Ever since we posted the Mohammed-burning video, we’ve been getting email from various folks complaining about it. They think it’s stupid, or adolescent, or pointless, or only plays into the hands of our enemies, etc. In other words, they’re on our side, but think Flaming Mo was not a productive use of our blogspace.
We have also come under criticism for our recent anti-Bush posts. One regular reader says he views our opinions on the topic as the right-wing equivalent of moonbattery, and will no longer read our blog. Our ideas about the amnesty bill, the NAU, the penetration of the administration by the Muslim Brotherhood, etc. grade into Bilderburg/Trilateral Commission/Illuminati country. We are at risk of descending into paranoid delusion.
He may be right. I used to be less paranoid than I am now, but learning about modern Islam — from Jamaat ul-Fuqra to the Ikhwan to the Kosovar Mafia to Hizb ut-Tahrir — has made me paranoid. It’s hard not to be paranoid when confronted with what goes on today.
So what is our function here? What is our purpose? To publicize pointless adolescent pranks and spread paranoia?
Bloggers are the modern equivalent of the pamphleteers of the 18th century. We’re facilitating a conversation and a communication that would otherwise not occur. Most of us are doing this for little or no money, and some are taking great risks in the process.Our governments and the media have shut out any effective and well-informed discourse on the topic of the Great Jihad, so it’s left to us ordinary citizens to take up the slack. We’re on our own.
If we do not yell and bang on our saucepan lids, our new status as unwilling dhimmis will be forced down our throats by those who know better.
And, yes, sometimes we exaggerate and engage in overwrought rhetoric. After all, Gates of Vienna is a propaganda operation.
Some of our readers think that when the Danes burned Mohammed in effigy, they were in effect yelling “Down with the government!” into a closet. That is, the midsummer caper was a feel-good stunt with no practical effect, just a way for a few boisterous Vikings to have a good time.
But the evidence is that it was much more than that.It doesn’t seem like that much of a deal, to have an embedded video here at Gates of Vienna, which is only a minor blog. However, the link from Little Green Footballs sent a lot of people over here to watch the video. We saw a huge surge of traffic this week, with about 40,000 people coming to watch Flaming Mo over the last few days. As word of the event spread, links to it popped up all over the internet, in blogs, online newspaper comment sections, and discussion forums, from Sydney to Helsinki to Mumbai to Toronto.
In addition, a number of other blogs, some of them much larger than ours, embedded the video. At a rough guess I would think that a million people have by now seen the Danes burn Mohammed. That’s not an insignificant amount of publicity, and it is most certainly not shouting subversion into a closet.
The reaction in the discussion boards and comments was overwhelmingly supportive of what the Danes did. And the objections were mostly of the same type, that “this is stupid and ineffective.”
Regardless of what you think of the video stunt — and it is tacky and amateurish — people are indeed eager to see something like it. All over the infidel world people are hungry for a sign that there is someone, somewhere who is willing to brave the storm of political correctness and insult the Muslims. When you consider the vile invective and murderous behavior that Muslims exhibit towards the rest of us every day, it’s amazing that anyone considers something as innocuous as the Danish video to be “going too far”.
So people are hungry to hear the message that things can be different, that someone is willing to stand up and express the same feelings they have, that there are others who feel the way they do. Part of the success of the current PC regime lies in atomizing its opponents — without the internet, and with the media in lockstep, those who stand in opposition to the zeitgeist would not realize how many of us there are. But Gates of Vienna’s site meter tells the true story: there are many thousands, and presumably millions, who feel the same way.
So part of our job is to give voice to the voiceless, to let others know that they are not by themselves. It brings to mind a couple of stanzas from Wilfred Owen’s fragmentary poem “The Calls”:
- - - - - - - - - -
Then sometimes late at night my window bumps
From gunnery-practice, till my small heart thumps
And listens for the shell-shrieks and the crumps,
But that’s not all.
For leaning out last midnight on my sill,
I heard the sighs of men, that have no skill
To speak of their distress, no, nor the will!
A voice I know. And this time I must go.
