Conversations with History: Mark Steyn

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes writer/critic Mark Steyn, the 2007 Nimitz Lecturer at Berkeley. Focusing on his new book, "America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It," they discuss Europe and America's relations with the Islamic world. In the interview, their conversation also focuses on the craft of writing in a multi media globalized world. Series: "Conversations with History" [5/2007] [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 12599]

[@benjamin4894]

Mark Steyn does a better job 'writing for the world' than any other commentator alive today!

[@clemalford9768]

I could listen to Steyn for hours.

[@abbamanic]

Mark Steyn, I could and do listen for hours. Sane analysis, realisation, foresight and by God we need more like him and Douglas Murray in these times.

[@katherinekirkwood9632]

I love the combo Mark & Andrew usa together in 🗣 genius. 🎭USA 🇺🇸 👏

[@sumthingwickedly]

He's on a channel in Britain 🇬🇧 now GBnews he's brilliant

[@MrAntiFarLeft]

Steyn is such a brilliantly spoken man.

[@katherinekirkwood9632]

I truly love Mark & every knowledgeable word that flows from his mouth. 👄 🇺🇸 👏

[@edwardkirkhope9072]

Mark Steyn and Douglas Murray are the two public intellectuals I have most respect for. Why? They express their concerns with an unusual degree of courage despite it being very difficult at times in today's climate. Throughout the western world Islam is gaining formal and informal footholds which place unique strains on society. In formal terms as the migration crisis has been catastrophically managed by most nations and the European union in particular our natural impulse is to respond with kindness and empathy. But whilst compassion is a virtue it becomes a vice when we ignore real concerns about the volume and rate of migrants being admitted and the values many of them endorse. The rate is such that assimilation is nigh on impossible. Germany is the most egregious case in point with 1.2 million migrants now dependent on government subsistence in the last year. Too many of them do not come from nations with a commitment to freedom of speech, respect for women, equality for homosexuals and the freedom to leave their religion. Any concern expressed about Islam at all is met with the meme Islamophobia which is invoked to rebuff any criticism even when perfectly justified. Since this discussion (with Steyn) much has happened concerning Islamic terrorism particularly in Europe. A series of terrorist attacks in the UK this year, attacks in Germany and very severe attacks in France killing over two hundred people within the last two years have rocked all decent people. It is no coincidence that Islamic terrorism is affecting so many countries throughout the world now and there is a marked increase in illiberal Islam even when terrorism may not be severe. Poland has refused to take migrants this year having seen all the problems young male Muslims have brought with them from their own countries. Poland does not have an Islamist violence problem. Indonesia was once the country pointed to by Islam apologists as a great example of the largest Islamic democracy. Not any more. This year we have seen creeping sharia and public floggings for adultery or blasphemy. The same is true in Pakistan. My biggest concern is that too many liberals defend intolerance. When it comes to freedom of speech or blasphemy laws we must not give in an inch. Every time we give in the intolerant and illiberal win. When we fail to show the Danish cartoons or the Charlie Hebdo publication we are saying to the terrorists 'you have won. Your blasphemy laws are in place'. For too long too little has been said and done to defeat the extremists. They are gaining ground each time we fail to defend our values. Thankfully Steyn, Murray and a few others are still talking about these very serious concerns. We need more people like them with the courage to keep standing up for our values.

[@geoffreyparker926]

