-
Not Just the Media: First Amendment Under Attack
May 22, 2013 | 3 comments
-
Curl is Right: Don’t Dismiss Benghazi
May 22, 2013 | 2 comments
-
Artur Davis Says Scandals Are Real
May 19, 2013 | 3 comments
-
Good New Book: ‘Precipice’
May 19, 2013 | 1 comment
-
A Long Record of Obamite Thuggery
May 16, 2013 | 4 comments
The Spectacle Blog
Islamic texts spur Islamic violence. There. I said it. That fact is incontrovertible. Some Islamic texts do spur violence.
Now, just try accusing me of violating civil rights laws for saying so. I dare anybody to try to bring legal action. I dare them.
Okay, let me repeat that. There are Islamic texts that spur Islamic violence.
Let’s see what Tom Perez, dissembler extraordinaire and radical-at-large at the Civil Rights Division of the Obama Injustice Department, has to say about that.
Why do I make a point of saying this. Well, only secondarily because it’s true. Primarily, I say it because some horrid people who don’t understand freedom, effectively cheered on by Perez, want to use civil rights laws against people merely for criticizing Islam — as if the mere act of criticism is a form of racial discrimination. If they tell me I can’t say it, I’ll darn well say it if I please.
Well, first, Islam is not a race, but a religion. Second, even if it were a race, it would be perfectly legal for me to criticize it. Something called the First Amendment allows me to do so.
The Daily Caller had the story. Please do read it. It’s mind-boggling:
Top Justice Department officials convened a meeting Wednesday where invited Islamist advocates lobbied them for cutbacks in anti-terror funding, changes in agents’ training manuals, additional curbs on investigators and a legal declaration that U.S. citizens’ criticism of Islam constitutes racial discrimination.The department’s “civil rights lawyers are top of the line - I say this with utter honesty - I know they can come up with a way” to redefine criticism as discrimination, said Sahar Aziz, a female, Egyptian-American lawyer. “I’d be willing to give a shot at it,” said Aziz, who is a fellow at the Michigan-based Muslim advocacy group, the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding. The audience of Islamist advocates and department officials included Tom Perez, who heads the department’s division of civil rights.
Perez went on to enthusiastically praise the general tenor of the Muslims’ presentation, while offering not a single defense of the First Amendment….
So, while I’m at it: Black people, statistically, have too many out of wedlock births. There’s no good reason for it. White people, in the aggregate, historically have featured in their ranks far too many racists. Asians have a history of brutal warfare.Martians have ugly green skin.
Are those statements examples of violations of civil rights laws? I dare Perez to say so. A statement, no matter what the opinion, about a race of people is not against the law. Nor is a statement directly disparaging a religion. I think Zoroastrians are/were silly. Is it against the law for me to say so?
I think Tom Perez is a menace to society. Maybe I shouldn’t say that: After all, his name sounds Hispanic. Maybe I just committed a thought crime.
View all comments (33) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/10/22/just-try-stopping-me-from-crit
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
H/T to National Review Online
ADVERTISEMENT
Bob K.| 10.23.11 @ 12:34AM
He may be "hispanic" or "latino" but if the pictures of him are accurate he is a 100% white, caucasian Iberian/American who has done very well with, no doubt, the help of his surname. In fact he looks alot like the people who rule Mexico, Cuba and most Central American countries and who have kept their native peoples and blacks in poverty.
MM| 10.23.11 @ 9:24PM
Hmmm . . . makes me think - Geraldo.
SpiralArchitect| 10.24.11 @ 4:13PM
Jerry Rivers?
LC JB | 10.23.11 @ 1:16AM
Thanks Quin. Like a lot of us, you really seem to be out to get your own Fartwah. This coming from the Ogabe DoJ is just another item that makes blood shoot out of my eyes, along with the projectile vomiting of course. What the hell is wrong with these 'progressives'? Some have said it's Stockholm Syndrome and I believe they are right. To see our government officials participate in such ludicrous ruling making in beyond the comprehension (I can explain it actually) of rational, sane people. These people MUST be forcibly extracted, root and branch next year or the New Caliphate HQ just might be in DC.
