Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

In his book America Alone Mark Steyn sets up the warning of the dangers of militant Islam and the west’s repeated state of denial.

He continues on this meme in his column today Silence=Acceptance and proves that he doesn’t have any claim on a Nelson:

He deals with the denial of Islam’s involvement first:

The veteran British TV anchor Jon Snow, on the other hand, opted for the more cryptic locution “practitioners.” “Practitioners” of what, exactly?

Hard to say. And getting harder. Tom Gross produced a jaw-dropping round-up of Bombay media coverage: The discovery that, for the first time in an Indian terrorist atrocity, Jews had been attacked, tortured, and killed produced from the New York Times a serene befuddlement: “It is not known if the Jewish center was strategically chosen, or if it was an accidental hostage scene.”

Hmm. Greater Bombay forms one of the world’s five biggest cities. It has a population of nearly 20 million. But only one Jewish center, located in a building that gives no external clue as to the bounty waiting therein. An “accidental hostage scene” that one of the “practitioners” just happened to stumble upon? “I must be the luckiest jihadist in town. What are the odds?”

The rhetorical circles that those in denial are in would tie any person in a knot. He then skews the Muslims are feeling vulnerable” meme:

Last week, a Canadian critic reprimanded me for failing to understand that Muslims feel “vulnerable.” Au contraire, they project tremendous cultural confidence, as well they might:

They’re the world’s fastest-growing population. A prominent British Muslim announced the other day that, when the United Kingdom becomes a Muslim state, non-Muslims will be required to wear insignia identifying them as infidels. If he’s feeling “vulnerable,” he’s doing a terrific job of covering it up.

We are told that the “vast majority” of the 1.6-1.8 billion Muslims (in Deepak Chopra’s estimate) are “moderate.” Maybe so, but they’re also quiet. And, as the AIDs activists used to say, “Silence=Acceptance.”

Deepak Chopra earns a Nelson almost every time he opens his mouth. Islam is not feeling vulnerable its feeling powerful. he concludes echoing Tom Freeman who came much later to the conclusion Stein reached years ago:

I wrote in my book, America Alone, that “reforming” Islam is something only Muslims can do. But they show very little sign of being interested in doing it, and the rest of us are inclined to accept that. Spread a rumor that a Koran got flushed down the can at Gitmo, and there’ll be rioting throughout the Muslim world. Publish some dull cartoons in a minor Danish newspaper, and there’ll be protests around the planet. But slaughter the young pregnant wife of a rabbi in Bombay in the name of Allah, and that’s just business as usual. And, if it is somehow “understandable” that for the first time in history it’s no longer safe for a Jew to live in India, then we are greasing the skids for a very slippery slope. Muslims, the AP headline informs us, “worry about image.” Not enough

It is understandable in two ways that Muslims are not anxious to speak out. They are even more afraid of getting not only their throats cut but their relatives then the others. Even if they don’t It’s basically tribal, like a Mafia family and even if one doesn’t risk death in a face society you don’t go against the tribe.

There is also the feeling of power, as one of Sicilian decent I see it in people eyes on occasion when my nationality comes up. Don’t forget this moment:

The combination of liberal cultural guilt and raw fear is a source of strength.

In the end it comes to this, Militant Islam is going to have to be either stopped, submitted to or changed from within.

The current president and our military have made a good effort at the first particularly going on offense, but it will take time, effort and treasure.

As far as submitting goes laws in the west have already headed in that direction even to the point where Sharia law is gaining in England and Canada. I hate to say it but frankly I suspect that those who cry loudest at the “Oppression” of the current administration would find a reason and excuse to submit if Sharia comes to call.

As far as change goes it can either be from within or imposed. There are men and woman with a whole hell of a lot more courage than me such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Nonie Darwish and Walid Shoebat trying to make the case at the risk of their lives but unless the avg Muslim supports them they can’t do it alone. It still remains to be seen if they are the William Lloyd Garrisons of their times.

If they don’t its up to us. The late Oriana Fallaci sounded the warning and was on the front lines. If this doesn’t change then eventually it will come down to the William Tecumsea Sherman’s solution. He came to the following conclusion concerning the south:

We cannot change the hearts and minds of those people in the south but we can make war so terrible and make them so sick of war that generations will pass before they would again appeal to it.

And least anyone thinks I am calling for that sort of thing a 2nd quote of Sherman bears repeating as well:

I confess, without shame, that I am sick and tired of fighting — its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies, with the anguish and lamentations of distant families, appealing to me for sons, husbands, and fathers … it is only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated … that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation. May 1865

It is going to be totally up to us as westerners and the Muslim people everywhere how this will end.

I can’t believe I spent over an hour writing this on a weekend but then again I unfortunately have a bit of free time.