Such a comprehensive summary of the problems with Islam, Edward, so beautifully and rationally expressed. I am in complete agreement with you. We definitely need to make an assertive stand for our Western Civilization. I am 72 now, but when I was in my twenties and thirties, I travelled widely, principally in third world countries, in the 1970s and 1980s, and I saw Islam for myself, in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey. It was bad enough then, but we had few Islamics in our own countries, and Islam was not as radical as it is now in any of these countries. I was stoned (with large rocks) in the Swat valley of Pakistan, and in the city of Meshad, in eastern Iran. I was lucky that I was not hit on the head, and survived the experience, twice! As a lone Westerner at the time this happened, I was not at all provocative or threatening, just walking, with my camera, in the country in Swat, and in the city in Meshad, and conscious that the Islamics did not like to be photographed, because images of animal or human life were regarded as blasphemous, and, as a man, I was quite adequately dressed, and not gay. Even Turkey, as it was then, seemed like reaching civilization, after such experiences. In the Swat, some country people invited me into their home, and although I was cautious, I accepted the invitation and joined them. The conversation soon became a bit menacing: what are you doing in this country, and so on. I told them I was travelling across Asia to learn about other countries and people. In response, I was told, we can kill you, and nobody will ever know. They said: you must be very rich, to be travelling so far. I said no, I have saved my money from my job for five years to be able to afford it; I'm not at all rich. That was disturbing enough, but the conversation then turned even uglier. I was getting fearful for my life, and said to them, well, I guess I should go, and they said: yes. I got up and walked out the door, and in a few seconds, the rocks started to fly, a few very close to my head. In fact, I felt so angry at this, that I refused to run, and just kept walking back towards town. I was hit several times in the body, and had severe bruising from the blows. The atmosphere of an Islamic country was stifling, and even then, the clothing for women was oppressive. The incident in Iran was similar, but the rocks started to fly without any words being said. I can only speculate that I must have been walking too near to some sacred place. Islam is the antithesis of the West, and I am fearful for the future of this wonderful and unique civilization of ours, with the differential birthrates, particularly in Europe, the home of our civilization, the guests will soon outnumber their hosts, and take over the house.

[@b.alexanderjohnstone9774]

Yes. Well said Sir.

[@icarus8471]

I love these old Mark Steyn videos. The older comments are always indignant but the newer ones grudgingly concede that he had a valid point.

[@fedmcglowie7240]

The same happens on old uploads of channel 4 and BBC documentaries from the 2000s about immigration and nationalist parties.

[@rajkobjelica4905]

13 years later so much has changed.

[@pspboy7]

Mark really nailed the Canadian perspective on America, the outsider looking through the shop window! Well said!

[@sparkomatic]

Nice to see such an intelligent and comprehensive interview of the wonderul Mark Steyn.

[@godchildt]

RESPECTED Mark Steyn, May LORD bless you and your friends, family, working team and you please read below and pray for Christians living in Muslims Countries and do support us after reading below message. Stay blessed

[@tiffsaver]

WOW. I really, really like this guy's philosophies. His arguments are impossible to ignore, and if you do, you do at your own peril.

[@grenvillephillips6998]

Harry is such a brilliant interviewer. Never any histrionics or confrontation and a gentleman from head to toe.

[@jameshennighan8193]

Mark is on no narrow tightrope......he is on a very wide and firm plank....! James Hennighan Yorkshire, England

[@alexdelszsen9648]

Mrs. Merkel has been like a teenager with "her own money." Not needing to pay " rent and food," [Read here as contribute to NATO] she has spent her money on bringing Middle Easterners and Africans (primarily) into Germany rather than paying the basic bills. (This comment is prompted by Steyn's musings about France and Germany, starting at around 24:00) Interesting to hear this conversation 10 years after it was made--even if only by waking up to it by "linked random play" means! Steyn has been saying that he was talking about the effects on the continent for a long time. He was right!

[@paulcashin5705]

Mark steyn is the greatest.

[@aardvark1956]

My absolute favorite Rush substitute host!! Go Mark!!!

[@deniseg-hill1730]

All those who criticise Mark especially his book America Alone have got it so wrong. He is spot on. I lived in London for 40 years and travelled to a load of other cities. Islamisation is fast increasing and funded by the Saudis. More mosques and Madrassahs preaching hatred of the indigenous British. As witnessed by some of my muslim friends who had heard people in their community speaking about it. The huge birthrate amongst the muslim population. Arseholes like Anjem Choudhury and the like shouting their crap on the streets. No need for terrorism they will just outbreed us.

[@jasonc0065]

Planned Parenthood helps them

[@bcask61]

Britain is fucked. Very sad.

[@soniag4516]

Then they take over and the Brits will become thier slaves. Islam is a very dangerous Religio-political barbaric force

[@lss922]

always very eloquent

[@BhutanBluePoppy]

Wow! Listening to this in 2019, Mr Steyn is prescient re: Brexit & the utter failure, complacency & non-responsiveness of the political class

[@smiley3012]

For real. No way would he get invited there now. To bad really. They could learn a lot from him.

[@Yesica1993]

I love listening to Mark Steyn and reading his articles. I am dying to read 'America Alone'. But I didn't know much about him, so I appreciated this video since he talked a bit about his history. Thank you.

[@n701204x]

Great interview and an even greater book! Every man and woman in the Western world should read his book it is informative and absolutely entertaining.

[@somedude221]

Mark Steyn is awesome. I'm not even particularly conservative and he's totally awesome.

