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Gwardiano has a new post at FrumForum confronting “the Right’s Anti-Islam Extremists.” He calls out Jamie, Robert, and myself but makes no mention of my post previously responding to him. He also continues to ignore Robert’s final, definitive response on the subject. He also refuses to take up my humble request of naming just what this “moderate Islam” is. Who are its proponents? How many people subscribe to this phantom ideology? What books make the case for it?
Gerrdiano does not want dialogue or debate. He wants attention. That’s what all “contrarians” — from Christopher Hitchens and Frum on down to Knepper and Guarddiano — truly crave. And often a “contrarian” position can only be maintained through keeping one’s eyes closed. (That’s how Hitchens could continue to sympathize with the Left as David Horowitz showed in his review of Hitch 22.)
Gwerddiano has confessed that he has not read any of Robert’s books. Has he read the books of other “bigots” like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Brigitte Gabriel, Walid Shoebat, Nonie Darwish, Ibn Warraq, Mark Steyn, Andrew McCarthy, Serge Trifkovic, Bat Ye’or, Wafa Sultan, etc. etc.? It does not appear so. But he’s sure they’re all maliciously wrong and that his experience with Muslims in Iraq means he knows more about the subject than all of them.
What does this intellectual laziness truly show?
The “Center-Right” does not really care about fighting the Left, standing up for oppressed Muslims, or defending America and Israel. Its adherents care about getting their names out there — and spelled correctly.
I am not concerned about how people at other blogs might spell my last name. Swindel, Swindal, Spindle, Swindler — whatever. In fact I don’t care if my name is mentioned at all. Go ahead: take the arguments and the facts from the Freedom Center’s publications and assume them as your own. We don’t need the personal credit. This is not about us. It’s about the Muslims suffering under Islam. It’s about the free people all around the world who are threatened by creeping Sharia. It’s about our unborn children and grandchildren growing up in a country based on the Constitution, not the Koran.
But that’s not what it’s about to Guaardiano, Knepper, and Frum.
The unfortunate reality is that we as human beings are all irrational creatures. And we can explain things to people over and over, present the facts over and over and it still will not sink in. People believe things not because they’re necessarily true, but because they want to believe them. (This is another subject that Jamie tackles in United in Hate and further evidence that the Frumian “Center-Right” has more in common with the Left than their supposed colleagues in the Conservative Movement.)
It’s time to just say enough and move on. No more chalkboard screeches. When Gwaredieano has some facts to put on the table — instead of just more regurgitations of his feelings and opinions — then a discussion can move forward.
