John-Rhys Davies and Political Correctness

One of this laygeeks favorite actors, John Rhys-Davies has stepped in 'it'.

JRD has given an interview to IC Wales that has started a great hue and cry from the usual suspects, that could end his career.

Rhys-Davies said similar things here in an interview regards his role as Gimli the Dwarf in Lord of the Rings.

Basically Mr. Rhys-Davies who grew up in East Africa and has first hand knowledge of some of the goings on in that part of the world, points out that the death cult of Wahabiism is a far greater danger than is often supposed.

Of course he is being branded a racist and islamophobe and it looks lioke boycotts are planned.

Note that JRD, in both interviews, says that he fully realizes this may be ending his carrer. He is saying things that need to be said...things that are unwise to say only because the truth is singularly unwelcome in many areas.

I am not a particularly worldly person, but I do work with exchange students at college, and the sheer nihilism and venomous anti-semitism of some of the arab muslim exchange students is frightening. (their numbers dropped off some 2 years ago...go figure) This does NOT apply to the Arab-Americans that I have known nor does it apply to Moslems from Asia and Sub-Sahara Africa. Students from countries that have little or no Wahabbic influence are by and large eager to learn open minded and determined to learn from others and help their countries move forward. They don't want to become clones of the west but take the things that have worked so well for us and move forward in their own way.

JRD has offended not only the Wahabbists who his remarks are aimed at but certain elites who consider it a form of intellect to one-sidedly castigate the West for all its ills and give no credit to its achievements.

Western Europe, out of necessity developed in an unusual way from much of the world. The Age of Reason and the Enlightenment were all but unique Ancient Greece, parts of India and brief interludes in China produced similar movements or at least their beginnings, but they were all snuffed out. Reason, the Enlightenment, Entrepanuerism all helped to give Europe an edge. At one time Europe was sandwiched between an expansionist Caliphate to the south and west (at the gates of Vienna in fact); attacking maurauders to the north and east; and the sea. It went from being of almost no importance watching its countdown to extinction tick, to being a huge (and frequently positive) influence upon the world. It did this in 2-300 years.

Western civilization has not always lived up to its ideals, but things like the industrial revolution, advances in science and the fact that it doesn't treat half its population like chattel were ant to a great degree still are massive steps up from what has gone before. These are the things that can allow all nations to moveforward and up from the cat hole that has been the vast majority of human history.

JRD is making a point that needs to be made and that many dont want to hear.

The liberal-humanist philosophy that we so rightly enjoy is a welcome aberation in the history of man and for the first time ever it has been introduced with varying degrees of success to a large portion of the world.

Many people have a difficulty realizing what an unusual and wonderful thing this is....and just how short this wonderful intertwining of tolerance & industry have existed. The sheer cultural darkness that, say, the Wahabbists want to bring back is beyond the imaginations of many people because it is uterly beyond their experience.

The point about demographic catastropies is the most controversial point he made, but as distasteful as it is at first blush, it is emminently valid.

Given the lack of assimilation of the Muslim populations in many countries, the resentments that living in ghettos builds, the racism of some Eurotypes and the belief by many Moslems that a return to the middle ages is a sure path to their lost glories, a millitant Moslem majority in Europe could impose Sharia on the continent...at the very least it could lead to social upheaval on a massive scale.

To criticize and warn against this death cult is not racist (that is the whole point of the current war)...rather it is culturalist.

To deny that some cultures are less desireable than others is silly. Let's take a look at an example that some of JRDs harshest critics would agree with.

NAZIs...

I challenge you to make the case that the NAZIs were as viable and legitamite a culture as any others...you can't (unless you're evil) THEY WERE NOT. They were evil, their outlook combined the worst aspects of all the darker angels of mans nature, envy, hatred and medivalism, wrapped it in a bunch of populist/leftist propoganda and a longing for the good old days of yore.

It is an imperfect analogy, but Millitant Islamism is still remarkably similar down to the same scapegoats (Jews). Their glory days were in the 12th century during the brief flickering of enlightenment that allowed the Caliphate to prosper, but those who preach this poisonous philosphy believe that that smattering of social progress was heretical and is in fact what caused their empire to fall from favor with God.

Many of the very westerners who are shrieking at JRDs missive would be the last to call the NAZIs anything but the monsters they were.

This took considerable courage on the part of John Rhys-Davies, especially since he knew he could get blacklisted for it.

I wish him the best.
Hat Tip: Sofia Sideshow