Michelle interviews Mark Steyn
posted at 8:09 am on October 25, 2006 by Bryan
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Interview with Mark Steyn, Pt. I
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The veil, Islam, and feminism
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Mark Steyn is currently the smartest man on Earth – talking about the most critical issues on the planet – and doing it far more effectively than anyone else.
There are only two questions:
1) Is anyone listening?
2) Is it too late to do anything?
Not enough are listening – but I do think more and more are starting to tune in every day. In a decade, everyone will be listening.
But will it be too late?
Is there anything that can be done – short of a global conflagration that will make WWII seem like an insignificant bar brawl on a small-town Saturday night?
I’m not optimistic. I think dark days are coming. I think we won’t do enough … soon enough … until the only options left are the ones we can’t even talk about now.
The next generations will be right to despise us if we don’t do something – soon.
Professor Blather on October 25, 2006 at 8:30 AM
My only regret is that I didn’t get him to sing. He did, however, promise to wear one of our “I will not submit” t-shirts.
Michelle on October 25, 2006 at 8:38 AM
*swoon*
It may not have been his intention, but right now America Alone is the scariest book I have read, and I have yet to finish it.
I wish he had a daily program of some kind, like radio, because people do not understand that we are walking ourselves to the edge of a cliff.
BlueStateBlues on October 25, 2006 at 8:45 AM
I could listen to this guy talk all day. I’m buying the book right the heck now.
Savage on October 25, 2006 at 9:14 AM
Alright……so why is he not the head of the Dept of Homeland Security??? Is his book terrifying – Absolutely. However, our country was already so polarized between red and blue – the left wing attacks on our security and the Bush administration could honestly be seen as acts of treason leading to civil war, if truly addressed by the administration for what these acts and words are. This developing world war will force every American to take a stand for what they truly believe about good and evil, political correctness and the fundamental values that our country stands for. As conservatives, we place our trust and faith in our creator and know that we are on the “right” side. I am just extremely happy and proud to have people like Michelle and Mark on my side. My 3 young daughters, I know, will be continuing our fight long past my lifetime (I’m only 41), but I know we will triumph. Thanks for the great interview – I eagerly await Part II,
doctork on October 25, 2006 at 9:21 AM
Until I saw Steyn on camera I thought he was an older, seasoned smart guy. But, alas, he’s a young, seasoned smart guy. Better yet. Love listening to his commentary. He’s on target. Hopefully he’s not just another voice in the wind.
shellyanne on October 25, 2006 at 9:26 AM
Thank’s Michelle. Fantastic.
Friday? That’s like … days or something.
But still, fantastic.
Axe on October 25, 2006 at 9:26 AM
His last line is so true. The Islamists are absolutely convinced that what they are doing is right, whereas there is no such consensus in the West that defending ourselves is right. In that sense there will always be a two-front ideological war against enemies foreign and domestic.
Coyote D. on October 25, 2006 at 9:29 AM
Nothing like Mark Steyn in the morning! YES! Thanks, Michellle!
robblefarian on October 25, 2006 at 9:31 AM
Excellent piece, MM.
I do have a question though…
Since Mamood Achmadhimijob advocates procreation wouldn’t we call him Pro-Life… wait he’s just nation building. So does that mean organizations like NOW et al would be trying to destroy a nation? Shouldn’t we want to build up our nation? At the same time increase our tax base…
Just a couple of random thoughts.
GmanPsycho on October 25, 2006 at 9:34 AM
grrr … they better deliver the thing today. I want to be depressed and afraid too.
(j/k–about being depressed and afraid–not about the delivery–which better happen today)
*thanks, not thank’s
lol
Axe on October 25, 2006 at 9:47 AM
A terrific interview on the media source of the future. I share your doubts and gloom Michelle. Demographics may be more detrimental to western civilization than any weapon. Throw in porous borders and multiculturalism, and it’s not a pretty future for our children and grandchildren.
liberty on October 25, 2006 at 9:49 AM
I can’t watch the video until I get home this evening, so I’m wondering if MM delivered my marriage proposal to Mr. Steyn? ;)
Seriously, I’m sure the interview is excellent. We need a guy like Steyn sitting in the Oval Office.
