[ April 24, 2024 ]
Thuggery Wins Again
by Robert Spencer
Maybe in this cowed
and cowardly age, the denouement was inevitable: on Wednesday night, the Great
Neck Synagogue on Long Island canceled a speech by Pamela Geller that had been
scheduled for Sunday. This was after Islamic supremacists, led by one Habeeb
Ahmed of the Nassau County Human Rights Commission, and Leftists mounted a
large-scale campaign of defamation of Geller in the media and intimidation of
synagogue officials through private channels. It is bad enough that it was
done. It is even worse that it succeeded.
This ugly little
affair in Great Neck closely parallels my own recent experience. I had been
scheduled to speak on March 16 at a Catholic Men’s Conference in Worcester,
Massachusetts, but after a Leftist reporter at the Boston Globe and a local
Muslim leader who is an open supporter of a convicted jihad terrorist raised a
controversy, Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester cancelled my appearance. He
also subsequently ignored my repeated requests for a meeting to clear my name,
as well as a petition that garnered over 3,000 signatures, asking that he
reinstate my talk.
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In his only public
statement on the matter, McManus spoke of “concern” that “Mr. Spencer’s talk about extreme, militant
Islamists and the atrocities that they have perpetrated globally might undercut
the positive achievements that we Catholics have attained in our
inter-religious dialogue with devout Muslims.” In other words, to discuss the
Muslim persecution of Christians might offend the Muslims here who profess to
oppose that persecution. The bishop did not explain why they would be offended
by an honest discussion of something they claim to oppose.
Great
Neck Synagogue officials were not as craven as McManus, who added that an
honest discussion by me of the real atrocities committed by Muslims in the name
of Islam around the world might “generate suspicion and even fear of people who
practice piously the religion of Islam” – thereby repeating the Islamic
supremacist smear that my work for the defense of Constitutional freedoms
somehow endangers innocent people.
By
contrast, the synagogue leaders acknowledged none of the intense barrage of
lies great and small about Pamela Geller that had been sent their way since the
controversy was ginned up. Rather, they ascribed the cancellation to the
determination that it would be “irresponsible to jeopardize the safety of those
who call Great Neck Synagogue home, especially our children, even at the risk
of diverting attention from a potentially important voice in the ongoing
debate.”
Nonetheless,
the outcome is the same: the precedent is reinforced that smear campaigns work,
and that all the foes of freedom have to do in order to shut down any voices
opposed to them is mount a campaign simultaneously vilifying and demonizing
their targeted speaker and showing the host the price he will have to pay for
featuring the target. As Saul Alinsky said, “Pick the target, freeze it,
personalize it, polarize it.” His thuggish children and heirs are doing just
that: picking off the defenders of freedom one by one, isolating, demonizing
and marginalizing them, and making people who stage and host speakers afraid to
invite them, for fear of the firestorm that is certain to ensue.
Their
capitulations, however, only make more such firestorms inevitable. And so while
it is understandable that no one wants to face them, and no one wants a media
frenzy around what was supposed to be a quiet event, the more people cave in to
them, the worse it is going to be for everyone else. For the enemies of free
speech and the enablers of jihad terror aren’t just targeting Pamela Geller and
Robert Spencer: they’re going after anyone and everyone who dares to utter a
truthful word about the global jihad and Islamic supremacism. No one is spared,
and no one will be spared – not even those who repeat politically correct
niceties about how the Religion of Peace has been hijacked. The crocodile will
eat them as well, even if it eats them last.
If host
organizations and institutions in the United States realized what was at stake,
they would be inundating Pamela Geller with speaking invitations right now. And
when the Leftists and Islamic supremacists began their smear and intimidation
campaigns, they would show themselves resolute, determined, and immovable.
But this is not an
age of iron. It’s an age of jelly. And so the order of the day will be more
intimidation, more threats, and more defamation directed against anyone who
speaks out against the jihad and Islamic supremacism, and anyone who dares to
host that speaker. Until finally, there is no one left to speak out, no one at
all.
Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch and author of the
New York Times bestsellers The
Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The
Truth About Muhammad. His latest book, Not Peace But A Sword:
The Great Chasm Between Christianity and Islam, is now available.
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16 Comments
11 years ago
The synagogue’s action is in violation of the basic principles of both American Civilization and Jewish Civilization. Similarly, some years ago I requested that my Reconstructionist synagogue show the movie “Obsession”–but the board turned me down! Feckless.
11 years ago
Shame on this phony, cowardly synagogue and shame on McManus! Robert and Pamela, for the life of me, I don’t know how these p*ssies, these wimps, these weaklings,etc, look themselves in the mirror or sleep at night. Or, how they can look into the eyes of their kids/grandkids knowing what they have done in throwing them to the wolves. G-D bless Freedom fighters like Robert and Pamela.
11 years ago
Even though we know what you have to say is true, we can’t, or more accurately we won’t, hear you because the price is too high. Even though we know that failing to listen is to our detriment.
http://sacredsandwich.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/avoidance.jpg
http://images.sodahead.com/polls/001814097/105760767_man_with_fingers_in_ears_answer_2_xlarge.jpeg
If they think the price is high today, just imagine what tomorrow will bring.
11 years ago
People who disagree with Pamela often misrepresent her positions. They say she has said things she has not said in an effort to intimidate others. I would hope in the future that if organizations such as Great Neck Synagogue get letters or phone calls protesting her appearance they ask the person to quote the book and page, YouTube video link or article so the veracity of the opinions can independently verified. I suggest in the future, along with the scheduling of similar events Pamela should provide a handbook of how to deal with the calls and letters in a way to verify respectfully the concerns of those objecting. If they are just hurling unsubstantiated claims of bigotry etc…. they can be dismissed.
