A Steyn on Canada's Honor

British writer Johann Hari here slips the shiv to exasperatingly well-publicized loudmouth Mark Steyn, "an uneducated former Disk Jockey turned pundit" who wrote a book called "America Alone" which trots out the whole "Eurabia" prediction so beloved of American Europe-bashers. Steyn, Hari notes, hasn't the faintest idea what he's talking about:

[F]or Steyn's predictions to hold true, the current Muslim birthrate needs to hold steady through five decades of life in the West, all Muslims have to become communitarian Islamists bent on sharia law, and there must be no natalist policies from European governments in the meanwhile.

Perhaps sensing this groaning crack in the foundation of his argument, Steyn adds hastily: "It is not necessary, incidentally, for Islam to become a statistical majority in order to function as one. At the height of its power in the eighth century, the 'Islamic world' stretched from Spain to India yet its population was only minority Muslim." But they were - a fairly obvious difference - not electoral democracies, where any group has to command a majority to rule.

Well-put, except I don't know what a "groaning crack" might be. I can report with considerable relief that Steyn is a Canadian. However, the U.S. cannot escape some blame bere. After dismantling Steyn's book for a good 4 pages, Hari notes: "It is a startling indictment of the intellectual standards of the American right that they have welcomed this Eurabian fiction with anything other than cheap, repulsed laughter."

Comments

[Don]

Mark Steyn's works are no better in quality than those of Michael Moore, yet Steyn's books sell much more poorly in the US than Moore's books did in Europe.

I think the natural conclusion might well be that American conservatives are far more sophisticated and balanced in their views than most of Europe's self-glorifying 'educated classes' who sucked up Moore's comic books by the millions just a couple years ago and no doubt will do so again when the torpid Mr. Moore stirs himself to write another.

Europeans frequently remind me of what was said of the Bourbon dynasty - they forget nothing and learn nothing.....

[Marek Möhling]

Koch, I take it that you are new to the force. So you don't know yet, that you are not supposed to talk to me for many good reasons: some might want to reprimand you. I'm glad to have you here, though, as you have a succinct perception of God, his residence, and that suburb. I'll be hard pressed for time in the next days, however, so it might take a while till I can attempt to remove the nastiness from my generalisations—in my own underhanded little ways, of course. Hopefully, our host won't bury us in the archives by taking to a posting frenzy; as for me, I'm still exhausted.

[Koch]

Marek, isn't Kreuzberg the neighbourhood in Berlin where predominantly German leftists congregate every May 1 to torch cars, destroy shops and assault the police, at vast cost to Berlin, which has to import police from all over Germany to counter this? Kreuzberg is, if I recall, also only a short S-Bahn trip from other charming suburbs of Berlin such as Marzahn or Lichtenberg where 'Bockwurst-Nazis' exist in profusion, or from the 'No-Go' town of Potsdam where the government has apparently acknowledged (Rickens citing Schönbohm) that right wing extremist violence has reached entirely unacceptable levels.

I suppose if there is one aspect of your post I question most, it is your blanket references and allegations re: Muslims. Apparently I'm not alone: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070310.wxrenounce10/BNStory/International/home

I've lived in five German cities for extended periods of time, normally in immigrant-rich neighbourhoods, including Düsseldorf-Flingern, Berlin-Friedrichshain and Frankfurt-Westend. I look German, I speak German well enough to pass, and I have never once had a problem with anyone I could describe as even vaguely Muslim or Turkish. On the contrary - the vast majority have been professional work colleagues, good neighbours, normal students, attendant staff and inoffensive passengers on the streetcar. I suppose I'm referring to the majority who hold jobs, pay taxes and social welfare contributions for benefit plans they are likely not even entitled to, and in many cases, work harder than most Germans would ever care to in order to provide services I appreciate (why do so few Germans offer cheap haircuts, run a Trinkhalle or Spätkauf, clean my Treppenhaus or work in Döner stores?).

Does the Muslim community in Germany present a serious problem to broader German society? I don't think so. Like many immigrant societies with a distinct culture, yes, there are Anpassungsschwierigkeiten and yes, there is a higher crime rate than in broader society. Typically, such statistics never show that the vast majority of immigrant crime victims are... members of the same community. This is still extremely problematic, but far less of an issue to broader 'German' society.

If you want to pick out groups for nasty generalizations, let's start with German landlords, German cashiers at Kaisers, anyone selling insurance in this country, or Germans who smoke in public bus shelters. I have far more of a problem with any of these groups than with any of the large number of Muslims or Turks I have ever encountered in this country.

[Marek Möhling]

Hey, "ancestores", isn't that cute for a typo? And there are more. F...!