SisterToldjah on October 25, 2006 at 10:03 AM
I’m gloomy too about the future. I see nothing that makes me believe a substantial number of Americans consider that our country, our cultural traditions, in fact, the entire western civilization is threatened. People are called ‘Chicken Little’ for trying to make others aware of the danger.
I’m beginning to think that it is too late. I’m so depressed. I might as well stop saving for retirement and start buy things that will make me feel better.
smitgx1 on October 25, 2006 at 10:03 AM
Way to make my morning. Do not go gently into the Long Arabian Night! Love it.
I volunteer to have more babies with Steyn.
WriterMom on October 25, 2006 at 10:14 AM
Excellent interview! More long-format interviews with people of Steyn’s caliber.
Hey Michelle! Sit down with Brigitte Gabriel and talk about the terrorist organizations like hamas that already have cells in more than 40 states in the US. Please. It’s critically important.
Great job, as always.
techno_barbarian on October 25, 2006 at 10:18 AM
Great interview Michelle.
Every major TV host should be interviewing him.
Why isn’t Oprah interviewing him? or Leno, or Larry King?
To what purpose would they choose to not get his message out?
Everything he says is so common-sensical, if all Americans could hear him, it would be a great start towards uniting us to properly face and combat this problem.
Some of us are already aware that we are in the fight of our lives, let’s hope that we can wake up the rest of the America before it’s too late.
We have to stay strong and keep persevering, get the word out, one person at a time.
Can’t wait to see part II.
flagwaver on October 25, 2006 at 10:19 AM
I can’t believe you’re making us wait TILL FRIDAY for the second part.
I’m a
crackSteyn’Ho…Need. My. Fix…WriterMom on October 25, 2006 at 10:20 AM
Hahaha…Steyn on Oprah? Hilarious. I think the chances of Eichmedinejad converting to Christianity are higher.
WriterMom on October 25, 2006 at 10:21 AM
I’ve felt gloomy about America’s prospects ever since reading Tony Blankley’s book “The West’s Last Chance”.
The end of the book expresses the thought that we’re going to wish that we hadn’t squandered these years since 9/11 by backbiting and infighting among ourselves.
I’m in Texas, and President Bush is a prime example of the successful Texan man. He’s not prone to long conversation… a bit on the quiet side, and gets things done while others talk. It’s a matter of pride in this territory. (neither right nor wrong….just the way it’s done here)
I can’t help wishing Pres. Bush had the communications skills of Reagan and I think he’s wrong about the amnesty part of his border policy.
But I think he’s doing more behind the scenes that most seem to understand, and when the full realization of Islamic Fascism becomes apparent to even the “Pelosi” crowd, history will look back and see that Republicans “war mongers” have been doing the right thing all along. Sort of like when you have your first child, and realize all that your parents went through raising you, just to give you the things that you took for granted all those years.
I have to take books like “America Alone” in small doses now. It’s just too depressing to read, having 2 young boys and raising them into this nightmare society.
Left_Behind on October 25, 2006 at 10:21 AM
And just yesterday I heard an interview with howard dean and he laid out the most absurd list of priorieties the dems would address if they win the election. Not a word about the War on Terror.
And then I saw an interview with nancy pelosi flatly stating, when asked if the stabilization operation in Iraq is part of the War on Terror, “No. Iraq has nothing to do with the War on Terror. The War on Terror is only in Afghanistan.”
That’s the reality of the situation. The extreme left ‘leadership’ of the Democrats is utterly clueless.
They. Will. Not. Protect. And. Defend. Us. Vote accordingly.
techno_barbarian on October 25, 2006 at 10:25 AM
For inspiration-read the Force of Reason by Fallaci. She talks about how and why we will eventually win. It’s delightful.
