The Canary in the Mine

From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Tue, 2006-02-28 19:43

A quote from Douglas Murray in The Sunday Times, 26 February 2006

“Would you write the name you’d like to use here, and your real name there?” asked the girl at reception. I had just been driven to a hotel in the Hague. An hour earlier I’d been greeted at Amsterdam airport by a man holding a sign with a pre-agreed cipher. I hadn’t known where I would be staying, or where I would be speaking. The secrecy was necessary: I had come to Holland to talk about Islam.

[...] The organisers had assembled nearly all the writers most critical of Islam’s current manifestation in the West. [...] Standing at the hotel desk I confessed to the girl that I didn’t have any other name, couldn’t think of a good one fast. I was given my key and made aware that the other person in the lobby, a tall figure in a dark suit, was my security detail. I was taken up to my room where I changed, unpacked and headed back out — the security guard now positioned outside my bedroom door.

[...] The event was scholarly, incisive and wide-ranging. There were no ranters or rabble-rousers, just an invited audience of academics, writers, politicians and sombre party members. [...] The Dutch security service in the Hague was among those who considered the threat to us for doing this as particularly high. The security status of the event was put at just one level below “national emergency”.

[...] Holland — with its disproportionately high Muslim population — is the canary in the mine. Its once open society is closing, and Europe is closing slowly behind it. It looks, from Holland, like the twilight of liberalism — not the “liberalism” that is actually libertarianism, but the liberalism that is freedom. Not least freedom of expression.

Vote Right

Submitted by Cogito on Wed, 2006-03-01 13:43.

There is one thing that everyone can do: Vote Right.

 

It is Britain's silence we should fear

Submitted by Pub Philosopher on Wed, 2006-03-01 10:24.

In Murray's article he says:

"Where Holland has gone, Britain and the rest of Europe are following."

He hasn't been watching Britain very closely. The reason we don't have MPs and film makers in hiding is that none of them ever do anything that might upset Muslims. No-one has been killed in the UK because no-one has stuck his neck out like Pim Fortuyn did. Dutch papers published the cartoons, none did in Britain.

Britain has already gone beyond the Netherlands into that twilight of fearful self-censorship.

There is more on my blog if anyone is interested.

http://pubphilosopher.blogs.com/pub_philosopher/2006/02/we_should_fear_....

I wonder

Submitted by Seattle Man on Wed, 2006-03-01 04:32.

I wonder how Mr. Belien would square the Manifesto's call for "secular values" with his own concern that the root of our problem -- assuming that I read his stirring "The Closing of Civilization in Europe" -- is in fact "secular values." Would he suggest that part of the problem facing Europe and the Uniteds States are people like Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Ibn Warraq and Salman Rushdie?

Yes I am raising this issue again as I am quite concerned that just as mass numbers in the West are starting to heed the call to unite against Islamofascism, Mr. Belien's calls for a return to a religion-based pre-Enlightenment mentality will divide us.

Tactically speaking, why would blue-state homo seattle wish to join with conservatives from Europe and elsewhere who wish to turn back the clock? It seems to me that blaming our current confusion in the face of Islamofascism on the West's failure to be religious is both inaccurate and a political non-starter. (For historic comparison let's look at the role of religion in overcoming the Nazis - close to zero.) I would like to view Mr. Belien and his associates as allies, but not if their version of the future replaces Islam with pre-enlightenment religion which was narrow and rigid and hardly robust and generous.

One may suggest that I conflate pre-enlightenment religion with bigotry and narrow-mindedness and perhaps that is an arguable point. But that is the way a vast number of Americans & Europeans see it, right or wrong. If indeed Mr. Belien sees no good future without repealing the Enlightenment, then he does have cause for concern.

Well said Seattle Man

Submitted by InfidelYankee on Wed, 2006-03-01 05:30.

I too would not choose to embrace pre-enlightenment Christian (Christofascism) values in order to overcome Islamofascism. I don't think the Europeans are faced with this decision though. They have advanced the caused of Secularism much further than we in the states have. You and I may live in a relatively religion free part of the U.S., the Emerald City, but we see daily incursions from the religious quarter all over the rest of the States from attempts to replace science curriculum with creationism (aka Intelligent Design), outlawing abortion, challenges to birth control, control of the public square, etc.

IMO, today's battle against Islamists is just another battle in the ancient conflict between supernaturalists and materialists. It's only in the last few hundred years that materialists are prevailing. Muslim and Christian belief systems are both hard-wired to rule the world for their respective prophets. It's a three-way conflict which is a long way from over.

Secularists biggest error and vulnerability is to take the ferocity of religious beliefs for granted. We really can't connect with how fervant they are. They really believe they are doing God's work and they will be rewarded after death.

I am optimistic that the European on the street is beginning to see the nature of the conflict.

Thank you Balder & von Schlichtningen

Submitted by Poul Nielsen on Wed, 2006-03-01 00:27.

I Have just read the manifesto. Most of the people who signed the manifesto, have a death penalty over their heads in the Muslim world.

How will the leaders of the European countries, regard this manifesto - and how will the muslims react? The manifesto do directly support the publication of the danisg drawings ! The leaders in Norway, Sweeden and Finland must explain themselves to the European public. And the leader of UN ...

An Important Manifesto

Submitted by von Schlichtningen on Tue, 2006-02-28 23:21.

I just learned about an important manifesto by Salman Rushdie and 11 other intellectuals:

"MANIFESTO: Together facing the new totalitarianism
After having overcome fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism, the world now faces a new totalitarian global threat: Islamism."

Read about it here in Jyllandsposten (fitting I think)

The manifesto is being printed today in the French magazine, Charlie Hebdo.