Or Walt Whitman, from “Leaves of Grass”:
I do not say these things for a dollar, or to fill up the time while I wait for a boat;
It is you talking just as much as myself — I act as the tongue of you;
Tied in your mouth, in mine it begins to be loosen’d.
I keep returning to the Danes because they offer something to the rest of the West that nobody else can give: they are willing to stick it to the Man.
That’s why they inspire us. That’s why the Danes are leading the Counterjihad. That’s why the burning of Mohammed resonates so loudly throughout the infidel world.
Our regular Danish commenter and translator Phanarath had this to say on the topic in an email to Dymphna yesterday:
The spirit of the Danish people can even stand a comparison with the Americans and we totally outshine the countries around us.
We hold a spiritual key of wisdom here and if we can combine it with the American key of faith and idealism, then we can together revitalize the western world. And many people know this intuitively as we can see in the huge response to the burning of the doll of Mohammed. If that event had come from any other country, the response would have been minimal.
The Germans love the Danes, and so does most of western and eastern Europe. Israel loves us for those stories from WW2. Australians have almost the same mentality as the Danes and we get along great with them.
The Danes can be the link that gathers the whole western world together in a way that America cannot do by itself. This is what I believe is coming, and we can see it happening already on a small scale.
And no one will mind or feel intimidated by our cute little country; they will just look at us and want to do as we do, but the strength and power behind it all will come from America. One of America’s great forces is that you have the ability to feel a oneness with things you like and so it will feel like your own project, with the difference this time that you have the Danes in between you and the rest of the West and that will make everyone follow along without any resentment. Including Japan of course.
Phanarath sees his country the same way as I do: the Danes are leading the way. Keep one eye on Denmark.
And keep the other eye on history, as Al Stewart did in his song “Constantinople”:
Constantinople
by Al Stewart
Across the western world
The fights are going down
The gypsy armies of the evening
Have lit their fires across
The nether side of town
They will not pass this way again
So here in the night
Leave your home it’s time for running
Out of the light
I see the hosts of Mohammed coming
The Holy Sister bars her doors against the East
Her house has stood too long divided
The uninvited guests are breaking up the feast
She may not bid them leave again
So here in the night
Leave your home it’s time for running
Out of the light
I see the hosts of Mohammed coming
I dreamed I stood like this before
And I’m sure the words that I heard then
Were much the same
It’s just an old Greek tragedy they’re acting here
Held over by popular acclaim
So here in the night
Leave your home it’s time for running
Out of the light
I see the hosts of Mohammed coming
This song is from the album 24 Carrots, which was out of print for many years, but has recently been re-released.It was first released in 1980. How likely would it be that a popular musician would record something similar today? How likely would it be that a record label would release it?
Times have changed, and voices are being muffled across the Western world.
So we must act as the tongue of you. Tied in your mouth, in ours it begins to be loosen’d.
29 comments:
A cogent commentary. My own initial impression of the effigy-burning was that it was like those in the dar al-Islam -- a primitive act performed out of frustration and a sense of weakness. "Why bother when we're not weaklings?" I thought. But that depends on who "we" are. If it means the West in general, no, we are not weak -- physically, anyway. But if it means the Counterjihad, we are dangerously so. Our luminaries number but a handful and we ourselves are voices in the wilderness, trying to sound a tocsin in the face of a wall of official scorn. Perhaps such rituals can give some folks heart, which itself would justify them.
I myself would rather read up on Muhammad than burn him in effigy, the better to thwart the adherents to his odious creed. If one is going to burn something, let it be powder out on the range, the better to increase one's skill-at-arms.
Last September a group of non-Muslims hanged an effigy of Osama bin Laden in front of the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California. They were drawing public (and media) attention to the fact that Islamic leaders waffle when it comes to condemning Islamic terrorism. Yes, it was sophomoric, but the demonstration made its point.
Burning Mohammed makes a similar point, that respect cannot be mandated or imposed by threats of violence. If Muslims want non-Muslims to respect their Prophet, then they should show us something -- anything ! -- that Muhammad did which we would consider "good" or "admirable."
Gates of Vienna is saying what the "politically correct" fear to say. Hopefully, others will be emboldened by its candor.
Having been a liberal myself I know that there is a feeling of fear under the surface of the liberal non-involvement philosophy.
