No Happy Holidays

In case you haven't noticed - its Christmas. The time of year when Christians, for two thousand years give or take a few, have celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Even within Christianity there are those who do not celebrate Christmas and, of course, the non-Christian world does not. But about a billion Christians do and have always been joined in the celebratory part by non-Christian friends and neighbors. As well, countless non-Christians profit from the Christmas celebration by supporting it with various commercial activities like selling gift items and Christmas Trees - and good for them. Celebrating Christmas is no more harmful or offensive to non-Christians as is the celebration of Jewish or Muslim holidays to Christians. Yet it is primarily fallen away Christian's who are trying to suppress Christian practices. They should get over it and, instead, practice a little 'tolerance' on their own. And so -

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYBODY.

Dothan Dan

The Religion of Peace - Again

AP, 12/11/07, Baghdad

Religious vigilantes have killed at least 40 women so far this year in Basra because of how they dressed. Their mutilated bodies were found with notes warning against "violating Islamic teachings".

In nearby Saudi Arabia a young woman was sentenced to 200 lashes after being gang raped by 7 religious thugs for sitting in a car with a man who is not a relative of her's. Her original sentence was 90 lashes but was increased to 200 when whe appealed the 90.

In Sudan, a motherly British school teacher was sentenced to 3 months in jail plus 90 lashes for innocently allowing her 4th grade students to name a teddy bear Mohammed. She served some of her time in jail but got no lashes after being pardoned by Sudan's President after indignant outcries from around the world could not be ignored.

These are merely the latest from the religion of peace and tolerance. Allahu Akbar!

Blacks hurting Blacks

Rap & Hip Hop practitioners, damned if I’ll call them artists, use the foulest, most violent language in misogynistic and insulting ways towards women and condemn their country and law enforcement similarly. There is nothing wholesome or worthy about them or their message. They are merely laying more social land mines in the path of black youngster who already have tremendous disadvantages.

In the black community the ‘heroes’ you hear about are the athletes and assorted profane thugs like Ludacris, Dennis Rodman, Mike Tyson and charlatans for dollars such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. The real heroes you don’t hear much about are such thoughtful and influential people as Alan Keyes, Ward Connerly, Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell and Shelby Steele. Other real heroes are the black women who are doing a nearly impossible job of making up for the mess resulting from the irresponsible black male hip hop culture. Are we supposed to think blacks are only marginally smart? How about such eminent scientists as Neil deGrasse Tyson and S. James Gates, Jr. These two men are on the leading edge of American Physics. How about the many black males in the various media who wear neck ties and speak modern English very well, thank you! Only a negligible per cent of black youths can ever hope to be millionaire athletes or entertainers but they could achieve success in other walks of life if they were properly led and inspired. Sadly, they lack the leadership to show them the way while the good men cited above are marginalized by black-as-victim activists as deeply flawed for trying to live white while they are actually just being the best they can be and, as well, they are proving that the sky is the limit.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT II

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

The above is an exact copy of the second amendment in it’s entirety including punctuation, capitalization and structure. Try as one might, it is difficult to parse this amendment’s wording into anything other than an enshrined promise and belief for all time that it is important for individual citizens to be armed at their individual discretion. It says clearly that you and I have a right to be armed that can never be taken from us. Modern English grammar and usage might construct this amendment somewhat differently but that cannot be an excuse to rewrite and distort the meaning of a very clear statement. That we have a modern Federal Army and States’ National Guards does not dilute the clear meaning of ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms’. Nor can ‘shall not be infringed’ possibly be misinterpreted to mean ‘can or may be infringed’. If we were to modernize the amendment’s language I would offer the following; “Because private citizens may be required to defend themselves or assist in defending national security or aid in assuring civil order in instances of dire emergency, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. This is what armed citizens and militias are for and this is what the founders intended.

Train to Perform

Purposeful training aimed specifically at the task at hand is the path to performance. If you want to be a good archer you must spend many hours at the archery range. These hours must not only be used by shooting amny arrows at a target but the mechanics and elements of the archery process and method must be understood and practiced. This principle applies to any endeavor. In other words, there must be a well thought out process to achieve excellence.

On the Border

An amazing story of our young people happened on the Arizona border on 10/27/07. Three illegals were spotted crossing a ranch road by volunteer border watchers. They were reported to the Border Patrol and a lone agent was dispatched. This young woman took our data, locked her vehicle and with her sidearm, flashlight, GPS, radio and a night vision device started out on foot. Ten hours later a worried check with BP dispatch revealed that she had covered almost eight miles to single handedly track, catch and detain these illegals and turn them over to a custody team. Another agent then took her back to her parked vehicle. She did this unflinchingly in a hostile physical environment full of people who didn't want her there and she completed her mission. She was obviously well trained and confident but that desert area is dangerous and remote. Where do we get such people? Thank God for them and may we never run out of them.

Can we open the Muslim mind?

