While President Obama thinks it is unfruitful to address Islamic extremism by its name, PM David Cameron has now taken a different approach. In this speech, he lays out his understanding of the problem, and presents a plan for a solution. One core principle is to combat non-violent extremism, as well as violent extremism. This makes sense as non-violent extremists eventually get radicalized and then become violent. If we wait for the violence, it is too late. I commend Cameron, and think Hitchens might have as well.
Back in June I had the chance to meet Peter Hitchens, Christopher’s brother, in London (I hope he doesn’t mind me calling him “the other Hitch”). It is said that the brothers didn’t get along well, and they did differ on many issues, but he graciously agreed to meet me to talk about his brother. While the two couldn’t be more different in many ways, he reminded me of Christopher in that he is sharp, outspoken and witty.
One point of interest from our converstation had to do with Christopher’s support for the Iraq War. I asked him why he thought his brother supported the effort. He thinks it goes back to Christopher’s Marxist roots, which embraced a certain idealism (at least in theory). Something along the lines of “if we topple the government, the whole middle east may change for the better”. Of course Christopher abandoned Marxism/socialism early in his career when he realized the actual practice had very little to do with the theory. Peter, who was also at some point a Marxist, gave it up as well, because, as he told me, “I grew up”.
My own thoughts, after learning about Christopher is that his support had to do with two factors – his life mission of fighting totalitarianism, and his affinity with the Kurds, who were being abused by Saddam Hussein.
It was a great pleasure to meet Peter, especially as I heard he could be a bit harsh and/or imtimidating (He was neither. He was nothing but pleasant and accomdating). Upon parting I said “Peter, you’re not as grouchy as they make you out to be”, to which he replied “Oh yes I am.”
If you are interested in Peter, see his blog at The Daily Mail, and also watch this 2008 debate with Christopher. The topics were God and war (not small subjects). Also posted is the pre-debate discussion, which is in some ways (the relationship between the brothers) more interesting.
The fact that divorced and married three and four times, with children out of wedlock, Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis violated the law by refusing marriage licenses to gay couples, is a good thing. It brings to light an issue that needs clarification: the difference between being free to practice one’s religion, and what the conservatives are calling ‘religious freedom’. While the distinction is obvious to many of us, there are large groups of people who don’t seem to understand that the US is not a theocracy.
The crux of the issue is that we are free to practice our religions in ways that don’t violate the rights of others. God’s law does not supersede our secular law as U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning, who jailed Ms. Davis, correctly pointed out. There is an excellent discussion of the topic in this Washington Post article:
To simplify it in a way that even the former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee can understand, with a little humor:
Mike Huckabee
As for the claim that we are a Christian nation, here’s Hitchens explaining to an obstinate Ken Blackwell, of the Family Research Council, why this is not the case.
I’ve had this blog only a short while, and while much of the feedback has been positive (thank you!), and has kept me going, there has also been a strong, negative wing making comments in the vein of:
He attacked Mother Theresa, and this is who you’re honoring?
He supported the Iraq War! What’s wrong with you!?
He liked Bush. How could you like him?
He’s disrespectful toward religion [Really??? I hadn’t noticed]. He’s the radical one, not the religious people. He’s a fundamentalist atheist. He’s as bad as the people he attacks.
And this guy is your idol?
Some of these statements are true, and some are not, but this misses the point. My personal interest in Hitchens has to do with him having been a brilliant writer with a superb mind, who advocated reason and logic over faith, was skeptical of self-appointed gurus, had no tolerance for totalitarianism in any form, including and especially, religion, and made his opinions known with eloquence, style and wit. (At least I have not yet been condemned for producing run-on sentences).
I don’t need to, nor do I, agree with everything he said, or have him as an idol (Have respect and great admiration for him, yes). None of us need to necessarily idolize those we admire. That’s precisely the point of thinking independently and using reason over faith.
Hitchens himself opined on idolatry on several occasions. In this clip, he argues that idols get elevated to unrealistically high statuses, where they are expected to be perfect, which, of course, is impossible. He uses the good example of Martin Luther King Jr., who like every human, had flaws, but accomplished great things.
You probably know these images, or others by this photographer (and you may even have appropriated them for a posting or used them for a meme). You can’t google Christopher Hitchens without seeing his work. He is Christian Witkin, a Brooklyn based photographer, who has photographed Hitchens as many as six times, frequently for Vanity Fair Magazine. He has an extensive portfolio with some of the most well known personalities in the world.
All photos in this posting by Christian Witkin, and used with his permission.
I spent an afternoon in his studio where he told me some of the stories behind the shoots. The most interesting was the day he spent documenting Hitch defying the quality of life laws put in place by then NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg (whom Hitch, never short for clever descriptions, called a ‘micro-megalomaniac’). The story appeared in the February 2004 edition of Vanity Fair (see VF photo tribute to Hitchens).
A still shot from a video on Christian’s site where he explains his methods.
That session produced the now well-known bicycle photo, where Hitch is on the bike in Central Park, without…I can hardly say it… his feet on the petals! That same day the two went downtown to dine at Lucien, in the East Village. Hitch sat at the bar, smoking a cigarette, again, in violation of the Mayor’s laws. He wrote about it in “Love, Poverty and War“.
Hitchens smoking at the bar at Lucien.
In the past year, I’ve dined at Lucien’s on several occasions, including last night where my friend and I had the Pigeonneau Roti Hitchens (roasted squab with wild mushroom risotto and foie gras, which Lucien placed on the menu to tribute his friend. One of the first postings on this blog introduced Lucien: Meet Lucien, (not a fractious juvenile).
For more of Christian’s work please visit his site, and check out his Instagram feeds.
“Beware of the irrational, however seductive. Shun the ‘transcendent’ and all who invite you to subordinate or annihilate yourself. Distrust compassion; prefer dignity for yourself and others. Don’t be afraid to be thought arrogant or selfish. Picture all experts as if they were mammals. Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity. Seek out argument and disputation for their own sake; the grave will supply plenty of time for silence. Suspect your own motives, and all excuses. Do not live for others any more than you would expect them to live for you”. (Christopher Hitchens,fromLetters to A Young Contrarian, 2001)
This is good advice for this Presidential election season, although the “Never be a spectator of…stupidity” part may be challenging.
Dr. Gad Saad is an evolutionary behavioral scientist at Concordia University, in Montreal. He is known for applying evolutionary psychology to marketing and consumer behavior. If you don’t know exactly what that entails (I didn’t) please see his web page. While there, also check out his personal bio. (He has a beautiful family and two cute dogs).
In this interview with Dave Rubin (The Rubin Report), he discusses topics readers will appreciate, including atheism, political correctness, and free speech. Additionally, he defends our friend Sam Harris from the sharp barbs thrown his way after the highly controversial Bill Maher, Sam Harris, Ben Affleck kerfuffle(I’m pretty sure that’s the official name of the incident…I mean kerfuffle).
Dr. Saad is an articulate voice for reason and I hope we will be seeing more of him.
While on the IHEU’s site, you may want to have a look at its Freedom of Thought Report, an annual survey on discrimination and persecution against non-religious people in countries around the world.
Love whiskey but had enough of Mother Teresa? Next time you’re in Toronto, visit Hitch Bar, a pub inspired by CH that opened in 2013. In BlogTO, reviewer Martha Stortz says the place evokes the feeling of an old style salon, where discussion and community are valued. There is a communal table for gathering and and a wall projector for showing documentaries and TED talks. The signature drink, The Hitch, contains whiskey, soda, and lemon. As for who might like the place, the review suggests “Anyone who loves whiskey but hates Mother Teresa”. . .
provokinghitchens.com 