jeffreymark

NOT YOUR FATHER'S CAT STEVENS

Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, sang his signature classic Peace Train at the Comedy Central's rally to restore sanity. Power Line posts a revealing expose' concerning Mr. Islam's true character. They conclude by reminding us of the unholy alliance between liberalism and Islam. 

All the more reason to read Andrew McCarthy's book entitled The Grand Jihad: How Islam and the Left Sabotage America. Amazon describes the book this way:

Product Description

The real threat to the United States is not terrorism. The real threat is Islamism, whose sophisticated forces have collaborated with the American Left not only to undermine U.S. national security but also to shred the fabric of American constitutional democracy—freedom and individual liberty. In The Grand Jihad: How Islam and the Left Sabotage America , bestselling author Andrew C. McCarthy offers a harrowing account of how the global Islamist movement’s jihad involves far more than terrorist attacks, and how it has found the ideal partner in President Barack Obama, whose Islamist sympathies run deep. 

For years, McCarthy warned of America’s blindness to the Islamist threat, but in The Grand Jihad  McCarthy exposes a new, more insidious peril: the government’s active appeasement of the Islamist ideology. With the help of witting and unwitting accomplices in and out of government, Islamism doesn’t merely fuel terrorism but spawns America-hating Islamic enclaves in our very midst, gradually foisting Islam’s repressive law, sharia, on American life. The revolutionary doctrine has made common cause with an ascendant Left that also seeks radical transformation of our constitutional order. The prognosis for liberty could not be more dire. 

From the Inside Flap

The real threat to the United States is not terrorism. The real threat is the sophisticated forces of Islamism, which have collaborated with the American Left not only to undermine U.S. national security, but to shred the fabric of American constitutional democracy—freedom and individual liberty. In The Grand Jihad: How Islam and the Left Sabotage America, bestselling author Andrew C. McCarthy provides a harrowing account of how the global Islamist movement’s jihad involves far more than terrorist attacks, and how it has found the ideal partner in President Barack Obama, whose Islamist sympathies run deep.

McCarthy is the former federal prosecutor who convicted the notorious “Blind Sheikh” and other jihadists for waging a terrorist war that included the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. In his national bestseller, Willful Blindness: A Memoir of the Jihad  (Encounter 2008), he explored government’s conscious avoidance of the terrorist threat, which made the nation vulnerable to mass-murder attacks. In The Grand Jihad, he exposes a more insidious peril: government’s active suppression of the Islamist ideology that unabashedly vows to “conquer America.” With the help of witting and unwitting accomplices in and out of government, Islamism doesn’t merely fuel terrorism but spawns America-hating Islamic enclaves in our midst and gradually foists Islam’s repressive law, sharia, on American life. The revolutionary doctrine has made common cause with an ascendant Left that also seeks radical transformation of our constitutional order. The prognosis for liberty could not be more dire.

Andrew C. McCarthy was a top federal prosecutor involved in some of the most significant cases in recent history. Decorated with the Justice Department’s highest honors, he retired from government in 2003, after helping launch the 9/11 investigation. He is one of America’s most persuasive voices on national security issues and author of the bestseller Willful Blindness: A Memoir of the Jihad. Currently, he is a senior fellow at the National Review Institute in Washington, D.C., and a contributing editor at National Review.

About the Author

Andrew C. McCarthy was a top federal prosecutor involved in some of the most significant cases in recent history. Decorated with the Justice Department’s highest honors, he retired from government in 2003, after helping launch the 9/11 investigation. He is one of America’s most persuasive voices on national security issues and author of the bestseller Willful Blindness: A Memoir of the Jihad. Currently, he is a senior fellow at the National Review Institute in Washington, D.C., and a contributing editor at National Review.

All I have to say to one of my formerly favorite pop stars is, "Come on Cat. Shuck the monkey suit, give up this insane religion, and entertain us."