MUSLIM TERROR & HATE

The Islamic Psyche

Psyche is defined in Webster as, interchangeably, the Soul, the Self or the Mind of a person or body of persons. Let’s expand that to mean that which governs our core beliefs, behavior and reactions to the world around us. It is an impregnable mask that cannot be penetrated or changed without extreme intervention or, alternatively, a soul wrenching conversion or veritable epiphany from deep within a person’s soul. In simpler words it is what we are in a very fundamental way. The western psyche can, in aggregate, be said to be one of reasonably tolerant and open minds, accustomed to change and questioning and very accustomed to living amongst challenge and doubt about our personal beliefs. We can be quite firm in our beliefs and life styles while concurrently quite able to live civilly amongst others who do not accept our beliefs. Variable external conditions are an every day part of western life and, for the most part, we adjust and deal with it all very comfortably.
Not so Muslims, especially for fundamentalists. To them the very opposite of western thought forms their psyche. Allah, through Mohammed, his Prophet, established Islam the religion to shape human life and law and delivered to us the Koran as its only true word. The religion allows no questioning or interpretation and demands complete obedience and even has a set of religious law –Sharia - which is the basis for the only valid government. Muslims not only believe explicitly in the Koran as the total guide to life, they do not accept that others have a right to different beliefs. Thus, all others are Infidels. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible therefore, for a westerner to comprehend what he is faced with in dealing with his Muslim counterparts. The westerner will expect comity in his relations with Muslims, and may even get it on a superficial level, but will eventually become forced to face the fact of being held in contempt by Muslim acquaintances. On the other hand, Muslims seem to better understand us insofar as our psyche is viewed by them as a decadent and craven weakness that can be exploited to their advantage.

Nothing Is Hidden

The West would quickly mobilize against Islam on a massive, multi-front scale if it had an accurate understanding of Islamic aims and core beliefs. This counter attack need not be a violent one but rather would best be a constructive and aggressive engagement with Islam using only the truth on a massive, coordinated scale. If we fail to do this we will be faced with violent and destructive conflict. Intensive study reveals the danger to be palpable and terrifying in its implications. Muslims are not hiding anything and, in fact, are very open about their contempt for us as well as their religion based purposes for the non-Muslim world. In a well funded continuing and successful effort to overcome the truth and manipulate western perceptions they engage in modern and sophisticated public relations efforts everywhere to cultivate a peaceful and benign image. Remember, the Koran condones lying and deception to achieve ultimate Islamic world hegemony. The Congress of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a perfect example of the practitioners of this underhanded campaign aimed at deflecting our collective attention. To this end they have been incredibly successful at forming and/or reinforcing western opinion and using our own legal and social systems to forward their interests to our great disadvantage. Preventing a realistic awakening of the traditionally liberal, tolerant and accepting mode of western thought is their precise goal. To date, they have been all too successful. Western Europe has taken this politically correct but destructive philosophy to suicidal extremes and America is heading down the same road though we are, thankfully, still well behind them. There is time for America to make things right if we will only become adequately aware of the ideological enemy at our doorstep.

Immigration Data

Taken from the Arizona Republic, 10/8/07

• Over 500,000 illegals in Arizona, statewide
• 12.2% of all AZ workers are illegally here
• In Maricopa County, Phoenix metro, there are 83,495 enrolled in ESL
• Statewide ESL costs exceed $540,000,000 annually
• 61% of illegals have no insurance at all
• Annual costs of uncompensated medical care for illegals exceeds $119,000,000
• Costs of incarceration of illegals exceeds $89,000,000
• These plus all the hidden costs are a burden of well over $400 per tax payer in AZ

Another Book Review

Radical Eye for the Infidel Guy

This is somewhat repetitive but deserves special mention because it remains just plain difficult to adequately describe the malevolent hatred and intolerance that is the foundation of militant Islam. And, since militant Islam sets the tone and the limits for all of Islam, the message is worth repeating. Adequate words escape me on this point but the latest of the many books I have read about Islam does a great job in a relatively short and readable volume.
The book is Radical Eye for the Infidel Guy by Kevin J. Ryan from Prometheus Books. Ryan’s style is to be light and poke fun at these people and he carries it off very well while sticking to historical accuracy and verifiable facts. More than any other source, his 243 pages bring home the brutality, intransigence and mind numbing lack of logic and humanity encompassed by Islam.
One of his points that comes through strongly is that Muslims never give up on the religious requirement to conquer or convert Christians and Jews and all non-believers into the religious fold of Islam. This is illustrated in their many campaigns to conquer Europe. They attacked Constantinople many times over many years and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of Muslim warriors before finally succeeding. They did the same with south east Europe before finally retreating before Vienna in 1683. They now consider that the contemporary Muslim advances in Europe via immigration and cultural rape is the final campaign to achieve their goal.
Another theme made clear is the inability or outright refusal of Islam and its people to equate their generally miserable circumstances, backwardness and lack of competitiveness to their religion and governance. Since Allah and Mohammad are perfect and Islam is the one true religion then it goes without saying that nothing that befalls them has any relationship to who they are. Everything is blamed on Jews and America. There simply is no Islamic introspection on these points. It would be easier to convince a carnivore to not want meat as to reason with a Muslim on such points of logic.
Israel’s plight is made very clear. They can never let their guard down. Even if a formal treaty of peace and recognition were signed by all members of the Arab League it would only be a matter of time before Islam were at their throat again.
Ryan uses shaded pages as elaborate foot notes to illustrate principles with power point type of listings of various Islamic traits and historical events. It saves a lot of prose and really drives the ideas home in a clear manner.
This is a book that is somewhat light and fun to read but it delivers a convincing and disturbing message. Aside from America’s efforts in Iraq and the War on Terror, western civilization has a world wide fight on its hands.

Islam Ever Vigilant

• Islam has a strong history of isolating, harassing, hunting down and even killing apostates.
• Examples: Rushdie, Ali, Warraq and thousands more.
• The tactic is quick and fierce reaction at any sign of apostasy which generates certain fear.
• Most prominent westernized Muslims live with body guards and security systems - 24/7
• Fatwas are issued to kill them as Ayatollah Khomenei did for Rushdie's death.