Baron, you are an instigator. Congratulations.
Juvenile or not, I was delighted with the Danish Mo burning because it was an act of defiance that will hopefully spark more defiance to Islamists intentions of dominance. The fact that it was picked up by other blogs and seen by thousands proves the value of the blogosphere. The Everyman of the west needs to know of the example of the Danes and others who openly stand against Islamification.
Two responses came to mind while reading this post;
1) Even paranoids have enemies.
2) The "burning of Mo" was childish, juvenile and with no discernible consequence. So what? As I remember from my limited history studies, the Boston Tea Party was also characterized in that vein. Yet people hungry for a symbol of resistance seized onto it and kept it close to heart. Symbols mean a lot.
I just wish themakers of the video used a better singer! That one they had? Boy, did he ever suck on toast!
Keep on keeping on Baron. You're doing the right thing.
Good stuff, people must keep standing up to these barbarians. They must realize that we will not remain silent about their false ideology when it demands that they must work to overthrow us. Eff them!
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
Western culture must die
when the world is enslaved
then the world will be at peace
.
The burning of MO wasnot childish in any way, not after Mo cartoons controversy. Even that controversy hit them more than us because that awakened many people who wasnot aware of what is going on due to traison of our governements and média. This is the proper response for the storm they held about Mo cartoons. Now we have a climax: what are they going to answer? Who says it is chilish looks for that through western eyes. what about muslims? Are there any comment? Maybe this it them deeper than we think.
I would parafrase Kennedy: today I am a dane.
Even if the burning mo video reached 1 million people, the problem I see is that it is simply the same 1 million people who are already aware of the danger. So, many of them are going to be uninterested in it and leave you snippy messages about its pointlessness.
The major downside of blogs is they allow people to tune out any alternative opinion and hear only what they want to hear. This not only destroys communication, creating ever greater divides between groups, but it also serves as an echo chamber pushing people further and further to the right or left. I think this partially explains your growing paranoia. Political studies show that as people move further right or left, they become increasingly convinced that not only is the 'other' party wrong, but also their own. Taken to the most extreme, you end up with groups like Daily Kos or truthers, willing to believe even the most ridiculous paranoid rants because it conforms to their pre-determined expectations.
This is the number one problem with the counterjihad in my mind. The conservative message is not 'islamic fundamentalism is a problem that must be stopped'. Instead, the conservative message is 'islamic fundamentalism is only a problem because of the liberal media, the left wing conspiracy to overthrow the west, and because our own leaders are really secretly working against us'. Meanwhile the liberal message which necessarily has to be the opposite of the conservative one is now 'there is no terrorist threat, it was a huge plot by republicans, and any terrorism that occurs is orchestrated by the USA'. As a result, the messages are restricted to groups that are too small to effectively stop the jihad.
And, incidentally, as a non-conservative, I definitely feel that there has been a surge of conspiracy theory or overly paranoid stories, with the constant NAU stuff being most notable, none of which really interests me personally. But, it's your blog, and so you can post whatever you want. It's up to the individual to read or not read it.
...."Our governments and the media have shut out any effective and well-informed discourse on the topic of the Great Jihad, so it’s left to us ordinary citizens to take up the slack. We’re on our own."
perfectly stated. as far as the criticism of W it's the 13th monkey moment: the chill sets in with his amnesty and the bend over for the brotherhood of islam all in one week. the masks are off and we are in it for real now. keep on banging the lids.
next up: taxation per byte and controlling the internet. now who's paranoid?
The burning of Mohammed was nothing but a "see, we can do it too" moment. At long last.
And it's the sign that asymmetrical warfare cuts both ways. On one side, we have beheadings and bombs, on the other we have open resentment of a foreign culture. Both sets of "cells" operate outside of conventional government structures, but both are symptoms of widespread sentiments that are given no official voice.
Strict adherence to "adult" codes of conduct and rational discourse alone is like strict adherence to National military principles: effective as long as you're fighting an enemy who fights the same way.
Good post, the Flaming MO video was the funniest thing I've seen in a while--sure, it was tacky, but that is one reason why it was SO FUNNY. I hope this blog doesn't change.