[Marek Möhling]

Our host's fixation on Steyn, arguably a silly exponent of Islamophobe ire, is conspicuous. Steyn despises gay and women's lib, abortion and secularism - so, let's call him a reactionary, me being the one catering to crude categorisations anyway in this here elitist happy valley. Hari on the other side exudes eulogies for Third World caudillo Chávez, not minding his blatant anti-Semitism, his cozying up to Nazi inviting Ahmadinejad and his tendency to make pass spending Petrodollars for socialism. Hari has no trouble arguing against "irrational panic" about paedophiles, often the "victims of sexual abuse themselves", pointing out that persecuting them makes them more likely to offend. While I don't think paedophiles merit the pillory, Hari certainly won't argue to not persecute skinhead thugs, as this might trigger frustration, but then, skins have no deplorable story of sexual abuse.

However, Hari advocates for the "international legalisation of drugs", so we seize control of the drug supply back from the criminals and hand it to "off-licenses, pharmacists and doctors." He also supports gay rights, advocating full legal equality, including gay marriage. He even has the honesty to tell us that 37% of young British Muslims, view British Jews are "a legitimate target", and 7% believe suicide-murder can be justified within their own country (actually it's 16%, and 60% fancy Sharia. Details? Ask me, I'll expound). "This gay-hating, women-enslaving far-right fanaticism must be honestly described, and steadily dissolved." Well done. So, for the occasional interesting idea begging for a fan to hit, there's a sensible thought, too. Maybe he has a medication problem, or else we might call him a worthy leftist libertarian, daring to go where nobody ventured before, sometimes stepping into smelly substances - risk of the trade.

Steyn predicts Eurabia in 13 years. Maybe he has a medication problem, too. The Soest Islam-Archiv, a conservative, little known Islamic think tank, announced a Muslim majority in Germany for 2046. They claim that this follows from a study, the German Ministry of the Interior had commissioned the archive with. The study is to be made public later this year, which is funny. However, neither the Archive nor the ministry refuted the corresponding notice, the Berlin tabloid B.Z. issued some weeks ago. The Spiegel limited itself to report the study's finding on the fourfold increase of conversions from 2003 to 2005. That's funny, too. Anyway, can't we wait patiently till then, instead of debunking Steyn's wish-wash, just because it's such an easy exercise, again? Don't we loathe Nietzsche over here, who asks to kick him who is already falling? If you can't be bothered to deal with more palatable adversaries like Joffe or Lord Dahrendorf, and if you just won't ask TGA, respected among Islamophiles, what he means with his prescient ruminations, tucked away in 1000 lines of digression, because you just don't want to know, couldn't you at least spare us of more Steyn bashing? Hitting away at the point of least resistance may be needed after a hard day's work, though. I think "Manager-Magazin" reported of a new trend among German lawyers, physicians and other assorted well-off: attend a boxing-gym, may well do wonders.

Lest I forget: no, it won't likely be 2046. Might well be later (or earlier), and there'll be more studies, with slight variations and differing points of emphasis. However, that won't make my day. Not only our green politicians, but also those from the center and the Christian democracy are beginning to cater openly to Muslim majorities to be. Minister Laschet tells us the obvious: "''In our cities 30-40% of the children have a migration background. It'll be them, who will sustain this country in 20 years.''" Not all of them are of Muslim families, though most, and of these not all are criminals, though their much likelier to be—in Berlin alone around 80% of violent crimes perps are of Turkish or Lebanese descent, details here. Not all of them are unable to speak and write basic German (or Turkish, let alone English), but most, not all of them don't even start a vocational training, but most - in Berlin, only 10% do start one, and 50% of those do fail. Our valued host knows better: most Muslims over here are academics, shop owners, taxi drivers, office drones. I wish most of them they were. What's so funny caring for some context?

We'll have Muslim majorities, and it'll be a bad thing - the ongoing Islamisation won't help. Check the 2003 Arab Human Development Report for its effect on progress and civilisational development. True enough, there was some whining by the Arab UN member states that had it commissioned in the first place, so in 2005, the Report put some blame on, ta da, Israel. Some 300.000.000 mostly pious people have some narcistic anger management problem concerning a
shitty little country - Al-Jazeera's editor-in-chief is not ashamed to explain thusly (en).

Need consolation for this repeated barbarian intrusion into glen happy? Here goes. My student and punk neighbours in the Turkish heart of Kreuzberg have no trouble having a good time. They don’t belong to the local youth’s predatory-pattern, centering on their peers. As long as they shut up, being confronted with nasty things occasionally, as sometimes it’s hard to look the other way quick enough, you’re ok. If you do, as a gay harassed by Turkish youngsters about 100 m down to my front door’s right, you're dead meat, as bottles, their neck ready to be broken, are to be found before any pub. Some lines in the local rag covered that. When seemingly drugged Turkish youth had us at gunpoint in my favourite pub 50 m down to my front door’s left, nobody uttered a peep, so we’re all well, while they’re in jail now. I could go on for 100+ lines with my exploits from the last three years, but I won’t, unless asked. And there’s crime in the Bronx, too.