Such mindless and ruthless attitudes cannot be adequately comprehended by westerners who grew up in a diametrically opposed moral paradigm. You cannot defend the indefensible just as you cannot comprehend the incomprehensible. But you can and must acknowledge its existence and its threat and, therefore, you must resolve to oppose it. If Ahmadinijad's comment at Columbia that Iran has no gays doesn't say enough to convince you of Islam's loathsome intractability, what will it take?

Your Land Is Their Land Says Islam

• Muslims claim that land once occupied by Islam, even if they took it by conquest, is theirs forever and must be retaken. Spain is an example
• Accordingly, Spain, southern France and most of the Balkans and south eastern Europe is regarded as Muslim land that must be retaken somehow
• They have a chance of succeeding without firing a shot because of the double trap of immigration and birth rates

Don't Be A Dhimmi

1. Islamic law assigns non-Muslims to an inferior status known as Dhimmitude
2. A poll tax, called Jizya, is exacted from Dhimmis and imposes various rules like:

• No churches or public worship allowed
• Distinctive clothing is required - Dhimmis cannot dress like a Muslim
• Curtailed job opportunities, such as a Dhimmi cannot supervise a Muslim
• Dhimmi men cannot marry Muslim women
• Muslims must be quartered on demand
• And others

Partially imposed in Islamic Theocracies like Saudi Arabia and Iran. Takes the form of ordinary discrimination and hostility in others.

JIHAD

1. Muslims & apologists say it is merely a continuous striving for personal improvement. This is a false mantra.
2. Muslim writings make it clear that Jihad is any and all efforts to advance Islam across the world by whatever means are required to succeed. End justifies the means!
3. War and violence are encompassed by Jihad
4. Islam regards treaties and cease fires as lulls while they regroup for another attack
5. Killing anyone in Harb is justified because they support war on Islam just by being there.
6. Lying to create advantage for Islam and Jihad is OK, blessed.

Islamic Reality

For those inclined to relax and believe that Islam is no threat to America here are a few suggestions. Learn about the ethnic demographics of Europe, including immigration, emigration and birth rates. This is easy on the web. Second, review the increasing inter-racial and inter-religious turmoil in Europe. Third, read Jed Babbin's "In the Words of Our Enemies" while realizing that it is full of unexpirgated and direct quotes from contemporary Muslim clerics, scholars and political leaders. Fourth, understand that, while millions of Muslims want the same safety and economic freedom that we do, these moderates have no voice and sheepishly follow the increasingly radical Islam that is controlling Muslim policy and debate and is shaping an ever increasing level of hate and dedication to violent Jihad throughout the Muslim world.

Put your head in the sand if you must, but why not at least do some independent research of your own before consigning the future of the west to an unnecessarily bitter and bloody conflict that we so far are unwilling to realistically engage.

Some Islamic Basics

• All humans are born as Muslims; That you don't now believe is your problem and you are an infidel
• The Koran is the only truth; not to be argued with, second guessed, parsed or nuanced
• Literal clarification is provided by Imams & blessed scholars
• Adherence requires absolute obedience & observance
• Religion trumps all, including government - thus the issue with secular democracy as it denies the supremacy of Islam by definition
• It is the solemn duty of all Muslims to fight for Islam's growth and dominance
• Dar al-Islam is the land of peace where Islam is in charge and Sharia is the law
• Dar al-Harb is the land of war, meaning non-Muslim lands
• If you live in Dar al-Harb you are to be warred against by any means
• Jihad in its various forms attacks Dar al-Harb unremittingly

More Heritage

Historically, the antipathy of American Blacks to the Republican Party amounts to an undeserved public relations coup for the Democrats. It is an allegiance completely without logic behind it. As stated previously, the Republican Party was founded in1854 as the party that was dedicated to the destruction of slavery in America. The Democrats of that time were the strongly pro-slavery party. It was Republicans and Lincoln who won the 1860 election that led to the civil war and the 13th Amendment. Fast forward to the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1964. These legal break outs were almost unanimously supported by Republican legislators and were nearly exclusively opposed by Democrats, including Al Gore, Sr., Democrat Senator from Tennessee. Republican economic policies are clearly friendlier to the long term interests of the working poor, including blacks. Republicans at federal and state levels have put far more blacks into key governing and policy making positions. Yet, Democrats safely command well over 90% of the black vote. The answer is twofold; the weakness or outright absence of Republican outreach to blacks over the years and the convincing lies and misrepresentations of Democratic policies primarily enthroned in the creation of a welfare state that, at the end of the day, did much to destroy the black family and their natural conservative leanings. Even now, with the positive results of welfare reform yielding great benefits, blacks do not seem to have either benefited from or changed their political loyalties. Sadly, the recent political wreckage created by inept Republican leadership and the Iraq War is a very severe political set back that may turn out to be one squandered opportunity too many. RIP.

