The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam

ずっと気にはなっていたのですが、似たようなreportage Londonistan は過去にも読んだ記憶があり、読むのは控えていた作品でした。今回一読してみて、とうとうここまで来たかとの思いを新たにさせてくれる作品でした。日本でもおなじみの短期的な利得の強調と疑わしい本末転倒の理由（人口減への対応）そして美名（diversityとmulti-culturalism)のもとで、長期的には社会の根本を壊すというか、大幅に作りかえてしまうことになる諸政策が、なぜ世論の多数の意向を無視してとり続けられているのか？本書は外国人の不法大量流入の現場でのreportageだけではなく、このような現象を引き起こしてしまった深い要因への思索を促すものでもあります。タイトルのstrange death が示しているかのように、西欧ではすでに中枢神経である頭脳がやられてしまっているようです。「頭脳」というのには２つの意味があります。それは思想であり、もう一つは社会の頭脳でもある指導者です。この二つが奇妙なシンクロを起こして病んでいるのです。その究極の姿が見受けられるのが、償うことのできない罪の意識を抱いたホロコーストの当事者、ドイツです。RACISMというレッテル張りの下で、multi-culturalismの発想とは対極にある相手へのmulti-culturalismの論理の倒錯した適用、警察・司法での奇妙な二重基準の横行、テロ事件報道へのグロテスクな自己検閲と自由な報道への物理的な脅威、そして欧州の歴史の一方的な視角からの大幅な読み直し（これこそ歴史修正主義!）への安易な同調、そしてこれらの現象の上に覆いかぶさる「数」の圧力、これらが組み合わさって、もはや欧州は地理的な概念としての意味は維持しながらも、文化的な概念としての実体は徐々に崩されているのです。demographicsの容赦のない変化の下での無責任な民主主義の横行は究極のところで民主主義を殺してしまうという逆説的な事態（ナチの政権掌握！）が待ち受けているかのようです。著者が指摘するのは文化的な基盤としてのキリスト教の存在の希薄化とそれに伴う価値観の崩壊です。賛否はあるにせよ、現在の欧州の基盤とmulticulturalismを含む思考と発想を特徴づけているのはキリスト教なのですが、その文化的な拘束を認識することなく、それにとってかわるものとして祭壇に挙げられているのが「信条 (creed)」としての人間の進歩への信頼（belief in human progress)という幻想です。この「信条」と真っ向から対立する思考体系を持っているのがイスラム教徒の移民たちなのです。リベラルがＬＧＢＴの詳細な定義に熱中しているそのそばでLGBTの存在そのものを否定する（ イスラム教の論理 (新潮新書) ）多数の予備軍が中に引き入れられているのです。これは悲劇なのかそれとも喜劇なのか？街で社会崩壊の現実にリアルに直面する欧州の大多数の世論の意向（移民の制限）にもかかわらず根本的な対策が政治家によってなされることはありません。移民反対の政治勢力はracismという悪罵を投げつけられ、既成事実の積み重ねが進むというわけです。西欧と違い中欧ではこの危機が認識されてはいますが、demographicsの推移はますます欧州という存在の存立基盤を危うくしていくというわけです。著者の以下の結語(2018年4月）はperhapsという言葉のリフレインが醸し出す悲観主義と諦観の色彩が色濃くにじみ出たものです。Within the life-spans of many of us it is fair to say that such a country- like most other countries in western Europe-will become unrecognisable even to fairy recent inhabitants. Perhaps it will all be fine. Perhaps people who remember what Sweden was, what France was, what Britain and what the rest of Europe was will just die out. Perhaps then all the problems, not least the problem of identifying the problem, will cease. Perhaps. Or perhaps a whole new world of problems is being born. Londonistanイスラム教の論理 (新潮新書)

