Predictably, since he is writing in the Washington Post, Charles Lane blames Trump for this pressure to conform: “For the time being, the president of the United States is openly sowing fear and anger for political gain in the 2018 midterm elections, and his Democratic Party opponents seem increasingly tempted to respond in kind.” This is, of course, ridiculous. The pressure to think a certain way about Islam comes not from Trump, but from the Left, which relentlessly labels anyone and everyone who dares to note the connection between Islam and jihad terrorism as “racist,” “bigoted,” and “Islamophobic.” The Left and its Islamic supremacist allies have successfully intimidated untold numbers of people in the West into thinking that the slightest opposition to jihad terror and Sharia oppression of women, gays, and others is somehow morally wrong, and evidence of some kind of character defect.
I wrote a whole book about this last year, Confessions of an Islamophobe. The fact that Americans fear speaking what they think about Islam more than about any other subject doesn’t surprise me at all — it’s the world I’ve lived in for the last twenty years, and why many people today think of me as some kind of degenerate, solely for reporting on the contents of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the progress of jihad in history, and the actions of jihadis today. I heard recently about a good still-on-the-reservation Leftist recently noted with horror that opposing jihad terror was “worse than the n-word.”
And now this phenomenon has been noted even in the Washington Post, one of the chief perpetrators of this insanity, although true to form, they blame one of the victims instead of settling down for a bit of introspection. In any case, if this stigmatization continues, and there is no sign of its letting up, eventually everyone who speaks about against jihad terror will be destroyed, professionally or personally or both, and everyone else will be frightened into silence, and the jihad will advance unopposed and unimpeded.
Of course, you don’t believe that. Only “Islamophobes” think like that. But just sit back and watch it happen.
“We’re staying silent out of fear,” by Charles Lane, Washington Post, October 15, 2018:
Most ordinary people found it unbearable to live under communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The reasons varied: shortages of consumer goods, incessant propaganda, restrictions on travel.
Nothing was more psychologically exhausting than the constant pressure to watch every word one said, and to pretend to believe things one did not, for fear of negative repercussions. Dissidents called this “double morality” or “double consciousness.” It drove people crazy. Actually, it drove some to suicide….
Until now, perhaps. A new study of political attitudes in the United States offers stunning evidence that most Americans censor themselves, except among people they regard as like-minded, on a bundle of sensitive topics: immigration and immigrants; race and racism; gay, lesbian and gender issues; and Islam and Muslims.
The report by More in Common, a new nonprofit dedicated to understanding and healing political polarization in the United States and Europe, is based on a nationwide survey of nearly 8,000 people conducted this past December and January.
It found that between 51 and 66 percent of Americans agree there is “pressure to think a certain way about” each of the aforementioned topics, with immigration seen as the least sensitive and Islam the most.
Meanwhile, 68 percent report that “it is acceptable for me to express what I think” about race, or Islam, only among “people who are like me.” On immigration, 73 percent feel that way; on gay, lesbian and gender issues, the figure is 70 percent….
For the time being, the president of the United States is openly sowing fear and anger for political gain in the 2018 midterm elections, and his Democratic Party opponents seem increasingly tempted to respond in kind. Hope for more decent and, indeed, freer politics lies in the possibility that members of the Exhausted Majority will wake up and raise their voices.
Jean Terry says
To blame this on the president is despicable. It is the left and their political correct nonsense of course. Obama, who bowed over the hand of the Saudi king and his sowing of race hatred, etc.
mortimer says
IT IS ILLEGAL TO FEAR JIHAD TERRORISM… 33,000 JIHAD-RELATED DEATHS SINCE 9-11 !!!
However, it is LEGAL to fear non-existent white supremacism.
WHICH IS THE ACTUAL PHOBIA?
Andy says
Free Speech??? Becoming very rare for people who are not Leftie/Liberals.. No conservative voices, Where’s the debate and freedom of speech?
