Bruce Bawer reviews my new book, The Tragedy of Islam: Failure and Excuses, which you can order HERE.
It’s official: the list of Robert Spencer’s books is now longer than some books. No, not really, but it’s getting there. I frankly don’t know how he does it, because everything he writes is terrific. And although he keeps returning to his chief (but hardly his only) topic, namely Islam, he always has new information and new insights to offer – indeed, whole new angles to explore. So it is with his extremely engaging new volume, The Tragedy of Islam: Failure and Excuses. As he himself writes in his acknowledgments, he has “tried to express here something that doesn’t appear in my other books.” And what is that something? Well, in those other books, Spencer has delved into such topics as the life of Muhammed, the possible non-existence of Muhammed, the Koran, jihad, stealth jihad, the Crusades, and Islam’s treatment of women. This time around, his emphasis is on “exposing the contradictions” in the lies that Westerners have been told, since 9/11, “about the superior morals and history of the culture that has given rise to numerous deadly terror attacks.”
Needless to say, it’s depressing that in the wake of so many deadly terror attacks, and in the wake of countless other demonstrations of the radical shortcomings of Islam, such exposure should even be necessary. But it is. Millions of Americans actually believe that a U.S. under sharia would be just fine – or perhaps even better than what we have now. It wouldn’t. “In keeping with Islamic law,” explains Spencer, “a majority-Muslim United States would likely criminalize behaviors that Islam forbids: the sale and consumption of alcohol and pork, the use of interest in financial transactions, and more. The veil would almost certainly be made mandatory for women, as it is in the Islamic Republic of Iran and other Sharia states. Certain behaviors, such as homosexual acts, fornication, and adultery could also be criminalized, while polygamy would be legalized.” Every American should know such things by now. It’s the fault of our politicians, journalists, and educators that millions don’t.
Oh, and one more thing: if America were to turn Islamic, the economy would tank. America’s wealth, you see, was created by the Protestant work ethic; the poverty of Muslim countries – except, naturally, for those that have reaped the benefits of oil wealth – is owing to Islam’s utter lack of a work ethic. This goes all the way back to Muhammed, who, instead of encouraging his followers to become farmers or merchants or tradesmen, urged them to raid and steal and plunder; as Spencer writes, he inculcated in them “an aversion to manual labor,” a belief that “work is a curse,” and “a spirit of parasitism,” whereby the wealth of Islamic polities has always been derived almost exclusively from the labor of subjugated peoples. No subjugated peoples, then, no wealth. Hence Islam, when it lacks a hard-working, productive class of subordinate heathens, is nothing more than a formula for poverty – a fact that has resulted, over history, in a series of Muslim polities that Spencer calls “failed societies.” Yes, thanks to its fixation on conquest, Islam may well have done a remarkable job of expanding over the centuries, but what exactly did it bring to its newly conquered territories other than ignorance, intolerance, and a demand that their new underlings provide them with the cash they themselves were incapable of earning?…
Spencer doesn’t neglect to note that where Islam is concerned, we’re living in a strange time. “It would be one of the supreme ironies of history,” writes Spencer, “if the West embraced Islam just as Iran and other areas of the Islamic world were liberating themselves from it.” Ironic indeed. The Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan all signed the Abraham Accords with Israel. While several Western European countries have fulminated against America’s war on Iran, Islamic states like Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait have supported it. During his presidency, Donald Trump seems to have talked many major Islamic governments into turning away from the Islamic tradition of war and poverty and embracing, instead, the opportunity to give their people peace and prosperity. If this development continues, it will truly mark a historic turning point for Islam. Meanwhile, however, much of Europe is already in the grip of Islam at its most truculent, and, given the continued inability of many if not most native Europeans to understand – and withstand – the enemy within, the prospects for the future of European liberty look bleak indeed. As Spencer puts it in his closing sentences, an Islamic Europe seems unlikely to differ significantly “from an Islamic Middle East, an Islamic North Africa, and an Islamic Asia.” How lamentable it is that while Spencer – more, probably, than anyone else, certainly in the English language – has striven over the past quarter century to sound the alarm, all too few readers have heeded his warning. Yes, his efforts may be quixotic. But that doesn’t make them any less heroic.
Read the whole thing here.

Maria V says
This is totally a LIE. America was NOT built on the Protestant work Ethic. Where th hell did you come up with this??
America was BUILT on the backs of Catholics!!
And, Catholics were here Way before the Protestants set foot on American soil, at least 150yrs before. That’s the reason you will see many, many States have Spanish names.
namesThe very First Liturgy was held on American soil. There already were countless Spanish style homes and many established businesses.
I hope you put out Real news from now on!
somehistory says
The Spanish names didn’t come about because the Catholics were here and no Protestants.
The place names, the names of rivers, and land areas, were given names by those who came to conquer.
For example, Ponce De Leon Springs in Florida. Named after the explorer….but not for religious reasons.
The peoples of South America were preached to by Catholic priests and fought to control much of what became the U.S. But the Mexicans weren’t doing it for religious reasons.
Of The Founding Fathers….how many were Catholic?
Are you aware that at one time, Catholic Priests were not allowed to enter the country?
