Christopher Caldwell

So Christopher Caldwell, the author of a blatantly racist book on Muslim immigration in Europe, was on C-Span's Q & A yesterday. The discussion was very much like watching Alfred Rosenberg discuss race with one of his aides. At one point, the discussion between the host and guest was about the differences in fertility rates between Muslim immigrants and white Europeans. Kid you not. Caldwell was even worse than his writing: quite unable and lacking in most skills one needs as a writer or thinker--to call him a thinker would be like describing George W. Bush as an intellectual. And on matters Islamic, Caldwell has less of an elementary knowledge on the subject. At one point, he made a reference to the sheeeeek (I almost thought he was talking about Shish Kabab) of Ajar. It took me a moment to realize that he was talking about Al-Azhar. The country is now learning about Islam from this guy. I am told that he gives lectures on Islam now.