Islamization of Europe

Commentary Magazine has an essential piece by David Pryce-Jones on The Islamization of Europe.

"It is true that most Muslim immigrants to Europe come simply with hopes for a better life, and that these hopes are more important to them than any apprehensions they might entertain about living in a society ruled by non-Muslims—something historically prohibited in Islam. Indeed, large numbers have assimilated with greater or lesser strain, and, in the manner of other minorities, have become “hyphenated” as British-Muslim, French-Muslim, Italian-Muslim, and the like. Religious life flourishes: if, a half-century ago, there were but a handful of mosques throughout Europe, today every leading country has over a thousand, and France and Germany each have somewhere between five and six thousand. Muslim pressure groups, lobbies, and charities operate effectively everywhere; in Britain alone there are 350 Muslim bodies of one kind or another.

Among these various organizations, however, a number function as Islamist fronts. Inspired by Saudi Arabia or Khomeinist Iran, by the Muslim Brotherhood or al Qaeda, they work to undermine democracy in whatever ways they can, just as Soviet front organizations once did. They push immigrants to repudiate both the process and the very idea of integration, challenging them as a matter of religious belief and identity to take up an oppositional stance to the societies in which they live. Issues of Islamic concern have been skillfully magnified into scandals in the attempt to foment animosity on all sides and thus further deter or prevent the integration of Muslims into mainstream European life.

The notorious 1989 fatwa condemning the novelist Salman Rushdie to death for exercising his right to free speech as a British citizen was an early example of this tactic of disruption and agitation. Another has been the attempt in Britain to set up a Muslim “parliament” that will recognize only Islamic law (shari’a) as binding, and not the law of the land. Still another has been the insistence, in France, on the wearing of the hijab by girls in public schools, a practice that clearly contradicts the ideals of French republicanism and is in any case not an Islamic requirement. The tactical thinking behind such incitements was well articulated by an al-Qaeda leader who, calling upon British Muslims to “bring the West to its knees,” added that they, “the locals, and not foreigners,” have the advantage since they understand “the language, culture, area, and common practices of the enemy whom they coexist among.”

Still another phenomenon familiar from the Soviet era has lately made a repeat appearance in the West, and that is voluntary accommodation, or fellow-traveling, among non-Muslims. Leftist fellow-travelers once helped to create a climate of opinion favorable to Communism. Many knew exactly what they were doing. Others merely meant well; they were what Lenin called “useful idiots.” In like manner, Islamist fellow-travelers and useful idiots are weaving a climate of opinion today that advances the purposes of radical Islam and is deeply damaging to the prospects of reconciliation. "

The Futile Pursuit of Happiness

Check out this article from the New York Times Magazine about recent studies of happiness-

"You are wrong to believe that a new car will make you as happy as you imagine. You are wrong to believe that a new kitchen will make you happy for as long as you imagine. You are wrong to think that you will be more unhappy with a big single setback (a broken wrist, a broken heart) than with a lesser chronic one (a trick knee, a tense marriage). You are wrong to assume that job failure will be crushing. You are wrong to expect that a death in the family will leave you bereft for year upon year, forever and ever. You are even wrong to reckon that a cheeseburger you order in a restaurant -- this week, next week, a year from now, it doesn't really matter when -- will definitely hit the spot. That's because when it comes to predicting exactly how you will feel in the future, you are most likely wrong."

Republicans Outnumbered In Academia, Studies Find

This quote from a recent George Will column reminds me of the current Portland political climate, the link above takes you to the whole article-

"They do indeed cultivate diversity — in race, skin color, ethnicity, sexual preference. In everything but thought."

Lincoln's State of the Union, 12/1/1862

It was on this day in 1862 that Abraham Lincoln gave the state of the union address at one of the lowest points of his presidency. An end to the Civil War was nowhere in sight. Just ten weeks before, Lincoln had issued his emancipation proclamation, turning the war into a war about slavery rather than just states rights. But in the recent election, anti-Lincoln Democrats had made big gains in the Congress. Many people saw that as a sign that the North didn't want to fight to free the slaves. People wondered if the war could ever be won, if the Union had been lost forever. Instead of expressing doubts in his speech, Lincoln argued that freeing the slaves was necessary to ensure that America live up to its own ideals. In his speech, Lincoln said:

"The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation. We say we are for the Union. The world will not forget that we say this. We know how to save the Union...In giving freedom to the slave, we ensure freedom to the free—honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last, best hope of earth."

WP Best Blogs 2004

Here are some Blog links to the Washington Posts "Best Blogs of 2004"- I paticularly enjoy littlegreenfootballs.com-let's do what we can to get PD up there some day- spread the word!

Best International
Winner Little Green Footballs littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/

Best Rant
Winner National Review - The Corner www.nationalreview.com/thecorner/corner.asp
Honorable Mention Lileks.com www.lileks.com/

NBA Crisis!

Slate has a funny column about the Pistons/Pacers brawl- here is a choice quote-

"I haven't met, nor can I even imagine, someone who actually feels harmed by what happened. ...That we're thrilled by the occasional flash of violence in sports doesn't mean we're one step away from prime-time cockfights. Bill Conlin of the Philadelphia Daily News wrote that the fight showed that "America in general and American sports in particular" are at the same stage as Rome when it was overrun by the "lean and hungry subjects of the Empire." If this is the first sign of the apocalypse, then the ride to hell will be pretty smooth."

Online shopping tips!

BrainstormNW.com has some great suggestions for gifts from local companies- here are some highlights...

-Rock n’ Bowl Where do vinyl records get a new life? Christine Claringbold’s studio. The beautifully crafted, hand painted bowls ($52–60) offer a unique and decorative touch to anyone’s home or office. Natural Spaces, 6401 SW Macadam Ave., Portland, 503-892-2373.

-Holiday Spirits Only in the Oregon will you find vodka made from—of all things—potatoes. Northwest potatoes and glacier-fed water from Mt. Hood make this a Gold Award winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. With a smooth, slightly sweet taste, Spudka ($15.95–17.95) is a great choice for those looking for a little twist in their martini. Hood River Distillers. www.hoodriverdistillers.com

Geronimo! Inspired by an original Pendleton robe worn by Geronimo in an early 1900s photograph, the enduring design of the Geronimo blanket ($165) has been sprung from Pendleton’s archives and reintroduced. The blanket’s (64” X 80”) rounded corners and unnapped finish are reminiscent of Pendleton blankets made through 1909. Pendleton stores, www.pendleton-usa.com