Ayaan Hirsi Ali is the author of several books—including the 2006 autobiography Infidel—as well as a fellow at the Hoover Institution She runs a foundation focused on human rights and, yes, she has a Substack. But Ayaan comes from a very different world from most of the people who inhabit our think tanks and ivory towers. Unlike those of us in the West who grew up with everything, Ayaan grew up in Somalia with. . . nothing.
I just finished Cathy Young's article in Bulwark. First I think very highly of Young; she is an erudite philosopher of the highest magnitude and I think much of her criticism is accurate. There is no grand unifying theory of subversion taking place in American culture. But I also think Young, as an authentic freedom of speech libertarian, does not want to recognize the power that the money spent by many Arab nations in alliance with Russia and the CCP has on American Universities and by extension on American schools of education. Kindergartners are indeed being taught the propaganda their elementary school teachers have learned in colleges of education that have been subsidized by countries like QATAR. Arab/Islamist money in sufficient quantity to subvert academic journals and pay for professorships is not speech that should be protected. Money buys propaganda, and the propaganda of one's enemy is not to be confused with Speech. Freedom of speech is only possible when both sides are in fact fairly represented. That is no longer the case in American universities! Censorship is DE RIGUEUR in many academic programs. All PhD students know they must to some degree ape their professors. If a PhD student in any of the humanities or social sciences dares to oppose "wokeism" that student will be cast out of the program, a pariah to the cause of so-called Social Change, and may incur extraordinary debt for the unfinished doctorate. It may destroy that budding intellectuals life in fact. That is not the freedom of libertarians in the least.
Sadly, Ayaan's essay is a wonderful example of the "blind man and the elephant" metaphor she highlights. She correctly identifies many of the problems on the "left" ("rollback the police", etc), but largely overlooked the major problems on the right. How anyone who claims to care about democracy could overlook the schemes to turn over the 2020 election which were tossed out by over 60 Federal judges (many appointed by GOP-appointed judges), January 6 attack on the Capital, and the strengthening of such initiatives over the past 4 years and claim to be intellectually honest is frankly quite appalling. I expect better from Bari Weiss and the Free Press.
"Ayaan knows what it is like to live without those ideals, which is why she also has a particular instinct for when they are under attack. And that is exactly what she sees happening—all over the West."
And those who have voted Democrat have had nothing to do with the decline... trust Bari Weiss... she's out fighting the good fight. Just as long as the fight is for Israel. If it is for the United States Constitution and how it has been ruined by the Democratic Party in waht is tantamount to treason and a real "insurrection"... well... bupkis on that front... Now let's read more about dating rich guys and the problems of educated white women in New York and Los Angeles!
I became a fan of Hirsi Ali years ago after seeing her somewhere (I don't recall), being impressed, and then reading her book Infidel. I followed much of what she did. I was so proud of her use of reason to denounce Islam. I love how she has supported people who have left Islam (with much personal risk) and campaigned against female genital mutilation in the US.
I unfortunately have lost a great deal of respect for her now that she has become Christian. It undermines all her previous work, and outs her as an intellectual lightweight, who isn't *that* committed to rational thought. It actually makes me sad, if I'm being honest. She was one of my feminist heroes.
I'm not making this reply by shooting from the lip; I looked up your profile and gave your comment a think or two. Since reading your brief profile, it's impt for me to tell you that you have my respect. Raising five kids AND being a sw eng? Whoa...
I'm in complete agreement w/your first parag; this essay is my first direct exposure to Ms. Ali's writing and I'm just as impressed.
What's caused me to reply is your second parag. You said some serious shit, and I genuinely want to know why her newfound faith has undermined your respect for her. No, I'm not a bible thumper; I havent been inside a church in decades. Rather, it's your blanket condemnation (too strong a term, but in the neighborhood) of Ms. Ali for becoming a Christian. I haven't read her work describing her conversion (I think there's something out there).
What is it about that decision which bothers you? I'm honestly curious.
Rational thought leads you AWAY from religion, not to it. There is no evidence to support any religion, full stop. Believing in things for which there is no evidence is foolish, and not something I can respect.
Having said that, I can still appreciate much of her work, much as I do Andrew Sullivan.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a true heroine of our time. If only we had more like her. I urge every thinker to read her books.
