Posted on 10/11/2006 8:36:31 PM PDT by AnnaZ
"If Darkness Can Dawn"
Mr. Steyn's columns, to me at least, regardless of the seriousness of their content, have always had a kind of ten-dollar-Sapphire-and-tonic-by-the-pool feel to them, languid and worthy of savoring. America Alone is quite different -- urgent and unrelenting.
One of the many great things about being a dedicated Mark Steyn column connoisseur is the reduced waiting time between fixes -- in an all-the-world's-news-can-be-your-news world, the "one man global content provider" certainly churns them out with a breath-taking rapidity, and whether the publisher is in Canada or Australia, the United States or the United Kingdom, the faithful reader need not be in any of them, yet enjoy the fruits of all. I do not how he possibly managed to still knock out a book, but he has, and consider this reader knocked out too.
The full title of his new book is America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It, and the dire tone of the title is more than amply justified on the inside. That's not the good news.
For the groupie like me, there will be a familiar line here, a beloved Steynism there, but overarchingly the result is that the thoughts and observations and ideas behind his columns, fleshed out and full-bodied, are less of a venti-latte companion and more of a call to arms. Don't get me wrong, this is still the same smart and sexy Steyn, he's still funny and charmingly irreverent, but he's seen the writing on the wall, and many others best see it as well. This is the book you buy two copies of, one for yourself, one to hand out or accidentally-leave-on-purpose somewhere. It is, quite simply, that thorough, and that important.
For those who may have read his wake-up-call column, It's The Demography, Stupid, the realizations of that foray have contributed much, it appears, to the birth of this book. As the title of the book suggests, things look nasty and we're on our own. Actually, that's an optimistic way of looking at it, for as the contents suggest, more stands in our way than just a bloodthirsty, implacable enemy.
"September 11, 2001, was not 'the day everything changed,' but the day that revealed how much had already changed." In the years that have followed we have seen even more clearly the face of our enemy, the infiltration of that enemy into the centers of Western culture, and the strength of our stupidest, intractable principles -- the enemy grows, heads fly off, we wring hands and shrink and we blame ourselves for the madness. It isn't shocking that on September 10th few people were losing sleep over Islamic terrorism, what is stunning now is that still too few people are. What has grown is not our resolve, but the list of Muslim grievance agencies and we're too naive or polite to point out who the real victims actually are.
By "we", I mean western civilization, and do not include the "we" that would actually find a website such as this to read this review on. That "we" is the last best hope, it seems, dragging our knuckles to victory, while most of western civ is nanny-stating its way to oblivion. Besides American breeders -- and Utah, take a bow -- the rest of the culture feeders are too busy loving themselves to consider sharing the joy with progeny. If our usual retort to the elitists has been "screw off and die" it had best soon become "screw or die off", and hope they don't take the rest of us down with them.
Apparently, the post-coital end-product, a child, has gone the same way as the post-coital cigarette, up in smoke, not hip, not cool. Let's give us nothing to talk about, or talk over. Or talk to. Nanny-state amenities and afterlife-free secularism have made this all moot -- for the modern man all that matters now is an "eternal present tense".
Just as the nanny-state has given most western nations "annexation by government of most of the core functions of adulthood", America's taking care of Europe's defense has "absolved them of the traditional responsibilities of nationhood." And they insult us for it, and sneer at us, and our own people demand we become more like them (see Jean François Kerry for details).
The ideals “we” uphold, and that President Bush claims we fight for, come across to these types as jingoistic hokisms because, winning on them against the Left before, we never properly defeated the enemy's reputation, nor left any "sense on the Continent that our Big Idea had beaten their Big Idea." As Martin Malia writes in his foreword to The Black Book of Communism, "[a]ny realistic accounting of Communist crime would effectively shut the door on Utopia... [a]nd so all comrade-questers after historical truth should gird their loins for a very Long March indeed before Communism is accorded its fair share of absolute evil." And thus we deal still today with the offshoot of this ideology, and it stands in the way of effectively fighting, and, intentionally or unintentionally, aids a resurgence of, one of the foulest enemies Human Liberty has encountered.
Steyn writes, "The political class and the media seem to serve as mutual reinforcers of their own obsolete illusions," and delusions, too, if you ask me. When it comes to this new (but I mean old) enemy, what, honestly, is there to like? It's not like they see a distinction between the multicultural CAIR-speed dialer at the New York Times and the flag-waving NASCAR follower. We're all infidels, all deserving of death, preferably in hideous ways.
