Dinah Lord

USA: Fearing Muslim violence, hotel cancels Wilders event.

It's come to this.

Fearing Muslim violence, hotel cancelsl event about -wait for it- muslim violence.

”The manager of a prominent Nashville hotel cancelled a contract with a conservative foundation to hold a conference this weekend on radical Islam, apparently after learning that the group would feature a keynote address by controversial Dutch parliamentarian and filmmaker, Geert Wilders.

...

Thomas A. Negri, managing director of Loew’s Vanderbilt Hotel and Office complex in Nashville, told Newsmax on Wednesday that he had taken the extraordinary step of cancelling the conference at the last minute “for the health, safety and well-being of our guests and employees.”

Negri refused to say why he felt the conference would adversely affect the “health, safety and well-being” of the hotel’s guests and employees, except to refer to the website of the New English Review, the group organizing the conference.

Oh, and about Mr. Negri?

Negri appeared at a 2003 pro-immigration event on the same dias with a well-known Somali warlord, Gordon told Newsmax.

...

Negri also serves on the board of advisors of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, TIRRC, an activist group that states its mission “is to empower immigrants and refugees throughout Tennessee to develop a unified voice” and “defend their rights.” (for more on this, visit Refugee Resettlement Watch!)

The group boasts of having helped to defeat an “English only” amendment this January that would have required all Nashville government communications to be in English.

Earlier this month, the group won an award from the Migration Policy Institute, which is funded by grants form the J.M. Kaplan Fund, a left-wing group that also funds the ACLU, the Tides Foundation, the Tides Center, the Sierra Club, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and other left-wing causes.

The award singles out TIRRC for its “Welcoming Tennessee Initiative,” to“foster constructive public dialogue on immigration within the state.”

When asked if he objected to Geert Wilders appearance at the conference, Negri refused to comment.

Regarding the conference:  It's still on, albeit occuring in a "secure, undisclosed location".

(h/t FReeper wontsubmit)

Netherlands: Hey, jail is great says Somali pirate.

I love it here and I can't wait to send for the wife and kids!  Thanks Dutch government!

From nrc.nl

No, Willem-Jan Ausma has never had to defend a client quite like this: one who is quite happy being in prison, and is almost looking forward to being found guilty and sentenced. "For the first time in his life he has access to a real toilet. For the first time in his life he is in a safe environment," Ausma says about his Somali 'pirate' client.

Sure, 24-year-old Yusuf hasn't seen his family in more than four months. "But he intends to send for his wife and children as soon as he is released from prison. He knows he cannot easily be sent back to Somalia. He loves it here in the Netherlands."

This will take your breath away.

I say again, "I swear!  Is there anyone left in the political or theological class that will stand up to these fiends?  Anyone?"

From Leon de Winter at Pajamas Media.

"A couple of years ago, Ayaan Hirsi Ali was having dinner at our house in Holland and we decided to watch a comedy show on TV. I believe the reason was that Wouter Bos, the leader of the Dutch Social Democrats and a colleague of Ayaan’s in parliament, was scheduled to appear on that show.

The program featured stand-up comedians discussing the news, together with the well-known guest. And because Ayaan was an ongoing topic in Holland, they started talking about her. One of the comedians remarked: “Ayaan, she doesn’t have a clitoris, does she?”

The audience laughed. And Wouter Bos, the leader of one of the established political parties and one of the pillars of modern Dutch society, laughed along with the crowd.

Ayaan couldn’t breathe. Shocked, we stared at the screen. Was it possible we hadn’t heard it correctly? How was it possible that a human being, who had been tortured as a child by being forced to undergo genital mutilation, could become an object of laughter and derision by adult men on national television?

I didn’t care for the comedians — sick minds possessing the intuition of obsessed adolescents. I cared for Wouter Bos, an intelligent, sensitive man, who didn’t have the courage to protect ordinary decency and demand that this remark be cut from the taped show.

Three days later one of the main Dutch newspapers published an op-ed piece my wife and I had written about Wouter Bos’ cowardly behavior. Other voices were heard criticizing my wife and me for our effort to “silence” a funny comedian.

Wanda Sykes’ recent performance reminded me of this impressive example of Dutch tolerance..."

This is what appeasement looks like.  This is when I get that big 1939 deja vu all over again vibe.

Check it out.  It's worth your time.

P.S. And they lecture us about torture?

Dutch journalist: She was held hostage AND raped repeatedly

That's all?  Oh thank goodness, for a moment there I thought she was WATERBOARDED/tortured/played Marco Polo in the hotel pool! (do I really need a sarc tag here?)

Sick bastards.

The journalist, Joanie de Rijke (43), was held hostage by the Taliban for six days in November 2008 and was released after a 137,000-dollar ransom was paid.

In a new book, In the hands of the Taliban, De Rijke describes how she was repeatedly raped by Taliban commander Ghazi Gul. Gul was later killed in a bombardment.

