Nonie Darwish-a courageous woman
If only more people in our universities were so courageous
Freedom of Speech? For whom? The breaking news this week is that apostate author and speaker Nonie Darwish was scheduled to speak at Princeton and Columbia Universities this week (on the threat of radical Islam).
Apparently, due to pressure from Muslim groups, the Princeton group, Tigers for Israel, withdrew their invitation at the last minute claiming that they were not aware of Darwish's views on Islam.
Then why did they invite her? Who did they think she was?
Or was Tigers for Israel intimidated into withdrawing the invitation?
As for Columbia, keep in mind, this is the same university that hosted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad not so long ago. I don't get it. Ahmadinejad can speak at Columbia, but not Darwish, a woman who lives under death threats?
Meanwhile, at NYU, Robert Spencer, who is also a writer and speaker on the threat of radical Islam, was speaking to a university audience this week when a group of protesters rushed the stage and threw pies at him. Below is an excerpt of Spencer's description of the incident from his blog.
"Earlier this evening I spoke at NYU on a panel with Elan Journo. I had just started explaining the jihad doctrine and Islamic supremacism when a young man in the middle of the audience stood up and started yelling and refused to be quiet. When the security guards went over to start moving him out of the room, they left a side door by the stage unsecured -- and sure enough, the yelling guy turned out to be a diversion. Two other young men rushed in that side door and threw pies at Elan Journo and me. They hit Dr. Journo on the shoulder but missed me altogether, as I had jumped aside when I saw them coming."
All this at three prestigious universities where they preach about their commitment to freedom of speech.
What they mean is "acceptable speech".
Cowards.
You error in conflating student groups and rogue individuals with the university administration and institutions themselves. If Tigers for Israel are the ones who invited her and then cancelled her appearance, then I don't see how that reflects poorly on the administration or institution itself. It was the student group's decision and theirs alone. Yet somehow you come to the conclusion that this was the universities being repressive of free speech?
ReplyDeleteSo some students pied Spencer, and that is also the university's fault... how exactly???
Bryan,
ReplyDeleteI'll go back and double-check, but it seems there was a letter from Tigers for Israel to the Vice-President or something like that explaining the cancellation. No, I presume the Muslim groups on campus raised a furor and the Tigers and Debate society backed down. It may not be Princeton or Columbia itself that shut it down, but such is the atmosphere on college campuses that has grown and festered for decades-even since when I was in college.
I note that the police arrested the pie throwers, but again, it is the culture that is fostered on university campuses that allows these things to occur.
I suggest you go back and read my article/post entitled; welcome to fousesquawk university.
Bryan,
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with you
about this and the atmosphere
that Gary has carefully and acurately documented in regard
to similar events across the country. You can say what you
want about Atlas Shrugs and
Pamela Geller but I would rather have her and Robert Spencer in
my corner than the likes of
people who cave into the
tactics of various nefarious Islamic student organizations
like the MSU and the MB, just
to name two.
Nonie Darwish is an extremely brave and courageous woman who
lives with constant death threats from Islamic radicals who object
to her being a woman and one
who fled Islam to be free from it.
Throwing pies at Robert Spencer, that is utterly ridiculous. That just tells me that he is one the
right track and his message, Pamela's message and Nonie's message are being heard and listened to by ever increasing numbers. A few pies and leftards
will not stop these these
individuals and their vital
work against radical Islam
and injustice as has happened
to Rifqa Bary. I see you live
in Beserkley. I will have a
bacon Cheeseburger and a cold
IPA to your health!