WriterMom on October 25, 2006 at 10:25 AM
AllahPundit-have you guys considered numbering the comments? If you want to refer to something someone has said further up on the thread, it’s much easier if the comments are numbered. Then others can look at the point that is being referenced. Sometimes I see things that I want to comment on, and then I can’t find what I’m looking for. Just a suggestion.
WriterMom on October 25, 2006 at 10:27 AM
I absolutely adore Steyn and am thrilled to see him here.
Coyote D. states:
Certainly, if we do not recognize the pattern of 1400 years of jihad successfully instigating the division of nations from within . . .the outlook is dire.
heroyalwhyness on October 25, 2006 at 10:30 AM
WriterMom,
As a workaround till we get numbered comments, you can copy out the time/date stamp of the comment to which you want to respond and use the quote tag. Not perfect, but hey, we work with what we have.
techno_barbarian on October 25, 2006 at 10:31 AM
Excellent!
Can’t wait for Friday Pt.2
Good job, M.
Tru2my2 on October 25, 2006 at 10:31 AM
Not yet. [insert frown smiley here; used my quota]
Axe on October 25, 2006 at 10:34 AM
Great idea WriterMom. It’s kind of a shame that there’s no way to click on a poster’s name and see all the posts they’ve written, nor notification when someone responds to a thread you’ve posted.
It would really enhance the sense of “community” if there was a way to search a person’s screename or develop a less “sound bite” method of conversation.
I use google toolbar with the “site: ” command right now, but it doesn’t include any of the most current threads….fairly useless on a current events medium! :)
Left_Behind on October 25, 2006 at 10:37 AM
Great stuff cant wait till friday.
infidel on October 25, 2006 at 10:38 AM
Wonder where our ‘beloved’ lefties are on this post?
With all sincerity I emplore you to listen and think about what Steyn, Gabriel, Spencer, et al, have to say.
I would be very interested in what you have to say, once you do that. And please get over the diversion-speak and blame game responses. The ‘We shouldn’t have been there in the first place’ argument is not a useful and doesn’t move our situation forward in any way. The reality is we ARE there, and the jihadis are at war with us, whether we want them to be or not. We need you on our side rather than as appologists and appeasers to our enemies.
Thanks.
techno_barbarian on October 25, 2006 at 10:38 AM
Excellent interview, my reading list keeps getting longer by the day. If the MSM were to get Mr. Steyn on a show I’m sure the left would claim that the right was using him to scare everyone about Islam. That being said, maybe some would start using their own minds instead of being blindly led by the left. We can only hope that more people see the truth of his writing before it is too late.
ic1redeye on October 25, 2006 at 10:38 AM
Techo_Barbarian wrote:
I couldn’t care less what the “lefties” have to say. The Fast Forward button on my TIVO is just about worn out from watching “balanced” puditcrud like Hannity and
Colmes!It’s beginning to seem like an 6 year running arguement with the town drunk. We have to start IGNORING the “Bush lied” morons and spend NO MORE TIME on garbage like Foley and 9/11 “conspiracy theories”. There’s too much to do!
We have to GET STARTED on making this country back into the wonderful place it was before drug gangs took over and the ACLU made the 1st Amendment a tool for marginalizing self-evident truth and replacing Christian values with a mockery of everything the founding fathers stood for.
The discussion with the Pelosi-led left have nothing to add, and as far as I’m concerned, the Liberal Left can kiss my….
Left_Behind on October 25, 2006 at 11:00 AM
The left goes bonkers when Steyn breathes in their general direction. He’s so funny-and so accurate-they just start sputtering and get completely discombobulated and start ranting about being MEAN and INSENSITVE and “ISLAMOPHOBIC”…and Islam in and of itself is a humour-free zone.
WriterMom on October 25, 2006 at 11:04 AM
Thanks, WriterMom. Will check it out.
smitgx1 on October 25, 2006 at 11:10 AM
Not so far Sister T..maybe she is covering that and the calendar question tomorrow :)
Seriously, his book is terrifying. Thanks to Hot Air and other not MSM he isnt crying in the wilderness. We hear..we listen..we understand…we WILL prevail.