Re: An Important Manifesto

Submitted by Poul Nielsen on Tue, 2006-02-28 23:38.

I read it as well. But can't find the manifesto anywhere yet. If any could provide a direct link to the Manifesto - it would be fine.

May you "Brussel Jurnal" will make an attemp to bring the manifesto, when it's available.

I know French philosophy Bernard Henri-Levy, the exile writer Taslima Nasreen are among the co-writers.

The issue is also how the muslim world - will react, and how how goverments around in europe will regard it.

The danish primemister Anders Fog Rasmussen, have just been interviewed last sunday in danish newspaper "Berlingske Tidende", where he told the public - that he feel that our companies, artists and writers should do more to defend our freedom.

He was attack by the newsmedia "Politiken" - now when Salman Rushdie and others are making this manifesto - I'm more than interested to read it.

It must stop

Submitted by von Schlichtningen on Tue, 2006-02-28 20:42.

It is lamentable - we Europeans are loosing freedom. Not only has de facto censorship of some kind or another been instituted, but as we speak a number of people and their families are at serious threat. They are either hiding and/or they being protected. Maybe for the rest of their lives.

And now even speakers at a conference have to be protected. What about authors on this website? People like me leaving comments too?!?

This is inadmissable. Something drastic has to be done. We have taken freedom for a given for a long time - now we must show how important it is to us and our civilization.

FREEDOM

Submitted by mtk2006 on Tue, 2006-02-28 21:45.

I think the recent western anti-Islam/free speech/Denmark demonstrations, as small as they have been in both size and frequency, as well as the recent effort by BJ to quell the volumous comments in this very blog demonstrate the very first (very small) signs that a counteroffensive is is just now starting.

Granted, very, very small indeed but it is a start.

I think as people really begin to see what is at stake in a real world perspective, things will accelerate.

Being from the US, I have been doing my own person survey of how many people from the US have seen the cartoons.

I find it just amazing how many people, who I consider quite up on things, have not seen the cartoonsm! Until the MSM are able to have the courage to do their jobs, the impetus to fight back will come only very, very slowly.

Thank heaven for the blogoshpere!

Re Freedom

Submitted by A New Believer on Tue, 2006-02-28 23:23.

True there is not that much of a presence in the US papers according to my sister, but they have been rallying at the Danish Embassy to show support, lately and many are trying to effect some information exchanges.

I recently sent a letter to the Editor at the Washington Post online. But not sure if he will print it. You can send a letter to Bill O'Reilly at the "Human Factor."

CARTOON AWARENESS SURVEY

Submitted by mtk2006 on Tue, 2006-02-28 21:56.

Considering where BJ is located, maybe BJ would be the wrong vehicle for this request. But I would like to offer the idea of a more official survey be done by BJ or someone in europe to see how many people in the european population have seen the cartoons.

I will also pursue this idea via the blogs in the US.

I am astounded by the lack of awareness in the US regarding the violent Islamic demonstrations occuring throughout the world relative to the cartoons.

Only through increasing public awareness of the increasing loss of freedom of speech will people begin to fight back and therefore have the affect of decreasing the current need for security and bodyguards for journalists and academics wishing to discuss Islam and the like.

Do any journalist have any suggestions or could ask a "pollster" what would be the most appropriate way to phrase the question?

It would be interesting to ask the same question in Europe and the US to see the differences.

This could be a way to shame the American media into covering this very important story.

Cartoon Awareness in America

Submitted by A New Believer on Tue, 2006-02-28 23:09.

Actually some of this is being filtered quietly depending upon which press you are using, and through websites. The reason I know is my sister called me this morning laughing
uproariously from the States. She wanted to know can she get a subscription to the paper that printed them.

Odin be Praised!  Baldur Save Us!

What to do?

Submitted by truth serum on Tue, 2006-02-28 20:23.

This is a very alarming article.  It is something I have known of course, that is, that outspoken writers/politicians have to be protected, but it just seems that more and more people are added to the list every month.

 

I get so tired, however, of writers lamenting...no one ever seems to suggest a solution.  Is that because there isn't one or is the solution just to horrible to contemplate?

 

Every article I read it just seems that Europeans are resigned to their fate...i.e. that Europe and therefore Europeans are going to become Muslim.  is that true?  Is their no fight left?

 

Re What to do?

Submitted by A New Believer on Tue, 2006-02-28 23:11.

Hmmm! When people do suggest things, others say it is not possible to do them.

Therefore either it is possible to effectively control the problem or we simply turn and attack each other. What do you intend to do?

Odin be Praised!  Baldur Save Us!

Vote at the parties that

Submitted by Balder on Tue, 2006-02-28 21:53.

Vote at the parties that support free speech and tries to limit the Muslim immigration, is the best we can do in a democratic sociaty. When the parties that opposes the pressure from the Muslim bullies gain power, things will change. Laws can be made that dissolves the Muslim parallel sociaties that exist in many European countries. It can be laws that limits the access to social welfare if a person don't want to be a part of the sociaty where he/she lives. In Denmark we have these parallel sociaties where Muslims can live of social velfare while they don't need to be a part of the Danish sociaty. People get their social velfare even if they refuse to learn Danish. There exist a parallel econemy where immigrants work without paying tax while they recieve social velfare. If the immigrants were threated like in US there would be forced to contribute to the sociaty, this will have a positive effect on their own integration. The problem is that laws like that are difficult to implement as many politicians feels that it's not political correct to demand anything from the Muslims. It's primary the Muslims that causes the problems, most immigrants from other cultures fit easily into the Danish sociaty. Many Danish has positive feelings when it commes to other immigrant groups because they can take care of themself and they contribute to the Danish sociaty.