America Alone, I

2007 Dec 05, 2007, 13 Qawl, 164 BE; Review of America Alone, Part I

I have been auditing Mark Steyn's "America Alone: The End of the World As We know It," a book that I most emphatically do not recommend. I listen not because I agree but because I like to hear all sides of an issue. Admittedly, Steyn's opinions go down easy because of his easy wit and clever twists, and he does make some good points about demographics, though they are hardly news. The Romans had a saying, From the masses, power, and Proverbs 14:28 says,
"In the multitude of people is the kings honor: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince."
Steyn points out many times the end result of falling birth rates in the effete West, meaning loss of prominence for those who are used to starring on the world stage. Who? So-called Christendom and especially members of the White race. American and Western hegemony are directly threatened by proliferating Muslims. He neglects to point out that Islam itself is rotten to the core, and that high birthrates are a sign of moral and economic decline, not vitality. But the fact remains that brown babies are outnumbering white ones, and he is correct to point out the implications on the political scene. Still, it is entertaining to hear what he has to say, though afterwards, especially after his tirades against multiculturalism, you feel all covered in sticky slime.
Insofar as he is, in his own words, a "social conservative" Steyn's ideas are sound, but mixed in are almost lethal doses of implicit racism and toadyism. This is a poisonous toad, do not swallow the slime. This book became a bestseller and proved so congruent with the prejudices of those presently in power that Steyn was honored with at least one audience with the current American president.
Enough said.
To learn more about this, check out the Wikipedia article on the man, and compare Steyn's qualifications with those in the opposing camp, college graduates like Thomas Flannery or George Monbiot. Steyn reminds me of the old bulldog columnist for the Globe and Mail, Richard Needham. My buddy Doug and I used to argue Needham's provocative but insubstantial ideas by the hour, especially his endlessly repeated idea that Batchelor of Arts degrees destroy the human mind. Needham, an old school-of-hard-knocks journalist, railed against educated people his whole career. Doug summed him up in two words, "sour grapes."
In order to wash off the spirit slime, I viewed the first of a set of videos commemorating the 1992 Jubilee meeting in New York. What a contrast! Here is an entire religion built on multiculturalism. Whereas other meetings feature leaders talking to audiences, this unique gathering put the followers on display, front and center. Here the believers, dressed in full ethnic costume, were center stage, joyously celebrating the centenary of the life of Baha'u'llah. Each of the oppressed and put upon cultures of the world had the chance to walk up the aisle, save the Iranians in the cradle of the Faith, who could only send flowers. Not a dry eye in the house. I especially remember an expression the keynote speaker used, a former member of the UHJ, when he mentioned "unmentionable politics." That is about it, political opinions are unspeakably gross, and we should not talk about them for the same reasons one does not dwell on bathroom functions.
Instead of Steyn, I suggest spending your limited time with a commentator of substance, like George Monbiot. He is not likely to get an invite to the White House, but that is a good thing.