[@Pianosuz]

Thanks for the fresh air! It's encouraging, even exciting that this level of observation and articulation is alive and holding forth! Your AMERICA ALONE is a book we want to give everyone we know! More relevant and uncomfortable truth than the current popular campaigns are presented in the most engaging style. We need to turn up the factual education and get off our whining & incomplete emotional tyrades, we lucky Americans!!

[@seismedia]

I downloaded it to watch later. Thanks.

[@ClockSavers]

Great discussion Mark.

[@MrOrganicus]

A man of courage incorruptibility and integrity

[@twanablevins]

Thanks for posting this video. Excellent. Mark Steyn is right on!

[@molloyx]

I was born, ehunter, in Northern Rhodesia, where my father, an Irishman, practised medicine at the behest of the British Foreign Service. My aunt was a teacher in Kenya for 30 years. I am very well acquainted with the blind narcisssism and general depravities of Empire.

[@cangeloc127]

Serious kudos to the University of California for allowing the great Mark Steyn an opportunity to communicate truthful common sense about Islam. If Mr. Steyn were an American citizen running for President of the United States, he'd earn my vote in an instant.

[@abefanous9804]

Respect and it’s all trueeee

[@harrypalms1112]

The concept of "all you need is love is exactly what gets you through 'exceptional circumstances.'

[@Pianosuz]

Ahhh for more of this broadly educated clear thinking articulate participation in today's world!

[@suerayss]

Impressive Mr Mark Steyn. You lucid and well articulated commentary is so powerful that its swayed indian liberal like me. You are so absolutely right we have so much liberal "turn the other cheek" secular views in india that its insulting. I agree Islam needs moderation by external forces like hinduism or christianity or pop culture to soften its shart edges based on the political idealogy that islam really is. Thank you Mr Steyn. amazing observations and absolute truth spoken.

[@sumthingwickedly]

Great stuff 👏

[@JosephStern]

Hundreds of historians and other commentators have elaborated on that basic fact. I don't say the matter is free of controversy, but there are a great many leading lights of the former colonies who have expressed a reserved admiration and gratitude for the democratic institutions installed under British colonial rule. For example, read the recent speech of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, appearing in print under the title "India's experience with Britain had benefits too".

[@b5kalad]

Good one, ehunter2. The church of oprah weekdays at 4pm (not just one day a week).

[@idlepink17]

Cheers, you too! If only the venue for this conversation could have been an old pub with some Guinness or Smithwicks on the table. ;-)

[@b5kalad]

I have been to Jordan. You are correct.

[@1000buffalos]

Great site! I posted a long diatribe about how great that site is and how pathetic the detractors of brave Israel is, but the page said their was a processing error. All good material Justice!

[@MarkoKraguljac]

I dont have enough space and knowledge of English language to fully describe what I have in mind concerning current and near future changes. I can only add that I see Mark Steyn as a charismatic speaker with a mission, but not his own mission. He is either very brave to discuss complex issues so simplistically or just does his job(one of many in that case). Thats only my opinion.

[@b5kalad]

Love that Mark Steyn!!!!!!!!!!!

[@sumthingwickedly]

This is 14 years ago remember

[@JusticeVSpropaganda]

thanks

[@SarunaAlbahr]

Gotta love Steyn! Woo hoo!

[@angharad256]

Mark Steyn went to school in England. He actually used one of JRR Tolkien's textbooks. :p

[@SCHNEKM483BK]

Just a thought, but where did the 'creators' of our historical megaliths go? (To the MOON?).

[@luegosl]

Nice guy good to see a Canadian comedian making it in the states.

[@cllewis1]

It takes cajones to make that statement, even though you are totally correct. Thanks for vocalizing my thoughts. Viva culture of life!

[@thrashmetalfiend]

Same here. I'm a moderate and I think Mark Steyn is great.

[@pigknickers2975]

16:30 He's referring to Night Train here. And of course he's right. Amis, though a brilliant writer, has a bit of a tin ear somehow. See also the appalling email sections in Yellow Dog.

