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Thank you for your kind (and unkind) letters from the Canada, America, Britain, Israel and the Arctic. Mark reads all the letters, but especially enjoys the vicious ones. Drop a line to Mark's Mailbox and if you're chosen to be the one and only Letter of the Week you'll join our roll of winners from four Continents and receive a copy of Mark Steyn From Head To Toe. It would help if you could indicate your city or town, or, at least, your state, province or country. Failing that, your continent or hemisphere would do. For letters on the complaint against Mark and Maclean's magazine by the Canadian Islamic Congress, see Mailbox Extra.
Letter of the Week
TOP TITLE
Can you help me find a publisher? I'm catching a wave! The title sells the book!
Heather has Two Imams
Ezra Marsh
Baltimore
Re: As the world turns
NONE OF THE ABOVE
FYI.... in our upcoming North Carolina May 6th primary.... there is an actual option to choose on the GOP side: "NONE OF THE ABOVE"
I will definitely be voting NOTA when it comes my turn in a few weeks!!
-Bruce (aka - GayPatriot)www.gaypatriot.org
CHAOS?
With Operation Chaos apparently more successful one has to wonder if the numbers are representative of even the folks that went to vote. How many otherwise GOP voters cast Democratic votes because there's nothing left on our side to vote for? How many Paul voters are the nutty lefty anti-war crowd who are not really Republicans by any measure of that term? Since Paul voters at this stage are more likely to show up to make a point, while your average Republican probably has better things to do than vote in a meaningless primary, Paul's numbers in the remaining contests will be unnaturally elevated and can't be used as proof of the strength of the Paul platform within the Party.
Dominick Schirripa
East Northport, New York
Re: God and guns
and Brit snob on Dem snob
IN PERSON
Here's the Youtube video of Obama's remarks at the San Francisco fundraiser.
This is sort of like Marx's history repeating in reverse - the first time it was farce, and it played better.
James Eridon
Shelby Township, Michigan
AN IDIOT AND A FOOL
”A long day spent on planes fogged my mind”...... eh??
It's more than that....... You're an absolute IDIOT and a FOOL.. Your commentary was idiotic and foolish. Nevermind your intellectual dishonesty and total pomposity. Go "Cheney" yourself !!!!
EKD
MARK REPLIES: Thanks for that. One day I hope to be able to write in CAPITAL LETTERS WITH MULTIPLE EXCLAMATIONS!!!!!!!!!! just like a sophisticated thinker such as yourself.
PRO-AMERICAN CANADIAN
As an American, I am requesting your help as a Canadian- I am looking for a recording of a bit of US flag waving done by the CBC during the last big US economic crisis, in the late 70's or early 80's. Do you remember it? The US dollar was on the skids, oil prices skyrocketing, and the economy of W Germany and Japan were predicted to supersede ours. ( Delicious deja vu?), Or merely demonstration of the fact the economy runs in cycle and the media loves to see America on the downslide?)
A Google search won't turn it up with the terms I am using. Would you please put "your people" on it? We used to get a lot of joy (living in Michigan in those days), hearing our neighbors to the north wax eloquently about the greatness of America, when no one here in the US had the grit do do so.
Enjoy your columns much! Especially God, Guns. I wish you an ever widening audience, for under the relentless siege of common sense, Liberals will perish.
Paul Banbury
Sequim, Washington
MARK REPLIES: You're thinking of a famous editorial by the late Gordon Sinclair - not from the CBC but on 1010 CFRB in Toronto back in 1973. It had a huge impact and many years later, asked if there was anyone he'd like to meet on an official visit to Canada, President Reagan asked to be introduced to Gordon Sinclair. The Sinclairs were a great Canadian broadcasting family - Gord Jr was as big a mainstay of Montreal radio as his dad was in Toronto - and I regret that the new owners of CFRB have removed Gordon Sr's famous broadcast from their website. However, you can find it (in a TV reprise) here.
OBAMA’S BLAZING SADDLES MOMENT
I remember hearing the "bitter" Obama quote in a more amusing fashion. It was spoken by Gene Wilder talking to Cleavon Little as an explanation for why the new sheriff was having so much trouble being accepted in Rock Ridge. I believe it went something like:
"You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new west. You know... morons."
James Eridon
Shelby Township, Michigan
AMBASSADORS TO THE HEARTLAND
About your post on the Corner:
Indeed Obama and Mrs. Clinton will need ambassadors to the heartland. Though we're used to being ignored, and maybe we like it thata way if they're to be our leaders.
So many liked Bill & Jimmy because they didn't need that sort of ambassador, or so we thought.
Frankly, we like McCain a whole lot because he is mature and experienced. He will be able to speak to us, never having to hide contempt for some Americans, because he doesn't possess any.
McCain came back from captivity and became a productive citizen, wasn't outwardly bitter, and frankly is remarkably good humored about life in general. He will do well to remind us of these things, often. (BTW, he proved that quite nicely on the View last week, sparing with four women who, while not hostile, are none the less an intimidating panel.)
Unlike his democratic counterparts who are remarkably bitter given their
amazing good fortune.
A faithful NR reader and subscriber;
Daniel Smith
Lu Verne, Iowa
THINKING MEN
Surely I'm not the only one who hears the voice of Adlai Stevenson in Obama's latest remarks. Remember?
