The nearest small town to us, about 15 minutes away by car, has both a superb live theatre program and an excellent library. We were surprised not only by the selection of books available, but by the friendly and well-informed staff.
I recently asked if the library would be willing to order in a copy of Mark Steyn's "America Alone", and on my last visit, the librarian called me over to say the book was on its way. Given the events in France and the way Iraq and Afghanistan have been heating up, I have a feeling it will be a pretty popular book.
Felicitously, news aggregator and former diplomat Norman Spector, then pointed the way to a recent interview with the author of the book, the outspoken and always entertaining Mark Steyn.
I think you have to stand up and resist what I would call the phenomenon of creeping Shariah.Does anyone remember reading about New York City deciding to crack down on littering a number of years ago? At first, it seems like such an inconsequential matter to focus on, but studies showed that as soon as that first piece of litter hit the turf, people felt free to toss anything and everything onto the ground in it's wake. Focusing attention on that initial offense, was the first step in reclaiming New York's reputation as a tourist, if you will, mecca.
Because I think when you see things like, for example, England feeling that you can't fly the English flag because the Cross of St. George is offensive because of the Crusades--I mean every time you concede a little inch of ground like that, you are basically surrendering piecemeal.
And Muslim leaders--not just terrorists, but Muslim governments--draw the lesson from that, that the West is ideologically insecure. And not just Muslims, but all kinds of other fellows, from Chavez to Kim Jung-Il actually, see that too.
Steyn, among other things, argues that even the tiny, senseless 'politically correct' gestures western society is making to any & all 'distinct societies' is the thin edge of the wedge that will inevitably undermine the civilised society we have built up in North America these last few hundreds of years.
Now, call me a Neanderthal, but I'm thinkin' it's about time, to stop and think about that.
Technorati Tags: America Alone, Mark Steyn, Islam