11 years ago
Muslims aren’t going away, either quietly or noisily, on the freedom of speech issue. They’re seething about it. It will come up again, and again, etc. The Great Neck temple is just the latest to have been played the fool.
For us, our course is clear: Stay on the ramparts and stay alert. “It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.” John Philpot Curran (1750–1817).
As Spencer notes, “[T]his is not an age of iron. It’s an age of jelly.”
The JFK Library needn’t look too far for candidates for this year’s Profiles-in-Putty awards.
11 years ago
The same tactics as a political campaign smear, Attacking the messenger to skirt the message.
John 3:20
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
11 years ago
Rubi, I like your advice, but I’m afraid I can’t believe it is of much practical value. It’s like a discussion I had with a kid who is an atheist, but who is studding Islam in school. He called Robert, Pam, and and Ms Ali bigots. He says he’s against islam, but feels that because he’s read many books by their philosophers, that only he can give a valid criticism. He’s one of those I was a christian, then a buddist, then an atheist… and he’ll be a muslim eventually.
It does not matter, because we are beyond that point. Robert and Pam don’t need to decry some subtle apologetic, when people are being slaughtered in streets all over the world in the name of islam. When they are screaming and holding up signs, and when the moderate Muslims are right beside them because of the fear that they will be bad muslims (Or that they will be killed if they don’t.), it is no longer an academic exercise.
I think these last,prove it’s far too late already. The police pushing Islamazation. Rabbi’s showing that they’ve learned nothing from the example of the last group of Jews who also hid behind closed doors and walls, and were taken anyway. All the talk about never again was meaningless, when it was their turn, they hid too. And, as Robert also pointed out, the stalwart nature of that fine Catholic boy, Robert McManus, who folded like a stalk of wheat afger nearly twelve seconds of gruesome intimidation via letter.
Too many times of late, in conversation and in scanning blogs, people are saying that it is time to protect themselves with violence. I don’t think they realize how quickly the national guard will be sent in after them, and that if they haven’t stood for something, loudly, by that point, it’s already a losing exercise… But I understand their anger. Just look at the blogs, of Tommy Roberts being arrested for being set upon and threatened by Islamists, while a police officer stands behind them as they shout threats at the camera.
I think that some day sooner than you think, the head of CAIR will be giving their victory speech:
…I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created [Slaves of Allah].”
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to [bow] down together at the table of [Muslim]brotherhood…
And when this happens, when we allow [The prophets words, blessing and praise be upon him] to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar! thank God Almighty, we are [slaves] at last!”
… Gandhi was right, but only because he knew that beyond a certain point, the British and the rest of the civilized world would not see killing Indians as worship. They, as civilized men, would not enjoy it. Islam suffer’s no such constraint in its motivations.
I’m more fearful this morning then I ever have been, that the rednecks are probably right.
Anyway…
Great neck Didn’t just back out cleanly either. I posted this comment that will never see the light of day.
http://www.gns.org/archives/7463
No Responses to “Parsha Tazria and Metzora by Dr. Laura Danoff”
Coffey3C on Your comment is awaiting moderation. April 11th, 2013 2:26 am
What a remarkably Inapt homily.
It was almost as prophetic as the council saying they were cancelling Pam Geller’s speech for the safety of the children, especially when you consider that what they have really done is to allow an even greater danger, and cause a deeper and perhaps irremediable harm to those children’s future… as well as to those far beyond Great Neck’s walls.
Islam teaches that in the last days, they will kill every last Jew – including those hiding behind rocks and trees. It’s inevitable, I suppose, when all you do is hide from tyranny.
Shame on you. Six Million Times, Shame on you.
11 years ago
Errata: Sorry. That last ‘Six Million times, Shame on you.’ Was not included in the comment I sent. It was on my copy as I wrote it, but I deleted that part before sending the comment… However, as that comment will never see the light of day, as I’ve said, it’s of little moment.
11 years ago
Wow. That was a terrific piece, Robert. So true. ALL will be eaten, even if eaten last.
I’m blown away that no one understands how happy this cowering makes the jihadis. It encourages them and makes them feel that “allah” is with them to do more of the same–punish the infidels and make them submit.
The ethnocentrism is startling. Those who follow Islam in the direction of jihad, do not have the same moral foundation as Jews or Christians, or others. The “kindness” and “sensitivity” shown is interpreted as weakness and admission of “guilt” of not being Moslem.
Anyway, thanks again for a great article.
11 years ago
One other thought: it definitely is not the age of iron. You said jelly. Perhaps, and sadly, this is the age of iron mixed with clay…
11 years ago
“Until finally, there is no one left to speak out, no one at all.” And that’s when they begin taking people away in the middle of the night for “hate speech” crimes that are really nothing more than islamofascist blasphemy and heresy laws re-packaged.
11 years ago
positive achievements that we Catholics have attained in our inter-religious dialogue with devout Muslims – Huh, don’t make me laugh! Translation: the muslims have surgically removed our spines! Bloody wimps.
Btw, great piece Robert, as usual.
11 years ago
You can carve a figure with more spine from a ripe banana than this coward McManus has.
11 years ago
My comments are being disallowed here…
11 years ago
I grew up in Great Neck. How sickening to see it has devolved into this shameful, cowardly place.
10 years ago
The Catholics didn’t let you speak because they know you’re full of shit. Like the rest of the globe.