Bob K.| 10.23.11 @ 4:37AM
There are other people who dislike him too:
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/vernon/100913
But La Raza loves him:
http://www.washingtontimes.com.....g-la-raza/
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.23.11 @ 8:43AM
Quin,
I wrote a whole novel criticizing Islamists.
"America Alone Said No" (To Sharia Law).
www.americaalonesaidno.com
We got a whole hell of a lot of treasonous Muslims in this country.
Dai Alanye | 10.24.11 @ 3:21PM
I truly hope the Kenster stops flogging his silly novels on this site, because then I won't have to do this: For a decent read that makes no pretense of solving all the world's problems, go to http://alanye.com/
More satisfying and fewer calories, besides.
Solo| 10.23.11 @ 9:46AM
This is already the law in Great Briton and in Canada.
It is an aspect of Sharia Law and it is creeping into our society a piece at a time. Just as planned.
So....why are leftists and democrats (but I repeat myself) so supportive of a religious doctrine?
The answer is: They're not!
What they know is that Islam is not a religion but a political system disguised as religion. And...an effective weapon for destroying legitimate religion.
Continued to its logical conclusion, it will become illegal to contradict Islamic belief for such contradiction will be considered as discriminatory and an insult to Islam.
You can then kiss your church group goodbye! Easter...? Gone! Christmas...? Gone! Open expressions of Christian or Jewish faith...? Gone!
Neat how that works out, huh?
CalMark| 10.23.11 @ 1:51PM
Stop predicting catastrophe.
They'll try it, they might even succeed to some extent, but I think Americans are already reaching a point beyond which they dare not push. In other words, they can have their wet dreams. But stop pushing, Obama & Co. Really. You better. We're reaching the edge of the map.
And "Here there be dragons."
Cam O. Milety| 10.23.11 @ 2:22PM
Seriously, Solo? When you end up crapping your pants over the fear that Christmas will become illegal in America you're just making a fool of yourself and showing how little you understand about what makes this country great.
Think about this for a second. The fear that Christmas would become illegal in America? Some politically correct nobody does some farty little something that gets a tiny mention in some obscure corner of the media and the Chicken Littles are running out to Walmart to stock up on manger scenes before the Sharia Police can take them all away to Islamic prison camps.
Sheesh. Having a Republican President in office isn't meant to be a substitute for growing a pair of your own.
Occam's Tool| 10.23.11 @ 10:05PM
You might want to visit Dearborn, MI, or check out the Mall of America in MN and extrapolate, Cam.
Les Nesman| 10.23.11 @ 10:57PM
Here come all the Ted Baxter's with the War on Christmas baloney again! I'll bet you that the War on Christmas will be about as effective as the Wars on Poverty, Drugs, Terrorism, etc.
Venus Flytrap | 10.24.11 @ 2:48PM
You're all idiots.
Solo| 10.24.11 @ 7:25AM
Cam.....
When I was a kid, the largest and most authentic-looking 'Manger Scene" was on the County Court House lawn. It's gone now, never to return.
At my fiance's children's school Choir recital during the Christmas holiday, they had readings/Poems about "The Peace Of Islam" and the community joy of "Kwanza" (I kid you not) but throughout the entire two hour program, the word "Christmas" never crossed their little lips.
The teacher had actually changed the words to the Holiday Classic "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" to..."We Wish You A Happy Holiday".
Retail outlets across the country are excising the word "Christmas" from all public view.
In a broader context, you can't offer a prayer during graduation or before a football game. You can't bring a Bible to school.
"Chicken Little" you say?
And....I might mention that I did qualify my concerns by prefacing them with "...Continued to its logical conclusion...".