I don't care one way or the other about the video itself. I do care, to the point of occasional chest pain, about the Islamist philosophy telling governments and their people to "Sit down and shut up, or we will sue you / kill you."
This weblog is an excellent finger in their eye! Maybe more, if it becomes necessary.
One of the reasons why people like Danes is that we would never say something like what I was quoted for here, in public. I wrote those things to people I know and that I believe knows how I think. But when it stands alone like this it can sound arrogant and it isn't. However I bow to the judgement of the Baron, but I would like to explain.
Danes are unique in our own way as all the old tribes are, but also in the way that our nation is also our old tribe. All of the old tribes of Europe have wonderful histories traditions and legends, but as far as I know only the Danes have their own Nation today.
More then teen years ago or so I was in Spain close to Barcelona. And many places I saw huge banners hanging over the roads there, saying, "Catalonia a nation in Europe". It seemed to me as the most wonderful dream. And I dreamt of an EU that would serve as an instrument to restoring Nations back to the old "tribal" borders. Why should Catalonia be forced to be a part of Spain if they didn't share a national identity?, it seemed to me back then that EU could allow existing Nations to break up into smaller parts and that those parts would correspond to the primary identifications people felt. And EU would make it possible by removing the need for the old power games between the existing nations of Europe.
Back then I thought EU was a great thing. Little did I know of the secret negotiations with the Arab world. The dream became a nightmare.
I am afraid now, that this dream has become impossible in any near future. We might first have to go to hell and back. Our politicians have made it so. But the old tribes are our greatest resource in Europe if we want to look for fighting spirit.
Phanarath,
As for “arrogant” — don’t worry, I think that only a Dane could possibly consider your words arrogant. It’s funny, considering how energetically forthright the Danes are, that they might be be worried about appearing arrogant.
I doubt any readers of this blog will consider your observations arrogant — especially the Americans, who have, after all, taken arrogance to the level of a fine art.
Your observations are always worthwhile, IMHO.
This BoM video was the most amateurish thing I've ever seen. I expected a higher quality video, and certainly more rags to keep the fire going more than a minute. Not even a paper-mache head!!
Barely a whimper against the night that comes.
From little acorns mighty oaks will grow. Maybe we should see the Mo Burning as a beginning. If it's only done in secret once a year in Denmark, then it's impact will be very limited. But, if similar demonstrations start happening, then the publicity and impact will spread.
All it takes is a few aware students at local universities to get together for a Mo Burning ceremony on their campuses. I suggest the day before Halloween (fires in autumn are especially pleasing). If even a few dozen American campuses held Mo burnings, it would expose the intolerant ones on the campuses and the local media.
Moves by university authorities to ban such demonstrations would lead to debates on freedom of speech and expose intimidation by the religion of Thuggery. Any activities that make the muslims drop their masks and show their true hateful, intolerant sides should be welcome.
It may only be a million who learn of the Denmark burning, and they may be the already aware ones. But, if the practice becomes widespread, and a yearly event, then the majority of the people will hear about it (and about muslim reactions to it). If the people wait for their governments to do anything to protect us, they'll be sorely disappointed.
I think a whole ritual of expunging evil from our lands tied to Mo burnings is what is needed, with a whole entertaining evening of festivities planned, so the people can have a good time at the event. Maybe even fireworks and barbeques, a competition for the best Mo dummy, and so on. Maybe the fraternities can try to outdo each other and cap it off with alcohol consumption, loud rock music, passion plays about the rescue of Aisha from the Mad Pedophile (hmmm, what else would offend them?), capped by a night of carnal explorations with the opposite sex.
If American college students can't top what the Danes did, then we should be ashamed of ourselves.
Anyway, just a thought.
Wery well said Gluon
Baron
You may be right that this fear to be arrogant is a "Danish thing" I know that I would find a comment like that arrogant my self, and I am pretty sure most of my fellow Danes would also.
We may be "energetically forthright" as you say, but we also have strict unwritten rules about modesty, immodesty is considered a very big character flaw with us. Some have speculated that this has helped us resist the temptation of tyranny, others claim that it just holds people back. Its true that people can be held back but I am pretty sure that had Hitler lived in Denmark, he would have been told to stick with painting instead of embarrassing himself.