Female Faith Goldy Supporter Attacked at Debate!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMuV4yNRO3E
Andy says
EMERGENCY BROADCAST: Court “Declines” Goldy v. Media
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KSnshWgxp0
Andy says
Trump Taking Over 9th Circuit Court Courts and Other District Courts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WouaaCj7j0U
KWJ says
The issue of Islam isn’t even a conservative issue. There are plenty of ex-Muslims who are not conservative and Islam and it’s concurrent sharia law is Christian fundamentalism on steroids and micromanages a Muslim’s life and makes non-Muslims miserable.
This article is dishonest and a pathetic attempt to throw this fear and anger talk on Trump. But since there may be readers who read nothing but leftist papers, I’m sure it’s intent is also yet another guide to talking points. It doesn’t fly.
Leftists may have good intentions but Islam is a danger to free societies as a Muslim said yesterday; they will conquer us and ban all that we stand for, take our women as slaves, and all sorts of Qur’an supported commands. Islam literally means submission and the Leftists will submit if they they think they can only talk with people like them. You can criticize the religious ideology without hating the member of it. Ex-Muslims really need our support as well as all who live under its yoke.
Why are more conservatives outspoken about it? Maybe because like me they care about our freedoms and self-determination. People have been criticizing Islam for centuries, no less when they were subjugated to 3rd class citizens. I don’t think Hindus in India qualify as “white supremacy” nor black Africans and Filipinos, Japanese, Mexicans, etc. who all have people criticizing Islam. These leftists with that sign are uneducated or lacking intellect.
Leftists are just the tools of elites who have vowed to the oil Arabs for economic reasons and a bs idea of diversity with people who do not share our values. Even some Muslims have outright admitted the Left are their useful idiots because in Europe they are more embrazened as their numbers grow. That Muslim I mentioned also said the US should be flooded with Muslims as they seek to bring us down to their miserable level of sharia law. The OIC already tried several years ago to get the UN to enact universal blasphemy laws which was shocking. If that’s the illiberal world liberals want to live in, then stay silent. This is one of the most important young liberals and conservatives face, and as with me you can ~gasp~ agree with conservatives at times. WAPO is propaganda central; notice they never run articles by ex-Muslims or op-eds with the havoc Muslims are causing in Europe that should serve as a warning if we import more Muslims. Liberals are trying to hug people who would put the knife but their backs while doing so, figuratively speaking, and then some literally. Perhaps they are not aware of how many instances in Europe there are of migrants waving knives around stores, trains, etc. and rapes that don’t always result in death of maybe one and some injured or in Sweden the incessant burning of cars and throwing hand grenades is the newest trend there. Where do they get them?
This is the truth if the matter. Islamic governments like Saudi Arabia have swords of money and school many foot soldiers. Then other aggressive ones imitate Muhammad since they think he is perfect and a mercy to all of mankind. ~shudder~
Rob says
I’m firmly of the opinion that my local paper (not US) requires columnists to include an anti Trump comment. This is even if the main topic isn’t remotely connected to Trump or the US.
Andy says
I have noticed this as well Rob, They call it:
TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME
Trump Derangement Syndrome: Supreme Court Edition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoG1ZE_iX3A
Andy says
#TerrorExpert calls on #RCMP 2 #Investigate #Trudeau Gov for Funding Terror! Trump prays !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69AR77qsvko
FAKE NEWS Rigs Toronto Election #BoycottRogers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBr4X8Iu8M
mortimer says
There are a total estimated 280 MILLION MUSLIMS worldwide who approve or support ISLAMIC TERRORIST GROUPS.
In GREAT CONTRAST there are about 3,000 in the US who are possible members of the KKK.
Who would YOU say has a more reasonable fear based on THE NUMBERS: KAFIRS afraid of JIHAD TERRORISM … or Muslims fearful of KKK ???
Hmmmm, let’s see … 280 MILLION JIHAD SUPPORTERS versus 3,000 KKK supporters … hmmmm… toughie.
J D S says
This picture says it all. The sign and the young people! Where are the parents of these kids? I suppose the parents have the same mind set and agree with what they are doing..It’s so sad to see how young people today have been led astray, even by their parents.