Slavery & The Constitution: A Perspective

OUR HERITAGE UNDER CHALLENGE

Liberals increasingly love to criticize both our Constitution and the founding fathers as fatally flawed because slavery was legal and some of those founders even owned slaves. Similarly, women did not have the right to vote and that also makes us evil and suspect, they say, even though no other country in the world had universal suffrage at that time. Our Revolution led the entire world of that time in liberal, democratic ideas. You should realize, however, that our Revolution and Constitution could never have happened had not an unhappy but necessary compromise been arrived at by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. This compromise meant legally continuing slavery while confining it to the states where it already existed. This was the accommodation that made it possible to enlist the southern states into the revolutionary cause. Therefore, that we started off with this built in disgrace is true. Without that compromise, however, we would still be flying the Union Jack.
What is also not adequately credited to our founders and early leaders is that an epic political battle and bitter debate was continuously ongoing from that time and ended only with the Civil War. There were growing numbers of principled people who were demanding an end to slavery. This bitter issue eventually caused the founding of the modern Republican Party in the 1850’s as well as the nomination of Abraham Lincoln as its first presidential candidate in 1860. Then the disgraceful Dred Scott decision from the Supreme Court of that time was another happening that intensified anti-slavery emotions. That decision made it legal to take a slave from a slave state to a non-slave state and raised the obvious fear that it would actually enable the further growth of slavery into the non-slave states, contrary to the Constitution. This 6-3 decision also reinforced the stupidly cruel notion that blacks were not equal. The ensuing outrage proved to be the catalyst for Lincoln’s election and the Civil War that followed at the cost of 600,000 American lives from both sides.
Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, issued without clear legal authority in 1863, began the final freedom making process. Later, Constitutional amendments were adopted that embedded in that document for all time the equality of all men and, even later, of women. The 13th Constitutional Amendment abolishing slavery was ratified quickly and became law on 12 Dec, 1865. It took until 18 Aug, 1920 for the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote to be ratified. No judge made the 13th happen and, in fact, no court in our history up to the Civil War had ruled against slavery. A judicial ruling aimed at redress, if successful, would likely have had the limited effect of establishing blacks as a victimized, exploited and protected class rather than solve the real problem of an unfulfilled Constitution. And in no way could such a ruling have resulted in the total effect needed. Happily, we did it the right way and, although the battle for equality took another hundred years to land on firm ground, it should now be rightly and loudly proclaimed that the free status of all Americans was clearly given greater dignity and meaning because of this successful struggle for Constitutional change. Many liberals and black activists continue to claim that the civil war had nothing to do with slavery. In doing so they unwittingly rob the American Revolution of its most glorious but bloody legacy. And, it can be fairly said, they rob blacks of a genuine reason to be among the proudest of Americans because they truly overcame.

What is Sharia Law?

• Detailed codified religious law derived from the Koran and Hadiths by Islamic scholars
• Considered to be all a Muslim individual or state needs to live and be governed by
• Saudi Arabia exists under this system. Pakistan, Sudan, Iran & others partially
• Univeersal rule by Sharia is a strong Islamic goal
• Sharia law has never produced a successful economy or social equality
• Democracy is considered to be un-Islamic and therefore sinful
• Secular Gov't is held to be evil because it denies Islamic supremacy by definition
• Imposition of Sharia is expanding rapidly, even in western Islamic enclaves
• It is a matter of time until they movey to impose it on non-Muslims

What Are Hadiths?

• So-called scholarly & authoritative interpretations of the Koran, & more, for guidance and added clarity
• So we really do have parsing of a sort - by a despotic & select few Imams
• Occupies same level of authority as the Koran and is not to be questioned by Islam's followers
• Hadiths have steadily evolved over the centuries indicating some study at high levels
• The Koran gets the publicity but Hadiths are equally revered
• Clearly indicates a double standard of interpretation

Convenient Islamic Revelations

• Received direct from Allah via Gabriel
• Began as rejection of Pagan polytheism
• Self established Mohammad as The One Prophet
• Source of Islamic religious doctrine
• Source of justification for extra wives, child molestation, murder, pillage & conquest
• Every problem he had begat a new revelation the next day that then became Koranic verse
• Many of these granted priveleges to Mohammad alone that no other Muslim has.
• How very nice and convenient for him.

Koran or Q'uran

• Analogous to Christian Bible as the story of Mohammad and his revealed word
• Claimed to be the exact word of Allah as given to Mohammad via the Angel Gabriel
• Existed as verbal records only for 150 years until finally recorded by his successors
• Not to be questioned, debated or parsed in any way. Free will not allowed in Islam

Islamic Summary Series - 1

THE UNDERSTANDING GAP

• Western Judeo/Christian culture is simply not mentally prepared to grasp, understand or accept the Islamic mindset and its implications
• We are geared to co-existence and tolerance; it is built into us culturally from birth whereas:
• Muslims are carefully taught from birth to despise and suspect infidels and un-believers
• Islamic schooling focuses on rote memorization and forbids critical thinking and debate
• Radicals are NOT hi-jackers of Islam. Their ultimate goal is the same as moderates - only the tactics differ.
• They are all true believers but vary only in aggressiveness.

About the Minutemen - MCDC

The Minutemen Civil Defense Corps - MCDC - is usually portrayed as vigilantes who are victimizing poor people who just want a job. While many of the illegals are indeed poor people wanting a job, and they are to be pitied for what they endure to get here, let alone the corruption in their home countries that make their homeland situation intolerable, a substantial number are, in fact, lawless. Drugs, disease and crime of all sorts are rampant on the border and amongst the immigrant community at large. We call ourselves a nation of laws but in this matter it seems to be a selective and overtly neglected responsibility on the part of our government. MCDC activity is strictly aimed at high lighting the illegality problems and forcing our elected officials to do their jobs at all levels, jobs they swore an oath to carry out faithfully. The MCDC organization carefully vets its members with criminal back ground checks and has strict Operating Procedures and mandatory training. By visiting MinutemanHQ.com you can review their Standard Operating Procedures and training manual. They do not interfere with immigrants; their presence is simply reported to the Border Patrol. MCDC does offer humanitarian assistance when needed but then only if they agree to it. MCDC does not detain or give orders to immigrants or hinder them in any way.

