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May 10

Written by: Diana West
Sunday, May 10, 2015 7:33 AM 

Cartoon by Bosch Fawstin

Fox News' Jeanine Pirro opened her last show with a pro-free-speech, anti-sharia stemwinder that Mediaite aptly described in a headline as "Sharia Law Is Coming for Your Free Speech." The summary concluded:

Pirro did add that she thought Geller’s event, which was attacked by two gunmen last weekend, was probably a `dumb move,' which is pretty much what all the critics of it are saying.

Out of the mouths of Mediaite. With that "dumb move" dismissal, Pirro entered the left-to-right media mainstream, which has overwhelmingly thrown its support to the totalitarian sharia principles that some, including conservatives such as Pirro, also disavow.

Pirro then interviewed Pamela Geller.

Here are my notes on the interview questions: 

1) But they [American Muslims at the "Stand with the Prophet" event] don't believe in [free speech] it as it relates to their religion ...

2) But by having a contest where you know there will be provocation ... not only insulting their prophet ... blasphemy ... were you worried anybody would be hurt?

3) What about the fact that your critics have accused you of being almost as bad as the jihadists?

4) But isn't that [jihad attacks in US] up to the military, up to law enforcement to take that toe to toe with them?

5) What do you say to people who say that because of what you have done you are putting people, police in jeopardy?

6) Is it your feeling that you need to bring this issue to the public?

7) Does it surpise you that you have become the issue?

8) Did you ever expect you would be at the center of this wild controversy?

9) Are you afraid for your life? Are you willing to give your life for this?

10) Do you think sharia is coming here?

It seems clear that the judge's line of questioning follows not from her concerns that sharia is "coming for your free speech," but rather from her take on the Geller cartoon contest as a "dumb move." 

Why? Why is it that so many media figures, including conservatives, seek to establish that Geller's contest was a "dumb move," "not helpful" or worse? Why are not some of them the least bit interested in discussing our current crisis in which jihad is being waged domestically to enforce Islamic law, about the specific Islamic laws that prohibit freedom of speech and religion on pain of death? What about discussing polling and interviews that attest to the American Muslim embrace of these same Islamic legal dictates against free speech and the like, and the dire implications Islamic immigration thus has for our liberties?  

Not interesed.

Instead, the American media blame Geller for not following Islamic law. In so doing, they themselves reflexively hew to sharia norms, and, borrowing from Hillary Clinton, use old fashioned peer pressure and shaming, to enforce them on Geller.        

A terrible civlilizational shift becomes visible. The First Amendment has never been in more danger -- from journalists.

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