"During one of Stevenson's presidential campaigns, allegedly, a supporter told him that he was sure to 'get the vote of every thinking man' in the USA, to which Stevenson is said to have replied, 'Thank you, but I need a majority to win.'"
Paul Stukel
Chicago
CHILI AND A FROSTY? YOU BET
Your recent remarks about Senator Obama's condensension linked to your essay about the Kerry's ordering a bowl of chili and a Frosty at a Wendy's and not knowing what to do with either. Ordering a "chili and a Frosty" you remarked was the ultimate in U.S. fast-food cluelessness.
Hey, every time I go into a Wendy's, I order a chili and a Frosty. My wife says they make the best chili of any fast-food restaurant -- I love it because it really has a lot of meat in it (Where's the beef? Right there.), and as for the Frosty, I will eat ice cream for dessert any time.
Paul Milenkovic
Madison, Wisconsin
IN CONTEMPT
Obama is not out of touch he knows exactly what he's saying and who he's talking about, it's just that he holds them in contempt.
pg
Santa Monica
PATHETIC
You recently posted this on The Corner:
"Barack Obama has no accomplishments, no legislative record, no nuthin'. So if you don't want to vote on character (ie, his condescension to crackers too boorish to understand how sophisticatedly nuanced it is to have a terrorist pal and a racist pastor), what else is left?"
I'm a regular reader of National Review Online, one who is frequently sympathetic to much that I read there. But I was so astonished by your post that I had to write.
You know perfectly well that Obama has an impressive (if short) record in the Senate. You know perfectly well that he is among the most accomplished figures in government today. And you know perfectly well that, while poorly worded and quite condescending, Obama's "bitterness" remarks did not mean what you say they meant. Yet you wrote all of these things anyway.
I assume that you went to college or university and learned about the importance of ideas and truth and honesty in debate. I assume that you were raised by parents who did their best to instill the value of personal honor in their son. Tell me, then: what the hell happened? The world is a dangerous place right now, and there are large issues that desperately need intelligent debating. And this tendentious garbage is what you devote your adult life to churning out?
You're pathetic, sir. Pathetic.
James John
BORROWED BITTERNESS
I haven't seen a connection made yet. It seems to me that Obama's "bitterness" speech is clearly based on the preachings of Rev. Wright.
Obama suggested that the Pennsylvanian's [assumed] bitterness on five specific subject areas was caused by and justified by an economic/employment event of 25 years ago.
Wright blames an economic/employment event of 400 years duration, slavery, etc., as being the justification and cause of every ill ever effecting a black in American and explaining every black bitterness on every issue.
Obama's comments proved to me that he and, especially, his wife, have very carefully heard every racist and anti-American word the Rev. Wright snarled at his flock.
Marty Asdorian
Colleyville, Texas
ART IN KANSAS
I loved the O.C. register column of April 19. Though it does not lend itself to your print media, my favorite piece of art in Kansas is unapologetic in the state's embrace of God and Guns. In the Statehouse, our capitol building, a mural by John Steuart Curry depicts John Brown, the famous Kansas abolitionist, with a Rifle in one hand (we capitalize such things here), a Bible in the other, hair and beard swept away in the winds of change, face contorted in righteous fury. Something to use next time you publish a book, hopefully with a few pictures in the middle.
The picture can be seen here.
Tom Dangermond
Lawrence, Kansas
ANARCHY IN CHICAGO
Mayor Daley says he's a friend of Bill Ayers. He says he has worked with Bill Ayers on Chicago Public School reform.
Ah-ha! That explains a lot. Bill Ayers has brought his violent Weather Underground tactics to the children of Chicago Public Schools - and it's succeeding. How many school kids have been killed this year (24 and counting)? How many young people were killed just this weekend (6 and counting)? The "take it to the streets" philosophy of the 60's terrorists (Ayers and Dohrn) is rampant. The city is in a state of anarchy and all the participants are products of Chicago Public Schools.
The Mayor likes to point the finger at guns, and knives, and baseball bats. I suggest we point the finger at Mayor Daley and Bill Ayers. The "Days of Rage" philosophy has been legitimized by Daley, Ayers and his disciples. Traditional education has been replaced by Ayer's notion of social justice.
If Bill Ayers wants to bomb another building, it should be the education department building at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago).
Jack Hughes
Chicago, Illinois
OBAMA’S NEIGHBORS
Hey Mark and Team -
Real Hope and Change at work in Barack's own back yard: here and here. Wooo hoooo! They must be bitter like the Pennsylvanians. In PA they cling to guns, religion, and anti-immigrant sentiment. In the Windy City it's similar, but they cling to guns and murder and anti-native sentiment. One wonders which, thinking as, oh, Darwin might, is the more profitable strategy for a community to cope with bitterness. And yet, the folks in PA don't seem bitter. Obama's neighbors do though. Hope and Change.
Doug Butler
Boston, Massachusetts
THE CITY HAS BEEN INVADED
Re: God and Guns: Hell Yes.
