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Europe is dying—but don’t be alarmed

Many in the West remain complacent about Islam’s rising tide because they rely on the assurances of people who have been consistently wrong about Islam and immigration. Meanwhile, they are being denied access to the opinions of the people who have been reliably right—the so-called “alarmists.”

(us.fotolia.com/Paolo Gallo)

I recently read an article, though I can’t remember where, which referred to the “end game” in Europe. Was it one of those stories about how the Swedish police are pleading for help because they have lost control of the immigrant crime situation? Or was it a story about the Italian government’s plea for help to the EU because the African immigrant situation has spun out of control? No matter. There are, to paraphrase the old TV series, “eight million stories in the naked Continent” to choose from. And they all tell a disturbing story.

If you’ve been following the situation in Europe, you realize that the “end game” could refer to any number of European countries faced with the prospect of Islamization. But for those who haven’t been paying attention, the term “end game” must seem strange. Many people in Europe and a great many people in North America don’t even know that the game has begun—the game of Islamization, that is. A number of observers of the European scene have been predicting that large parts of Europe will be Islamic in about two decades. Although they supply acres of demographic evidence to make the point, they were until recently largely ignored. It wasn’t until the immigration invasion which commenced in 2015 that people began to wake up to something that should have been obvious a decade before. Europe is being transformed into something that is European in name only.

How did a change of such immense proportions fly under the radar for so long?

One of the striking things about Douglas Murray’s new book, The Strange Death of Europe, is how often he uses the term “no one had predicted” or words to that effect. In particular, he observes, no one had predicted the scale of Third-World immigration into Europe, and thus no one was prepared for it.

A few Cassandras, he admits, did predict what would happen, but few paid attention to them. In a 1968 speech, which came to be known as the “Rivers of Blood” speech, Enoch Powell, the Conservative shadow cabinet minister, warned of dire consequences should immigration to Britain continue at its then current rate.

The speech spelled the end of Powell’s political career. Yet, as Murray points out, Powell’s predictions fell far short of the eventual reality. Nothing in the speech suggests that Powell had foreseen anything of the magnitude of the 1,400 rapes that occurred in the English city of Rotherham at the hands of Pakistani rape gangs over a number of years, much less the 1,200 assaults by North African men that took place outside the Cologne train station in a single night in 2015. Powell hadn’t actually used the phrase “rivers of blood,” but by 2017 one could speak in a figurative manner of the Mediterranean as a sea of blood. Starting in 2014, an average of 3,000 migrants were drowning each year in the crossing attempt.

Another “prophet of doom” was the French author Jean Raspail, whose 1973 novel Camp of the Saints described a mass migration from India to the Mediterranean shores of France. Raspail not only predicted the mass Third World migration to Europe, he correctly foresaw that a culture steeped in the doctrine of diversity would be unable to resist the invasion. What he got wrong was the magnitude of the migration. He pictured a flotillEua of 100 ships carrying a million people slowly across the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope, and through the Straits of Gibraltar. But by 2016, almost twice that number of migrants were entering Europe every year.

Still, Powell and Raspail were far closer to the mark than the multitude of commentators who criticized them. In other words, the best predictors of Europe’s future were individuals who were dismissed by their contemporaries as crackpots and alarmists. If you were a betting man, the best bet circa 1970 would have been to place all your money on Europe’s biggest alarmists, and then double the bet.

Unfortunately, almost 50 years later, there’s still time to place your bets. There’s a new wave of “alarmists” who, for the last decade or so, have been consistently right about what the spread of Islam spells for Europe. Yet they have been consistently dismissed as extremists.

The new “alarmists” would include Oriana Fallaci, Geert Wilders, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Thilo Sarrazin, Robert Spencer, Mark Steyn, and Douglas Murray himself. Despite the dead-on accuracy of their assessments and predictions, all of them have been harshly attacked by the establishment media and establishment leaders—in short, by the people who have been dead wrong about almost every aspect of the Islamic problem. Fallaci, Wilders, and Steyn had to endure a series of “heresy” trials, Sarrazin lost his job, Hirsi Ali was forced to leave Holland, Spencer was denied entry to the UK, and Murray, who writes for the Sunday Times and The Wall Street Journal, has been branded as a right-wing extremist.

