“Robert Spencer looks like an anti-Semitic parody cartoon.” — Richard Spencer
White supremacist Richard Spencer is in the news again, as the Governor of Florida has hysterically declared a state of emergency in advance of Spencer’s speech in Gainesville. Whenever Richard Spencer is in the news, my Twitter feed and email box fill up with people thinking I am he, or calling him “Robert Spencer” in connection with what he is doing. Yesterday I got an email from a friend asking me if I could get him a ticket to my event Thursday in Gainesville. I wrote him back saying I hoped I hadn’t scheduled two different events at the same time, because I was set to speak in California on Thursday. He wrote back saying that he saw now that it was Richard and not Robert who was going to be in Gainesville.
So anyway, contrary to frequent claims, I am not now and have never been Richard Spencer. Confronted with this, many who have confused us respond, “Well, you’re just as bad, because you’re a racist, bigoted ‘Islamophobe.'” So consider this: Richard Spencer supports racial separation and white nationalism. I support the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, and equality of rights of all people before the law. Is the one thing the same as the other? Only if you have bought into the “Islamophobia” myth that conflates opposition to jihad terror and Sharia oppression with racism.
In reality, I want a society in which women, Jews, Christians, gays, secular liberals, and secular Muslims can live freely and without fear of being brutalized, victimized, or denied basic rights. If this is “Islamophobia,” so be it. In my new book Confessions of an Islamophobe (pre-order here), I make the case that all those groups and others have abundant reason to be concerned about the spread of Islam in the West, and to be concerned about it as a threat to free society as much or more than the threat Richard Spencer’s race-based hocus pocus poses. This is the book to give to your friends who wonder if all this concern about jihad terrorism really is just another manifestation of the same racial polarizing that Richard stands for.
Have you pre-ordered your copy of Confessions of an Islamophobe yet? Get yours now.
Aspasia says
My article on Mass Muslim Migration actually makes a point of distinguishing you in the references because the confusion is an epidemic.
Aspasia, A. 2017 On Migration: An Open Letter to George Soros, New English Review, 1 Oct.
http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm?frm=189029&sec_id=189029
Robert Crawford says
The problem is, none of that can coexist with Islam.
Japetto Donatelli says
In reality, I want a society in which women, Jews, Christians, gays, secular liberals, and secular Muslims can live freely and without fear of being brutalized, victimized, or denied basic rights.
This is why I support Robert Spencer in his efforts. I know that’s what he stands for, and if he’s critical of islam it’s because those doctrines are fundamentally opposed to those good values. Honoring and respecting Spencer makes me feel good about myself because I’m also acknowledging the same goodness in myself, albeit without the brilliance. lol
That’s it, that’s all I wanted to say. I talk too much as it is. 😉
john spielman says
Yes God bless and keep Robert Spencer
Shmooviyet says
‘Richard BS Pencer’. Add appropriate spaces.
Richard’s throwback insides show on his bland/creepy exterior, and through limp insults such as this.
Just as Robert’s heart and courage show on his face.
mortimer says
GOOD NEWS!
The white supremacists say that Robert Spencer doesn’t qualify as ‘white enough’ to be in their group!
Ha, ha.
eduardo odraude says
Richard Spencer stands for the barbaric fallacy of placing biology above the individual spirit.
Robert Spencer by contrast stands for freedom, equality of all before the law, resistance to sharia and jihad.
gravenimage says
Spot on, Eduardo.
Santa Voorhees says
“Whenever Richard Spencer is in the news, my Twitter feed and email box fill up with people thinking I am he”
How on Earth can people be this stupid?
Seriously, normal human beings should be able to tell the difference by the names alone. But even if they had the same name, they can still tell the difference because one has a full head of hair while the other is going bald (besides having very different ideas, but they’re both considered Nazis by the Left anyway. For them, they’re just alike)
But hey, everyone knows that stupidity is one of the most notorious “qualities” of leftists, so we shouldn’t be surprised…
gravenimage says
I think some people make this mistake honestly, though sloppiness–with others, it seems rather more deliberate.
David Pimentel says
You are correct. I think MLK Jr. made the point most clearly and succinctly:
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Paul N Silas says
Richard Spencer is an Agent Provocateur of the Left. He is paid to bring about chaos.
Fact: He led the “occupy wall street ” movement a few years ago which was a Soros funded Marxist group.