Comments: This puts the reality of guns and God in great focus for this Texan living in Londonistan. I moved here to attend school because I love England and the English. Every tenth voice I hear does actually have an English accent. The city has been invaded, still I seek out the rare antiquity, an actual Brit. Thank you, Mark, for this piece, even from here one can see the writing on the American wall if Obama is elected. There is a fever about him that I don't remember since The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. I listened to you on my friend Martha Zoller's site recently. Is there a link I can hear you regularly here in London? Thank you, Mark, for all the intelligence you bring to a dumbing down world.
Patti Dahlstrom
Songwriter
LOOK NORTH TO THE FUTURE
I love your work. After reading "God & Guns" it strikes me that many of the points about Big Government that the left thinks of ideal can be shown in real life - Canada. Sort of a glimpse of the future. It would be great if you wrote a piece on what the talking points of Democratic party look like
when put into action. You get - Canada. With California playing the part of Quebec - where everything has to be a little different. You are probably the only person with a knowledge of cherished Canadian topics of health care, federalism, oil politics, military loathing, gun control, political correctness and of course - immigration.
When the locals here in San Francisco told me if Bush was elected again they were moving to Canada, I just laughed and said you wouldn't last a week. The Americans really don't know how lucky they are.
Mark Milazzo
PS We met last year when you gave your speech at Berkeley - loved it and it was a pleasure to meet you.
MORE EVENLY MATCHED
Loved God and Guns. At our founding, the citizenry and the government were a lot more evenly matched than they are today. The arrogance of the British government was certainly fresh in the minds of the founders. In this context, we should all look at scenarios like the Tiananmen Square Massacre when we think about the second amendment.
Dave Green
Scottsdale, Arizona
THE MSM LOVES MCCAIN
I assume you are kidding when you write this. The mainstream media's candidate in this election is McCain. No matter how many times he bungles statements on foreign affairs he gets away with it because they have declared him an expert on foreign policy. No matter how many
times he flip flops from his 2000 primary stances to the GOP line he is considered to be true to his principles. No matter his past indiscretions he has integrity. No matter how rich he and his trophy wife are, he is not considered an elitist.
How many staffers of NRO really hang around in rural America, spitting tobacco, hunting, and fishing? How many actually live in Red States? How many have served in the military? None, I suspect?
Knock it off with the elitist crap. If you are in the Senate you are part of the elite and probably a millionaire. Why not argue on Republican handling of the economy, foreign affairs, border control, and Iraq? Oh that's right. YOU CAN'T BECAUSE THEY HAVE TOTALLY SCREWED UP IN ALL THESE AREAS!!!!!
And wasn't your President born a millionaire and get to attend Andover, Yale, and Harvard?
Paul Kohnhorst
Grand Rapids, Michigan
COZY UP TO THE SPECIAL FORCES
Mark -- Your latest on NRO, God and Guns - The Only Healthy Way To Fly, was stupendous.
I referenced and linked to it on my blog Also
forwarded your piece to a Gay associate who operates www.gazetotheright.com .
I'm recommending American Gays to cozy up to Army Special Forces ("Green Beret") veterans to learn how to "fight for their freedom", not, well, you know.
Dan Ward
Lt. Colonel USA (Ret)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Re: News you can lose
BORING DOESN’T BEGIN TO EXPLAIN IT
Mr. Steyn, It is my opinion that the readership has realized that the major newspapers have been promoting agendas, not providing "news" for years now, and there is an alternative. Instead of allowing themselves to be brainwashed by what Pinch or someone else wants them to believe, readers are finding writers with whom they relate to their ideas or style of writing and use that/those writer(s) as starting points for the "news".
Much like I check Drudge first for headlines, The Corner next for thoughtful dialog on many of those headlines, then RealGM for sports. Why would I bother reading the Boston Globe and have to sort through all the petty agendas? Boring doesn't begin to explain the reason people are looking elsewhere. It will be interesting to see if the WSJ can grow in this market.
Jim Hill
WHO’S CALLING WHO DRAB?
I quote you as a reader who admires what you write. But: "Their print drabness derived mostly from the complacency of their local monopoly..." seems like a touch of the pot calling...
Your sight is looking very drab these days, if I may say so. A bit Marks & Sparks circa 1997 - those warm brown colours (though M&S use drab green instead) and Garamond italic! Impossible to read. Much as I hate to be critical and may to appear to be a fan of "the medium is the message" guff, your site needs a bit of a shake-up - graphically.
One site I like, which you may occasionally visit is Commentary Mags. Easy to read and clean without being sterile. And I think they use Garamond too - on the masthead I believe!
Meanwhile keep up the excellent work.
Toodle pip,
Eric Spires
Re: The butt stops here
YOU COULDN’T TEACH HER TO BE RACIST
If this Down’s boy is anything like my daughter, the situation is all the more absurd and frankly abusive - probably to both the victim and the accused. My daughter, also 18, functions at about a 4 to 5 year old level and can't comprehend race; can't see it. And don't even think about ideology or beliefs; either you are mean or a friend is as deep as it gets and its strictly measured relative to her personal experiences. Recent ones at that. You couldn't teach her to be racist.
Then again he could be having the time of his life with all the attention and new people about whose pets or cars he is able to inquire. If this boy is like my daughter he'd not understand racism and be somewhat bewildered about the to do over hitting that girl who wouldn't give him the glue like he did to Lenny the day before yesterday and only got a time out. . maybe they can teach them after all. I hope not.