I can show what led to today’s problems…I’ve been around long enough to know what happened.
HERE GOES… Before, During and sometime after WWII the world was very close to God and God was close to us. But people began slipping away like this…Parents went to a church of their choice, on a regular basis, taking their children with them but after a while they began to think they could skip a worship day every now and then and God wouldn’t miss them..This went on for a while ..then..The parents just stopped going and became disinterested but there was still a little flame there and they sent their kids to just Sunday School and maybe church now and then…..This went on for a time and than sometime before the VietNam war all this stopped and as those children grew up ,married and produced children no one went to church or even learned biblical history or church history and on and on it has gone till we are where we are today…A little resurgence came during the Gulf War but waned shortly after…IF ONE LOOKS CLOSELY ONE WILL SEE THAT WHEN A NATION WAS CLOSE TO GOD THAT NATION FARED WELL AND PROSPERED AND TURMOIL WAS ABETTED. So here we are today..In only a little over 70 years Christianity is a dying cause and Satan is thriving..Those who are skeptical are among the group who left God behind and know nothing of Him…Why??Because their parents and their parents, parents left God .Did God leave us?? Not entirely..There is some prosperity but chaos still reigns supreme.
PROOF POSITIVE…IF ONE WANTS PROSPERITY, SAFETY AND WELL BEING WITHOUT CHAOS RUNNING RAMPANT GET GOD IN YOUR LIFE AND KICK SATAN OUT…SATAN IS FULLY AT WORK IN THE WORLD TODAY AND ISLAM IS LIVING PROOF. Only God can overthrow Islam..How you ask??? Elect Christian Leaders..
Tony Holland says
What this amounts to is that during times of strong and necessary government control akin to marshall law imposed during the 2nd WW on the citizens of the UK for instance because of shortages and the draconian rationing of goods then the excesses of behaviour of the citizens were curtailed,this control was absolute for the duration of the war and continued until the early fifties so for around fifteen years peoples lifestyles faced severe restrictions,unfortunately with the advent of the 60’s controls were relaxed and excessive behaviour once again became the norm.At 18yrs young men were drafted into the armed services and for two years were under strict military control instilling a sense of discipline which for most seemed to remain after discharge so it seems that experience shows us that if strong controls were to be reintroduced on the age group which makes up the antifa thugs for instance then this most destructive element in our society would be removed.We MUST remove the Con/Lab liars from Westminster and elect a Peoples Party to implement the wishes of the people if things are ever to change.
duh swami says
‘It would be bad enough if all these terrible conditions were forced onus, but they are not, they are largely the result of public opinion’ Tolstoy 1894….
It’s amazing how easy it is to influence public opinion…
RichardL says
This is one of the few occasions I disagree with you: there is a new book out which is based on a study that says that roughly 80% of Americans dislike PC. Only 7% are hard left. The leftist mob is simply louder and threatens the 80% into acquiescence.
mortimer says
Richard, the Left is ORGANIZED … rational, reasonable conservative people are not organized … that is the main difference. The next difference is that conservatives have more ethics than the LIBTARDS, many of whom are close to TOTALLY AMORAL.
eduardo odraude says
On the contrary, many on the Left imagine themselves to have a near monopoly on morality. It’s true that the leadership is often amoral and immoral, but that’s often true of Republican leadership as well.
Lately, both sides have been demonizing the other side to such an extent that both sides begin to cross legal lines and act undemocratically in order to “protect” democracy from the evil bad guys on the other side.
What we need for our survival (and I make this comment as a reminder to myself as much as to anyone else) is more listening. This polarization and tribalization is a disease. It will destroy us if we don’t start listening more to each other. The only groups that should be demonized are the true totalitarians. The people who merely want to make America like a Nordic social democracy may be wrong or foolish, but they are not demons. And most of the people who support Trump are not demons either.