A while back a Democratic Underground denizen posited that he (she? he/she?) was going to get a gun. Dozens of replies followed in sympathy or similarity, they were going to stop the fundies, fight the Republican army, and stymie all of Falwell's followers. Not one reply mentioned the only folks out there that actually really want to kill them all. It was hysterical, yet terrifying in the realization of how extreme these delusions run. Not one mention of Islamists. Not one.
By the way, these are the folks supporting the opposition in the upcoming elections. They take after their European counterparts, those who demand, in media, for example, "public interest criteria... code-speak for a kind of easy listening tyranny." Ban “Swift Boat” ads, stop “The Path to /11”, it's a religion of peace, equal time, EQUAL TIME!!! As Mr. Steyn writes, "there's very little difference between living under Exquisitely Refined Multicultural Sensitivity and sharia." Well, 'til the heads come off, of course, as they are wont to do under the latter.
And what about that enemy? As Steyn so eloquently points out, "[i]n our time, even the most fascistic ideologies have been canny enough to cover their darker impulses in bathetic labels." These guys don't bother with such sophistries. They say they want to kill us, and by gum, they do! Maybe these silly leftists are so used to lying they can't even recognize the truth when it's handed to them stark and plain.
But to those who can see, the time to act is now. These are not "dervishes" and "brigands" in faraway places, this is "state-of-the-art-primitive" -- clitorectomies and ATM cards, beheadings and cell phones, camel rides and 747s (one way, please). They're as close as the nearest runway, as ubiquitous as the next interfaith meeting. (Good God, can you stand hearing about another interfaith meeting?!)
Regardless, as Mr. Steyn points out, and which you'll need to read it all to learn, there are options, there is slim hope. So buckle up, boys and girls, the ride will be bumpy, but the journey is unavoidable. Not simply because our survival depends upon it, but because that which is in us that is noble demands it.
Maybe one of the other parents can play taxi this evening so you & Mr. Z can go have some fun and eat delicious BBQ & cobbler. Of course, if this is some form of "girls night out", put hubby to work. Every now and then, even I unchain Mrs. L,TOWM from the wall of our dungeon, er, home and let her out for a while and I take care of our beasts, er, kids.
Just a couple of thoughts.
"If Darkness Can Dawn":
FReeper Review of Mark Steyn's "America Alone"
Posted by AnnaZ
On News/Activism 10/11/2006 8:36:31 PM PDT · 81 replies · 1,181+ views
October 11th, 2006 | AnnaZIt would have had even MORE "thread views" by now...
...if you had put "AnnaZ's Review" in the thread title......instead of "FReeper Review" -- IMHO. :o)
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
Noooooooo!!
You're one of a small handful of solid right-wingers left on this forum worthy of posting & I mean that, p_26.
So no.
...you're not welcome. ;^)
Good, knew if no one else got it you c/would. ;^)
Those names, Anna.
None can I claim to be among my "friends".
In fact most of them either ignored or flamed me in their days here with perhaps the exception of *one*.
So no love lost, personally.
But let no one say a single one was a bad conservative, "bad" citizen, wasn't as concerned if not more about the crap going down, or, didn't have the nation's best interests at heart when they spoke their onions, either.
They did, every damned one of 'em.
Whether they *liked* me (personally) or not isn't important to me, what is important is hearing what they had to say & now that they're gone?
The absence of their (& many others) voices is quite near deafening.
So you see when I read your noble & heartfelt plea for unity among us ALL on the right as we face imminent threats from leftist ideological maniacs & possibly prepare for a hellacious war with the followers of Islam bent on destroying us & our way of life?
"Punishment" in the form of banning to those who'd play important roles as "fighters" for the cause seemed odd to me.
Damned odd, indeed.
We need those people, all of 'em & without exception.
And now.
...I'll shaddap. ;^)
HA!!
Wished you were there to see me give a tech writer the what-for at Square-D Automation Products Division, once.
When I asked the gaboon what their educational background was qualifing 'em to write such gobbledygook (akin to Aborigines click-clack) they meekly replied, "English Major, Notre Dame.".
*Then* I understood.