I just finished Cathy Young's article in Bulwark. First I think very highly of Young; she is an erudite philosopher of the highest magnitude and I think much of her criticism is accurate. There is no grand unifying theory of subversion taking place in American culture. But I also think Young, as an authentic freedom of speech libertarian, does not want to recognize the power that the money spent by many Arab nations in alliance with Russia and the CCP has on American Universities and by extension on American schools of education. Kindergartners are indeed being taught the propaganda their elementary school teachers have learned in colleges of education that have been subsidized by countries like QATAR. Arab/Islamist money in sufficient quantity to subvert academic journals and pay for professorships is not speech that should be protected. Money buys propaganda, and the propaganda of one's enemy is not to be confused with Speech. Freedom of speech is only possible when both sides are in fact fairly represented. That is no longer the case in American universities! Censorship is DE RIGUEUR in many academic programs. All PhD students know they must to some degree ape their professors. If a PhD student in any of the humanities or social sciences dares to oppose "wokeism" that student will be cast out of the program, a pariah to the cause of so-called Social Change, and may incur extraordinary debt for the unfinished doctorate. It may destroy that budding intellectuals life in fact. That is not the freedom of libertarians in the least.
Sadly, Ayaan's essay is a wonderful example of the "blind man and the elephant" metaphor she highlights. She correctly identifies many of the problems on the "left" ("rollback the police", etc), but largely overlooked the major problems on the right. How anyone who claims to care about democracy could overlook the schemes to turn over the 2020 election which were tossed out by over 60 Federal judges (many appointed by GOP-appointed judges), January 6 attack on the Capital, and the strengthening of such initiatives over the past 4 years and claim to be intellectually honest is frankly quite appalling. I expect better from Bari Weiss and the Free Press.
Listened to this today and now I want to read the essay, which I can't find. Help?
https://www.thefp.com/p/ayaan-hirsi-ali-we-have-been-subverted
"Ayaan knows what it is like to live without those ideals, which is why she also has a particular instinct for when they are under attack. And that is exactly what she sees happening—all over the West."
And those who have voted Democrat have had nothing to do with the decline... trust Bari Weiss... she's out fighting the good fight. Just as long as the fight is for Israel. If it is for the United States Constitution and how it has been ruined by the Democratic Party in waht is tantamount to treason and a real "insurrection"... well... bupkis on that front... Now let's read more about dating rich guys and the problems of educated white women in New York and Los Angeles!
The Democratic Party of America, DELENDA EST!
I became a fan of Hirsi Ali years ago after seeing her somewhere (I don't recall), being impressed, and then reading her book Infidel. I followed much of what she did. I was so proud of her use of reason to denounce Islam. I love how she has supported people who have left Islam (with much personal risk) and campaigned against female genital mutilation in the US.
I unfortunately have lost a great deal of respect for her now that she has become Christian. It undermines all her previous work, and outs her as an intellectual lightweight, who isn't *that* committed to rational thought. It actually makes me sad, if I'm being honest. She was one of my feminist heroes.
I'm not making this reply by shooting from the lip; I looked up your profile and gave your comment a think or two. Since reading your brief profile, it's impt for me to tell you that you have my respect. Raising five kids AND being a sw eng? Whoa...
I'm in complete agreement w/your first parag; this essay is my first direct exposure to Ms. Ali's writing and I'm just as impressed.
What's caused me to reply is your second parag. You said some serious shit, and I genuinely want to know why her newfound faith has undermined your respect for her. No, I'm not a bible thumper; I havent been inside a church in decades. Rather, it's your blanket condemnation (too strong a term, but in the neighborhood) of Ms. Ali for becoming a Christian. I haven't read her work describing her conversion (I think there's something out there).
What is it about that decision which bothers you? I'm honestly curious.
Rational thought leads you AWAY from religion, not to it. There is no evidence to support any religion, full stop. Believing in things for which there is no evidence is foolish, and not something I can respect.
Having said that, I can still appreciate much of her work, much as I do Andrew Sullivan.
The search for meaning can take many forms, you should consider a dose of humility in your own search.
"...feminist heroes"
Thanks for this! I'm always searching for a good oxymoron...