I forgot to say that I think you wrote an excellent article Baron, you really nailed the whole thing here. It seems that some things are to simple for some people to understand, they prefer something more complicated. We truly live in the age of the emperors without cloth.
gluon-
I love your idealism, but college administrators are despots. If they can sanction tenured heads of departments, imagine what they would do to students.
The small attempt at Wm&Mary to hold a Conservative-type "affirmative action" bake sale was not tolerated; Conservative newspapers are vandalized at Dartmouth.
Colleges are cess pools of corruptive power. Ask Larry Summers.
As the future Baron says --from experience -- that the only way conservative can raise questions is to disrupt things quietly. It comes from the very nature of conservatism. Thugs bash things...conservatives argue them through, using critical thinking skills. And then the thugs bash them.
Muslim Student Associations get their Intimidation Training from professionals like CAIR and MIA. They will up the ante until the colleges crack down on any conservative disagreement.
It happened at DePaul with a professor, too. The Thugs got him fired for questioning their brochures, while Notre Dame tried to hire Tariq Ramadan...only he couldn't get a visa.
Thus, the Burning of Mohamet is welcome, even if only diversionary. And it may cause another delayed reaction five months from now, but it will be in the Middle East,as before. No doubt RageBoy already has his invite.
Don't forget, the ME news reported the cartoons when they happened. It was only five months later that the pre-arranged conflagrations began.
2 mistkerl
Whether we are paranoid or not depends on how a person estimates the danger. For one who has nothing against converting into Islam, if it helps keeping his profits, there is no danger. For another, who did not see any muslim in his small town in Idaho, the danger is exaggerated. If you don't feel the danger, you will always say that is it a paranoya. We feel the danger. Personally, I am a quiet cowardly married professional who always wanted to avoid conflicts. But when I first saw a Chechen man, I felt like a poodle who met a wolf. When I see a woman in a veil, I feel that she put it on of disgust from seing me. Whatever silly dreamer Bush sinks about that, I personally cannot coexist with them. You either don't know what you are talking about, or you try to not pay attention of fear.
Altough not knowing islam much, I think you under evaluate the effect this had in muslims. Who have seen any muslim comment about this? remenber that Muhamad is second to Allah and he was who brings them Koran and promise them paradise.
YPP:
I said all the stories about the NAU were paranoid, not the fear of the islamic fundamentalism.
I spent more than 4 years in the middle east, including 2 full tours in Iraq, working for a US counter-intelligence agency. I have close friends who lost their lives in the conflict. I have been in a vehicle that was hit by an IED. I think I know a little bit of the danger western civilization faces...
Just because I don't share your political belief system doesn't mean we can't work together. Unfortunately, and this was part of my original point, no effort is being made to recreate this issue in a broader context; which confines it (in the US) to the right wing underground, aka the blogosphere. And, my observation over the last 3 years is that this situation is getting worse not better.
I certainly enjoyed Mo burning. It was never going to be a big thing. The MSM were never going to take it up and give it worldwide coverage which would get the reaction that was required. Muslims never seem to understand the consequence of there actions. The attack on Denmark over the cartoons, while it cowered the governments of Europe, it engendered a sense of contempt in most people, how can these idiots be so stupid. The Cartoon affair while it might have cowered some of the Danish politician, would have had a completely different affect on your typical Dane. Once the effect of what the F—k is going on wore off he would soon have been seething with quiet anger. The Danes might seem to take things with a laid back attitude, but the flag Dannebrog is at the center of his Danishness. I know of no country that holds its flags, with perhaps the exception of the USA, so dear as the Danes. When I first went to Denmark I was mildly amused to see that most homes had there own flag pole. The Danes fly their flag with pleasure love and conviction. If you go to the summer house colonies in the summer by the beaches. The first thing a Dane will do after he has put the beer in the Fridge is to run up the Flag. Every house will have a flag flying. The constant burning of the Danish Flag is what really got the Danes hot under the collar. The burning of Mo is the Danish way of getting there own back. It wasn't childish what the Danes did they wanted to get the Muslims seething not only that they wanted to make them seeth for a very long time. There are two more videos to come, which proves my point. You can only seeth and threaten for so long. You have to put up or shut up. The Cartoon affair ended when they shut up, and if anybody missed it all the Damage was done in Muslim countries. The longer the muslims seeth the more they look like fools. It is a win win situation, for the Danes.
