Monday, May 15, 2006

What Converted You To The Counter-Jihad?

One of the best things about the Infidel Bloggers Alliance, so far, is hearing from those who are new to the counter-Jihad. We all have our stories about how, and when, we realized the enormity of the threat we are up against. For me, it was 9/11. And then, later, the Jenin situation.

Anyway, we often get people stopping by and commenting in ways which make it clear how important the blogosphere is to the counter-Jihad. Because, if it weren't for the blogosphere, there would be nowhere for these new counter-Jihadis to go to, to talk and learn.

Here's a comment we received today from Little Red Bird:


I'm new here, it's my first post. I'm old enough to remember not only the Cuban Missle Crisis but the Suez Canal one and I have never been afraid before but after what I've learned in the past few months I'm scared to death.

What the hell is happening to the West? Have we lost even the instinct for self-presevation?

I work for a bookstore chain that I won't name but which recently got some unwanted publicity by its cowardly, venal (they hope to open outlets in Muslim countries) refusal to stock a magazine, so you can probably guess.

Today a customer told me he hopes Ahmadinejad's Iran will destroy America. Meanwhile, nobody even mentions Hirsi Ali. Oh,, we stock her book but nobody except me even knows who she is or what is happening to her.

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in some kind of nightmare, that this can't be happening less than 5 years after 9/11. This extraordinarily courageous woman must be saved at all costs and whatever it takes, I'm for it.


You can feel the passion of the new convert in the words of Little Red Bird. Apparently, he/she has been galvanized by the events of the past few months, most likely, the Cartoon Intifada, and the resultant Dhimmi attack on Free Speech.

I'd like to hear from everyone; What was it that made you aware of the evil of Islamofascism? Was it one particular event that crystalized in your mind, or, was it a slow build?

Tell me your story. I really want to hear. Also, please let us know, if it's ok with you if we publish your story no the IBA front page.

11 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Pastorius,
I'll try to get to this, but my story might be a bit late because right now I'm tied up with back problems and my work schedule.

Should I send my story via email, with a doc-file attachment?

Anonymous said...

My first concerns about militant Islam started when I was a teenager and the Ayatollah Khomeni came to power in Iran. Having read the history of the medieval Islamic conquests, I knew what a powerful force it could be and I was concerned about its impact on world politics.

But I didn't really consider its impact on UK politics until 1989, when Muslim militants demanded the murder of Salman Rushdie - and got away with it as our government seemed unwilling to confront them. That was when I realised that we ere facing a concerted attempt to Islamise our society. Since then, the militants have become bolder and more demanding.

9/11 did not surprise me at all. I guessed that Muslim groups would use terrorism against the West at some stage - it was just a matter of where and when.

Militant Islam's war against the West has been gathering momentum for decades. 9/11 was its most spectacular coup but it wasn't the start and it won't be the end.

Jay.Mac said...

That's a difficult question to answer. Living in Northern Ireland terrorism is a subject i know a little about- particularly as myself and certain familiy members were as high risk from terrorist attacks because of our military service. Can you imagine getting ready for school in the morning and having to wait while your father checked his car to make sure there wasn't a bomb attached?

I had little knowledge of Islamic terrorism- but I was aware of the links between the IRA and Libya and the Middle East; I also had a decent enough knowledge of the Euro-terror of the '70s. Islamic terror became a major interest after 9/11. I found it odd after that when people talked about American Imperialism, or poverty, or inequality, etc, as the cause of Islamist terrorism. So why is there a terror group called "Islamic Jihad" then? Why is there all this talk about Allah? That's when I began to educate myself- and I'm immensely glad that the internet exists; with only the legacy media to provide information I'd have been woefully informed of what was happening. At some point, I can't actually remember how or why I ended up there, I discovered Jihad Watch and Little Green Footballs. That clarified matters an awful lot.

As the war moved from Afghanistan to Iraq, my brother went to war and I became a news junkie. I've been hooked ever since, and the more I learn, the more determined I am to do whatever I can to stand up to the Islamist threat.

Feel free to post this- if you think anyone will be interested.

Pastorius said...

Wow Steve,
You were way ahead of me. I, also, was a teenager when the Iranian revolution happened, and it did convince me that Islam was very problematic, but I was absolutely fucking shocked by 9/11.