GREAT vent MM! This one is a classic!
labwrs on October 25, 2006 at 11:14 AM
Unfortunately, I cant really listen to this until I get home.Looking forward to it. At least they were able to get a better screen shot of Mark. : )
vcferlita on October 25, 2006 at 11:14 AM
Me too, and I just bookmarked Steyn’s website.
I agree with the Prof, this guy sees the whole situation with uncanny clarity.
infidel4life on October 25, 2006 at 11:23 AM
He looks American talks like a Brit and is Canadian. He can’t stand liberals. My kind of guy! Paradoxical!
Drtuddle on October 25, 2006 at 11:24 AM
Wonderful to see two of our snappiest, most articulate minds sit down together. It’s the Anglo-American alliance on camera (Canada as Commonwealth country will have to do for Great Britain).
Jeremayakovka on October 25, 2006 at 11:24 AM
not only does he need to be on Oprah, but Babwa needs to have him on The View. I’d pay to see him slap down rosie.
jdpaz on October 25, 2006 at 11:25 AM
I can’t believe I’m going to have to wait until Friday to hear the rest. What a cliff hanger.
KCtheKat on October 25, 2006 at 11:39 AM
You have so many wonderful articulate ladies on the Vent, it’s good to see an attractive, conservative man who knows who he is and also knows what he’s talking about there also.
I will bookmark his page and try to get to his book after reading the next one on my list “American Mourning.”
You just keep getting better.
Webutante
Webutante on October 25, 2006 at 12:11 PM
like i keep saying, liberals are more loyal to Al-Qaeda than they are to this country.
Starblazer on October 25, 2006 at 12:19 PM
I wonder what the reaction would be if President Bush said the same things as Steyn. It would be interesting to see how the establishment media would react to that. I’m sad to say that I presume they would mindlessly refer to cultural pride/solidarity/confidence about who we are as Westerners as being a racist xenophbic sentiment.
Zetterson on October 25, 2006 at 12:23 PM
A recent taste of just how brilliant (and brilliantly funny) Steyn really is:
Professor Blather on October 25, 2006 at 12:30 PM
Great interview, Michelle. I look forward to Friday’s part II.
Benaiah on October 25, 2006 at 12:47 PM
Michelle,
So Part II is on Friday?
Does this mean no “View” this week?
While I like Steyn, I also like you 4 lovely ladies doing a conservative version of the View, too.
georgej on October 25, 2006 at 12:55 PM
Steyn put his finger on the problem in a way that makes it so clear that Europe is lost. Unless there is an all out war on the continent that purges the disease of radical Islam, the niceness and tolerance of most Europeans will in effect equal a surrender (as it seems the French already have).
The British, and a few others may wake up in time to conduct the war, but it may be too late to win by then. However, I believe in the American love of freedom. We are not going to lay down and pay homage to 13th century insanity. The bulk of the Bush haters that I personally know are beginning to believe in the reality and depth of the Islamo-Fascist threat.
I hear occasional admissions of the threat of radical Islam from these “D“s. They still hate Bush, but they are at least now admitting the need for borders that matter, and that there may be a bigger problem out there that the Republicans.
Michelle… Keep up the good fight. We will not submit.
RalphyBoy on October 25, 2006 at 1:04 PM
Great interview.
The only thing that gave me a chuckle was that Steyn seemed to completely miss Michelle’s point as to what sheets to dive under and what we should be “getting busy” doing under them.
And, y’know, sitting right across from her and all, well…
C’mon, Mark, have some stronger coffee.
Typhoon on October 25, 2006 at 1:20 PM
Steyn’s is a great and modest mind.
i.e. Observing conventional proprieties in speech, behavior, or dress.
Good-humored too. I’m sure he’ll have a chuckle at his own expense when he realizes what he missed.
Stephen M on October 25, 2006 at 1:36 PM
He writes off the entire immigration question as irrelevant because we don’t have the will to enforce our borders. But…his whole thing is that we don’t have the will to do any of the stuff he’d like us to do, assimilate Muslims or have babies or whatever.
