.They are waking up and realising he’s not what the media painted him to be.
Also re: UK, JihadWatch should also be covering the SCANDALOUS deselection of Anne-Marie Waters by UKIP for her ‘extremist’ critical stance against Islam! It is a disgrace and more evidence of the sham democracy in Britain and the establishment’s dangerous complicity with Islam.
UKIP’s Deselected Islam Critic says Nuttall ‘Not Prepared to Answer Difficult Questions on Islam’
http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/05/02/exclusive-ukips-deselected-islam-critic-says-leader-nuttall-not-prepared-answer-difficult-questions-islam/
If it were completely up to the people, I think Anne-Marie would be leading UKIP… strings are being pulled behind the scenes to suppress her!
Barbara Ethel says
I for one have always found the Pauline conversion of Mr Nawaz incredulous. A classic case of taqqiyah. Ebner is a useful idiot – well educated but with little understanding, an unfortunate endproduct of Western cultural marxist indoctrination throughout the education systems.l
Anglojew says
Ebner clearly thinks Robert Spencer is Richard Spencer. What a moron!