De Rijke, who is Dutch but lives in Belgium, was on assignment in Afghanistan for the Belgian weekly P-Magazine. She wanted to talk to the group of Taliban fighters who had ambushed and killed ten French paratroopers in August 2008. But when she made contact with the group, they took her and her Afghan interpreter hostage instead.  The ransom was paid by the magazine and colleagues of De Rijke after both the Dutch and Belgian governments refused to pay.

P.S.  As a natural blonde, I feel quite entitled to say that her blonde hair rays must have driven Ghazi Gul mad.  You know it's true.

UK: Geert Wilders appeal to be heard on July 9

From DutchNews.nl

Anti-immigration MP Geert Wilders said on Friday he hoped to go to Britain on July 9 when a court in London will hear his appeal against being banned. 'I want to be there in person, and defend myself together with a British lawyer, Wilders said on his website. The anti-Islam campaigner was banned from entering Britain in February after the authorities said he could be a danger to public order.

Still no word on the Taj Hargey - Geert Wilders throwdown either in the news or at the Wilders website.

Although, there is this item in the news about Dr. Targey.  He seems to be really serious about this free speech thing and it evidently has the Dons of Oxford with their panties in a wad.

Oxford college accused of stifling free speech.

A University of Oxford college has been accused of stifling free speech after it cancelled a lecture by a controversial anti-Zionist rabbi.  Rabbi Ahron Cohen was to present a paper entitled “Zionism is not Judaism, Anti-Israelism is not Anti-Semitism” at Wolfson College, a postgraduate college, on 30 April.

The lecture was part of a monthly forum organised by the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford (MECO), which booked the venue.

Taj Hargey, chairman of MECO, said the college cancelled the event on 29 April and that Wolfson’s president, Hermione Lee, told him that she had been inundated with complaints from students about the speaker.

He told Times Higher Education: “They are saying there is a booking anomaly, but that is not the real reason for the cancellation. The real reason was student pressure. We have offered to pit a Zionist in a debate against Rabbi Cohen, but that has not been accepted. Free speech has lost, and censorship has won.”

He added that MECO had been holding events at Wolfson College for five years and had never previously had a problem with a speaker. “If we were inviting an Israeli embassy official to speak, we wouldn’t be expected to give notice,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Wolfson College said the lecture booking was cancelled because it was not “made transparently”.

“Wolfson supports free speech and is happy to host speakers of all opinions,” she said. “However, where a speaker is likely to be controversial or provocative, or has the potential to cause offence to college members, it is the college’s policy to discuss among the governing body whether and how to hold the event, including whether opposing voices should be included in the event.

“As this speaker was booked under the identity of a college member who knew nothing about the booking and the real identity of the speaker became apparent only yesterday, there was no opportunity to hold these discussions. This left Wolfson with no option but to tell the organisers that the venue was no longer available.”

Throwdown: Britain's lone* moderate Muslim challenges Geert Wilders to a debate

*Well, it sure SEEMS like he's the lone moderate Muslim running around over there.   Dr. Taj Hargey -->

GW's comment at yesterday's post  "Stop the Presses!  A moderate UK Muslim really exists" made me want to learn more about Dr. Taj Hargey.

Bang! What do you know? He's challenging Geert Wilders to a debate.

(I think this would be awesome)

Geert Wilders' office has replied that "he is traveling and won't be able to respond until next week."

Dr. Hargey is recommending somewhere neutral for the throwdown, like Ireland. (Ireland is neutral?) Personally, I think Denver would be nice ;^D

From the Oxford Mail.

A PROMINENT Oxford Muslim has challenged controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders to meet him for a public debate over Islam.

Dr Taj Hargey, Imam of the Summertown Islamic congregation, and leader of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, has invited Mr Wilders – barred from Britain in February because of his anti-Muslim views– to meet at a neutral venue, saying his ideas need to be challenged publicly rather than boycotted.

The Home Office stopped Mr Wilders from attending a House of Lords screening of his film Fitna, which described the Muslim holy book, The Quran as “fascist”, and compared Islam to Nazism.

Dr Hargey, who wrote to Mr Wilders last week, said: “I think it is important to address these issues instead of boycotting the man.

Geert Wilders at Chapman University.

Thanks to Further Adventures of Indigo Red for posting their account of Geert Wilders' visit to Chapman University last night.  (h/t FReeper EveningStar)

<--  Geert after being banned in the UK.

Here's a sample to get you going:

Geert Wilders had come to Chapman University on another beautiful day in paradise - blue skies, bright sunlight, cool breeze. The Dutch MP was here to show his movie "Fitna" and explain why Western Civilization is in serious danger of disappearance because of Islamic sharia, Muslim immigration and simple demographics.

Act for America, Mission Viejo was there to counter the expected protest from the local Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood apparently had other plans because they never showed up."

Click here for more.

Hezbo leader and Cartoonist who depicted Anne Frank in bed with Hitler gain entrance to UK. Geert Wilders still banned.

"Write that in your diary, Anne." was the cartoon's caption.  (They'll let these disgusting pigs in but a Dutch parliamentarian is banned.  Just vile.)

From News of the World UK, of all places.  (h/t Religion of Peace)

HOME Secretary Jacqui Smith's department is under fire for allowing two leading terrorist sympathisers to enter Britain.