It was entirely between God *&* I. {g}
"Sigh..."
Oh for crying out loud, you're a little baby.
If you can't make sense of AB's technical crap after all these years, separate the wheat from the chafe enough to get the job up & running?
No one can.
You're the best in the business even if you're the last to realize it.
There that should be of some consolation, no?
It better because it's the best "Vince Lombardi" shtick I have. {g}
Now *SILENCE*!!
...& *earn* those big bucks, baby. ;^)
Thanks for the heads up, just ordered a copy from the LB website;-)
It's always good to see your name next to a ping. I appreciate your writing very much. I've not been reading as much political and historical writing recently as I did in the past. I've been a bit burnt out on it all and have been pursuing other interests. I'll try to look for this one when I'm at Books-A-Million next time. If I can bring myself to read politics, I'll read it.
If I understand you correctly, many of the themes will be similar to things that I've been saying. People look at me as if I'm crazy when I say, "There's no safety in security." What I mean is that all the security measures in the world won't save us. Security measures will only delay how quickly our enemies destroy us. The only thing that will save us is destroying our enemies first.
The only thing that concerns me is that I won't be interested in hearing someone harp on having kids. I've pretty much reached the point where I realize that I won't be getting married or having kids. Quite frankly, I'm having more problems with claustrophobia, so people insisting that we need to fill the earth with more people are pretty much saying that I need to die. I can't live around crowds and need more open space than I'm able to find anymore. "Conservative" writers who harp on kids too much end up being tossed back into the "read when Hell freezes over" box.
I'm glad to hear that you like Austin. I've not seen much of the Hill Country. I spent an afternoon at Pedernales Falls State Park, and I liked it very much. You should be close enough to go to the Big Bend area for long weekends or any week-long vacation. I love the Big Bend area.
Bill
BTTT
Had the berry cobbler. Had to crawl when leaving. Uff-dah. I'm still full. It was great, though.
Of course you did. That's you. Always on top of things. I am but a mere neophyte.
= )
And you are still correct.
The only thing that concerns me is that I won't be interested in hearing someone harp on having kids. I've pretty much reached the point where I realize that I won't be getting married or having kids.
Didn't I try to work on that once?
Quite frankly, I'm having more problems with claustrophobia, so people insisting that we need to fill the earth with more people are pretty much saying that I need to die. I can't live around crowds and need more open space than I'm able to find anymore. "Conservative" writers who harp on kids too much end up being tossed back into the "read when Hell freezes over" box.
You're off the hook, seeing as you live in a nation of decent breeders.
And this is less about having kids for the cooing sake of it and more about simple numbers -- i.e western civ may not be makin' 'em like she used to, but that doesn't mean other, less amenable, cultures have slown down quite so much.
If you ever need space, try west Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona. Only one Starbucks for every two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand miles. (Or so it seems.)
= )
Thanks for the kind words!
You get an A!
(You'll love the book.)
Your review is so captivating and brilliantly written that I actually thought for a bit that Mark had written his own review. That IS meant as a compliment for I am a fellow Steyn groupie!
I have to get the book, of course. I am so behind that this weekend I am reading "The Third Terrorist." I will catch up, I promise...
No, you are really good. Keep writing.
I will rush to get Steyn's book because I am so in love with his brilliance. He is off the charts, floating above any curve. I had a English professor in college who would not give an A unless "he wished he had written it himself." (I worked very hard to get A's from him, and succeeded a few times.) Well, I wish I had written EVERYTHING Mark ever published. I would probably wish I had written his grocery list!
What is this? You have left the Southland for TX? I don't believe it. We are so barely afloat here and it's not getting better year after year, that we have contemplated doing the same thing. Looking more toward the Plano area because of the #1 boy's gymnastics program there, but I bet Austin is nice because there are hills. It's hard for a Californian to move to flatlands, I am sure.
Can you sum up what it was like to move your family from here to there? I'd like to know how the move was worth it, especially if you left extended family back here.
Yes, you did try to help with that problem once. I just haven't been able to make any progress on my own.
If you ever need space, try west Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona. Only one Starbucks for every two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand miles. (Or so it seems.)
If I can survive until retirement, I may go to one of those places. My career field is too specialized to give me much geographic flexibility, but I have big plans for retirement. I just have to keep from going crazy in the next fifteen years.
Bill
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