I always figured the angry Muslims of the world were just pissed off about their position in life. 9/11 showed me that they really wanted to destroy the United States. I never thought that to be true before.

I had no understanding of the history of Islam and Europe.

When I was in college I read Tamerlaine the Great, but I didn't take it seriously.

What a fool I was.

Pastorius said...

AOW,
Yeah, maybe you should send it to me. Maybe I ought to make a whole day of 9/11 remembrances, and I can promote it to other websites.

Let's do it that way.

Pastorius said...

Hey Jay Mac,

I've got a friend whose family was mixed up in the "Troubles." His family was on the Protestant side. He and his father both found God, and announced they were out. Somehow, they managed to not be killed. My friend then moved here to America.

The stories he tells me are amazing.

One of the most amazing things he told me is that the Protestants would fly Israeli flags out their windows, while the Catholics would fly Palestinian flags.

Is that true? Have you seen that?

Epaminondas said...

9/11/2001 - "why do they hate us?"

9/13/2001 I enter Islam.com and omanforum.com 's forums.

9/15/2001 I rediscover the KKK, but am confused

9/17/2001 I pick up Bernard Lewis

9/18/2001 I discover MEMRI

~9/20 I ask two cardiovascular surgeons I know well professionally one of whom (from pakistan) had to really fight to stay here, and an egyptian what is the deal with the 4000 jews stay home story..they both tell me similar stories .. NOW YOU KNOW WHY WE ARE HERE ..to escape the madness .. and we heard it was 5-6000 in our mosque. My scrotum tightens with the real meaning of this

9/25 I begin to comprehend that historical facts have very little place in arab education in discussions with them. They all thought David Duke was a modern american icon. It takes almost a year to break them of this.

October LGF discovered
Jan 2002 - Jihadwatch discovered
Feb 2002 - I begin disputation of the 'protocols' with very smart and duped arabs

March - I ask if the racism is based in the Quran .. I never get an answer, no to this day ..no one has ever said ..NO

Spring sometime - I find Two Faces of Islam by Stephen Schwartz

I discover Sayd and Muhammad Qutb, and read Emerson and Ken Timmerman's first book (Murders on the Nile). I discover Abdullah Azzam and his writing

Summer - I meet Bat Yeor and am introduced to the David Project. Bat Yeor is like somebody's grandmother and speaks with such a tiny voice with words like sledgehammers ..my wife's mind is opened to the idea I am not some AWM crackpot

Fall 2002 - I come to the conclusion that this is all irreconcilable, but have yet to discover thet it is the individual responsibility of muslims to destroy the world of arrogance.

Winter 2003 long discussions with arabs over the idea of democracy and it's compatibility or not with Islam. And I discover they are infected with the socialism dialectic virus which they adopt as long as it's anti american

I conclude they are not compatible, but that it must be tried, and perhaps thru that, what would be considered apostasy will begin

2003 - My 'liberal' friends stare at me as if I am diseased. I don't care

2004 I 'come out' with a column against Kerry - over the war in a well known NH Newspaper .. which they are glad to publish because of my background

2005 - I conclude that unless the other side changes our survival is at stake and we had better act like it.

Another whacko is converted

Anonymous said...

The short answer is the Kerry campaign, but really it was a series of little realizations that accumulated between 2001 and 2005. I'll post a long answer on my blog and send IBA a heads up.

Brian Anding said...

For me it was Rathergate and the fake documents exposed on LGF. That was when I found the blogosphere and have been hooked ever since. Reading Robert Spencers book and Jihad Watch has really educated me to things I never knew. We are all in great danger.

The Suburban Crusader

Jay.Mac said...

Pastorius- That's absolutely correct. The Loyalist side does fly Israeli flags. It's a sign of solidarity with a nation also suffering under terrorist attack for decades. As for the Palestinian flags on the Nationalist side, there are links between the IRA and Middle Eastern terrorists. IRA members have been trained there and arms and explosives were supplied and terrorist tactics were shared.

Pretty strange to see Union Jacks, the Red Hand of Ulster and the Israeli flag flying side by side!

Kiddo said...

I'd post mine, but it's too long. I might get it on another site though. It's on WWCMD? though. "Asia Minor and Why I Fight"....sorry no direct link at the moment.