How ridiculous that he takes a borderless world as an irrevocable given, but thinks Islam and the Islamic world are things we have at least some chance to change.
I mean, for God’s sake, which is more realistic: controlling immigration or “reshaping the world”?
I’d suggest that being unable to change the Islamic world is a given, whereas controlling immigration is simply a function of this “will” and “confidence in who we are” that he’s always talking about.
In his book, he even concedes that we can’t directly reform Islam, only Muslims can do that, all we can do is influence the environment. So we’re reduced to: some vague attempts at influencing the world environment—predicated on some vague revival of our civilizational confidence—and then hoping desperately that the party with the actual ability to do anything, Muslims themselves, takes advantage of this slightly altered environment. Yeah, that’s much less of a pipe dream than restoring immigration controls!
He actually argues that Islamic reform is more likely in the Islamic world because their civilization is not rubbing up against the West in harmful ways; he says the Muslims that are most worrisome are in places like Amsterdam, Toronto and—occasionally he’ll let this slip, despite usually singing nothing but hosannas about the American ability to assimilate immigrants—Dearborn MI. Seems to me all the more reason to limit the rubbing. It’s not just a question of hiding behind a fortress, then, but also a question of “influencing the world environment”.
There’re still due points about the limits of what “fortress America” can achieve. Immigration is the beginning, not the end, of this problem. But since Steyn won’t even concede the relevance of that first basic step I guess there won’t be any serious argument with him about this.
Alex K on October 25, 2006 at 1:38 PM
Mark is brilliant, thanks Michelle. He knows what he’s talking about and he is also not afraid to ask difficult questions. Time is running out, we need guys like Mark Steyn to come to the forefront and lead. He’s a leader!
MoonbatMedia on October 25, 2006 at 1:39 PM
Alex K, you raise important points. I haven’t read Mark’s book yet but I agree with you that we can stop the open borders to US/Europe if we wanted to. That surely is the ROOT CAUSE of all these problems. If we don’t address the root cause, or accept a “brave new world” of “multiculturalism”, then our civilizations are already lost. We are hoping in vain for a solution then.
MoonbatMedia on October 25, 2006 at 1:43 PM
I for one, am confident about who we are and who we are not! Therefore, I will vote for Republicans next month and I will support those in government who will protect our country and its values both at home and abroad. There! I feel better now.
BTW, great interview…
d1carter on October 25, 2006 at 1:55 PM
Mark Steyn ranks with Victor Davis Hanson on my “Do-not-miss” list whenever they write or speak. This is what makes Michelle’s vents a required stop on the daily blog rounds – not just eye candy, but substance.
Steyn’s theme calls to mind a book review I read about Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. The reviewer concluded that what played a large role in the decline and fall of Hellenic civilization was what he called “A collective failure of nerve:” beset by their own declining populations, declining faith in the worth and relevance of their traditional religious and cultural beliefs, and a growing threat from migrating Germanic peoples (who were responding to their own growing population pressures), the ancient Western civilizations eventually lost their will to survive.
On an individual or societal level, an organism that lacks the survival instinct will not prevail when faced with competition that has such an instinct.
That’s where the present-day connection to Steyn kicks in. Once again we see Western civilization, particularly in Europe, with declining populations, having largely abandoned their religious faith, and lacking any confidence in their own cultural identities as they wallow in a stew of self-denigrating, multi-culti claptrap – the result being a collective failure of nerve in the face of a growing threat driven by population pressure in the Muslim communities that they’ve failed to assimilate.
History refers to the aftermath of the fall of Hellenic civilization as, “The Dark Ages.” Looking at the trends, I have to wonder if we’re going to see history repeat itself nearly 1,500 years later?
Spurius Ligustinus on October 25, 2006 at 2:18 PM
I come back to a point I once made here, that Fox news is missing a glorious opportunity. I believe if Ms. Malkin, Ms. Powers, Mark Steyn and the Grinch (i.e. Mr. Gingrich) came together on a show opposite The Situation Room, they would “Blitz” Blitzer. Imagine, their interviews with commentators and reporters about current issues, and their analysis…I think it would be awesome.