[@MrSpukinator]

very well said, i tip my hat to you sir

[@blicious187]

@somedude221 Well from someone who is particularly conservative and also loves Mark Steyn, here's hoping you'll join us sooner rather than later. You're on the right track. : )

[@kristJ25]

Wow and now we watch on our TV heere in UK. What interests me I do not detect an American/ Canadian accents

[@seismedia]

"I'm going to cite you the Buddha's view on a creator god" In all sincerity, thank you for sharing that. Even if I don't agree on all points, I find Buddha's teachings interesting and moderately enlightening. If I did not have access to the teachings of Christ Jesus, I might be tempted to be satisfied at that. But having dined at a King's feast, the fair of the street vendor no longer satiates my appetite for knowledge and truth.

[@7beers]

No, he's MY hero! :)

[@jkovert]

The UC Berkeley community must have LOVED having Steyn there.

[@idlepink17]

It's either that or Murphy's Irish Stout for me~ =)

[@brianonu2b]

I love the "Deepak Chopra" Koran-rewrite comment around 47:17. Super awesome.

[@JosephStern]

In Israel, Arabs have full civil rights. They serve in the parliament, the judiciary, the military (voluntarily), they become actors, singers, models, sports stars. The Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza say openly that their goal is not to live equally with Jews in a democratic state, but to defeat and evict the Jews from the region. To keep your army close to such people until they become willing to accept your existence does not constitute apartheid. It's just survival and common sense.

[@hey_joe7069]

19:22 That should read: Mark Steyn Honorary American!

[@idlepink17]

Hey, Seis, in your listing of men of faith, you forgot to mention Sir Isaac Newton, scientist and mathematician extraordinaire! (And inventor of calculus, my to my dismay as a student; of course Leibniz would take issue with that)

[@idlepink17]

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." Dr. Carl Sagan

[@b5kalad]

You forgot to mention Cleveland.

[@TheBelegur]

Professor Thomas Barnes voice sounds like Tom Brokaw.

[@seismedia]

My grandfather's sister, who remained in Crimea for Stalin and Molotov's purges, one day went to the local church and finding it locked (it was converted into a granary used by the Russians to store the Ukrainians' grain before hauling it all off to Russia), went behind it to offer her prayers. She was discovered by Russian soldiers who broke both her arms (for clasping her hands) and both her legs (for kneeling), and sent her to Siberia. Miraculously she survived the Gulags and returned.

[@theMETALDOVE]

@idlepink17 are you aware of anthony flew? the professor of philosophy/ athiest and his conversion to theism? it was several years ago, but news travels slow here. he said that it was the overwhelming complexity of the human body that finally did it for him.

[@tasmaniandevil6750]

I’m shocked that UC Berkeley invited him. Credit to them

[@b5kalad]

Would you recommend any books on this? Meaning the Arab Muslims involvement in the slave trade. Thank you in advance.

[@seismedia]

Zen is usually taken from "Zen Buddhism", the Japanese variant (Bukkyou). Having conversed many long hours with Zen Buddhist monks, I can tell you that there is very little theology and it's better characterized as a philosophy, more akin to Dao (Taoism) or Gongfu (Confucianism) than the Bhodisatva or Hinduism on the Indian sub-continent. There are certainly religious variants such as Nichiren, but when Westerners refer to "Zen", it's usually a philosophical reference (and attraction).

[@supatipanno]

Sir, I would look into the website frontpagemagdot com that discusses daily about the issues with Muslims in the US and CAIR, a major islamic organisation. I felt like you before I opened my eyes and saw what was really going on.

[@Hogbeast6]

The Oxford English Dictionary doesn't have a listing for neo-liberal. However, delphantom used the term neo-Liberal with a capital "L"; "Liberal" has everything to do with the American left, "neo" or otherwise.

[@averitas]

Question: Where's the oil, I could use it.

[@judgeovyoursoulvo8685]

He's here. Talk to Him. He's Mark and you may ask. Well we don't have all day... ask somfink.

[@redryan20000]

it's interesting watching this now, after defending Mark in an essay a year ago or so, after the whole article debate happened. I'm not really a conservative either, or even share the views he expressed in that article.

[@7beers]

Read his articles on his website -- B.A. or not, he is obviously incredibly knowledgeable, articulate and intelligent.

[@ALTERED13TH]

Steyn is brilliant. His book America Alone is brilliant although I have less and less faith in America being around in anything resembling its present form for more than another generation or two.

[@seismedia]

"in your listing of men of faith, you forgot to mention..." Yah, and I also forgot to mention Trofim Lysenko and Joseph Mengele, men of great faith and devotion to their fellow beings:)

[@b5kalad]

Steyn may agree with Moore on the industrial elites. I have not heard anyone ask Steyn on this.