Mark Stewart
Rockford, Michigan
Re: Song of the Week
STARS FELL ON US
Hello Mark. Boy, you really are a global content provider. We just came back from a winter in Alabama where all the licence plates have the peculiar line, Stars Fell On Alabama Now I know its significance thanks to you.
Being connected to your website made for a wonderful vacation. If you're doing a book thing in Toronto, I hope to drop in.
Wolf Prudek
FIRST WITH STARDUST
But wasn't it Nat "King" Cole who recorded just the verse of "Stardust"? Or did he and Sinatra both do it? And, if so, who got there first?
Theodore Iacobuzio
MARK REPLIES: No. Nat Cole did verse and chorus. (It was my pal Mitchell Parish's favorite version.) Having sung the chorus back in the Forties, Frank in the Sixties did just the verse, beautifully arranged by Don Costa on /Sinatra & Strings /and titled "The Verse Of "Stardust'". Hoagy Carmichael never cared for it.
NATURE BOY ON YOUTUBE
The song "Nature Boy"
Mark, I saw Jamie Cullum do a wonderful cover of this song a couple years ago in a concert in Reno, accompanied only by an acoustic base and a bongo-like drum he played. He used the original ending. One of the highlights of the concert. If you aren't familiar with him, he has a hip-but-world-weary quality to his voice that sounds like the mature Sinatra only younger. That is, when he's singing jazz and leaves the poppier stuff behind. You can catch the "Nature Boy" rendition on YouTube.
Anyway, love your work.
Paul Panther
Nampa, Idaho
“L” OF A STORY
I loved (is that too strong a word??) your piece on “Nature Boy”. I always felt the song to be quite haunting and mystical when sung by the great Nat Cole. I found your story to be most interesting! From now on, that “L” in “HOLLWOOD” will never be the same for me. Thanks.
Barry Perles
Montreal
JOLSON BEING SUBTLE
Al Jolson performed "Nature Boy" on the "Kraft Music Hall" as well, accompanied by Oscar Levant at the piano. One of the few times Jolson could be described as subtle; he sounds totally connected to the lyrics, a really nice performance.
I once saw a CD of Abhez' recordings. The back cover was a photo of him standing between Nat King Cole and Fred Allen. The latter is looking at Abhez with utter bewilderment. I've never seen it since, and I wish I'd bought it for the photo alone.
Kevin Kusinitz
New York, New York
KURT’S THE MAN
One more performance you should hear...
Mark, by all means, find a copy of one Kurt Elling's version of Nature Boy. Nat used to own the song. Now, Kurt Elling does.
Just an old jazz musician with a tip. You gonna like it. I'm certain of that.
Go with God, sir. I love your writing and stance, BTW.
Mac McDonald
Chesapeake, Virginia
AHMET BY MOONLIGHT
While I am completely in your camp in the free speech and threat from Islam matters, they are trying and somewhat depressing topics. I quite enjoy your Song of the Week as a respite.
I was wondering if you had penned, or would, a piece about Ahmet Ertegun. As a fan of rock and roll, but with little historical knowledge, I eventually developed the opinion that he must have been a heck of a guy given how he was portrayed in all the bio-pics (such as Ray or Beyond the Sea).
Is it true? Was he a musical visionary and colour-blind saint? Did he have a past? I'm sure your column will relate some long-ago encounter you had with him as co-interviewees on some obscure radio show!
Mike Lyons
Oakville, Ontario
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Having heard "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" as a little kid during the war, I seem to recall the next line as, "All aboard to beat the politician".
One other thing: Throughout that war, Kate Smith's powerful rendering of "God Bless America" on commercial broadcast radio stations helped to reassure and uplift American spirits during the very darkest hours. It served as our anthem of hope and courage, and was heard often.
I think the Ken Burns' series on WWII overlooked it, and I wonder if it could even be played today on the airwaves without creating a storm of protest from the usual culprits.
Louis C. Flanagan
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Re: America Alone
NOT A TAKEOVER, JUST A NUISANCE
You wrote recently, “Don’t ruin Britain for me? Hey, sometimes radical transformation isn’t just for T-shirt slogans.” You made this statement after speaking of the ABC's stance on shariah. He is a dud. But how in God's name is the ABC's idiocy going to lead to the Muslim takeover of Britain such that the country is going to be ruined? I know, I know, you've supposedly gone over all this in “America Alone”, but especially in the case of Britain the whole thing doesn't seem to pan out. Please go over this for me and all your other fans in a new piece sometime soon. Muslims are a small percentage of the British population. Around 4%. Even if they were to double in the next twenty-five years, it's not a take-over, just more of a nuisance and more towels running around Whitechapel. By then, surely, many Muslims will have undergone some secularization and assimilation, and many more will have seen their birthrates come down in line with the rest of the population. Their growth trends are unlikely to continue indefinitely, nor are native British trends. If anything, the chavs will ruin Britain before the Muslims get a chance.
Jasper House
MARK REPLIES: Well, you really should buy the book. Then you'd understand why third-generation European Muslims are less "secularized and assimilated" than their grandparents.