The attempts to silence our contemporary Cassandras helps to explain why so many fail to realize that the “game” has begun, let alone that it may be approaching “game-over” for some parts of Europe. The case of Robert Spencer is typical. He is one of the world’s leading experts on jihad and other aspects of Islam. Yet the powers-that-be have gone to extreme lengths to shut him up. Catholic bishops have rescinded speaking invitations, the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled him a “hater,” the UK has denied him entry, Facebook has suspended his account, and, most recently, Google has made it very difficult to find his popular site online. If you google “jihad,” you’ll have to wade through numerous Islamic apologist sites before you finally come to Spencer’s JihadWatch. If a lot of people in the West don’t realize how serious the Islamization problem has become, it’s because the establishment elites don’t want them to know.

Many in the West remain complacent about Islam’s rising tide because they rely on the assurances of people who have been consistently wrong about Islam and immigration. Meanwhile, they are being denied access to the opinions of the people who have been reliably right—the so-called “alarmists.” It’s a dangerous state of affairs because when alarming things are happening, you need someone to sound the alarm. And then you need to pay attention to what they say.

The trouble with the original Cassandra was not that her predictions were wrong. On the contrary, all of what she said came to pass. The tragedy was that no one listened to her.


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About William Kilpatrick 81 Articles
William Kilpatrick is the author of several books on religion and culture including Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West (Ignatius Press) and What Catholics Need to Know About Islam (Sophia Institute Press). For more on his work and writings, visit his Turning Point Project website.

25 Comments

  1. Secular humanism is so deeply entrenched in the modern political psyche from A Merkel to the Pontiff, the Dem Party that the best knowledgeable minds’ forecast of Europe’s demise is blocked out. Not because of the invalidity of Oriana Fallaci’s, Geert Wilders’ et Al facts and arguments but rather on a preferred vision of Europe, of reality itself. It’s an elective mindset of an anthropocentric intellectualism. The outcome of the death of God in the hearts of men. I watched an aerial shot of an endless massive march of invading migrants striding across the fields of E Europe moving ever westward. Likely all Muslims. Desirous of dominating spiritually weakened self destructive Europeans. Helmut Kohl former German Chancellor and last great Catholic Eur Leader, Merkel’s mentor warned her. The Church was the only entity equipped to reverse the course. The Pontiff’s policy is instead strongly in favor of open borders and influx. While Europe collapses spiritually and eventually completely the Church is less doctrinally solvent and more secular humanist. Malcolm Muggeridge said Only dead fish swim with the current. I spent a large part of my life in Europe. It seems incredulous. Apocalyptic. A chastisement. All of us for complacency and worse. We can recover if we articulate the issues and offer solutions. Foremost is intensification of faith and practice. An aeon past Christ made it known to Catherine of Siena that by the prayer sacrifice fiery desire of his “servants” the Church can be purified. What other means is left?

      • That,,, is exactly the root of the problem. Death by Contraception not only pertains to abortion (infanticide, divorce (marriage death); it surely pertains to a Civilization’s Death..

    • Well, interesting you should mention “Cassandra!” I often considered using that as a “tag,” after spending 15 frustrating, but worthwhile years trying to reach the people that do not have access to intellectual thought and theory. Slowly, slowly, one person at a time, the tide turned.

      Fr Morello – you’re almost “quoting my book!” Not yet published, first draft near completion, a year in writing, more years in consideration, I wonder if I may reserve your quotes for possible use…?

      And yes, defying Humanae Vitae left us open to the “logical consequence” of hostile invasion. In truth, the invaders do to their victims what we allow pervs in Planned Parenthood to do to our prenatal babies.