Both spoke at the House of Commons last week at a pro-Palestinian meeting organised by a far-left Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn.

One is Hussein Al Hajj Hassan, a member of the political wing of Lebanese terror group Hezbollah.                          Hussein Al Hajj Hassan  -->

The other is Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Belgian Muslim firebrand who has published disgusting anti-Semitic cartoons.

One showed Adolf Hitler and 15-year-old Holocaust victim Anne Frank both naked in bed with the caption: "Write that in your diary, Anne".

A Home Office source said last night Ms Smith had been alerted that Jahjah was on his way and was preparing to ban him. But by the time officials had completed the paperwork he had already arrived. The source said: "If Jahjah puts a foot wrong he will be arrested."

<---Dyab Abou Jahjah.

The failure to keep both men out during the G20 summit comes in the same week she was given a final warning by Gordon Brown in the row over hiring adult films on expenses.

It also comes less than two months after she publicly banned anti-Muslim Dutch MP Geert Wilders from entering the UK."

(Meanwhile, Geert Wilders spoke at Chapman University last night and appeared on FNC this morning speaking about Article 132 - unfortunately, haven't been able to find the vid yet.)

In other UK cartoon news: UK funded charity publishes a "Cartoon strip aimed at under-12s depicting Christian boy as Islamaphobe thug".

Nice, real nice.

In a cartoon strip, a boy wearing a large cross around his neck is shown telling a friend that a smiling Muslim girl in a veil looks like a terrorist.

He later confronts her and shouts: ‘Hey, whatever your name is, what are you hiding under your turban?’

She replies that the garment is called a hijab and it is part of her religion, ‘like that cross you wear’.

The girl is then shown standing up for another boy, who is being  bullied, and her behaviour is  contrasted with that of the boy wearing the cross.

You evil Christians always calling us names for blowing up churches and mosques!

'BBC is censoring me to appease Muslims' says Danish cartoonist Westergaard.

Makes you wonder what happened between the BBC, the Muslim malcontents and Mr. Westergaard, doesn't it?

"A Danish cartoonist, responsible for one of the caricatures of Mohammed which sparked worldwide anger from Muslims in 2005, has accused the BBC of appeasing radical Islam.  Kurt Westergaard says the BBC will not air a recent interview with him because it is terrified of upsetting extremist Muslims.

The 73-year-old cartoonist gave his first ever English interview to a BBC journalist four weeks ago. Since then it has not been broadcast, amid claims that the BBC is frightened of “inflaming” Muslims.

Mr Westergaard told the Daily Mail newspaper, “I am disappointed on behalf of the freedom of speech.  Every time you are afraid I think you make a step backwards. That is depressing me.” 

Mr Westergaard compared the BBC’s attitude to the appeasement of Hitler in the 1930s. He said: “If you have an appeasement policy towards the radical Muslims then you are on a very wrong way and you have to start marching backwards.”

The protests which greeted the publication of the Danish cartoons in 2005 lasted for six months and led to dozens of deaths.

Mr Westergaard has received death threats and been forced to spend periods living at secret locations under police protection.

A spokesman for the BBC said: “No decision has been made yet. As and when one is, it will be based, as always, on editorial merit.”

Likely story with the BBC.

In other free speech and Muslim turbans in a bunch news:  Geert Wilders to speak in Orange County.

Geert's been busy...

while Dinah's been slacking.  Geert Wilders PPV party now up to 32 seats in the Netherlands 150 member Parliament. 

I think Geert's going to rise higher in the polls because he keeps saying things like this.

"Might as well wrap up the Antilles with a bow and hand it to Chavez..."

Faction leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom PVV Geert Wilders has advised Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende to gift-wrap and sell off the Netherlands Antilles to Venezuela.

“Just dial this number. Write along. You have a pen? 00-58-212-806-3111. Again: 00-58-212-806-3111. You got it? That is the number of the palace of President Chavez in Venezuela. He would love to have the Netherlands Antilles and we [would] love to get rid of [it]. I would make a good deal with him. Tie a nice bow around the islands and goodbye,” stated Wilders on Wednesday.

Wilders put this piece of advice for Balkenende on the Website of the opposition party after the PVV leader and the rest of his faction walked out of the session of the Second Chamber with the Prime Minister. PVV was angry that the coalition was not willing to consider alternatives from the opposition parties to the crisis package that government presented on Wednesday. Wilders subsequently put on the Website his statement that he would have read in Parliament.

About that walkout:  Atlas has the story and video.  Alas, it isn't in English and has no translation.  Looks like there were lots of sparks flying, though!

Here's Expatica's report on the walkout.

Leader of the right-wing Freedom Party Geert Wilders has grabbed the attention of the Dutch dailies again by storming out of Thursday's parliamentary debate in a huff and taking his entire party with him.

When a government spokesman said the room to make changes to the government's plan to tackle the economic crisis was "extremely limited", Wilders declared: "I'm not only angry ... I'm furious. This is a sham debate ... and we're not going to stand for it."
...
Wilders' anti-establishment rhetoric has him riding high in the polls.