What has surprised me is that the Danes have not reacted as their parents and Grandparents did in the second world war. When they want too they can seriously get up peoples noses. While most German soldiers preferred a posting to Denmark to getting killed on the eastern front, they could not get used to being ignored, towards the end of the war most Danes used to walk past them as if they didn't exist. Perhaps a useful technique now. The hight of fashion in 1943 were woolen hats knitted to look like the roundels on spitfires. These by the way were were only worn by Children, it certainly did get up the German's nose but what could the Germans do. The explanation was always the same, we had to knit the woolen hats in those colors because they are the only colors we have got. It is due to the shortages of wool due to the war.
This is just the beginning, mark my words.
2 mistkerl
You are right - there is a problem, and it was formulated well by Lawrence Auster (another right-winger): The moment you do or say anything to the right of mainstream (which does not do anything and says nothing) you are called extremist and marginalized. As an extremist you supposedly cannot have any influence. You can remain in the mainstream and have a lot of influence, but only untill you do something. So what is the point to remain in the mainstream and what does that influence mean?
I do want a broad collaboration. If you can suggest any real program based on bipartisan approach that would be interesting. What can we do that will be of any use and not considered as the right-wing extremism? What is your opinion?
I greatly enjoyed watching Mo burn, most of all because I'm pretty certain that it irritates the Muslims to the max! The more of their energy we can consume in pointless agitation, rioting in their own countries, burning their own buildings, etc., the better off we are. There energy and physical resources are are consumed and extremely small cost to us, and I like that; they are idiots!
I think it is most appropriate to comment on the unconstitutional acts of GW Bush & Co, the NAU, and all of the other things that are in play to overthrow the USA as it has existed in the past. The Islamic threat is a very great threat, but it is not the only one, and they can all act in concert to destroy us.
As far as burning Mohammed in effigy, I can see some people's point. How would I feel if they burned Jesus or maybe even the founding
fathers of this country in effigy. I believe I'm above the fray enough that those things wouldn't really bother me that much, because I know that in
some countries real people and real churches are burned by some of these backward Muslims. I so think in the end, if I can take Old Glory being
burned then they should be able to handle seeing and effigy of Mohammed taken to flames. Especially after what the Dutch have put up with in their country by the hands of extremists.
I don't believe there is anything wrong in criticisms the Bush administration when they deserve it; especially on immigration. If we don't enforce our laws and keep our sovereign borders Texas or California might end up like Kosovo with the Albanians or parts of Spain an France with the ETA. History teaches us that borders are important. The Mexican government invited Americans down to Texas to farm and work on the land. After so many of our people were down there, it turned out that they wanted independence, with the end game of being brought into the US as a state. The Mexican government 'invited' the Americans to work the land, and after they became a majority they fought for independence. Remember the Alamo.
Bush also said that in the run up to the War on Terror that you are with us, or against us. Yet, he will reach out to these groups that we have proof support or are behind terrorism. If his position was cut and dry at one time, why is it so muddled now. The Muslim Brotherhood is the granddaddy of modern jihadi movements, so why would he reach out to them, or even the Fatah. The recent news about CAIR's membership going down but their donations are increasing is disturbing too. These organizations shouldn't be given legitimacy by our government, especially the administration.
So some might see your blog as going to the extreme, but I don't' feel that way. I just recently discovered this sight, and afterward I read up on the historical struggle in Vienna so many years ago. I believe you get the point, and I'm sure there are many others that feel the same as I do. Keep of the good work, and don't stop until real progress has been made.
Dymphna, what gets me is hearing people complain that all the europeans do is hold meetings and issue declarations. The wierdos in Berkeley can get dozens of naked people to protest the university there building in a grove of trees, but people who are aware of the threat of islamic encroachment don't do anything but intellectualize about it.
