The American Dissident: Literature, Democracy & Dissidence


Democracy in Peril—Islamization

This page is dedicated to those who dared exercise their human rights to freedom of expression and for that have been threatened with violence, taken to court and even murdered by Islamist haters of democracy and its cornerstones, freedom of speech and vigorous debate. Some of their names figure in the essay featured below, "The First Amendment," which appeared in The American Dissident, issue #23.

Molly Norris

In the New York Times, Washington Post, Time magazine, and other leftist ideologically-driven publications, the increasing foothold of Islam (Shariah law) in Europe, Canada, and even America is rarely if ever reported. As a fervent advocate of free speech and expression, the editor has been fascinated by events occurring in Europe, Canada, and the USA regarding the intensifying battle between free speech and Islamization. For doubters of the PC ilk, step out of your mind-forged manacles even if but for a moment to at least examine some of the many articles found on the website of the International Free Press Society. Force yourself to think, as opposed to knee-jerk labeling The American Dissident as islamophobic. Open your eyes to the facts, even if they counter the risible narrative of Islam, as "the religion of peace."

 

The First Amendment…

When even one “American,’ who has done nothing wrong, is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all Americans are in peril.
—President Harry Truman

 

During the Fourth of July parade in my town, I stood with a large red, white, and blue sign :  CELEBRATE THE FIRST FUCKING AMENDMENT, NOT COMMERCE.  My heart pounded.  Scowls, one after the next, glared.  “Inappropriate for the children!” some exclaimed.  But clearly the children didn’t give a damn about the sign.  Well, the adult children did.  One of them actually called me Charles Manson—no shit!—and really looked like he wanted to kill me.  No matter.  What better way to celebrate the Fourth, than with an expression of support for the First?  Besides, I was sick and tired of grownups ever telling me, a 62-year old man, to watch my language.  They’d rather a corrupt, well-mannered, smiley-faced local politico or art council director, than a man who swore when he got pissed off at dubious people like them. 
Judge Mark Martin
In America, we enjoy a greater right to free speech than in European countries, Canada, and perhaps everywhere else in the world.  It is important to emphasize that in a thriving democracy, the speech we may hate the most should be the speech that we dare stand up, alone if necessary, to help protect.  Sadly, the PC-left fails to understand that basic democratic principle.  It has sought to categorize certain speech as “hate speech” and shut down vigorous debate, democracy’s cornerstone, especially in the nation’s colleges and universities.  Often “hate speech” includes any speech critical of the left’s policies of open borders, multiculturalism, diversity, affirmative action, etc.  Most Americans are likely unaware that nearly 70% of the nation’s colleges and universities have adopted speech codes in an effort to illegally prevent and punish arbitrarily deemed “hate speech.”  Dare criticize those PC policies and be immediately branded, as I recently was, as “an intolerant racist.”  For those on the PC-left, let it be known that such tediously unoriginal ad-hominem rhetoric does not eliminate uncomfortable truths.  In my case, I’d dared state I was against multiculturalism because it was not only divisive, categorizing people as members of this group or that group, but had been placed on a higher level than truth itself. 

Most Americans are also likely unaware of what has been going on in European countries and Canada regarding “hate speech.”  Unlike America, those countries do not possess a First Amendment, so a number of them have been able to adopt “hate speech” laws.  Where such laws exist, one can actually be prosecuted for saying something in public that is TRUE!  Perhaps the most amazing case is that of Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician, unsurprisingly dubbed by the far left as far right and, of course, racist.  Wilders made an excellent 15-minute film, Fitna, featuring passages taken directly from the Qu-ran.  No other commentary was made.  Wilders was prosecuted and recently tried, under his country’s “hate speech” law.  What was his crime?  Some Dutch Muslims complained they were offended by the film.  In other words, noting some of the bad things about Islam is considered an act of hatred in the Netherlands. 

 

Other free-speech causes célèbres include Theo Van Gogh, also of the Netherlands, who was murdered and almost decapitated in the street by a Muslim fanatic, for making a film also critical of Islam.  Perhaps he too would have been prosecuted by Dutch PC-leftists in power.  Pym Fortin, yet another Dutch politician critical of Islam, was also murdered by yet another Muslim fanatic.  Kurt Westergaard, a Danish cartoonist, has had a fatwa death sentence on his head for a couple of years now for merely having drawn a cartoon of Muhammad.  Recently, he and his granddaughter were almost murdered by yet another knife-wielding Muslim fanatic, who’d managed to break into Westergaard’s home.  Fortunately, they managed in the nick of time to escape into a safe room.  In Austria, Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff was prosecuted for speaking truths about Islam.  In Sweden, Lars Vikers, another cartoonist, has a fatwa on his head for having drawn Muhammad as a dog.  Democracy is indeed in trouble when speaking freely may result in a Shariah death sentence. 

In France, Robert Redecker is now in hiding because of a fatwa placed on his head by yet another Muslim fanatic.  Why?  Well, he was found guilty of an opinion crime (délit d’opinion) regarding Islam.  Likely, those on the PC-left would mumble to their friends:  “Good!  Those people deserve it!”  In Europe, Muslim fanatics are taken seriously.  It is risky for me to even write and publish this very article here in America.  But if nobody takes risks, no matter how small, free speech will continue being threatened.  Other cases of persecution by Muslim fanatics exist.  In European countries, the Muslim minorities are sizeable and have formed potent lobby groups.  In fact, some “hate speakers” are now referring to Europe as Eurabia. 

In America, Muslim threats are also taken seriously.  Molly Norris, a young American cartoonist for the Seattle Weekly, was forced into hiding and had to assume a new identity, because she’d suggested devoting a week to drawing cartoons on Muhammad.  The Muslim Iman Anwar al-Awlaki placed a fatwa on her head. 

Kay WoodielPerhaps the most interestingly odd “hate speech” case is that of Pastor Terry Jones, known for his desire to burn the Qu’ran in public.  He was arrested prior to doing anything at all in Dearborn, MI and actually found guilty by a jury that reasoned he “would have breached the peace” if he’d protested in front of an Islamic Center.  Thus, mere intent to exercise free speech and protest in Michigan can actually and unbelievably result in a guilty verdict. 

The question remains today:  How can Islamic Shari’a law, which forbids freedom of thought and speech, possibly co-exist in a democratic Western country?  Well, the PC-left is convinced it is possible.  And indeed, it is possible if free speech is further and further truncated.  Article 22 of the 1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam states that “Everyone shall have the right to express his opinion freely in such manner as would not be contrary to the principles of the Shari’a.”  Shamefully, European countries, as well as Dearborn, MI, seem to have vicariously adopted that article, which clearly mocks that other Declaration on Human Rights.  The New York Times recently published an article by Yale assistant professor, Eliyahu Stern:  “Don’t Fear Islamic Law in America.”  Of course, Stern failed to point out precisely why Shari’a law should be feared and is simply not compatible with democracy.  He also failed to point out what is happening in Europe today regarding Shari’a.  He failed to mention the various people with fatwa death sentences on them.  He failed to evoke Yale Press’ censorship of a book to appease Muslims who do not approve of free speech in America.  The New York Times would not of course publish this article. 

 

Finally, in America, I can walk down the street with a sign:  Celebrate the First Fucking Amendment.  Sure, the ignorant will scorn.  I can also hold a sign:  Fuck Shari’a Law.  However, I could have my head cut off by an American Muslim for doing so just like what happened to film director Theo Van Gogh.  Perhaps the left today is really in serious trouble, because the far right, not the left, has become the prime advocate for freedom of speech and expression.  The left has instead become the prime advocate for controlling and otherwise shutting down speech.