My goody two shoed neighbours don’t see, what shouldn’t be seen, and their friends and relatives aren’t Muslim. Our host occasionally has contact to a well-educated Iranian in an Albanian run pub, so he knows about Muslim issues, as do well informed journalists, who tap the cab driver news agency more often than not. Some of my relatives are Muslim - it wasn’t me who married them; I would marry her, but she’s not Muslim anymore. She receives protection by the police for that very reason, though, so it’s not that bad. However, my leftist and liberal friends treat her ilk with deep suspicion - somehow they feel that these traitors lack authenticity, Nestbeschmutzer is what my friends' ideological precursors called that in darker ages. Contrary to a whistle-blower, he "fouls" his, and his compatriot's "nest." Yes, even if my main intention is to disrupt and put off, I do my best to etymologically oblige to the so inclined. Now, my friends do not foul their—or anybody's—nest. "Green meets green", is their endearing and witty motto, gotta luv'em.

Back to consolation mode: when my neighbours had enough exposition to Kreuzberg's 24x7 Döner dinner and pub scene (which I cherish too), and particularly when they start to have their, ugh, only child, and then, when it's time for schooling, they invariably move. They don't even whimper, they don't protest, they don't tell reporters that they don't want their brat abused by Muslim youth in school and on the street. Heck, we're a generation upon which some billion's worth of wirtschaftswunder inheritance is bestowed upon, so moving to some posher quarter, where auntie's house is to be found, is just a must. We don't need to say or even think nasty things.

So, sylvan glen dwellers, you're likely to be able to move as long as reality is creeping nearer. There'll be always quieter quarters and better schools elsewhere, quieter cities eventually, and overseas is always an option for the versatile and mobile. For the true blue hedonist, there's every creature comfort even to be bought right in the center of Muslimdom's world-o-wonder, say, in Bahrain, Quatar or Tehran. Drugs, hustlers, booze, condo? Got money? You're welcome. You'll have to make some compromise on vigorous and stimulating intellectual debatte, free and varied press, and take care not to step in the funnily coloured puddles of Saudi cities’ chop-chop places. But my young bohemian friends in Kreuzberg don't know either, where to find a mosque willing to issue a fatwa that allows for stiff correctional measures when a female family member steps too far, and they don't care, happily. My Muslim neighbours do know, and, if I'm lucky, the go for the other shop or just stay home and watch al-Manar. Manar what? You sylvan lucky pups never heard of it, and you so hate me for bringing this crap in. But it's popular all over Muslim Europe, though, even among non-Arabophones, as its videos, sometimes home made, are, ugh, lively. Burying the head in sand never helped the ostrich. That's an idiom, nitpickers, ok? They don't do that really, I know, and you're smart for knowing it too.

Let’s end with some, ugh, final, Hari goodness:

There are indeed parts of the Koran that mandate savage imperialism, just as there are parts of the Torah and Bible where 'God' commits and demands genocide. Most Christians and Jews have managed to relativise away these passages, and in time most Muslims will too.

Have scholars of Islamic science tell you about the extend of those parts of the Koran, and their dominant interpretation among Muslim scholars of the last 1300 years. Please don’t limit your inquiry to, say, Juan Cole, though his political conjecture may suit your expectations. Serious scholars feel he stinks, and even among the laymen really informed commenters know his Farsi to heavily suck, and so does his English. Hitchens rightly labels him "a minor nuisance on the fringes of the academic Muslim apologist community." Trust an inquisitive ex-Trotskyist mind to tell the good from the bad. Unrelated: Hitchens still dislikes Israel strongly, so if he's an untrustworthy neocon, he's at least bad at it.

Till then, have an arrogantly presented idea of a half-educated amateur: It took the Christians and the Jews about 2000-2500 years to "relativise away" these passages, and particularly our Christian ancestores needed some heavy enlightened hitting for about 400 years to do so, eventually. Muslim world hasn't started yet, and the few who have are living either in inner exile, emigration or jail. They don't have a following worth mentioning, and they didn't have in the thirties, when religious dissindence blossomed in some elite circles under the imperialist masters patronage—while Quaradawi and his ilk have a following by the tens of millions every day, in satelite-dish enhanced TV sets near you. Till Muslims sort their mess, and give prove of it in their part of the world, I don’t want them to have a say on the order of the society I’m living in. Arguably I’ll have to accept majority votes, as the Reichstag had to in 33, but I feel it’s legitimate to do what I can to prevent this from taking place.

Andrew, you wanted this to happen. Obviously, it's awfully hard not to feed the trolls, else, what would I do? I'd had to start my own blog, sheesh. On the other side, I'm beginning to discover that honking your blog is like good sex: it takes quite some time and it is exhausting. So you won't have have it too often. Skip Steyn, and I'll have more sleep.

>softwood lumber dispute
Yes, this is funny indeed :-) Seems like Andrew took up softwood lumber carving as a hobby, doesn't take any fancy equipment.

[Koch]

At the height of the Canada / US softwood lumber dispute, it was quipped in Canada that David Frum and Mark Steyn had been shipped across the border to the US freely only after US customs officials determined that these two were indeed simply softhead lumber, and thus, did not warrant extra duties.