I don't believe participating in a protest march would help much, as it would be ignored by the media and wouldn't bring out significant numbers. I think that outrageous acts of "theater" (in the best yippie tradition) might have far more impact than anything going on in the blogosphere.
If students want to wear halloween masks, how can the administration identify and punish them? Students could even do a burning privately, film it, and post pics on campus bulletin boards and video on youtube.
When I sometimes read some guy say that europe may fall, but he'll be waiting with his little arsenal of guns for the invaders to reach his home, I shake my head - by that time it would all be over. If our founding fathers could take action, action with risks, and previous generations die in defense of liberty, then it's pretty pathetic that so many of us can't be bothered to stir from our comfortable seats in front of our pcs to do anything.
How about this then - a new college year is approaching and some schools give the incoming freshmen recommended reading lists. I remember last year UNC at Chapel Hill had a recommendation that was essentially pro-muslim and pro-multiculturalism. Why not make a list of important books and online essays that are critical for the empty-headed ones to read as they arrive at the brainwashing mills for their higher education?
Enough students read blogs so that if there was a joint effort by a number of high profile blogs to make such a list and post about it, students could print up fliers on their own and hand them out at freshman orientation. As mistkerl said, what's the point if it's the same 1 million who keep reading about the threat? We need to reach the ones in the dark before the real darkness comes to them.
I think blogs perform a wonderful, necessary and important function. But, there comes a time when only action will make the changes that we all see are necessary. If not Mo burnings or freshman reading lists, then what? Maybe we should be brainstorming ideas for how to turn things around instead of doing the blog equivalent of wringing our hands.
Anyone else have any ideas?
YPP:
For CVF, I wrote a 15 page strategy document outlining what needs to be done which included many different tactics to bring about a broader coalition to fight. If you would like to read it, give me your email address or some other way to send it to you.
"I do want a broad collaboration. If you can suggest any real program based on bipartisan approach that would be interesting. What can we do that will be of any use and not considered as the right-wing extremism? What is your opinion?"
This is an easy one. Ask yourself this, what is the one issue that leftist people fall all over themselves worrying about and would do pretty much anything to stop?
Global Warming.
If conservatives could just see past their noses on this issue and realise they dont' have to believe it, they just have to stop fighting against it, it would be one of the most powerful weapons for fighting jihad over the long term. Each side gets something. The left gets their environmental desires fulfilled, the right gets to stop funneling cash to our greatest enemies. You create coalitions with different groups by compromise.
mistkerl--
I disagree that we should just let the left run rampant with bad science, fear tactics, and economically harmful practices just so they can "get something."
Not only is such a position condescending, it lacks integrity because the concept of global warming is based on a lie.
Patrrick Michaels, our state's climatologist heads a university dept of environmenatl science and a popular skeptic on the subject. See Is the Sky Really Falling?
If we had appeased the greenies by signing the Kyoto Agreement -- which has now fallen apart as unworkable -- the US would still be held to the standards that other nations talk about, but continue to defy.
Appeasing the left on matters of principle gets us nowhere. Ask Chamberlain.
gluon--
THere are some good conservative student groups who operate on a national level. One is
Young Americans for Freedom. They schedule speakers and seminars for college and post-college young people.
By nature, conservative are not characterologically geared toward demonstrations. It's just not in their make-up.
It has been a forty year slide to the mess colleges are in. There are groups attempting to reform the basic corruption, which is widespread on the state and federal level and includes everything from text purchases to tenure for the unable to outrageous salaries and benefits for the upper echelon, far beyond what they would get in the real world.
Dwight Eisenhower did not just warn us against the military-industrial complex, he also warned us against the government-educational complex...we didn't listen.
Richard Rorty, the esteemed-by-the-relativists philosopher died recently. He was a follower of Nietzche and extremely influential in the American academy. His notion that truth does not exist independently to be discovered but was something we made up was very influential in American academia...and harmful. He will not be missed.
Meanwhile, conservative college students need to take the serious approach: it suits their makeup and their outlook.
Google "young conservative groups."
As for action you can take, consider joining the Center for Vigilant Freedom. You can organize at the local level and network with other like-minded groups.
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