I know thet Mr. Gingrich seems to be running for 2008, but he gives very well founded, clear thinking political analysis, Ms. Powers puts a reasonable spin on the left’s viewpoints, Steyn is Steyn, and Ms. Malkin combines research, and articulate passion.
It would be quite a programme.
Blaise on October 25, 2006 at 2:31 PM
VERY NICE INTERVIEW, MICHELLE. A GREAT TREAT HERE.
First, Michelle, DO NOT BECOME GLOOMY. Remember that emotions and feelings of gloom and dispair are weapons of the enemy. They want us to feel this way because, like the MSM, it helps their cause to defeat us.
The comments that Mr. Steyn has made about us being looked upon as “pansies” is true. Hell, everytime one of us stands up to the Islamo-Nazi, the MSM, the hardcore lib/Dems, Rinos, Winos, Cry-nos panic, become frightened, and proclaim that PC must be followed. Everytime one of us stands up to Islamo-Nazis, Congress, for the most part, becomes nervous because some of them might not get re-elected.
I am going to purchase the book and put it right next to Michelle’s books.
The time has come to pay very close attention to the upcoming elections, my brother and sister commentors. Do not stay home….do not give into some type of “I am going to punish Republicans and not vote” philosophy. That will only harm us. You KNOW whom to vote for, and why.
DO NOT GET STUCK ON PELOSI!
The False Dervish on October 25, 2006 at 3:15 PM
BTW-Michelle, what is that background music that is playing on all of your vents? It has a nice heavy bass to it. Is it custom made for Vent, or is it from a CD and who is the artist?
Also, you should do more interviews! Perhaps a “man on the street” segment from time to time.
Finally, is it possible to set up the vent so that we can control volume and enlarge the screen if we desire? Sometimes you display stuff from articles and other sites, but I cannot see exactly what they are, so I am not able to go to those sites and see them in their entirety.
The False Dervish on October 25, 2006 at 3:23 PM
The front cover “endorsement” on America Alone by the Saudi ambassador is just right. To adapt the quote on page 141, “Whatever happens/we have got/the Mark Steyn gun/and they have not.”
mymanpotsandpans on October 25, 2006 at 3:40 PM
God laughs in the heavens at the plans of men. It certainly would be so easy to get gloomy about what we see on the horizon if we lose sight of the fact that it’s God who holds the future of us all in His very capable hands. Who could stand without understanding this? He raises leaders up and puts them down. I’m so glad he raised Michelle and Mark up ‘for such a time as this’.
Great interview Michelle. Can’t wait for the second installment on Friday.
From the Heartland of Ohio.
PhoebeMoses on October 25, 2006 at 4:30 PM
This is the first time I saw Mark Steyn on video after reading his stuff for a year and I share other posters’ surprise that he’s not an old crusty wizened type. I just started reading his book, “America Alone,” today and didn’t get through the first page without laughing out loud. OK, he has a lot of gloomy points but he does a good job of making the lemons into lemonade.
I don’t share Steyn’s pessimissm though about the outcome of the clash of cultures. We’ll win, not the Islamists. I can’t help but feel some deja vu from the days when I was manning a fighter to deliver nukes to the bad guys in case the Cold War turned hot. We got a lot of briefings about how powerful and dangerous the Soviets were when in fact they couldn’t make their society work. They couldn’t even keep the Soviet Union stocked with toilet paper. When I look at the Muslim world, I can’t help but notice that it doesn’t work. They don’t know how to do or make anything except trouble.
I’m not convinced that inflexible determination to advance yourself by doing everyone else evil is a recipe for victory. It reminds me of the old Chicago hitman who bragged that he intended to become president of the United States by killing everyone who got in his way. He was gunned down by his peers before he killed his way to alderman. Likewise, when the Muslims press too hard, there will be a harsh response. Our institutions and weapons work well. Theirs don’t.