CLOSING OF THE MUSLIM MIND

Today's Mr. nice guy American ardently desires to turn the other cheek when considering Islam's proclivity toward violence. We simply cannot comprehend the depth of hatred or the width of delusion a seemingly god fearing group of human beings might possess in relation to the West. A once prosperous religion went terribly astray somewhere along the line, reducing its adherents to mind numbed robots. 

Author and foreign policy scholar Robert Reilly compellingly explains the matter in his new book entitled The Closing of the Muslim Mind: How Intellectual Suicide Created the Modern Islamist Crises. Perhaps every American should take advantage of Reilly's scholarship. It might be salvific. I picked up a copy two days ago, and will offer a comprehensive book report once I finish this magnificent work. Meanwhile here is a brief synopsis from ISI publishers:

Islam's Intellectual Suicide—and the Threat to Us All

People are shocked and frightened by the behavior coming out the Islamic world—not only because it is violent, but also because it is seemingly inexplicable. While there are many answers to the question of "what went wrong" in the Muslim world, no one has decisively answered why it went wrong. Until now.

In this eye-opening new book, foreign policy expert Robert R. Reilly uncovers the root of our contemporary crisis: a pivotal struggle waged within the Muslim world nearly a millennium ago. In a heated battle over the role of reason, the side of irrationality won. The deformed theology that resulted, Reilly reveals, produced the spiritual pathology of Islamism, and a deeply dysfunctional culture.

Terrorism—from 9/11, to London, Madrid, and Mumbai, to the Christmas 2009 attempted airline bombing—is the most obvious manifestation of this crisis. But Reilly shows that the pathology extends much further. The Closing of the Muslim Mind solves such puzzles as:

• why peace is so elusive in the Middle East
• why the Arab world stands near the bottom of every measure of human development
• why scientific inquiry is nearly dead in the Islamic world
• why Spain translates more books in a single year than the entire Arab world has in the past thousandyears
• why some people in Saudi Arabia still refuse to believe man has been to the moon
• why Muslim media frequently present natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina as God's direct retribution

Delving deeper than previous polemics and simplistic analyses, The Closing of the Muslim Mind provides the answers the West has so desperately needed in confronting the Islamist crisis.

FRANKLIN GRAHAM II

I stand corrected since my last post mentioning Franklin Graham. According to Mark Steyn Comedy Central caved on the South Park-Muhammad issue: (via Powerline)

Comedy Central - you know, the "hip," "edgy" network with Jon Stewart, from whom "young" Americans under 57 supposedly get most of their news - just caved in to death threats. From a hateful 83-year old widow who doesn't like Obamacare? Why, no. It was a chap called Abu Talhah al Amrikee, who put up a video on the Internet explaining why a "South Park" episode with a rather tame Muhammad joke was likely to lead to the deaths of the show's creators. Just to underline the point, he showed some pictures of Theo van Gogh, the Dutch film director brutally murdered by (oh my, talk about unfortunate coincidences) a fellow named Mohammed. Mr. al Amrikee helpfully explained that his video incitement about the murder of Matt Stone and Trey Parker wasn't really "a threat but just the likely outcome." All he was doing, he added, was "raising awareness" - you know, like folks do on Earth Day. On Earth Day, lame politicians dig a hole and stick a tree in it. But aggrieved Muslims dig a hole and stick a couple of comedy writers in it. Celebrate diversity.

Faced with this explicit threat of violence, what did Comedy Central do? Why, it folded like a Bedouin tent. It censored "South Park," not only cutting all the references to Muhammad but, in an exquisitely postmodern touch, also removing the final speech about the need to stand up to intimidation. Mr. Stone and Mr. Parker get what was at stake in the Danish cartoons crisis, and many other ostensibly footling concessions: Imperceptibly, incrementally, remorselessly, the Free World is sending the message that it is happy to trade core liberties for the transitory security of a quiet life. That is a dangerous signal to give freedom's enemies. So the "South Park" episode is an important cultural pushback.