[@dzhibrish]

@akura1984 "the last Jewish female in my line was one of my paternal great-grandmothers" Thats his quote. He is a baptised christian.

[@JosephStern]

For an entry point into the genomic data, you may begin with the following paper of Hammer MF, Redd AJ, Wood ET, et al., from June 2000: "Jewish and Middle Eastern non-Jewish populations share a common pool of Y-chromosome biallelic haplotypes". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 97 (12): 6769-6774. The bibliographical information at the end of that paper will suggest some further directions of examination.

[@DimitriNakos]

thumbs up for the Smithwicks!

[@tuxguys]

This was posted here just over five years ago,so the vid itself has to be at least that old.Steyn's book was incredibly prescient.Any belief system, any one,ANY one,that will not tolerate the existence of disagreement is anti-Liberty,anti-Life.

[@333homt]

I liked the interview. But in fairness, isn't America extremely similar to europé politically? What are the differences, really?

[@JoshuaHults]

+333homt good question. Lot of dead founding fathers fighting for our freedom just to find out, we turned out to be identical in many ways, many of the bad ways.I

[@Netbug]

I agree wholeheartedly... but it's "voilà". :P

[@idlepink17]

Or maybe he means the Thomas Jefferson who stated, "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever."

[@foamulator]

@hablerz - You are so right, my friend. One need only look to a country like Thailand, to see the proof of this poisionous ideology.

[@MarkoKraguljac]

He does have some interesting points, but I believe that world is destined to experience much bigger, deeper and complex changes then he managed to grasp. With no intention to offend, presented ideas remind me of some sophisticated cowboy.

[@longbeachboy57]

Mark Steyn for prez...

[@FireEyedMaidOfWar]

@Halo4Lyf: Besides there are two other factors: Any uprising against these small forces would cause the Invasion of large American armies; just like the Romans did have only 1,000 legionnaires in Gaul, but the Celts there knew that there were six full legions standing at the frontier to Germany; not only protecting the Rhine border but also subduing any hopes for an insurrection; and there is the nuclear weapons menace; which Japan had the experience as a bitter reality.

[@idlepink17]

Please explain the "morality that was founded well before any mind-numbing religion". What is its basis?

[@baxtronicxavier]

Hahha that into tune!! Full 80s!!

[@JosephStern]

The genomic data in particular leave no room for doubt. Today's Ashkenazim bear the highest genetic likeness to West Europeans, centered on lower Germany, and on the Y-chromosomal line, bear the full complement of J-haplotype genetic markers which characterize the peoples of the Levant (today's Syrians and Lebanese, who by now also have significant admixture from the Arabian Peninsula). None of the Central Asian genetic markers one would expect on the Khazar hypothesis have in fact been found.

[@idlepink17]

Yes, scientists are human beings the last time I checked, and they are equally afflicted with human drives, like the need for notoriety, fame, acknowledgment, greed, and so on. Scientists compete with each other for breakthroughs in their given fields, they need salaries, recognition for their work: all very human drives.

[@seismedia]

"Randomness presupposes lack of order or law" I refute that definition with the simple example of dropping a handful of balls. The spread pattern is random, but entirely dictated by natural laws of motion. Furthermore, given enough information of the initial formation at rest, the individual geometry, the conditions mid fall, and the surface upon which the balls fall, it is very predictable and ordered, but random by definition inasmuch as exact initial state was not established intentionally.

[@idlepink17]

No, hemmo, I just posted a statement. It was not a response to anyone's comment. You replied (apparently spoiling for a lengthy and tedious argument), and "game was on".

[@JoshuaGodinez]

Ha ha From the Atlantic Monthly to the Australian. I guess that leaves B through Z fairly uncovered.

[@grangeender1]

Steyn is the Right's answer to Christopher Hitchens. They're very similar talents.

[@JosephStern]

You guessed wrong. I wasn't going to say that. I was going to say that the Arab citizens of Israel have the full range of civil rights that any citizen of any democratic country has. The Israelis don't set a quota of Arab parliamentarians, and don't select friendly Arab politicians to fill those slots. Arab citizens are free to run for parliament, to raise money, to campaign, and to be elected as individual Israelis --- with no interference from the state. How is that apartheid? It just isn't.

[@zoddie]

like you.

[@b5kalad]

True, I visited India last year. You would be surprised what is still working that was left over by the British. The main reason why India is booming is all the outside investments.