Robert Spencer et al at UC Irvine

On November 26, a forum was held at UC Irvine on the topic of freedom of speech vs Islam blasphemy laws. The event was sponsored by a student group called Ex Muslims and Critics of Islam (ECI). The speakers were Robert Spencer, Nonie Darwish and Raymond Ibrahim. The event was  attended by a hundred or so people, mostly from the community, with a few students. About 5 or 6 members of the Muslim Student Union were briefly present. After filming the opening talk by Spencer, they left. There were no protests. I will briefly summarize each speaker's words.

As we entered the room, we noticed that certain chairs (a dozen or so) were marked "reserved" with a red rose and the name of a person (Muslim names). During the event, we were told that they represented the names of other apostates in Muslim countries who had been killed for their apostasy.

Spencer, who is one of the foremost observers and writers on radical Islam, talked about the on-going effort of the 57-nation Organization of  Islamic Cooperation to get a resolution passed through the UN that would urge member nations to criminalize speech against Islam. He explained that most people assume that could never happen in the US because we have a 1st Amendment protecting our speech, yet it could be tinkered with (my words) just as there are exceptions and restrictions on the 2nd amendment. A fifth liberal Supreme Court justice could be all that is needed to pass some sort of law as desired by the OIC. He added that the US has already signed on to a non-binding UN Measure (1618). Spencer stressed the point that if any group is held above criticism that group can exercise its will over others.

Raymond Ibrahim comes from an Egyptian-American family and has written extensively on radical Islam. He added onto the Spencer comments about the OIC. Ibrahim explained that the OIC and others are careful to call their legislation defamation of all religions, but in reality, they are only concerned about their own. He asked rhetorically how Muslims can ask for protection of their religion from defamation when their own holy texts, (Koran, Hadith) regular defame Jews and Christians.

Nonie Darwish, an Egyptian-born apostate from Islam, described growing up and being told that Jews were evil people. She began to question the hate, which ultimately led to her leaving the religion. One of the most memorable points she made was that just in the past few days, she called people in Egypt to find out about the situation there, and the only thing anyone wanted to talk about was the weather. They were literally afraid to discuss the violence going on in the streets for fear that the words could be taken as "blasphemy".

This is the much-heralded "Arab Spring" that our administration is trying to put a happy face on. (My comment).

Later, during the Q and A, Darwish told the audience that America now has its first political prisoner, Nakoula B. Nakoula, the producer of the video trailer, "The Innocence of Muslims", which has been famously used as an excuse for the September 11 rioting and murder of our people in Libya, and who is now serving a year in prison for violation of his parole. (Sadly, I have to concur.)

At the end, the moderator noted that so few students were present since that was the audience they wanted to reach the most. A few of the students volunteered their opinions. Apathy was one. One young woman commented, however, that many students were put off by the ECI exhibit table that is set up on certain days on campus. She mentioned certain visuals, such as severed hands. (There are also posters referring to the Prophet Mohammed's marriage with Aisha, who was 6 or 9 according to which account you read.) The student explained that these visuals were seen by most students as being intolerant; thus, they did not want to be associated with it.

In a nutshell, I think that is why more students did not attend.