But just to take your numbers. You say "even if they were to double in the next 25 years". "Even"? Dream on. If the average Muslim woman in Europe has 3.8 children (the estimate), they're doing far more than doubling. Likewise, if the average ethnic European couple has 1.4 children (again, the estimate), they're not standing still, they're in net population decline. And that's before you add in remorseless ongoing immigration: Yorkshire Pakistanis, for example, contract marriages with spouses from their original provinces back in Pakistan at a higher rate than they did 30 years ago. And it's also before you add in remorseless ongoing emigration: Britain, like the Netherlands and Germany, is already in the early stages of what US urban sociologists of the Seventies called "white flight" – there is a net loss of native population each year in the United Kingdom.
But just to keep it simple. Let's say you've got a population of a million. 90% are ethnic Europeans, 10% are Muslims (the "official" French figure). Let's pretend they're all the same age, rather than dealing with the reality of the fact that in, say, London the vast majority of its one million Muslims are under 25. But let's imagine these million people are all 20 years old. The 900,000 ethnic Europeans with a fertility rate of 1.4 per couple will have 630,000 children and 441,000 grandchildren - steep population decline. The 100,000 Muslims with a fertility rate of 3.8 will have 190,000 children and 361,000 grandchildren - rapid growth. The "overwhelming majority" and the "tiny minority" will have near equal numbers of grandchildren. And, as I said, that's without ongoing remorseless immigrating and accelerating export of native talent.
But why argue about the when of it? It might slow down or accelerate, but unless there's a big profound change the Islamization of Britain is inevitable. Why quibble over the hypothetical date of a statistical majority? Once Islam reaches 20% of the population and becomes the majority in every major English city, Britain will be semi-Muslim in its sociopolitical character. Which is to say: Britain, as we've known it, will be dead.
As for "chavs", you're right, too. But they're not an alternative. The neo-Hogarthian debauchery of the Archbishop's Godless flock and the resurgence of Islam are twin partners in a lopsided walse macabre.
A MUST-READ
Normally, I don't write authors of books I've just read, but, I finished America Alone this week and just wanted to tell you that I think it is perhaps the most fascinating book I've read in a long time. I recommend it as a must-read to every person who talks politics with me. It absolutely blew me away.
I am almost ashamed to admit that I just started reading your opinions only about a year ago, but in that time you quickly became my favorite commentator hands down (and I don't even know who is number 2.)
Anyway, keep up the tremendous work that you do. For someone like myself who spends a lot of free time reading and who also takes their conservatism seriously, your style and wit are truly appreciated.
Chris Panter
McMinnville, Tennessee
SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE
Mark Steyn would probably agree that a pregnant Spanish Defense Minister is, at present, not "so inappropriate or bizarre."
Quite the opposite, demographic data indicate that Defense Minister Chacon (pacifist of not) is setting an important example, as Spain's 1.2 children per woman is one of the very lowest in Europe, well below the 2.1 replacement rate.
A "very pregnant woman reviewing troops," who happens also to be a rather attractive defense minister, serves well to instruct virile young men about, what is now, their highest duty.
Herman Edward Jacobs
Houston, Texas
YOU, OR CHRIS MATTHEWS?
God Bless You, Mark!
America Alone is a shocking eye-opener! It should be required reading for our high school and college students.
Sadly, that won't happen.
Instead, per Chris Matthews' recommendation, the ObamaMessiah's "Race Speech" will be required reading from Grade 1 through Grad School. We'll be dead, but we will go to our graves feeling much better about ourselves.
Elizabeth
Warwick, Rhode Island
BIT OF A DOWNER
So I was happily walking home from work today, a promotion and raise lightening my steps, when I decided to visit the local monopoly bookstore and see what's what.
Lo and behold, my eyes fell upon the paperback edition of America Alone, with a NEW INTRODUCTION. I did a little jig and happily sat down to read it. Ughhh. Mark, civilizational decline and demographic implosion are such downers. But I bought the book anyway, since I've lost track of who I've lent my hardcover edition to.
Mike
Vancouver, British Columbia
P.S. You should do a book signing in Vancouver. There would be a lot of haters, but I'd volunteer to stand over your shoulder and look suitably menacing. The fireworks would be spectacular.
WIFE-BURNING
Being unable to sleep after reading your book, I remembered that when I was a "Boy Producer" with the BBC in the 1980s and spent a year or so in BBC Birmingham, I was first introduced to LDS: "Liberal Denial Syndrome".
A small unit had been set up in the BBC to investigate the large number of Muslim women who had died in "accidental" kitchen fires. The suspicion was that their husbands, tiring of their spouses, had murdered them and torched their bodies. The grieving widowers would then scoot off to Pakistan and Bangla Desh and get themselves a fresh woman - but more importantly - a large dowry as well. Suddenly the unit was shut down and the project canceled. No one could explain it - but the rumor suggested that they had struck paydirt - too "sensitive" to expose. It's no accident that Pebble Mill (the BBC's old Birmingham HQ) was also the home of the "Asian Unit".
Some years later, one woman lived to tell the tale of her husband's abuse and took him to court. She admitted that this was quite common in the Muslim community. I can't prove any of this after all this time. But it was the first step to understanding the pressures within the BBC that leads folk like me to end up living in Atlanta!