I suggest people make a discipline of reading equal numbers of articles by people on both sides, left and right. Even if your perspective does not change as a result, you will develop a greater ability to persuade the other side of your views. And we need more agreement and overlap between right and left. If we don’t hang together we will hang separately.
eduardo odraude says
Here’s a website that publishes roughly equal numbers of left and right articles: http://www.realclearpolitics.com
Jean says
Excellent article .. which brings out the truth .—
Why such silence from the Bishops re the Islamic aggression – and Spencer nails it..
!
Why did the French Bishops and all the rest stay quiet?
We are grateful for Cardinal Sako’s comments – he is correct.– where is the Church on this?
Where is the world? There is much confusion around interreligious dialogue – as Spencer writes, ‘stay quiet’ … ‘don’t say it’..Why-? If the story was reversed does anyone think this conversation would exist!
Quietism does not mean ‘peace’ – it means fear and fear leads to loss of freedom and that leads
to being taken over!
May The Lord come back soon….
Ray Jarman says
Firstly, Charles Lane to have written that “Most ordinary people found it unbearable to live under communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The reasons varied: shortages of consumer goods, incessant propaganda, restrictions on travel.” he must have omitted reading “The Gulag Archipelago” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn in which he describes the horror of Stalin’s death camps in the forests of Siberia and the suffering and starvation of those poor zeks working to build the Volga Canal. He must have overlooked the Soviet tanks that moved into Prague, Warsaw and Buda-Pest or the murder of Jan Masaryk (the Czechoslovakian leader who succeeded Dr. Edvard Beneš) who was thrown out a seventh floor window as well as the slaughter of the Hungarian leader Imre Nagy for speaking out against the Soviets. Maybe he should have read of the traitorous Americans like John Service who helped fund Mao through the Treasury Department or others who sabotaged the weapons sent to Kai-Shek Chiang which led to the millions of Chinese slaughtered by Mao. The sad part of this is that compared to the annihilation of not only people but entire populations by the muslim hordes from hell all other crimes against humanity pale in comparison. To compare the execution of an innocent Christian lady in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy against the pedophilic monster or the genocide of millions of Jews in the Middle East to a “lack of consumer goods” is buffoonery at best.
eduardo odraude says
Yes, Lane is soft-peddling Soviet totalitarianism. He makes it sound almost like little more than an annoying inconvenience for those who had to live under it.
The Left has some virtues, but has often tended to be idiotically soft on communist totalitarianism. Now the same thing is happening with the Left and Islamic totalitarianism.
eduardo odraude says
Well, I re-read Lane’s piece, and to be fair, he makes it sound something more than an annoying inconvenience.
gravenimage says
True, Ray and Eduardo–I noticed how superficial his criticisms of the vicious Soviet Union are.
Norger says
“between 51 and 66 percent of Americans agree there is “pressure to think a certain way about” each of the aforementioned topics, with immigration seen as the least sensitive and Islam the most.
Guaranteed that the vast majority of those who feel “ pressure to think a certain way about Islam” DON’T think Islam is a “religion of peace.” The pressure to think a certain (politically correct) way about Islam comes from the MSM, most political leaders, law enforcement, academics and even from other religious clergy (e.g. the Pope). Truth= alleged “hate speech.”
eduardo odraude says
Yes. It takes little or no courage to declare that Islam is harmless and to say that those resisting its spread are bigots. What takes real courage is to face the possibility of having one’s face plastered on the internet for calling Islam an expansionist totalitarian system. Then one has to worry about danger from two sides at once: the kind of leftist who will slander you as a racist and might get you fired from your job; and the Muslims who issue death threats and threats of violence and sometimes act on them. In Europe, the latter threat is more omnipresent than it is in the US. You have to realize that when non-Muslims in Europe speak about Islam, most of them are deep in Stockholm Syndrome. In the US, though it’s not yet as bad as in Europe, people like Robert Spencer and David Wood get death threats all the time. And let’s not forget Molly Norris, who had to change her name and disappear, on the advice of the FBI, who evidently could not adequately protect her. And let’s not forget all the others who have self-censored in response to death threats and violence from devout Muslims following the example of their prophet. For links to many news stories reporting about people and institutions self-censoring in response to death threats from Muslims, see http://quotingislam.blogspot.com/2011/06/are-lights-going-out.html
Brian hoff says
Unlike europe where they allow the public to vote on can a mosque be built. In the 1990″s congress pass than law that zoneing laws cannot be use to stop builting religious builting and the Great america president Bill Clinton sign it into law.. Many christian hate this law now as it doesn’t allow then to stop the builting of mosque. They want this law origin as people who donot want churchs use zoneing laws to stop churchs from being built. You rightwing evangelist christian cannot have it both way. Islam is than religion of peace it islam wasnot peaceful with over 1.6 billions follower it will be very violence world..