This is the first book of this type that I have read and decided to do so after my interest in political events was rekindled after Britain's 2016 referendum on the issue of the EU. Since then I have spent every day watching videos and reading articles on every and all subjects affecting the Western world.Once I began reading I found that it was difficult to stop. It was captivating and held my interest throughout. Much of what Douglas Murray talks about I knew from doing my own research but I was also clued into past events, which began a chain of events that we are now witnessing its intended or unintended result. Mr Murray's delivery is akin to that of Dr Jordan Peterson, calm, polite and with thoughtful execution, the complete opposite to their opponents who wail, shout and hurl unfounded insults. Intellectually these men tower of most.It is no coincidence that the entire Western world is being besieged by the same issues simultaneously. Mass uncontrolled immigration, terrorist attacks, Far-left extremism and a multitude of lesser groups who seek to end racism/inequality yet are in fact the most racist and divisive people on the planet.Add to the above list the politicians who, with great power encourage this kind of behaviour and laud each other the more extreme their policies.The sad truth is that almost none of this would be happening if not for our 'leaders'. They have and are orchestrating this madness for their own benefit, which is mostly money and their social standing. They care not for the native population and see them as nothing but pawns in their games. They are so far removed from what the people want and need that they have lost all perspective. I do not use this word lightly but I fully believe that they are traitors to their countries and should pay the price for their treasonous deeds. If they are not held to account then the West will slip ever onwards towards the black abyss of chaos of which there may never be a way back from.This book is factual and seeks only to enlighten those who wish to learn the terrible truth. Douglass offers no opinions or gets emotional (although the book evokes an emotional response), he simply relays the information in a straightforward manner that is easy to ingest. That being said, what he does say is laden with foreboding and a sense of impending doom. Although brilliant, bare in mind that this book is a tragedy. A tragedy of not just the West but of all Mankind. Do not give in to despair but reignite your self-worth, your pride in your country and that of your culture. Stand up to those who seek to tear down what you and your forebears created through much toil and sacrifice. Be ever vigilant for your enemies are external and internal. We are beset on all sides by those who seek to see the end of the West and by extension, the civilised world. Give no ground, no compromise and never ever bend the knee!

it was a great read about contemporary Europe, author's perspective may be contentious to some but backed by facts most of his points are unrefutable

It’s so much easier to read than I expected although I did have to look a few words up on Google 🤣🤣The main takeaway from me is how successive governments have ignored the voice of the people.It reminds me of The Nuclear Barons by Peter Pringle which describes how the nuclear industry proliferated without following oroper process through democratic Parliamentary channels.I’m not convinced about quoting single sentences from other people - for all I know they could have said lots of other things which contradict that sentence and maybe that one sentence doesn’t reflect the totality of what they have said on the subject over the years.I’ve read other books on this topic but this book is special in that it gives such a good overview of immigration in other European countries.I only read to page 60 because although it’s very good I found it too depressing.Update - I started reading it again and I’m on page 200 and I can’t put it down.Since I finished reading the book I’ve been thinking a bit more about it and I have two questions. (1) when he says Eritreans for instance are not integrating how can he be sure how much they are or are not integrating because he doesn’t know what their lifestyles were when they were in Eritrea. They could have changed. (2) He says it’s complicated to define British culture but he seems to think it’s easy to define other cultures e.g. in Eritrea. This sort of stereotyping and homogenising of others I think often goes along with these “us and them” situations.

Some people will accuse Murray of Islamophobia. He will probably be called racist. But even his critics will agree that Douglas Murray has put his case with clarity and conviction. What is unmistakable is his passion for his continent. A continent that has given the world the glory of Greek and Roman empires, that has conquered almost the entire planet, has given birth to Renaissance and Reformation, Democracy and Liberty, Rule of Law and Dignity of Man, has taken the human civilization to hitherto-unattained heights of achievements in the last one millennium, is finding itself grasping for breath for its very survival. Murray’s contention is that after the end of two Wars - the bloodiest in human history - by the middle of the last century, Europe was tormented by guilt for what it has wrought. To rebuilt its ruined economy it needed cheap labour. So Europe encouraged immigration. These immigrants came from South Asia and Eastern Europe but mostly from Middle East Asia and North and Central Africa. Over the course of decades they brought in their families and the numbers swelled. A very large portion of these migrants are Muslims from the Middle East and North Africa. Meanwhile, to prevent the recurrence of the horrors of last century European countries decided to come closer. First, European Economic Community, then European Union and, evolving further, Eurozone. Single currency, Euro, for twenty seven countries and no internal boundaries and no requirement for passport to travel across the continent. The result is that an immigrant who sets foot in a remote southern island of Italy or Greece can travel to the Scandinavian countries in the far north of the continent without much hindrance. The immigrants, mostly Muslims, whose numbers kept growing, partly because of migration and partly because of higher fertility rate, failed/refused to assimilate to the host society. They clung to the culture of the land they left behind. As a result, in cities and towns across the continent there sprang up ghettos which are visibly different from the rest of the society. Over the course of centuries, white, liberal Europe has developed the habit of separating the church and the state. The questioning attitude that led to incredible scientific discoveries did not leave religious beliefs as sacrosanct. The result? The moral and ethical foundation that religion provides a society was undercut. Islam, on the other hand, maintained a very tight grip and smothered any and every criticism of its founder and its tenets. As the last nail in the coffin, Angela Markel threw open the door of the continent to millions of “refugees” who, Murray warns, will, in a not too distant future, change the contour of the continent itself. One may not agree with Douglas Murray’s argument. But The Strange Death of Europe should be a required reading. Passionately argued, it’s a book Europeans – and non-Europeans, too – will miss at their own peril.