And look at the many Native American names for states, cities, rivers, and lakes. How do you explain that? The Native Americans were not raised Catholic, but with their own tribal religions.
What is in the article is “real.” It’s *really* about what Mr. Spencer has explained in his new book.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
The original 13 colonies weren’t remotely Catholic. They were all Anglican, and a mix of other Protestant denominations. As the country expanded, particularly after the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican war, then Catholics started being a significant part of the population
gravenimage says
+1
LSWCHP says
Also, Wakanda is a hidden state of super genius black people in Africa.
FFS how do these people get access to computers and the internet?
Rufolino says
Catholics always talk about Catholics & the Roman Catholic Church.
They almost never talk about Christians, an nfinitely more signicant term.
They don’t because it would undermine the Catholic totalitarian agenda.
PRCS USN (ret) says
Catholics ARE Christians and are allies in this war against Islam.
Redirect your hatred of other Americans to Islam.
Westman says
Hmmm. I keep reading these days that America was built on the backs of blacks.
There is no question that Catholic clergy were in America before Southern Baptists, particularly in what later became the State of California and adjacent states. I also, in our more recent day, remember Vincente Fox, then President of Mexico, tell Mexicans to go to America and take the former lands back by settling – in which they have had significant success.
The main growth and build out of America happened from the 1800s until after WWII, recognized as a product of European immigration. It is common to hear of the WASP – White Anglo-Saxon Protestant – work ethic of that period. Frankly I don’t care what religion claims the greatest contribution. We all know Islam could not have done it – and that was the point.
In Jefferson’s time he laid out the maps from the Lewis and Clark Expedition and declared, “There is enough land for a hundred generations!” It was filled in 7 generations.
somehistory says
Sounds like a good read.
And even if there was no mo ham ed, there was someone…or several ones…who wrote the evil lies contained in the book muzzies read and worship. And it’s important that more people learn the facts.
somehistory says
there are at this time, about 45 places in the U.S. which offer no interest loans to muzzies.
somehistory says
she went to turkey and when she returned, claimed to be held by ICE. Part of the “takeover” through lies
“Woman claimed she was detained by ICE for two days — but was actually at hotel getting spa treatments: lawsuit”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/woman-claimed-she-was-detained-by-ice-for-two-days-but-was-actually-at-hotel-getting-spa-treatments-lawsuit/ar-AA20NDh9?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=69dd7e0d695b4ca2afed02894bd1601a&ei=6
gravenimage says
Thanks for that link. Somehistory.
Voltaic says
The Protestant work ethic?
I just passed some local council employees in the street, leaning on their shovels.
I guess they must be Catholics.
Grow up Bruce.
The rest of us are long past that nonsense.
Galileo was a Catholic, Newton was a Protestant, just because of where they were while religious bigotry roiled over them and their time in the world.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
So why are Latin American countries nowhere near as successful as the US? In fact, why are Catholic countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Austria, Belgium……) generally worse off than Protestant ones (Nordic countries, Netherlands and until recently, Germany and Britain)?
Robert Spencer says
Wow, what a large number of comments energetically engaged in missing the point.
John Herlihy says
+1
Karen Dowden says
So agree!!!! Shows how small minded Christian sects are and especially Catholics ( I am one in name only). Sadly most Catholics still believe they are the ‘true’ Christians.
Keep writing and telling the truth.
Best regards.
Karen Dowden
gravenimage says
Not sure that is Robert Spencer’s point…
somehistory says
Another maybe missing the point….but it’s important and I’m wondering how they deal with muzzies
“Nicaragua bans several Christian groups as persecution worsens”
“The government of Nicaragua banned at least 18 Christian groups from operating within the country as persecution from the Latin American nation’s regime worsens.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/nicaragua-bans-several-christian-groups-as-persecution-worsens/ar-AA20MFvQ?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=69ddf039d35b417ca40611be6e617e3c&ei=41
࿗Infidel࿘ says
It’s a communist regime. Daniel Ortega was around during Reagan in the 80s, and now, he’s the First Gent in Managua. How do you think they treat Muzzies?
somehistory says
I haven’t read anything about how they treat them….could be like china, but on the other hand, if they fear the terrorism more than they hate *religion*…..or they see how much muzzies hate Christians, they might work with them, as other places are doing, believing they can control them.
What say you?
Tim gallagher says
Yes it is a tragedy that islam takes people, who have potential to be reasonably decent human beings and turns them into evil scum, but the main tragedy is all the millions of non Muslims who have been murdered, raped and treated like shit by evil Muslims. Islam is probably the worst ideology that human scum have ever devised in their evil minds. Letting Muslims invade our countries is the dumbest move ever.
PRCS USN (ret) says
Bawer’s ‘WHILE ERUOPE SLEPT’ was the first subject matter relevant book I purchased (20 years ago).
While I already have most of Robert Spencer’s books, I couldn’t pass this this one up.
So, I preordered it today.
——–
Islam aside, what has the Muslim world produced of worldwide note?
gravenimage says
Yes–an important book.
gravenimage says
‘Islam’s Tragedy: A new masterwork by Robert Spencer’
……………………………………………….
Sounds like a book I want to read. Definitely a tragedy.