I guess in your world it's inappropriate to even express concern for future implications for Christian traditions....much less actually practice them.
The Islamists would most likely consider you as "A useful infidel" every bit as much as the leftists would consider you "A useful Idiot".
"Chicken Little", indeed!
SpiralArchitect| 10.24.11 @ 4:18PM
Surely you see Cam smiling; ignorance is bliss.
Clint| 10.23.11 @ 10:25AM
The Thought Police Are Un-American.
Dollface| 10.23.11 @ 11:39AM
This is another example of the failure of our immigration laws. Somalis (for example) came here to escape a horrid civil war. Now that they're here, they don't want to live by our rules. Instead, they want to recreate the same hellish conditions they left.
If you don't want to assimilate, don't come here.
Oldefarte| 10.23.11 @ 2:01PM
As long as any grouping of human beings usie their combined influence to promote themselves and seek to obtain political advantage for same, while at the same time being guilty of inhuman activities and ideas, then they and their memberships will [and should be rightfully] fair game for public critisisms. Until Muslims cease be-heading non-believers of their religion; until Black cease acting illegally and inhumanely towards others; etc, then they are rightfully susceptible to critisisms and insults. In essense, THEY need to CLEAN UP THEIR ACT AS HUMAN BEINGS AND BEGIN TO LIVE RESPECTFULLY OF OTHER HUMAN BEINGS BEFORE SEEKING TO TWART PUBLIC OUTCRIES OF THEIR AUTROCITIES!!!!!!
PattyMor| 10.23.11 @ 5:51PM
Islam is incompatable with freedom and its incompatable with our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Why are our politicans letting these people come into the country? Because they're multicultural relativists. They say one culture is as good as another and one religion is the same as another. We're becoming strangers in our own country. Subversion from within.
Intelligent Design| 10.23.11 @ 9:24PM
Islam is a 7th century political ideology and organization whose goal is to merge "church" and state, banning religious freedom, individual freedom, and secular law. For example, in Saudi Arabia the constitution is the Koran, the law is "holy law" (shari'a), and the practice of any "religion" other than Islam is prohibited. Islam discriminates against anyone who is not a Muslim, whether they be Jews, Christians, Buddhists, or more generally speaking, Infidels. Islam is subversive to the U.S. Constitution.
True religions oppose evil, whereas Islam embodies evil. It is fundamentally at odds with Western civilization and individual freedom. Muslims should abandon the 7th century and join the 21st, by rejecting Islam. Of course they will risk the death penalty for apostasy. The problem is not just Muslim terrorists, or "radical Islamists", or "militants", or "insurgents", or the Muslim Brotherhood. The problem is Islam itself.
Islam promotes violence. In just 50 days, from 9/1/2011 to 10/20/2011, Muslim terrorists have killed about 1,021 people and wounded about 2,195 people (worldwide). Since September 11, 2011 Muslim terrorists have made almost 17,900 attacks. See www.thereligionofpeace.com for daily updates and more history.
Some books to read: The Grand Jihad by Andrew McCarthy; In Ishmael's House by Martin Gilbert; The Crisis of Islam by Bernard Lewis; and Reflections on the Revolution in Europe by Christopher Caldwell.
Andy| 10.23.11 @ 6:24PM
"Islamic texts spur Islamic violence."
Quin, this statement is true for all three Abrahamic religions. For example, punishment for Apostasy in Judaism is death, which is the same in Christianity and Islam. However, the other two seems to be not on your radar for some reason.
All religions, by design, provide some sort of absolute truth or a system of valuation and it never is compatible with modern understanding of things. Creationism is a perfect example, it is now creeping up in our education system.
MikeBee| 10.23.11 @ 8:10PM
Andy,
You couldn't be further off the mark. You really need to begin reading the Holy Bible, which is the basis for both Judaism and for Christianity. If you ever do, you will discover the error of what you just posted. Secondly, the Muslim religion is NOT an Abrahamic religion. The Muslim religion was founded by Mohammed. Abraham is a father of the Jewish faith, and, therefore, a father of the Christian faiths.
