Comments on: Chris Stewart Interview – NfS Podcast 47

By: Lawrence

Lawrence — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 02:45:49 +0000

Glad that’s all sorted out then.

By: Rafe

Rafe — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 13:11:24 +0000

Edith and Cesar, what cop out answers from both of you! I was expecting a more valiant rally! Edith. I thought I was talking mainly about European anti-semitism/Islamaphobia and also the Pope. Cesar, you use the word “Allah” as if it is different God, but Allah, Jehova and God are all the same. They come from who knows where! Perhaps ancient Egypt. Anyway don’t “ala con dios” but do “go with God.”

By: Edith

Edith — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 06:04:42 +0000

Rafe, let’s agree to disagree on the Middle East, OK?
And now let’s return to Spanish things…

Saludos, Edith

By: Londinense

Londinense — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 22:43:07 +0000

Rafe, I hope Allah listens to you. Al-Andalus is not returning, al khanduli lah!

By: Rafe

Rafe — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:31:41 +0000

Edith, you cannot confuse European antisemitism with Arabs being anti semitic. They are semites and historically have not oppressed
either Jews nor Christians. Even today nearly all Arab (and Muslim) countries contain both Jewish and Christian communities. As the historian William Dalrymple has recently pointed out Syria has become a haven for Christians escaping from the horror of Iraq. The imposition of Isreal on the region has fractured the relations between the Jews and muslims it is true but is important not to project the spectre of rabid European antisemitism which led to the gas chambers onto the Arabs and Muslims- there is no such equivalent. At the risk of heating up this debating even further I would like to mention the Pope’s speech on Islam. Apart the ironies contained within it: Christianity was not only spread by the sword it was spread by the Roman empire which was one of the most brutal and bloodthirsty the world has ever seen. If we are going to talk about that which is “evil and inhuman” we should remember that when Rome became Christian the games increased both in numbers and in their cruelty (just not against Christians). Can you imagine how we would remember that if it had been Muslims doing all that killing? The fact is that Christianity has been anti-Islamic and anti Jewish since the medieval times as part of it’s identity which was insecure both economically and culturally. Others ironies are that Aristotle’s debate on faith and reason which the Pope cited only entered Europe because it was translated and re-interpreted by the Arab philosopher Ibn Rushid from Cordoba. Does the Pope even know that? He certainly never mentioned it. The fact is from top to bottom Islamaphobia has existed as a morbid projected phantasy in Europe for over a thousand years. Recognising it is the first step towards creating a healthier and more honest atmosphere in which real dialogue with Islam can begin. This is something which the Catholic church has never been able to do in all it’s long history. Perhaps in a serendipitous way the Pope’s ill advised speech could start this. If not we will remain prisoners of the type of dangerous paranoia that Cesar suffers from. His reading of “civilisation” is really a re-run of 19th century Western colonialism as in Iraq, and the only Caliphate that exists today is the U.S one which has spread it’s military bases all over world. Don’t worry Cesar, Al Andalus is not returning. The Kings of Saudi Arabia are too busy investing in the U.S enonomy.

By: Londinense

Londinense — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 21:06:09 +0000

Jon, Edith

I forgot Fortuyn was killed by an animal activist, sorry.

I cannot agree more with you both.

I am personally very worried. I think we should stand up for our civilization. We have to acknowledge that we have a huge problem and do something to solve it.

By: jon hundt

jon hundt — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:03:06 +0000

Just to set the record straight:

Pim Fortuyn was NOT assasinated by a Moroccan. His stated beliefs about the “islamization” of Dutch society may indeed have raised some hackles in our Muslim communities, but in fact he was slain by a good old-fashioned white Dutch guy who was known as a fervent animal-rights activist. The connection is very hard to figure, and the killer isn’t explaining any better.

Theo Van Gogh was very definitely killed – ritualistically slaughtered – by a Dutch-Moroccan, who did it all for his own religious reasons.

Now – we’ve argued this all out, obviously we’re not going to solve the world’s problems here on B&M’s podcast. Let’s not get nasty at them just for bringing up a tough subject, and let’s not talk bad about others just because our opinions are different.

By: Edith

Edith — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 09:36:51 +0000

César, I do not want Europe to become a caliphate either. Like I told you before, there are many aspects of Arab (and Muslim cultures in general) which worry me deeply, like the treatment of women, the deeply entrenched anti-Semitism and the atrocious human rights records of their regimes. Personally, I could not live in a Muslim country because I like the freedom I am enjoying here as a woman. Even in Turkey, which is a modern Muslim country, equality between the sexes is still a pipe dream because so-called honor killings still happen on a regular basis. According to some observers, the hysterical mass rallies against the West we get to see on TV are orquestrated by the very regimes which mercilessly stifle any kind of popular opposition or any call for democracy. So yes, there are many trends within the Muslim world which should worry us deeply. I agree with you on issues such as the cartoon crisis and the Pope.

BUT… I do not understand this all-out hatred against Muslims in general. Theo van Gogh used very foul language against both Muslims and Jews and in doing so, ceased to be part of civil society. What did the average Muslim do to deserve the epithet ‘goatf*cker’? Yes, this was what Van Gogh said, both on TV and in the printed media. He was a very vulgar man, both in apperance and in language. What he said helped widen the rift between Muslims and non-Muslims in Holland. Of course, this does not justify his murder in any way, but to say that I liked him would be a lie. The Jewish community took him to court, which was the only sensible thing to do, Muslim radicals believed he deserved to die. So yes, there is a difference which I find worrying, but not all Muslims subscribe to these radical ideas. P.s.: Pim Fortuyn was not killed by a Muslim but by a radical animal rights activist of Dutch extraction.

By: Londinense

Londinense — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 08:53:53 +0000

Edith, ValenciaSon

I don’t care about the Spanish gene pool. Race is not an issue for me. Only attitude and willingness not to break the harmony of the welcoming society.

ValenciaSon

Te has cubierto de … gloria con tu último comentario. Espero que duermas mejor hoy y que a partir de mañana veas la vida no tan marrón. ¡Tómate unas cañas a mi salud y cálmate, majo!

By: ValenciaSon

ValenciaSon — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 00:36:10 +0000

I enjoyed this podcast because it did span from the arab influence on Spain to Africa. Do I feel compelled to offer the past atrocities of the US? No, sorry Cesar. I’m not feeling defensive enough to do that. The whole bit about Eurabia is just a tad bit xenophobic. If you do not espouse an arab presence in Europe, then what is acceptable, a caucasians’ only club? Lets not let the gene pool become shallow in Europe (again).

And who cares if Marina couldn’t remember what exact century Felipe did his thing? Talk about bering so habitually critical that you miss the essence of the conversation!

Ben and Marina, muchas gracias por este estupendo podcast. Creo que se ahora cual es el proximo libro que voy a leer. Mereceis una medalla por aguantar la mierda de Cesar.