If you think of Islam as a disease, you can see that it does not thrive unless it resides in a healthy non-Muslim host. Any disease which kills off its hosts has a dim future. Inevitably, virulent diseases must mutate into more moderate forms to survive. Islam will be forced to moderate itself to compete against the West. Modern technology has opened their societies to comparison with the West and the Muslims are found wanting to their embarassment. We are in the beginning of a reconciliation between the West and the Muslim world which will end with them imitating us rather than the reverse.
In the end, America and the West will win because our culture works while Muslim culture fails.
Tantor on October 25, 2006 at 4:43 PM
Ha ha! The very best thing about Mark’s misunderstanding Michelle’s remark about “sheets” and “getting busy” is that he came back with, “Michelle, you’re the great expert in that.” I wish the camera had been on Michelle when he said that.
Kralizec on October 25, 2006 at 5:57 PM
Just got a chance to watch it – excellent interview. Can’t wait to get the book in the mail.
SisterToldjah on October 25, 2006 at 6:22 PM
Good interview, can’t wait for Part II. There was a bit of idolatry in Michelle’s eyes you might say. Perfectably understandable of course, being in the presence of greatness. He is Churchillian in many ways. The West’s greatest writer on all things present and future (the West just doesn’t know it yet).
Europe is doomed for sure. They’re too far gone. A lost cause – or as Mark likes to say – “They’re going out of business”. Sad, but true. Better book that trip to Europe before it goes straight to h*ll. You’ll be able to say “you saw it when”.
sbvft contributor on October 25, 2006 at 6:41 PM
In addition to buying America Alone and his other books (I recommend The Face of the Tiger), consider buying his t-shirts and mugs . I don’t have much use for the mug frankly, but I purchased it and the shirt knowing that he’ll profit from it, and by extension, help ensure his voice will be heard. Help Marc out any way you can!! He is one of our greatest allies. The John Howard of columnists/writers you might say!
sbvft contributor on October 25, 2006 at 6:48 PM
This guy’s great. I hope we see a lot more of him.
kmackie6612 on October 25, 2006 at 7:06 PM
That exchange was hilarious. I’m not sure either of them understood the inuendo at the time.
Resolute on October 25, 2006 at 7:30 PM
Great interview! I’ll be looking out for part two. I wish there were more clear-thinking men like this in the world.
thedecider on October 25, 2006 at 8:02 PM
Great job ya’ll.
johnnyU on October 25, 2006 at 8:41 PM
Yep, we are outnumbered and will stay that way for a while. And what we think of as allies are often worse than useless. Situation is critical, but none too serious.
Does anybody but me remember a fellow named Chesty at a place called Chosin? Or two wet-behind-the-ears subalterns at Rorke’s Drift?
We are a superior culture, to include a superior theology. If we stick to our principles,—-self-reliance, free market economy, limited government at home, superior firepower and total retaliation abroad, we win, they lose.
Oilpatcher on October 25, 2006 at 9:10 PM
He took MM’s comment ‘we should get busy under the sheets’ the only way he could…with Michelle’s husband likely running the camera! I’m surprised Bryan didn’t start laughing out loud at the ‘You’re the expert on that’ line! :))
Mike O on October 25, 2006 at 9:16 PM
I am not so impressed w/ Mr. Steyn.
His ending comment:
Is a load of hokum right out of the “self-esteem literature”. You just need to be confident, and inexplicably, you will win this thing.
You just need to be confident and you will [insert achievement of choice here].
I think we will win this thing if, and only if, we have a strong desire to preserve our lives and dignity, and to live as free people, not as slaves. Which is going to be tough to begin with – Most Americans (left and right) don’t know what it is to be free anymore. They look to their government for their solutions.
AZ_Redneck on October 25, 2006 at 11:21 PM
AZ_Redneck-
I hope Mr. Steyn meant, about “absolutely confident of who we are“, something more on the lines of: Hollywood should get busy making films that remind people what our civilization springs from, not just what it can descend to.