Best wishes and continue your fine work.
Louis Robinson
(Cleansed and conservative)
Re: String ‘em up
MEAT AND 2 VEG
Isn't the rope problem for the CNN reporter obvious? I mean, it goes without saying that it was tied in a "hangman's noose", and so of course it was relevant! The fact that it was around his own "meat and 2 veg" is no less problematic than if it were hanging from the rear-view mirror of his truck. The man is a closet racist who can expect a visit from Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, or probably both. I'm surprised you didn't catch on to this right away.
By the way, I continue to play for my (grown) sons your discussion with the "American Caesarism" New Hampshire guy from last January on NRO TV. Aside from some terrible audio, especially Jonah's mike, it was brilliant. Come to think of it, I'm going to listen to it again now!
LTC Rick Vinas (US Army)
Arlington, Virginia
BRIT SPEAK
When the police said that Richard Quest had a sex toy in his 'boot', perhaps they were merely repeating the term Quest used for its location? In this scenario it would not be an item of footwear but perhaps some area of the body related to the UK meaning of the term 'boot', i.e. the rear compartment of an automobile.
Rob
Re: Mrs Grievance
WICKED
I just read this, and I think I will have a smile on my face all day. I always enjoy your articles, but this was really great. Wicked, brilliant, laugh-out-loud great.
Maris Veidemanis
CHERCHEZ LE PERE
If Obama Jr. doesn't win the Presidency of the U.S., maybe he can get a position in the Cabinet of his friend (some say cousin) Raila Odinga, currently Prime Minister of Kenya, with whose father Odinga Odinga Barack Obama Sr. had a considerable political relationship.
I think you guys are all wet going after Obama Jr.'s relationship with William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright. Obama denies that they have had influence on him, and who knows? He may be telling the truth.
He may not even have accepted the teachings of Franz Fanon, which he studied as a young man.
The gorilla in the Obama war room is Obama Sr. Obama Jr. boasts of the influence his father has had on him. Even the title of Obama's first book spells it out: "Dreams FROM my father", emphasis mine.
Obama Sr. was a Harvard-educated far left Kenya economist who vigorously attacked the rather sensible economic plans of Tom M'Boya and Jomo Kenyatta. The attack enraged Kenyatta, who sent Obama Sr. packing. Obama was a political ally of Odinga Odinga, who shared his economic views. Which seem to my untutored eye to be awfully similar to those of Robert Mugabe, and which would have done as much damage to Kenya as Mugabe has done to Zimbabwe.
There is much to admire in the career of Jeremiah Wright - his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, bringing three Presidential commendations - his earned degrees, even the building up of his church. Of course a Christian has no business calling upon God to damn anyone or anything, least of all his own country; Obama Jr. has never done such a thing; but he, unlike Wright, hasn't done anyone much good either, except himself.
And Obama Jr. thinks that he is an expert on foreign policy!!
John K.C. Lewis
St. John's, Newfoundland
RADICAL FRIENDS
In the absence of achievements you learn about Obama by whom he chooses to spend time with, citing Ayres and Wright (and not mentioning Rezko).
How about Michelle? She is the most radical of his friends.
Israel Pickholtz
Gush Etzion, Israel
THE MOTHER OF ALL CULTURE WARS
Something has really bothered me ever since I first saw mention of a connection between Senator Obama and Bill Ayers. Finally I remembered this disturbing piece in the Summer 2006 City Journal:.
Aside from the surreality of a former fugitive finding an honored seat in our educational establishment, I think that Mr. Ayers is a central figure in the mother of all culture wars that this presidential election is becoming. Would an Obama candidacy even be possible without critical race theory becoming an integral part of the teacher's kit? Seems like something out of America Alone ...
For good measure, here's the poseur terrorist's own website:
Free speech forever!
Douglas W. Steinshouer
Denver, Colorado
Re: Heaven as a Spitzer-class bordello
SEX SELLS HEAVEN
I consider myself a red-blooded 100% heterosexual female, but after I read that passage even I needed a cigarette.
I've already noticed that al-Qaida will contradict themselves when they say things like, "American technology is ruining the world - and you can read more about it on my website." Now the same people who say that the U.S. is evil because we spread our oversexed popular culture all over the world are using sex to sell their version of Heaven. And unfortunately, their followers are too dense to see this.
I never thought I'd see this as a positive, but at least our oversexed popular culture only produces the likes of Britney Spears.
Rachel Davin
Colonial Heights, Virginia
PARADISE FOR WHO?
This virgin paradise thing is a tough one to get your head around. Muslim men will beat their women to a pulp if they step outside in anything other than a black burlap sack draped over them because, I had thought, anything else will lead Muslim minds down a lascivious road and away from oneness with Allah, or something like that. And yet, any good Muslim boy is supposed to strap a bomb to his chest and wipe out ten families at a shopping mall because the payoff is some really hot sex. It's a peculiar theology. In the end, it isn't a rejection of sex, and drugs, and rock 'n roll and all that--it's a mandate for BETTER sex and drugs and rock 'n roll through suicide bombing.
Douglas Johnson
Chicago
A COLD NIGHT IN HEAVEN
So far, nobody has been able to explain to my satisfaction what the appeal is of spending eternity with 72 women who refuse to put out. Sounds like Hell to me.