BOOK REVIEW OF IBN WARRAQ’S

WHY I AM NOT A MUSLIM

This separate review of Warraq’s book is included because it has come to be a profound learning experience for me. In the strongest terms possible I recommend you read this book. It would be worthwhile even if Islamic hostility were not an issue because Warraq is also giving us an incredibly articulate and reasoned defense of western style democracy and its accompanying traditions of reasoning and logic.
The author is a former Pakistani Muslim true believer who necessarily writes under a pseudonym to protect his identity. This book makes him, in Muslim eyes, the worst of the worst amongst apostates and subjects him to the death penalty at the hand of whatever zealous Muslim assassin can get to him first. He now lives and teaches at the University level in the US and must be a very brave man. Warraq is an atheist but not a combative one although his pointed and totally secular logical analyses of various beliefs are incisive. He is a thorough, exhaustive researcher and uses countless references and quotes within his book to reinforce his points. Because of the pseudonym I was not able to make contact with him as I did with Professor Karsh.
A very impressive thing about Warraq’s book is the depth of his references going back several hundred years to the very founding of Islam. How he got this much into one book is amazing. Many of his citations were double checked on the web and they are all verifiable, including obscure scholars and researchers from the 16th century to the present. This book seems to be the essence of thorough and unbiased scholarship and yet is never boring to read.
Why I Am Not A Muslim impressed me so much that I set out to write a more thorough book review rather than be satisfied with references in my paper on Islam. I quickly uncovered many existing reviews by Googling on Book Reviews, Why I Am Not a Muslim, so continuing initially seemed a waste of time. Although I do have a few points to make I will stop here to say you owe it to yourself to read the book cover to cover and then read the Googled reviews by Daniel Pipes, Ibn al-Rawandi, Curt Van den Heuvel and Dr. Ali Sina.
The book presents a scathing indictment of Islam and reveals the creation of the Koran as contrived and self serving by Mohammad. The violence embedded in the depths of Islam is, when fully absorbed, disgusting and repetitive. This book documents a total lack of tolerance for anything but Islamic doctrine. Hate is inherent in everything they describe about non-believers. The best non-believers can hope for is 2nd class citizenship called Dhimmitude. The very use of terms like non-believer and infidel to describe non Muslims is in itself insulting and is meant to be demeaning. It literally amounts to fighting words. But this is how we are described in their language and how they actually think of us.
As a Christian it is impossible to really study Islam in depth without coming to regard this religion with anything but fear and distrust. The fear should come more from knowing, while never understanding that, at its very roots, Islam as an unreasoning, hateful and vengeful religion bent on your eventual destruction. This should not be the fear of cowardice because that is self defeating and exactly what they want from us as a result of their implacable doctrine. Increasingly, more and more publications as well as long established analyses of Islam are consistently revealing of this sinister and threatening side of this religion. This would lead to a much needed awakening if the popular, main stream media would report Islam analytically and factually, but this has not been the case to date.
The early sections of the book are broken down into logical and historical sequences. It all comes together strongly enough to yield a basis for understanding Islam came about. The philosophy behind Islam, though it is there in words, will probably remain incomprehensible to us westerners much as we could not have understood German acquiescence to Hitler’s murder of 6,000,000 Jews or Japan’s WWII military code of Bushido that led to such appalling death and destruction. These monstrous things happened and were just dealt with reluctantly and out of necessity. The west is now faced with an equal or greater danger and we are pretending that all is well.
Warraq offers another way to look at this seemingly incomprehensible chasm through the words of Bernard Lewis. “In my view, since Muslims still take the Koran explicitly and literally, there is no difference between Islam and Islamic fundamentalism. Islam is deeply embedded in every Muslim society and ‘fundamentalism’ is simply an excess of this culture”. Lewis also says, “Their creed and their politics are inseparable and are not compatible with liberal democracy.”
Beginning with Chapter 14 on Women and Islam, Warraq begins relating modern Islamic practices to us. To actually read about Islamic doctrine and then some modern day practices is eye popping. We have all heard some of it but it probably didn’t register too deeply. Warraq’s citations will get your attention. Any conclusion of westerners has to be that, on the treatment of women alone, we should never accommodate Islam within our culture. Never, until they have made women full partners with men. Any compromise on this issue would be a gross betrayal of our humanity.
Chapter 17, Islam in the West, is the book’s logical capstone. Warraq does a convincing job of explaining how politically correct multi-culturism is working toward its own destruction because of its blind support and incomprehensible tolerance of Muslim excesses in our very midst. He forcefully illustrates that if we don’t awaken soon to the need to defend and cherish our cultures and values from those who would destroy us, then we will be gradually defeated. He describes the west, whose culture and values he loves, as dominated by craven and weak self haters who are afraid to appear judgmental or racist at all costs. He clearly portrays a race between our self destruction and that which Islam promises. This statement certainly rings true because of so much that is actually going on in the west right in front of us. Muslims themselves openly recognize and take advantage of this cultural cowardice on our part. Warraq shows scorn and pity for this self-destructive behavior of the liberal elites and their hate and contempt for the culture and values that have so demonstrably enriched civilization and the common man.
The overall impact of this book is that it does the best job possible of giving a clear, comparative analysis of Islam vis a vis western values and culture. Second, his assessment of the traditions and the educational and governing systems of the west are important lessons on the great treasure of a civilization we westerners have from one who grew up in a repressive system.
Do yourself a very large favor. Obtain this book and read it.

