Here is a recent photograph of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, at Yale in mid-September, 2014
She looks strained, and her red eyes indicate fatigue, or lack of sleep.
Motherhood, and an activist's life must be taking their toll
After the usual fanfare that follows Ayaan Hirsi Ali, she was finally able to make her speech at Yale University.
I've written about her over the years (see list below), and I've tried to understand her. Finally, this time, I can only say that she's not a very intelligent woman, but has an aggressive personality and is unafraid to "jump in" as she has with many instances both in her private and activist life.
She first came into the limelight in Dutch politics when she publicly denounced Islam, which caused her to go into hiding for fear of her life. But, her outspokenness, even in hiding, caused her to endanger the life of Geert Wilders, another Dutch politician.
Her affair and consequent marriage to British historian Niall Ferguson, broke up his sixteen-year marriage.
Here is her jumbled messages on religion, declaring herself an atheist, at her Yale speech:
Muslim Students Association of Yale, you live in a time when Muslims are at a crossroad. Every single day, there is a headline that forces the Muslim individual to chose between his conscience and his creed. The Muslim world is on fire. And those fanning the fire are using your core creed. With every atrocity they commit, they remind the Muslim of his commitment to submit to Allah. Will you submit, passively or actively, or will you finally stand up to Allah.Is Ali denouncing Islam? Is she trying to find an Islam that suits her? Is she telling people to leave Allah?
One of her theses is that Islam can (should) be "reformed" as Christianity was "reformed." Her theological obtuseness is apparent here, when she compares two very different religions and tries to fashion one like the other ("Islam can be reformed, like Christianity!"). And if it isn't, that is because of the backwardness of Muslims. So in one conceptual fallacy, she manages to insult Christians (Islam is like Christianity), Muslims (Islam can be "reformed" like Christianity), and Muslims again (your religion is barbaric and inhuman). And Christians and Muslims alike, by declaring her theological superiority all the while declaring herself irreligious - an atheist.
While she was expecting her child, she was interviewed by the Globe and Mail about how she would raise him:
Globe And Mail: What if your son decides to follow Islam?Again, with Ali, it is all a jumble. If she has spent her whole adult life denouncing Islam, and writing about its evils, then why would she want her son to "choose" Islam? It is as though she's hedging her bets, and doesn't want the responsibility of influence a child's life into nihilism. Let him do that for himself! And although she declares herself an atheist, it seems that she is passing on theological decisions to him.
Ali:...I have to do what my father and my mother were incapable of doing, which is to say, “Alright, go for it.” I'm hoping it does not happen.
You have to let individuals make their own choices and respect that, even if it's your own child...
I want to be strong enough to tell my son, it's your choice.
Atheists are the biggest hypocrites. They always surreptitiously reveal that they do "believe" after all, if only to hedge their bets.
So will it be her conscience that will tell her son to follow his creed, if that is what he "chooses?"
Here are my previous posts on Ali (dating from 2008):
Islam's Missionary Women
Hirsi Ali and Knopf Canada
All about Ayaan
All About Ayaan Part II
The Vacillation Hiris Ali, or All About Ayaan Part III
Hirsi Ali on the View From the Right
More on Hirsi Ali and Her Disdain for Christianity
Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Latest Update
Hirsi Ali's Advice to Geert Wilders
Hirsi Ali and Ferguson busy making babies
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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