Yet in the end, in a craven culture, even big Hollywood A-listers can't get their message through. So the brave, transgressive comedy network was intimidated into caving in and censoring a speech about not being intimidated into caving in. That's what I call "hip," "edgy," "cutting-edge" comedy: They're so edgy they're curled up in the fetal position whimpering at the guy with the cutting edge, "Please. Behead me last. And don't use the rusty scimitar where you have to saw away for 20 minutes to find the spinal column."

A FEW WORDS ABOUT FRANKLIN GRAHAM

Most of the world knows by now about the army's regrettable decision to disinvite Franklin Graham from the Pentagon's National Day of Prayer Service. They cite Graham's negative comments toward the Muslim faith as reasons for the move. Sadly the military took a historic step with their verdict.  The National of Prayer has been a traditionally Christian event, established by our  Christian forefathers, encouraged through the years by Christian politicians, and inspired through Billy Graham's, Franklin Graham's famous evangelical father, personal relationship with past Presidents.   

The Pentagon's decision, however, vividly illustrates their fear of Muslims more than their disdain for Graham. In fact, Franklin Graham seemed to graciously accept the decision as though it were a mere political choice and not personal. Yet, the fact remains that our military personnel working in the nation's symbolic icon of strength, acquiesced to the Muslim world. On the other hand, creators of the irreverent South Park cartoon refused to back down from threats of Islamic violence. Seems South Park portrayed an image of Muhammad wearing a bear suit, in a recent episode.  Of course Muslims vehemently remind us that this is an act deserving of decapitation. The whole affair makes our mighty military look like mice. 

And it paints a less than stellar image of Franklin Graham to those who know him not. But, Mr. Graham is a good man. His ministry Operation Christmas Child takes him into predominately Muslim countries where he offers a shoebox of gifts to children less fortunate than ours. Franklin Graham indeed understands the religion of Islam better than most Americans. I'd rather listen to his advice on the issue than some ivory tower pundit out there who thinks they know how the cow ate the cabbage. Listen to Graham as he talks about Muslims and his Christmas ministry:  (vai Atlas Shrugs) 

WORLD'S GREATEST TERRORIST MUSLIM GOD?

Prophetic voices presciently appeal to us for more critical ears when addressing terrorist issues. The sages of the ages told us of the propensity toward violence that defines muslim character. Admittedly good people refuse stereotypes, but secretly shudder a bit when seeing a muslim in the crowd. They hope and pray he is a good man with high morals. 

And today's PC world exhorts us to respect all people (except evangelical Christians) giving them the benefit of the doubt. That's a good policy for the most part. Yet, America's greatest virtue, naively serves as its most grievous vexation. We don't like calling muslims terrorists. It feels so uncomfortable to place pejoratives on human beings. Our discomfort often drives our deaf ears when respected men challenge us. 

A while back evangelical leader Franklin Graham warned us of the issues we face when dealing with muslims:

I agree with President Bush that as a country we are at war with terrorists, not with Islam. But as a minister, not a politician, I believe it is my responsibility to speak out against the terrible deeds that are committed as a result of Islamic teaching. The brutal, dehumanizing treatment of women by the Taliban has been well-documented and internationally condemned. However, the abusive treatment of women in most Islamic countries is nearly as draconian and falls far short of the dignity, respect, and protection almost universally given to women and mandated by the United Nations. The persecution or elimination of non-Muslims has been a cornerstone of Islamic conquests and rule for centuries. The Koran provides ample evidence that Islam encourages violence in order to win converts and to reach the ultimate goal of an Islamic world. Conversions from Islam to any other faith are often punishable by death.

For those comments the secular media castigated Mr. Graham, an evangelical Christian. Now Mosab Hassan Yousef son of the Hammas founder corroborates Graham's empirical analysis. Listen for yourself to this provocative interview and hear the impetus behind muslim violence.