A movie about “The Trial of Socrates” (merging the two versions, Plato’s and Xenophon’s, of that pivotal Western event) would go a long way toward refreshing the general public’s faded understanding of what we are founded on: -an anti-dogmatic culture, rooted in individuality, freedom of thought, skepticism, humor, honor and self-sacrifice for the greater good and deeper truths.
The Socrates story “has everything”… a war hero main character opposed by a vicious, tyrannical theocratic terror state (sound familiar?), a legal contest, a group of idealistic young allies who try to free and save him, a strong wife, and a tear-jerker anding.
In it, you could remind people what we fight for by telling what our primal founders fought, and died for, to create.
Without a dramatic grasp of our ancient philosophical/historical/democratic roots, we are trying to battle the grim gravity of a demonically self-assured enemy in an intellectual/spiritual vacuum.
I need no more theoretical diagnoses of our problems.
I’d prefer to hear someone more like a Patton, who will inspire the War impulse… essentially the survival instinct… from our side.
And all the worry about the “swelling demographics” of the enemy side only seems threatening to a non-militarily-inclined mind. To a more Machiavellian thinker it can be simply seen as a “target-rich area”, should worst comes to worst.
(The mere flea decimated Europe in the Middle Ages… and what would stop something similar to be brewed to answer the over-crowded enemy camp, should they become a deadly, imminent global danger? Or do none of these analysts, like Steyn, think that we will not use the full range of out weaponry to survive? )
profitsbeard on October 26, 2006 at 12:04 AM
Great Vent!
Michelle mentions how gloomy she becomes when she reviews the situation with the Islamofacist. The situation is indeed serious, but perhaps identifying the real reason for our problems is where to start – it is with our own left and their politically correct notions of “multiculturalism” and “diversity”.
Unity, common values, and idenification as Americans was the source of strength in the past and what we need now. There will come a time when there will be no substitute for Unity – probably after a few major disasters bring our nation together.
Successful attack on the United States will be a blessing in disguise – it will be the catalyist for the far left to loose strength and the majority of Americans to come to their senses – especially with regard to the Islamofacist. I believe the situation with this assault from Islam will become very different very quickly when this type of Unity brought about by severe attack becomes a reality.
omegaram on October 26, 2006 at 12:52 AM
Mark Steyn was on c-span a few months back. Good stuff. Unfortunately i think the only way to see it is to keep a look out for a replay or shell out $20-30 bucks to c-span for the tape.
Scot on October 26, 2006 at 1:30 AM
Uh, you can watch both instances of when he was on C-Span online on the C-Span site. Just enter “Mark Steyn” in the site’s search engine…
Wired German on October 26, 2006 at 5:35 AM
Best. Vent. Ever. And that’s saying something, given the recent vents. Steyn is somewhat depressing, but NEVER inaccurate. I hope Mrs. Malkin get’s more of these journalistic coups in the future.
I nominate Michelle Malkin for media mogul! I support Michelle Malkin, even though she is a minority! ;)
Kevin M on October 26, 2006 at 6:28 AM
I just started the book. Mr Steyn is a very articulate spokesman for something that I have believed in for a while.
shooten on October 26, 2006 at 1:22 PM
Mark Steyn is a very smart man. If we could only get the rest of the world to realize what he has already figured out, we would be in a much better position.
americanpundit on October 26, 2006 at 2:05 PM
Well to me it looks like the thing was two stationary cameras–one closeup on him and the other father back taking them both in but aimed at her. They never moved or panned or zoomed so most likely they both ran continuously and the cuts were edited.
So that shot probably does exist.
Maybe if we ask real nice.
But not to make light. It’s nice to know Steyn is out there speaking what is so obviously true, even if he’s just one voice singing only to the choir. At least his voice is out there.
It seems to me that the message of Europe to the jihadis really seems to be, “Look, we’re not breeding and we don’t believe in anything except the pursuit of our own pleasure. If you’ll just leave us alone til we die, you can have it all.”
Unfortunately, I don’t think they’re going to enjoy their golden years.
Typhoon on October 26, 2006 at 2:19 PM
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