Muslims

Why Do They Hate Us?
• Pointless Question – Their religion commands it and you cannot change that
• Its about their religion – you are not a Muslim
• Israel is real but also a just convenient excuse
• We saved Balkan & Kuwaiti Muslims and it doesn’t matter to them
• We are kafir & infidels & un-believers. That’s all it takes to be detested by them.
• New policies & more apologies don’t work
• BUT – Becoming a Muslim will satisfy them

Definition

Politically Correct or PC. If you loosely define liberalism as a religion, PC is their equivalent to Sharia. The roots of PC lie essentially in the extreme intolerance of anything not liberal. Unlike written law, it can be anything that serves liberal interests and does not have to result from consistent or rigorous thought. Liberals and Muslims are alike in their desire to greatly diminish our freedoms.

Book Review of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s

INFIDEL

This autobiography was acquired as just another reference source on Islam. It has now become not only a valuable resource but the author gives deeply revealing insights about the inscrutable values and unshakable beliefs of Muslims not gained in other readings.
This is a wonderful and inspiring book and, separate from any religious issues, it reveals Ali to be a woman who could serve as a role model for people in any tough circumstances but especially for young women. I commend you mothers to read it and to pass it on to your daughters when they are ready for it.
With active opposition from her native land and people; a loving but absent father; a mother nearly insane from neglect and over work; the mud and wattle hut of her beginnings; poor basic education and the bewildering workings and values of her new environment, Ali, alone, made herself over into a totally new and enlightened person. At each step in her self development she was faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles but each time managed to convince herself to persevere. At this point in time she has done very well indeed. Now, at still a young age, she is multi-lingual and is highly regarded as well educated, governmentally experienced, a gifted speaker, an eloquent writer and a courageous and independent thinker. That she overcame these obstacles and accomplished so much after growing up for 20 plus years with strong Muslim roots and influence is all the more remarkable. Now in the US she has become an associate of the prestigious Heritage Institute. For these reasons alone the book is worth reading.
More than most sources, she provides a ground level look at how Muslims live, regard life, value others and experience religion on a personal level. You will learn how Muslims live with the seemingly harsh and unyielding and fear inspiring teachings of Islam. Their suspicion and hatred of non-Muslims and western values seems almost innocently naïve because of the rock hard and inflexible Islamic teachings as revealed by Ali.
The book shows in one instance how we are faced with a culture that cannot be reasoned with, even on a non-hostile basis. Ali illustrates this by her example of the persistent failure of unemployed Dutch-Somali males who, having minimal skills and education, remain jobless in the plentiful job market of Holland. They are barely qualified for anything but menial jobs but when asked why they would not take the low end jobs offered their rationale was “We are Muslims and we are men. Both things make us superior to white men. Technical qualifications have nothing to do with it. It would be against the will of Allah for us to take orders from non-Muslims and from white people. We should be given jobs as doctors, lawyers and air line pilots.” This paraphrased statement is ludicrous or worse when taken at face value. But if we accept it as indicative of where they are honestly and sincerely coming from in all things we can begin to see how difficult it will be to mesh the two cultures without serious social eruptions. Likewise, since all Muslim thinking is religiously based, we receive a good clue regarding the sheer difficulty of logically dealing with them. We want them to assimilate and by training from birth they do not want to and, significantly, for religious reasons they cannot. The Koran says they will go to hell for befriending and cooperating with infidels.
All this leaves the bewildering question of why they come to live in western countries. Part of the reason, as Ali abundantly illustrates, is chaos and economic depression in their home countries. A companion reason must be the opportunity to live a more materially rewarding life but without understanding how this became possible. In other words there is no connection with the benefits of liberal democracy. Neither is there a connection of their homeland conditions with the influences and philosophies of their religion. So they arrive in our midst for economic opportunity while devoid of any foundation to take advantage of it or any enlightened ideals of how to achieve it. Perversely, their ideals remain the very values that made their old lives miserable and deprived. They see their new countries only as something to be taken advantage of from a Muslim perspective. They are unable to see that their values, when imposed on the new environment, will eventually return them to the chaos they left, a chaos their leaders blame on the very people who created the opportunity they seek. Rational analysis of this type seems to be beyond them.
To repeat, this is a wonderful, inspiring and thought provoking book.

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A READING REFERENCE LIST

For anyone who wants to dig into these subjects there is a wealth of information available on the web sites of The Cato Institute, The Heritage Institute and The Hoover Institute at Stanford University. Additionally, the following is a sampling of what I think is the best of my reading list. All of the books on Islam have the potential to disturb you: from the pro-Islamic affirmation of their basic aims and from pro-western writers by the scope of revealing research and depth of documentation but, as well, the blindness of our culture’s exposure to a serious threat. Studying Islam is incredibly fascinating and disturbing because it so radically different from the western mind set and offers no suggestion of a way to peacefully co-exist except conversion. All of these books are available in book stores or at Amazon.com. Because of oversight I did not use standard book listing format.
* Books also recommended in Spencer’s Politically Incorrect Guide. He also
recommends many other books not listed here.
** Your best bet for economy of learning.