Via Tangle Video

OBAMA'S BUSHSPEAK GETS PRESS DROOLING...AGAIN

Every freakin' time Obama stays the course of President Bush the driveling, snot-nosed media, falls into an orgasmic mood as though they are hearing a new and profound policy. Hot Air reports:

Expect Barack Obama to get a lot of flack for this statement, but I won’t be one of the critics.  Instead, I’ll focus my criticism on the media that treats it as some sort of sea change for American statesmanship.  We’ll start with Tom Raum of the AP:

Barack Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as president, declared Monday the United States “is not and will never be at war with Islam.”

Calling for a greater partnership with the Islamic world in an address to the Turkish parliament, Obama called the country an important U.S. ally in many areas, including the fight against terrorism. He devoted much of his speech to urging a greater bond between Americans and Muslims, portraying terrorist groups such as al Qaida as extremists who did not represent the vast majority of Muslims.

“Let me say this as clearly as I can,” Obama said. “The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical … in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject.”

Here’s the objectionable part:

The U.S. president is trying to mend fences with a Muslim world that felt it had been blamed by America for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Yes, because George Bush spent the last seven years blaming the entire Muslim world for the 9/11 attacks, right?  Right?  Er, no, as this collection of Bush quotes regarding Islam makes excruciatingly clear.  In fact, Bush emphasized friendship with Muslims from the very start of the war:

• “I’ve made it clear, Madam President, that the war against terrorism is not a war against Muslims, nor is it a war against Arabs. It’s a war against evil people who conduct crimes against innocent people.” — Remarks by President George W. Bush and President Megawati of Indonesia The Oval Office, Washington, D.C. September 19, 2001
• “The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That’s not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don’t represent peace. They represent evil and war.”  — Remarks by the President at Islamic Center of Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. September 17, 2001
• “All of us here today understand this: We do not fight Islam, we fight against evil.” — Remarks by President George W. Bush to the Warsaw Conference on Combating Terrorism November 6, 2001
• “I have assured His Majesty that our war is against evil, not against Islam. There are thousands of Muslims who proudly call themselves Americans, and they know what I know — that the Muslim faith is based upon peace and love and compassion. The exact opposite of the teachings of the al Qaeda organization, which is based upon evil and hate and destruction.” — Remarks by President George W. Bush and His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan The Oval Office, Washington, D.C. September 28, 2001
• “Islam is a vibrant faith. Millions of our fellow citizens are Muslim. We respect the faith. We honor its traditions. Our enemy does not. Our enemy doesn’t follow the great traditions of Islam. They’ve hijacked a great religion.” –  Remarks by President George W. Bush on U.S. Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan Presidential Hall, Dwight David Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. October 11, 2002

And so on; there are plenty of examples to make the point.  Obama spoke in the tradition established by Bush over the last seven-plus years of emphasizing that America did not declare war on Islam.  That’s been obvious through our partnership with Islamic nations, such as Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, just to name a few.  And he’s right; the last thing we would want to do would be to declare war on a billion people just on the basis of their religion.  The more we can keep the Muslims on the sidelines, the better off we are in fighting against the radicals.

However, the AP wants to pretend that this is some new effort by the US to assure Muslims of our intentions.  It decidedly is not, and perhaps a mention that Bush tried making these same assurances for almost his entire presidency would be in order here.

The liberal mindset has always been an enigma to me. I mean, I can't figure out what makes them tick. I think they get so passionate about what they believe, they fail to retain any sense of rationality when dealing with those who may oppose their view. They want a thing such as hatred of George Bush to be true so bad that they actually fall into a sort of delusional existence where their fairytale world becomes reality.