Keith Sullivan
MUSLIMS HAVE LESS FUN
I've just been re-reading "Kim" for the Nth time, and came across the bit where Mahbuib Ali allows himself to get drunk on brandy while enjoying the company of a prostitute.
The Muslim world really does need a little more "Democracy, Whiskey, Sexy!" Things have gone way downhill since the white man shrugged off the burden.
Patrick
Re: The view from the Downing Street
ON TO A LOSER
You are fighting a losing battle here. As an active duty officer in the USN, I have always pointed out that the names of our ships and submarines are proper nouns, and should not be preceded by the definite article "the".
For example, "USS NEW YORK CITY arrived in port today" vice "The USS NEW YORK CITY arrived in port today." I have to correct this on official USN correspondence all the time. If we sailors can not get it right, how can we expect the "Wall Street Journal" to do so?
I should not presume to talk language with you, but thought I would let you know that there is at least one reader who shares your distaste for putting "the" in front of the names of ships.
CAPT E. Hasell
OIC Arctic Submarine Lab
BART’S FINAL REQUEST
I noticed that even The Simpsons got this wrong. In the "Cape Feare" episode, Bart outsmarts Sideshow Bob by having him sing the entire score of “The HMS Pinafore as his final request”. I'm sure what Bart meant was for Sideshow Bob to simply sing “HMS Pinafore”; apparently he's no "Englishman."
Jon Bush
Provo, Utah
THE THE
It's not pedantic at all. One thing that drives me up the wall is watching programs about the mafia on the History Channel, and hearing them constantly refer to "the La Cosa Nostra." Since "Cosa Nostra" means "our thing," not only do they not need TWO articles, they don't need one. (Well, maybe one.)
I think "the La Cosa Nostra" is standard FBI usage, too, so what does that say about THEIR intelligence?
Larry Eubank
Bloomington, Indiana
WHAT ARTICLES DO YOU COLLECT?
If you go back to newspapers in the 1930's and '40's you find sentences like, "You can hear the Bob Hope Show tonight at 10 on the N.B.C." And that would be correct since removing the abbreviation you would need to say "tonight on the National Broadcasting Company."
So, like the old joke about how Bostonians save the R's from the middle of words so they can stick them on the ends of others, journalists today save up their articles like "the" so they can stick them where they don't belong.
Frankly, most MSM journalist can stick a lot of things where they don't belong. Like the front cover of the April Reader's Digest that touts articles on "The Fearless Tina Fey" and "Barbaro the Brave." While Marines are dodging snipers and IED's the RD defines down what's fearless and brave. Fey makes fun of her nations leaders without the slightest fear of reprisals. As for Barbaro, well he was a F***ING HORSE!
Brian Johnson
(Who appreciates the eternal fame you gave him when he corrected the great Mark Steyn on the origin of the Bazooka)
OOPS
But of course, in 1941, HMS stood for His Majesty's Ship. Poor old Prince of Wales got beat up by Bismarck and then sunk by the Japanese on December 10, 1941.
Jeff Cauthen
La Mesa, California
Re: Eurabian Night
PEACEFUL DISSOLUTION
Re, the quoted passage (of Daniel Pipes) in your corner post today:
"Never in history has a civilisation peaceably dissolved, nor has a people risen to reclaim its patrimony."
Me: No, no civilization has peaceably dissolved (and therefore I doubt Europe will either), but the latter clause ignores all manner of historical examples of people tossing out foreign rulers, including some who had been ensconced, in some numbers and with no little power and wealth, for centuries: Spain and the Moors, the Balkans and the Turks, both Russia and China giving Mongols the heave-ho, Algeria and the French, indeed a whole smorgasbord of anti-colonialist revolutions well within living memory. Daniel Pipes spoke before he thought on that one.
By the way, why does no one in these discussions ever mention the fact of non-Muslim immigration into Europe? It's not trivial and some of these immigrants have birth rates as high or higher than the Muslims. It would seem to me that Euribbea, Eurafrica or Eurindia are equally likely futures.
Jon Frazier
AS FIJI GOES…
The subject of the evolution of "Eurabia" continues to be left in the shadows in the "decayed Dominion", so it is difficult to find any reasonable discussion on the subject other than your own. I wonder if Fiji is a proper example of what is coming for Europe. I do not profess to be a historian on the subject of Fiji. As I understand the history, the Islands were mainly populated by people of Polynesian descent. The Islanders benefited from the Britannic Inheritance with the development of a constitutional monarchy. Another benefit was the arrival of workers from a fellow Commonwealth country India which had also benefited from the Britannic Inheritance. Eventually the Indians came to outnumber the native Fijians and this lead to ethnic nationalism and a coup d'etat. As I understand the Fijian history the Indians did not wish to remake Fiji to reflect an entirely separate and incompatible political and religious philosophy and yet violence ensued. Have the
Europeans seriously considered the lessons to be learned from the Fijian experience. In Europe they are not face with a growing immigrant population that is compatible with their own political and religious philosophy. The options seem bleak. The Europeans can carry on their
present path and either stand aside and let Eurabia happen or there will be violence on a far greater scale than Fiji; or they can make changes now if they wish to preserve even some of their heritage.