gravenimage says
The claim from “Brian hoff”–really,”DefenderofIslam”–that Muslims can now erect a surpremacist Mosque anywhere they want without any regard for the poor neighbors is not the case:
“In communities across the U.S., zoning laws are being used to obstruct the construction of new mosques and Islamic centers”
https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/04/a-short-history-of-zoning-obstructionism-against-mosques/521829/
This article actually wants violent Muslims to be able to throw up Mosques wherever they want, and considers it ‘Islamophobic’ if they cannot–but is still useful in showing how this can be shut down by Americans.
Recall New Yorkers–with help from Robert Spencer and local resident Pamela Geller–being able to shut down the triumphal Mosque planned for Ground Zero.
“Brian hoff” wrote:
Islam is than religion of peace it islam wasnot peaceful with over 1.6 billions follower it will be very violence world..
……………………
Note that the vicious “DefenderofIslam” considers almost 34,000 Jihad terror attacks just since 9/11–and countless cases of robbery, piracy, enslavement, and rape–to be indicative of “than religion of peace”. *Just sickening*.
FYI says
“islamophobia is white supremacy”
Don’t they know?
Did nobody tell the snowflake students?
The prophet of islam:muhammed….the WHITE prophet with black slaves..
Sahih muslim 6071…the White man muhammed
Sahih muslim 3901..trading in Black slaves
As for an iSLAMIC version of white supremacy..
“Ahmad ibn Sulayaman,Sahnun’s companion.said that whoever says the prophet is black is KILLED.
The prophet was not black”
Ash Shifa
Ibn ishaq pg 243,according to Nabtal ibn al harith…..satan is a..black man.
Will the snowflake students be protesting about islam’s violent and disturbing racism?
Of course not:that would be”islamophobic” and “racist”.
“whoever says the prophet is black” is MURDERED:Now what does that say about islam’s equivalent of white supremacy and muhammed himself?
Brian hoff says
Owning slaved was quite common back then worldwide. The first caller to prayer was than free black slave who was brought from his unbeliver owner who want him to deny his faith brought by than muslim than free by the moslim.
gravenimage says
Yes, slavery was quite common in the dark ages. But there are, of course, two problems with this from “Brian hoff”–really, “DefenderofIslam”.
First, since the “Prophet” Muhammed is considered the perfect man of Islam, his enslaving his victims, using slaves and sex slaves, and slave trading is considered the model of action for Muslims. The horrors of slavery continue to this day in the Muslim world on just this basis.
And while slavery was common in the ancient world and the dark ages, it was *hardly* universal. Jesus lived during a time when slavery was rife, yet he did not own slaves, let alone violently take slaves.
Instead, he ministered to slaves.
Note that “Brian hoff” does not actually say anything critical of the scourge of slavery–but how could he? That would be un-Islamic. *Ugh*.
Logic&Reason says
Islam is not a race. It’s an ideology that’s hiding behind any anti-white curtain the Left will buy….which seems to be pretty much everything.
Idiots.
Indiana Tom says
Yeah, and Mighty Mo was a white dude, very white indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZxH4QYLRQY
FYI says
Yes indeed.At the time of muhammed,the supremacist attitude of mo and his unmerry men was appaling.
Whitey Mo and his islamic supremacist Clansmen.
