You’ll recall that most Western media outlets declined to publish those Danish cartoons showing the Prophet Mohammed. Thus, even they were piously warning of a rise in bogus “Islamophobia” — i.e. entirely justified concerns over Islamic terrorism and related issues — they were themselves suffering from genuine Islamophobia — i.e., a very real fear that, if they published those cartoons, an angry mob would storm their offices. It was a fine example of how the progressive mind’s invented psychoses leave it without any words to describe real dangers. — P.85
The “moderate Muslim” is not entirely fictional. But it would be more accurate to call them quiescent Muslims. In the 1930s, there were plenty of “moderate Germans:” and a fat lot of good they did us or them. Today, the “moderate Muslims” is a unique contributor to cultural diversity: unlike all the visible minorities, he’s a non-visible one — or at any rate, non-audible. — P.86
(O)ne can’t help noticing that the most prominent “moderate Muslims” would seem to be more accurately designated as apostate or ex-Muslims like the feminist lesbian Canadian Irshad Manji and the California academic Wafa Sultan. It seems likely that the beliefs of Mohammed Ataa are closer to the thinking of most Muslims than those of Ms. Majii are. The pseudonymous apostate Ibn Warraq makes an important distinction: there are moderate Muslims, but no moderate Islam. Millions of Muslims just want to get on with their lives, and there are — or were — remote corners of the world where, far from Mecca, Muslim practices reached accommodation with local customers. But all of the official schools of Islamic jurisprudence commend Sharia and violent jihad. So a “moderate Muslim” can find no formal authority to support his moderation. — P.88
The theoretical virtue of “multiculturalism” is that it’s a form of mellifluous cultural cross-pollination: the best of all worlds. But just as often it gives “the worst of all worlds” the worst attributes of Muslim culture — the subjugation of women — combined with the worst attributes of Western culture — license and self-gratification. Tattooed, pierced, Pakistani skinhead gangs swaggering down the streets of northern England are as much of a product of multiculturalism as the turban wearing Sikh Mountie in the royal escort. Islamofascism itself is what it says: a fusion of Islamic identity with old school European totalitarianism. But, whether in turbans or gangsta threads, just as Communism was in its day, so Islam is today’s Identity of choice for the world’s disaffected. — P.120
The jihadists understand that the Continent is up for grabs in a way that America isn’t. And as their numbers grow, it seems likely that wily Islamic leaders in the Middle-East will embrace the cause of the rights of European Muslims in the same way that they claim solidarity with the Palestinians. — P.121
Four years after September 11 it turned out there really is an explosive “Arab Street,” but it’s in Clichy-sous-Bois. Since the beginning of the century, French Muslims have been carrying on a low-level intifada against synagogues, kosher butchers, Jewish schools, etc. The concern of the political class has been to prevent the spread of these attacks to targets of more, ah, general interest. They’re losing that battle. Unlike America’s Europhiles, France’s Arab street correctly identified Chirac’s opposition to the Iraq war for what it was: a sign of weakness. — P.122, 123
Battles are very straightforward: Side A wins, Side B loses. But Europe is way beyond anything so clarifying. Today, a fearless Muslim advance has penetrated far deeper into Europe than Abd al-Rahman. They’re in Brussels, where Belgian police officers are advised not to be seen drinking coffee in public during Ramadan, and in Malmo, where Swedish ambulance drivers will not go without police escort. It’s way too late to re-run the Battle of Poitiers. P.123, 124
Etc.
If you haven't read it, correct that mistake pronto. Esp now. Read it, quote it, hand out copies. Mark Steyn: more than just a pretty voice.