John James
Vancouver
PICK OF THE PUNDITS
A Mark Steyn post mentioning Ralph Peters and James Taranto? I'll take intellectual crushes for $1000, Alex . . . .
Mary Ruby
THE CONDESCENDING CRUSADES
The last sentence of your NRO comment says it all: Post-Christian Euro-secularism is the vacuum into which radical Islam has poured, not the solution to it. I will only add that while Muslims (Christians for that matter) understand secularists, secularists are incapable of understanding Believers. The best they can muster is condescension - hardly an attitude that wins friends.
Steve Crews
Chicago
IN PERFECT HARMONY
Your comments on the Corner on Daniel Pipes Speech were bizarre to me. How is it that the part of speech about the failure of harmonious integration in Europe is more "gloomy" than the part about the prospect of "ethnically cleansing cities full of 19 year old Muslims"? Are you saying ethnic cleansing is less gloomy than unsuccessful integration? Moreover, if these are the three options for Europe's future, how can you deny that harmonious integration is the only desirable future, as the other two involve either domination by muslims or genocide of Muslims?
Blake Emerson
Re: Wham!
THE FANTASTIC ONE
Book Review - Biography of Jack Kirby in MacLeans
Excellent choice of book to review for Macleans. What is the point of saving the world from militant Islam if we can't appreciate the truly beautiful things that life has to offer?
Jack Kirby should not be looked down upon as an artist because he toiled in the medium of comic books. He was one of the outstanding creative artists of the 20th century. There is a sense of action, adventure and of life in his work that has often been imitated but no one has ever quite matched in comic books or anywhere else. I don't think he hangs in too many art galleries, but he should.
Keep breaking up the commentary on current events with reminders of the brilliance and beauty of the world we're trying to preserve.
By the way, I'm a reasonably well-read guy and I can't name a Martin Amis book, let alone one of his characters. Ask me the names of the Fantastic Four however...
Jim McReynolds
Toronto, Ontario
Re: Boy, meats, world
ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT
You might be interested in Temple Grandin's observations on Kosher and Halal slaughtering practices (and here).
Dr Grandin's only additional concern about Halal slaughter is related to the relative inexperience of the Muslim slaughterers:
" Due to the fact that Muslim slaughtermen do not usually receive as extensive special training in slaughter techniques as Jewish Shochtim, preslaughter stunning is strongly recommended."
William S. Aronstein PhD MD
HE DOES HIS BEST WORK WITH THE DEMOCRATS
Mark, regarding your comments on the upcoming congressional elections, permit me to disagree. The Republicans have lost their way. They refuse to focus on winning issues, such as, energy independence, illegal immigration, excessive spending and English as our Official Language. Democrats are scared of these issues. The wobbly kneed Republicans (source: Mrs Thatcher) are too scared to challenge them. I predict that the Republicans will lose twelve seats in the House and six seats in the Senate.
If McLame wins, this should not be a major problem for him because he does his best work (Conservatives disagree with some of his best work) with Democrats.
By the way, I am sure you realize that I am not a McLame fan. Mitt had the best resume of all the candidates to lead this nation. A great number of Americans were too dumb to realize this.
I like your work on Fox. Beware of the undertaker, Colmes.
Arthur D. Jones
Independent Conservative
Forest Hills, NY
WHO GETS THE LOOT?
The Recent First-Ever Contest
I was getting a little bitter about my chances at the valuable prizes, so while clinging to some of my Bibles & guns, I am taking a moment out to write & ask when & how we'll know who gets the loot. As for my favorite (or favourite) article from Herr Steyn, it remains his 1997 obit for Tupac in TAS. To this day I cannot read it complete without taking a break to regain my composure & catch my breath. Forever our Culture Vulture Numero Uno. Regards from the Wine Country.
Skip Engle
Cloverdale, California
YOU DON’T WANT FREEDOM
You conclude your Calgary Herald letter today with - "Criminalizing opinion is incompatible with free society"
And criminalizing drugs and regulating everything else are all incompatible with free society.
Listen, I hate to break this to you but people don't WANT freedom, Steyn, least of all you.
Bruce K.
Calgary, Alberta
MARK REPLIES: Oh, phooey. When have I argued for the government regulation of anything?
As for drugs, I've written (reluctantly) in favor of decriminalization a decade ago in The American Spectator and 15 years ago in Punch in Britain - on the narrow grounds that (as with the "war on hate speech") waging the so-called "war on drugs" in the way it's being done does more damage to a free society than the drugs do.
You're right that too many "people" (and certainly Canadians) don't want freedom. But I do. It's one of the arguments of my book. You might try reading it before making fatheaded assumptions.
LAST WORD
Mark Baby, it's Ahmed here from Blighty...how have you been? Good to see you're keeping the home fires burning for the neo-con sect...The prospects right now, do not look too good though, most of the neo-cons are either in prison, about to go to prison or have declared themselves insane in order to avoid going to prison...could you perhaps let us have a glimpse of your strategy to avoid the same fate?
Ahmed Hamaidia
London, United Kingdom
MARK REPLIES: Ha! I'm clinically insane but still out of jail (at least until June 2nd).
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