Don’t be fooled by him.
gravenimage says
I despise Richard Spencer, Paul–but do you have any proof that he was behind “Occupy”?
awake says
Graven,
He might mean Jason Kessler and the “Unite the Right” movement in Charlottesville, Not Richard Spencer. I can’t condone the source, but there was some strong indicators that he supported Obama and may have supported OWS, hence a plant to discredit the whole Lee statue demonstration that the whole world conveniently seized upon.
I have no idea what happened to Kessler, but I do recall someone finding archived tweets from him that supported those assertions.
Cheers.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-08-14/report-%E2%80%98unite-right%E2%80%99-organizer-jason-kessler-was-occupy-movement-obama-supporter-8-m
gravenimage says
Thank you, Awake. I will look into that.
And good to see you posting again.
scherado says
LOL I got into trouble for not reading that the name correctly–THREE times and not here; here is where I learned I didn’t read properly all those other places and times. Better late than never.
Hank says
Welcome aboard!
scherado says
In my defense, this is the headline that I first read:
//Gov. Scott Declares Emergency Before Spencer’s Speech,
Tampa Bay Times//
I thought, instantly, Robert Spencer.
scherado says
And here was my defense of ROBERT Spencer:
//Here is one headline: “Florida Declares State of Emergency Before Alt-Right Speech” I don’t categorize Mr. Spencer as “Alt-Right”; I doubt that he will answer to that label.//
Oh well.
scherado says
Here’s one that should have been written:
// Richard Spencer, Police and Protesters Descend on Univ. of Florida, CNN //
Yohanan says
Bravo to the distinguished Robert Spencer of our Jihad Watch who — in differentiating self from the anathematic Richard S. — uses the opportunity to present views and educate the public.
Shared alliterative first consonant of personal names and the same surname are clearly different when the personal names are spelled out. Also a citation with initial personal name makes clear the identity of author from the context ( e.g. Spencer, R. Confessions of an Islamophobe. Bombardier Books. Hardcover – November 28, 2017.)
l
gravenimage says
+1
JawsV says
It’s truly unfortunate that the blithering idiot Richard Spencer has the same surname as American hero Robert Spencer. Richard Spencer is an utter moron and a disgusting human. Richard’s a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal.
Bravo to Robert Spencer!
Lydia says
That is an unfortunate coincidence with the similarity in names!
Yet worlds apart.
According to these brainwashed masses, it wouldn’t make any difference anyway.
Pamela Geller does not look like a ‘k’razy KKK type, but they accuse her of all the same stuff with no confusion with anyone else.
I always thought Robert looked more Jewish, but anything in the Mediterranean would fit.
As for Richard Spencer, he looks like an arnold schwarzenegger wannabe, crossed with hitler.
Don’t like the heat? Then stay out of the kitchen Richard!
gravenimage says
“Robert Spencer looks like an anti-Semitic parody cartoon” — Richard Spencer
………………………
Hear, hear, Robert Spencer–who has nothing to do with the repulsive antisemite Richard Spencer.
Declaring a “state of emergency” over Richard Spencer’s speaking is a ludicrous–and no doubt political–overreaction, though.
MFritz says
What’s so sad (and to a certain extent funny) is the fact that Robert’s website gains a lot of attention thanks to Richard’s antics.
And Richard wouldn’t even be an issue – he wouldn’t even exist on public radar – without the hysteria (read: hippocracy) in the fake news media and regressive left.
gravenimage says
Any of Richard Spencer’s followers who drop in here would be very disappointed.
Ver Auger says
” I want a society in which women, Jews, Christians, gays, secular liberals, and secular Muslims can live freely and without fear of being brutalized, victimized, or denied basic rights.” Well put, Robert Spencer, and I agree with you 100%.
View From Orlando says
Governor Scott declaring a State of Emergency stops cold any chances the University of Florida will cancel the white supremacist ahole on grounds of “creating an unsafe situation” or “incitement to violence”.
This is vitally important in stopping the ‘Heckler’s Veto’ and strengthens Freedom Of Speech in America.
Governor Scott should be commended because he will also use Law Enforcement so the Counter Jihadist speakers will not be shut down by the Heckler’s Veto. Thank you
Bradamante says
I’ve ordered a copy of “Confessions of an Islamophobe.” Richard Spencer is a cretin, but that twitter exchange is gold.
gravenimage says
🙂