LEARNING ABOUT ISLAM

An End to Evil by David Frum and Richard Perle. Focuses on the tactics and leadership we would need to win the war on terror. We do indeed lack the leadership.
An Introduction to Islamic Law by Joseph Schacht. A scholarly and detailed guide to Islamic religious law written in 1982. *
Because They Hate by Brigitte Gabriel. The author is a Lebanese Marionite Christian who was forced to grow up in the Lebanese turmoil.
Defeating Jihad by Serge Trifkovic, Ph.D. A European historian and former commentator for the BBC and US News & World Report, Trifkovic calls for a strategy for dealing with a deadly threat by isolating America from Islam, strictly controlling immigration and returning to our cultural and moral values. The author has a special talent for condensing alien and complex concepts into understandable prose. He blends demographic trends with Islamic activism in a thoroughly convincing way.
** Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The autobiography of an incredibly strong and brave woman. Illustrates violent and myopic Islamic extremes as well as a unique view of life at ground level within Muslim society. A real eye opener on differences.
** Infiltration by Paul Sperry. Sperry is an investigative reporter. This book turned out to be the most informative of all regarding current events and dangers with great detail and strong focus on contemporary happenings inside the US. If you want to get an education on what is going on now as opposed to history, this is a must read and it will definitely not bore you. *
** Islamic Imperialism by Ishmael Karsh. This is the book to read for detailed historical content. The author is Chair of Mid East studies at London University. He is a Jew and, based on my e-mail exchange with him, a kindly and thoughtful man. This is a very deep and detailed study of Islamic history and culture with emphasis on Islam’s growth from the beginning. It is a serious text book approach rather than a relaxed read.
Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong. A book I reviewed that became apparent as a shill for Muslim spin on their ‘peace loving’ religion. An objective observer will see this book as shallow apologia. However, Armstrong, an ex British Nun and religious writer, along with American John Esposito, are two among many western Islamic apologists. It is always worthwhile to read both sides of a controversy.
No End to War (Terrorism in the 21st Century) by Walter Laqueur. Drives home the message that Islam will never give up their Jihad against Israel and the West. Wordy and exasperatingly pretentious but full of good insights.
Quran: Liberation and Pluralism by Farid Esack. A rare liberal Muslim who is still alive. He writes about his attempts to liberalize Islam. One of his points is that, rather than hijacking and twisting Islam to evil purposes, according to western apologists, UBL is a devout and true Muslim practitioner and a true man of God. But – we knew that!
Religion of Peace, Islam’s War Against The World by Gregory M. Davis
Terror in The Name of God by Jessica Stern. This is a hard to read and excessively wordy but still useful analysis of the motivations of terrorists and killers. Be prepared to learn something but this is a politically correct text that is two thirds space filler of dreck and drone so typical of text books.
The Legacy of Jihad by Andrew Bostom, Ph.D. The scriptural roots and actual history of Jihad as a tool of expansion and conquest are extensively detailed.
The Life of Mohammed by Rev. J. L. Menezes, S.J. Written in 1906, this tough to read book has the advantage of not being influenced by current events. Very insightful
and worthwhile but, due to its antique style, is challenging.
** The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah by A. Guillame. A dose of Islamic reality and a devastating denial of the bland PC beliefs concerning Islam from the mouth and pen of an Islamic scholar & cleric. *
** The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades by Robert Spencer. Spencer is a prolific writer and researcher of Islamic history and happenings. This book strongly confirmed what I had learned in school about the Crusades many years ago only to see it become Politically Incorrect today. Also rich in reference material.
The Sword of the Prophet by Serge Trifkovic. The book’s theme is that politically correct and rigid elitist views of Islam blind us to the true nature of the threat it poses.
** The Truth about Muhammad by Robert Spencer. A focus on the life of Muhammad researched from Muslim sources. Without reading the Koran itself, this is a mini Koran study.
** The West’s Last Chance by Tony Blankley. A writer and journalist and former Brit, Blankley spells out the growing dangers and a scenario for taking back the initiative to preserve our way of life.
The Quran (Koran). Translated by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. There are many English translations and a few are referenced by Spencer. Keep in mind that any version not written in Arabic are held by Islamists as invalid, even accurate translations written by Muslims, and are automatically discredited as corrupt when cited in open debate. But it is informative to read Koranic passages. *
**** Why I Am Not a Muslim by Ibn Warraq, a pseudonym. The author, a Pakistani, left Islam for atheism after much reflection on his Islamic schooling and the Salman Rushdie affair. This iconoclastic dissection of Islam was written 6 years before 9/11. It is a deeply researched learning experience. More than any other source it tells of many liberalizing efforts within Islam that have been quashed. He also challenges blind faith of any type.