  2. I’m so glad to read this. I pre-ordered Douglas Murrays book after reading about it in an online piece by Mark Steyn, and having finished it, have been waiting for all the essays and interviews I was sure would follow. This is the first mention I’ve seen. It’s a wonderful book and the very best outcome one can hope for, unlikely that it is, is that Europe will change into something benign. But it is changing and so far to something that is not benign. Europe is just allowing itself to be subsumed. It is, indeed, a very strange death. And don’t bet that we won’t be next.

  3. WESTERN Europe is dying. Perhaps Eastern Europe is dying as well, but at least they are dealing with migrants properly.

    • You must consider the VISEGRAD countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) as being determined to resist the Muslim onslaught. Japan too will not take in any Muslims.
      The consequence of this is that there will be migration to these countries from the other Western European countries. Hungary’s PM Victor Orban has put out the welcome mat for these people. There are changes happening that will shape the future demography of Europe.

    • Met a Judge on Sweden’s Supreme Court – voted to allow abortion, was absolutely clueless as to what abortion entailed. He isn’t now! They need to lose the vodka and schnapps and find their manhood!

  4. A note of hope from an unexpected source Pres Trump. His address in Warsaw this week on Europe, its centrality in Christian culture, the greatness of that culture for the world and necessity to restore it made a needed impression on many. Despite A Merkel and other European leaders the general populace of Germany, France and probably all of Europe lean more towards Trump’s views as stated than their leaders. Pres Trump affirmed our close cultural affinity with Europe, our shared values and history, affirming NATO, criticized Russian interference and destabilization tactics. If the movement in Europe toward recovering their identity grows there is hope. It still must return to practice of faith in Christ otherwise a good trend can become an evil one. The opening of the new Gotthard base tunnel celebration in Switz exulting Satanic worship and exhibitions of semi pornography indicate how debased Europe has become. Only Christ within a likewise revitalized Church can save Europe. Unfortunately that spells a need for new leadership in Rome. Perhaps it’s too much to hope for. Miracles can happen.

  5. The capsizing boats on the Mediterranean are a good metaphor for the open borders policy. If I’m not mistaken aren’t boats and buildings given maximum occupancy capacity ratings in the interest of public safety? Haven’t there been cases where exceeding these maximum occupancy capacity ratings has resulted in bad things happening?
    *
    To me the open borders people are ignoring the maximum occupancy capacity ratings of their social welfare states to handle the influx of immigrants. The Social Justice Warriors act like their social welfare states have unlimited resources and power to meet the influx of immigrants. One could wonder if the Social Justice Warriors have made a god of the social welfare state.

  6. While modesty forbids author William Kilpatrick from saying so, he himself is most certainly one of the “contemporary Cassandras” in the field of Islam and jihad. He does a great job of reminding us on a necessarily regular basis of the very real dangers posed by Islam – not “radical Islamic terrorism,” as it is often referred to in the mainstream media, but by the dogmatic teachings of Islam itself.

    Other Catholic writers who do a similarly outstanding job of debunking the falsehoods of Islam today – and who also qualify for “contemporary Cassandra” status include Howard Kainz, Nicholas Senz, and Rev. James Schall, SJ.

    Mention of Cassandra reminds me that, in mythology, Cassandra was given her gift of prophecy by the false god Apollo. But, when she resisted Apollo’s sexual advances, he laced the gift with a curse: namely, that Cassandra would always prophesy truly but would never be be believed.

    Another relevant parallel to today’s war with Islam comes from Book II of Vergil’s “Aeneid,” in the words of Laocoon, the Trojan seer and priest: “Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis.” (The reference is to the Trojan horse. Translation: “Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks and especially those bearing gifts.”) But the people of Troy chose to believe the lies of Sinon, rather than the truths spoken by Cassandra and by Laocoon – and they paid a terrible price for such credulity.

    And now, we have the spectacle of Linda Sarsour calling for a “jihad” against the Trump administration – and, on a segment of last night’s Sean Hannity show on Fox News, Muslim imam Mohammad Ali Elahi backing Sarsour.