Thirdly, Creationism is not a religion, as you claim above. Find for me the Creationist's church. Is it on the corner of Fifth and Park Avenue? Is it in the country? There is NO SUCH THING. Finally, it is the Christian Church (through its members) which has relentlessly pursued the "modern" understanding of things that you mention above. In the Dark Ages, while Muslims had overran much of Europe, Christianity kept alive both Science and the Arts. Prior to the 20th century, those who were keeping Science alive were largely members of the Christian churches. (Google "Gregor Mendel," for example.) Only folks who believe that life began in 1960 think that Christianity is not compatible with modern understanding. In fact, the science of Intelligent Design actually contains some of the latest, ground-breaking discoveries in the field of biological science. Those who deny these findings (labeling them Creationism) are actually choosing to remain ignorant of scientific findings. Read some history; read the Bible; educate yourself, develop an open mind, and stop being taken in by the rantings of other people who remain in the dark, also, of history and religion. Your lack of knowledge and disdain of science and history are showing...................
Dai Alanye | 10.24.11 @ 2:53PM
Islam was created by Mohammed to aid his domination of local tribes, much as Joseph Smith created a cult to gain money and power for himself. Islam needs a great reformer to bring it into the nineteenth century... Or perhaps even the twenty-first, if we're lucky.
Occam's Tool| 10.23.11 @ 10:07PM
One thing, Andy. When was the last time a Jewish apostate was put to death or served a sentence of any sort?
You can play with straw men all you want, but sooner or later you need to come back to reality, or admit that you are a craven coward.
Oldefarte| 10.24.11 @ 11:19AM
You're full of what's known as EXCREMENT. When was the last time that a group of Catholics, Jews, Baptists, Methodists, etc [while practicing their faiths] commandeered four airplanes and ramned same into buildings causing the murders of 3000+ innocents?????????????
Occam's Tool| 10.23.11 @ 10:09PM
In short Anthony, the other two oare not on the radar because they don't still stone people to death. You must be an Ivy League graduate, Andy.
To help you out, Shinola is used to polish shoes. Shit is brown and stinks and comes out of your ass.
Oldefarte| 10.24.11 @ 11:20AM
OT, me thinks it no doubt instead COMES OUT OF HIS OTHER END/CREVICE PERHAPS????
Occam's Tool| 10.23.11 @ 10:09PM
Sorry, "two are not on the radar..."
Cynthia Pestka| 10.24.11 @ 11:38AM
Thank You mikebee!! I get so tired of hearing Islam compared to Christianity and the Jewish faith. Look at the Muslim countries today, and compare that to the countries that exist as mostly Christian countries. Science, imagination, and equal justice are encouraged in the Christian countries..Muslim countries...not so much.
Dai Alanye | 10.24.11 @ 3:14PM
James Watson Gerard, Ambassador to Germany prior to WW I: "The Foreign Minister of Germany once said to me 'your country does not dare do anything against Germany, because we have in your country five hundred thousand Germans reservists [emigrants] who will rise in arms against your government if you dare to make a move against Germany.' Well, I told him that that might be so, but that we had five hundred thousand -and one- lamp posts in this country..."
Oh, if some present-day US official were to speak thus to the Islamists who wish to destroy our Constitution. Not the lamp post part, but a threat to rescind their American citizenship if they persist in anti-Constitutional harangues. I'm sure some "top of the line" lawyer could come up with a way.
Robbins Mitchell| 10.24.11 @ 9:34PM
Thus,let us act each according to his own conscience...
sfaziz@law.txwes.edu
yisong| 10.24.11 @ 10:24PM
slewing ring can also bear the larger axial load, radial load and overturning, can replace several sets of ordinary bearing combination to use function. http://www.1stbearing.com