MISCELLANEOUS

** America Alone by Mark Steyn. Steyn is a Canadian writer and columnist of political matters. This book details the political and strategic consequences of world demographic trends. The most comprehensive on demographic impacts but with a light style.
AMERICA’S God & Country edited & compiled by William J. Federer. Highlights of America’s heritage in notable quotes, court decisions, speeches and more;
This book is a treasury of reference material that is worth reading on its own merit.
A Global Intelligence Briefing for CEOs, an essay by Herbert Meyer. Covers four major topics; The Iraq War, The emergence of China, Shifting Demographics and Restructuring American Business. A very good global update that was widely distributed.
A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard, c 1899. A lesson in character. Find it by Googling on Elbert Hubbard, A Message to Garcia.
A New Deal for Social Security by Peter Ferrara and Michael Turner. One of many good books that deal with the crisis that is here and now and is a disaster for younger generations and which is being ignored because of disgraceful partisan politics. It also serves as a good primer on the mechanics of Social Security.
A World Without Public Schools by David Gelernter from The Weekly Standard of 6/4/07, p29. An essay on public schools and our changing culture. Excellent.
Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell. The author is a highly respected and widely published Economist at the Hoover Institute. He is nationally syndicated and frequently appears with columns and Op-Eds in most major media. He has a clear, amusing and down to earth style that is easy to enjoy. He is the essence of adult.
Economic Showdown by Brian Wesbury, Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, 4/19/07, pA17. Analysis of long term economic boom, 1990 to present.
Freedom’s Power by Paul Starr. A liberal author who does a great job of defining the original meaning of liberal western democracy that confirms my definition in CIVICS and seems to be an effort to bring Democrats back to a patriotic center.
Freedom & Virtue Edited by George W. Carey. Essays on freedom and responsibility from prominent Conservatives and Libertarians.
Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond. Highly regarded liberal UCLA Professor’s study of why civilizations fail or succeed. A very worthwhile read.
GDP/Population Spread Sheet. Compiled from UN and Heritage Foundation publications, attached. See under Global Warming essay.
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas Woods, Jr. The Catholic label notwithstanding, this book really documents the huge influence of Christianity, not just Catholicism, on western civilization and governmental forms. *
Immigration and the End of Self Government by Louis T. March. An easy read that focuses on the dangers and internal results of current immigration trends.
No Retreat, No Surrender by Tom DeLay. Makes a case for refocusing our country on core Constitutional and traditional values. A real benefit of this book, regardless of your opinion of DeLay, is a best ever explanation of what conservatism means as well as how Congress works at the floor level.
Reckless Disregard by Lt. Col Robert Patterson. How democrats and the Clinton Administration undercut and ignored the War on Terror and National Security.
The Broken Hearth by William J. Bennett. Makes a case for reversing the moral collapse of the American family as the core of a healthy society.
The Death of Outrage by William J. Bennett. Deals with the premise that political correctness and moral relativism has weakened the core of traditional American and family ideals.
They Just Don’t Get It and On The Hunt by Col. David Hunt. Shortcomings and blunt critique on the War on Terror. Hunt lays it on the line with a unique style.
The Next Century by David Halberstram. An economic model of the coming America which he presents as not so much gloom for us but simply the sobering reality and meaning to take from witnessing much of the world catching up with us economically.
The Theory of Everything by Stephen W. Hawking. A former atheist’s brainiac words of science for ordinary people with a surprising spiritual touch.
The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery. A good explanation of global warming factors and corrective action. Well written, entertaining and worth reading. Don’t let the liberal stamp keep you away. This guy is extreme, but good. We all know global warming needs deliberate attention.
The Whirlwind by James Clavell. Exciting fiction with a good insight into the Iranian revolution.
The UN Exposed by Eric Shawn. Shawn is an investigative reporter who has focused on corruption in the UN. This will load you with outrage.
Showdown by Jed Babbin & Edward Timperlake. The authors are former senior Pentagon officials. The book documents China’s rapid build up offensive military capability and poses scenarios for its purpose.
Winning The Future by Newt Gingrich. Some political wisdom from the most brilliant politician who will never be elected again.

WORTHWHILE ADULT PERIODICALS
Wall Street Journal
The Weekly Standard
America, formerly The American Enterprise
National Review
New York Times
New York Post
Washington Times
Washington Post
Human Events
The Claremont Review of Books


THOUGHT PROVOKING QUOTES

John F. Kennedy, U.S. President, assassinated 1963: “Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take up arms, but who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their life”
John Howard, Current Australian Prime Minister: “Immigrants, not Australians, must adapt. Take it or leave it. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or culture”.
Ronald Reagan, U.S. President, 1980-88. “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under”.
Edmund Burke, British political philosopher, 1729-1797. “All that is required for evil to triumph is for a few good men to do nothing”
Tony Blair, Contemporary British Prime Minister’s answer when challenged in open Parliament over his support for America. “A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in and how many want out”
G. K. Chesterton, early 20th century American writer and philosopher. “A man who ceases to believe in God does not believe in nothing, he believes in anything” and, “The most bigoted people are those with no convictions at all”.
Mohammad, Messenger of God & Founder of Islam, c 620. “Fight in the name of Allah and make a holy war thusly by giving your enemy three choices; accept Islam and suffer no harm (become Muslim); refuse Islam but pay Jizya (punitive tax) and be safe (become a very 2nd class citizen); refuse both Islam and the Jizya and be warred upon without remorse (lose your head)” (paraphrased for brevity)
Islamic Public Protest Signs in contemporary London by religion of peace protestors;
“Freedom go to hell”
“Europe – Take lessons from 9/11”
“Butcher those who mock Islam”
“Be prepared for the real holocaust”
“Behead those who insult Islam”
Sir William Muir, 1819-1905, Scottish scholar of Islam and author. “The sword of Mohammad and the Koran are the most stubborn enemies of Civilization, Liberty, and Truth which the world has yet known”.



Special Note: Victor Davis Hanson is a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institute, a UC Professor Emeritus of the Classics, military historian, columnist, essayist, social commentator and a raisin farmer near Selma, CA. Although I have not directly referenced him I read everything of his I can and, like Thomas Sowell, I greatly admire his writings for their clarity and objectiveness. Therefore I recommend the same for you and the best way to get your eyes around him is at Wikipedia.com. It also includes some very hateful rebuttals and reviews of him.