  7. It’s a self-esteem problem. The dignity of life has taken a big hit. Without an appreciation for Life, which flows out of Love, as revealed in the Greatest Commandment, there is an unconscious desire not to go on. The religion of this era, secular humanism, is such. Love of one self is perverted without a love of God. Pandemonium ensues. Not enough will listen to the warnings, because they just don’t care. Self-centered existentialism. It will take a Miracle to save the West. Know of any?

  8. Have we all forgotten that it took Spain seven hundred years of fighting to expel Muslims? Have we forgotten the sieges of Vienna? Have we forgotten Lepanto?

  9. I read The Camp of the Saints in the 70’s while in college. The only thing that I think Raspail missed- The invasion in his book was one of the volition of the masses and their makeshift “leaders”. Europe is being overrun by design. (as is the U.S.). Strong centralized western governments and their mass media partners have all but destroyed the will of the people to pursue anything more than their basic “beast of the field” appetites. Bread and circuses type thing. Their rights to defend their property has been taken. The “higher things” of western civilization have all but disappeared . Look at our education systems, universities and such. Western Christian civilization is vilified endlessly. Huge populations of the Middle East are being transferred to Europe bringing a wave of violence not seen since the second world war. . For whose benefit? Inconceivable that something on this scale is the result of Middle Eastern Muslims designing and financing such a huge invasion.. The voices of dissent are branded as “racists, xenophobes, etc. And where is the the one institution commissioned to bear witness to the truth, the Church? Mainly courting the approval of the world. Social justice means watching your wives and daughters being raped and murdered without interfering. Again…. who is promoting this agenda? Think about it. Remember, the coward is also banned from entering the kingdom of heaven. Rev. 21:8

    • Saudi Arabia spent MILLIONS putting Obama into the White House. They borrowed heavily from the US banks to build up Dubai, then defaulted in 2007, knowing Obama would repay Goldman Sachs from the US Treasury. Which he did, blaming America’s ‘underprivileged’ and the “subprime mortgages.” As with SOCIALIST Hitler, there is intense collusion between the left and islam. Both have the same father, the “liar and father of lies and a murderer.” Both have the same motivation to destroy the Judeo and Christian worlds, and ethos. However, they are too blinded by arrogance and greed to realise that if they succeeded – which God will not allow, I am sure – they will then tear each other to pieces. Thank God for God and thank God for Christ. +++

  10. Here, Mr Kilpatrick of the Shillman Foundation, an organization that does its best to obfuscate the real reasons why the Middle East is in turmoil, is an article that puts the rise of Muslim extremism into proper perspective:

    http://www.unz.com/ishamir/the-futile-efforts-of-donald-trump/

    On a side note, you might explain for me why prior to 1948 Christians, Moslems and Jews lived in harmony in the Holy Land, and what happened in 1948 that changed all that. You might also want to be aware that up until then the most admired country in the Middle East was America. Try to comprehend that and maybe you will reconsider your shilling for Shillman.

  11. The first time Europe “died” was during the barbarian invasions of the 5th and 6th centuries. The second time was the self inflicted Protestant Revolt of the 16th century. The reason for the present third time is BOTH internal and external and this time it may well not be able to defend itself by choice. Only question for us: Is the ocean wide enough?

  12. Rome may fall. We have to prepare for the worst. The only safe havens for the continuity of papal authority may be Poland and the United States.

    • pope Francis and the global catholic church leadership plus catholic charities are working for the islamization of Europe as much as socialists…one world govt activists….when was the last time the catholic church told the truth about islam???? 300…500 years ago?

  13. Did not Europe give us the Reformation, Martin Luther, the great cathedrals, clssical music and the great composers of Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn and Western Civilization,the beauty of the great Catholic faith, art and paintings (Sistine Chapel) democracy and the rule of law? Only Jesus can save not only secular Europeans, but all mankind? “If my people, who are called by my name, will seek my face, and HUMBLE themselves, then will I HEAR from Heaven, forgive their sins, and HEAL their land”-I Chronicles 7:14. It is never too late!

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