Perfect mo also had a somewhat antisemitic and antichristian bias Sahih Muslim 1082
No doubt, mo would laugh at that “islamophobia is white supremacy” banner from what appear to be entirely white snowflake students.It’s a bit like that famous “queers against islamophobia”
banner too;these people simply do not get Irony.
gravenimage says
New study shows that Islam is the subject Americans feel most “pressure to think a certain way about”
……………….
Actually, as noted, the pressure is to consider Islam to be a “religion of peace”.
infidel numero uno says
The only pressure I feel is to treat the despicable, evil, misogynistic, control system known as izlaam as it deserves…i.e., as an immoral, sinful, ungodly, unholy, foul, vile, corrupt, depraved, degenerate backwater, 7th century cult which must be eradicated from the face of the Earth.
Indiana Tom says
I got my mind right Boss. I am thinking right Boss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-EN_QplYYU
Jaladhi says
It’s the PC culture, Gentlemen that is ruing the world! PC is nothing but telling lies and that suits fine for Islam!
jewdog says
Well sure, just look at the steady stream of Islamophobes in the media, on CNN, the BBC and MSNBC. And NPR has nothing but right wing rabble rousers who would lynch you if you didn’t wear a “Make America Great” t-shirt. Why, I can hardly go anywhere without running into mobs of frenzied students with torches and pitchforks looking for hapless Muslims to beat up. Even Yale has Hebrew on their school motto, more evidence that the Ivy League is a Muslim hating Zionist clique brainwashing impressionable youth. No wonder the public feels pressured.
gravenimage says
Great satire, Jewdog.
Older Canadian says
The picture heading this article is more fearful than what the washington post wrote, as from the post I don’t expect much more. But the people in the picture, how did they get so full of hate, especially considering they live in a country that is the pentacle of democracy and freedom. They are the true threat to all. Inspired by???
Lydia Church says
islam is muslim supremacy, but anti-islam is not white supremacy.
It is logic supremacy.
“And now this phenomenon has been noted even in the Washington Post, one of the chief perpetrators of this insanity, although true to form, they blame one of the victims instead of settling down for a bit of introspection. In any case, if this stigmatization continues, and there is no sign of its letting up, eventually everyone who speaks about against jihad terror will be destroyed, professionally or personally or both, and everyone else will be frightened into silence, and the jihad will advance unopposed and unimpeded.
Of course, you don’t believe that. Only “Islamophobes” think like that. But just sit back and watch it happen.”
So true. At first glance it makes one think they are reading out of a holocaust history book, and then they realize it is about today.
I will never be silent. When these platforms are shut down, you will find me outside with hand made signs walking around the corners of intersections.
I just say it like it is, boldly and fearlessly.
I wish many guys had that much _____ !
I don’t but I act like I have everyone else’s instead.
And so do they.
: D
Lydia Church says
You see?
I can’t believe I just said that!
: ) )
But laughter we all need too.
Anton Filipenkov says
As for the slogan on the photo “Islamophobia is white supremacy,” it is absolutely correct! What exactly they have in common? They both don’t exist.
alex Reid says
Orwellian “Newspeak” is alive & well. A few months back, I received an E-mail from Dr. Bill Turner. He was speaking at a church in the USA, I think somewhere south of the Mason – Dixon Line. In the audience was a coloured gentleman. This man, a complete stranger, asked if he could speak. The audience agreed. He stood up & said he was from Nigeria visiting the US & described what Islam & its followers were doing to Nigerians. He informed this audience of the murders, torture, the enslavement & rapes of children. In fact, the worst depravities that “human beings” could inflict on other human beings. He finished with, “Don’t let Islam take hold of your country.” Enough said.
Chatillon says
Islamophobia is not white supremacy. Islamophobia is a steaming loss of Bolshevik.
Brenda says
People need to be reminded daily about 9/11, Ft. Hood, the Boston Marathon, Pulse, San Bernadino, etc…and they wouldn’t have any problem knowing what to think.
Edward Dillon says
I think it sucks