E Pluribus Unum, All of Them Together (I)

Today's blegosphere harvest offers us a juxtaposition of two dualistic versions over the present situation, meaning and potential consequences of immigration in general, and the influx of Muslims into Western society in particular. While immigration is not entirely made up of Muslims by any means, the two positions have statehood and unity - or lack thereof - in common: both quote "E Pluribus Unum" in the case of the former, and a free translation to that effect in the case of the latter: "All of them together".

The position of Victor Davis Hanson and former Democratic Governor of Colorado, Dick Lamm primarily centres on the views and politics of the Liberal Leftists and multiculturalists on migration in general. The other is a romanticized, if not entirely well informed vision of Dutch author, Margriet de Moor with regard to Muslim immigration specifically, which in the Dutch context, is almost synonymous.

We will top that up with shattering advice and clarification from Indian quarters and a conclusion from an American on Townhall, Tony Blankley who served as press secretary to former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich and is the author of "The West's Last Chance: Will We Win the Clash of Civilizations?"

For proper understanding it must be said that where America, Europe or any E.U. compositing country are mentioned, these are virtually mutually interchangeable. I habitually use the term 'the West' in these pages.

In a post titled "How to destroy America" on TechPowerUp Forum a participant in last week's immigration-overpopulation conference in Washington, DC, describes the view of Victor Davis Hanson and Dick Lamm's, which states that America does exactly those things which it should, had it decided to commit suicide. Again, under influence of Leftist Liberal and multicultural political views, it is precisely what most E.U. member states - egged on by the harmonization boys in Brussels, are also up to.

On the German culture site Signandsight Dutch author Margriet de Moor published an article yesterday with the enigmatic title "Alarm Bells in Muslim Hearts". In contrast to myself - I didn't know how fast to get out of there - Mrs de Moor seems to be enjoying herself thoroughly 'in that remarkable country'. I give her that, remarkable it is, but the same could be said of Atilla the Hun!

She rightly connects the dots that respect and tolerance go hand in hand. Her conclusion that the perceived and rather famous Dutch tolerance is non-existant, and is mere contempt, is justified. It is a misnomer and the attitude has more in common with the Soviet concept of 'peaceful coexistence' as a result of mutual non-interference, than with tolerance in the true sense of the word. It is cold shouldering at best.

Regretfully she goes off the rails in equating the Hispano-Dutch Eighty Years' War of Independence (1568-1648) with Jihad. It is a common Western fallacy, reminiscent of the infantile equations that are fashionable among relativist quasi philosophers: for example, brick and cement are both building materials, brick and cement are identical. Likewise when searching for guidance over Islamic intricacies one goes for reference to the Christian context. In the assumption that Jihad simply means 'religious war', in a desire for proper understanding we hunt for a Christian equivalent and come up with a war of independence, that had as much to do with religion as the more recent Irish Troubles: one combattant was of another religious persuasion than the opponent, but the essence of the conflict was of a political nature.

~ To be continued: "Apart from the simplicity of the fallacy, it also underscores a lamentable and potentially fatal lack of knowledge and understanding of Islam." ~