EVANGELICAL GROUPS REACHING OUT TO MUSLIMS

Of all people Christians must lead the way when seeking to understand Muslims and offering radicals an alternative to the culture of death. Seattle Times writer Janet I. Tu witnesses this happening at Northwestern University:

At the student-center coffee shop of Kirkland's Northwest University, David Thompson, a 19-year-old sophomore, took a break from making lattes to talk about a symposium Tuesday on how Christians today should respond to Islam. At Northwest University, an Assemblies of God college with about 1,200 students, e-mails and posters have announced the symposium, sponsored by the university and the Northwest Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God, which includes more than 340 churches in Washington and northern Idaho These Northwest University students' views are in line with many other evangelical Christians who don't believe Muslims are the enemy, said James Wellman, a University of Washington assistant professor of comparative religion. "It's sort of unfortunate when evangelicals get painted with sort of that uniform brush of being haters. Because I don't think that's who they really are," he said. There's a growing sense among evangelicals that "the Islamic world is a world that is unreached," Wellman said. Whether one agrees with the goal of evangelizing or not, "there's a real attempt to understand the culture, the religion, the plight of the people in these different cultures," he said.

Oh what fools we become when groping in the dark strutting our stuff as if we live in the light. Christians who refuse to learn about other groups with whom they disagree only prove the secularist's stereotypical attitude that Christians possess little gray matter. Hats off to the students of Northwestern.

AN HONEST CONFESSION

In our private moments most Americans and Brits pose the unanswerable question asked during WWII: "Who is my enemy?" That ponderous question led to the internment of American Japanese. The LA Times recently returned to the issue in the context of today's terrorist ridden culture and makes a case for mistrusting Muslims. The article suggests:

There are reasonable grounds for suspicion, of course. Surveys — for whatever they are worth — show a surprising, and horrifying, degree of sympathy, if not outright support, for the bombers on the part of the young Muslim population of Britain. They show that a large number of Muslims in Britain want the implementation of Sharia law and think that murdering British Jews is justified simply because they are Jews. And when an atrocity is perpetrated by a Muslim, they evince no passion remotely comparable to that aroused by, say, the work of Salman Rushdie. On the other hand, day-to-day relations with Muslims are often polite and friendly, and large numbers of Muslim small businessmen depend upon such relations with their non-Muslim customers for a living. This could change. One of the most sinister effects of the efforts of the bombers and would-be bombers is that they have undermined trust completely. This is because those under investigation turn out not to be cranks or marginals but people who are either well-integrated into society, superficially at least, or who have good career prospects. They are not the ignorant and uneducated; quite the reverse. Seven people detained in the latest plot worked in the medical profession.

Read more about our justified suspicions here.

MUSLIMS ENTER THE SCIENCE TEXTBOOK KERFUFFLE

They may be in France, but I bet they're coming to America:

...another voice is entering the debate, in dramatic fashion. It is the voice of Adnan Oktar of Turkey, who, under the name Harun Yahya, has produced numerous books, videos and DVDs on science and faith, in particular what he calls the “deceit” inherent in the theory of evolution. One of his books, “Atlas of Creation,” is turning up, unsolicited, in mailboxes of scientists around the country and members of Congress, and at science museums in places like Queens and Bemidji, Minn. At 11 x 17 inches and 12 pounds, with a bright red cover and almost 800 glossy pages, most of them lavishly illustrated, “Atlas of Creation” is probably the largest and most beautiful creationist challenge yet to Darwin’s theory, which Mr. Yahya calls a feeble and perverted ideology contradicted by the Koran. In bowing to Scripture, Mr. Yahya resembles some fundamentalist creationists in the United States. But he is not among those who assert that Earth is only a few thousand years old. The principal argument of “Atlas of Creation,” advanced in page after page of stunning photographs of fossil plants, insects and animals, is that creatures living today are just like creatures that lived in the fossil past. Ergo, Mr. Yahya writes, evolution must be impossible, illusory, a lie, a deception or “a theory in crisis.”

It may get quite interesting to see what methods of persuasion Mr. Yahya and his ilk use to gain the attention of school boards across America. Given this religion's recent history let's just suffice it to say, "Ve've got vays", or "I'll make them an offer they cant refuse. Ha ha ha ha ha..." Funny thing, I don't foresee any "explosive" situations in America's curriculum departments getting created by those rascally fundie violent evangelicals.