Ex-Muslim’s college speech disrupted by arson.
Nonie Darwish’s previous appearances canceled by Columbia, Princeton

WorldNetDaily, December 5, 2009

Author Nonie Darwish, whose new book warns of the advance of Islamic law in the West, completed a scheduled speech at Boston University but not without the interruption of an apparent arson in a nearby restroom.

Darwish, whose recently scheduled addresses at both Columbia and Princeton were canceled following Islamic opposition, said the students who arranged her Boston University appearance this week believe the fire was an attempt to hinder her message.

“I am still in shock,” she said in an e-mail to supporters. “Fifteen minutes before I was to speak at Boston University a fire was set on purpose in a bathroom near the room I was to speak at.”

One of the students who arranged her appearance, Alan Korn, said in an e-mail that it appears the fire was “intentional.”

“It is still under investigation and I will let you know if any more updates come out,” he said.

According to the university’s student newspaper, Darwish, who grew up in Cairo, Egypt, blamed Arab culture for many of the conflicts today.

Darwish is the author of “Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law.”

She said she started speaking out after 9/11 because terror attack leader Mohamed Atta is from Cairo. But the city’s residents with whom she talked said, “This is a Jewish conspiracy.”

Darwish told the Boston students her country is not seeing the reality of today’s world.

“The truth is the only thing that will save them,” she said.

Her message also carries a strong warning against submitting to Shariah, the Islamic religious law. Under it, she said, men can have four wives, women cannot get a divorce and women must have four male witnesses to prove rape.

“Under Islamic law, Jews and Christians can live in an Islamic country only if they live as inferior, pay taxes and give money to the Muslim state,” she said.

The speech at Boston came only a short time after her scheduled appearances at Columbia and Princeton both were canceled.

She wrote about the cancelations in a commentary for WND, explaining Princeton Imam Sohaib Sultan claimed he played a role in preventing her from speaking.

Sultan said her appearance on campus could “offend the Muslim community,” Darwish reported.

“I understand why Jewish groups disinvited me after Muslim pressure, since they are the ones who must live daily with Muslim groups who can make life unpleasant. Jewish groups are trying to make friends with Muslims to show the world ‘it can happen,'” she wrote.

“They are trying to accomplish in the small world of campus life what Israel has failed to accomplish for generations. Sadly, they cannot see that appeasement has already been tried and failed in real life. For centuries, Jews, Copts, Assyrians, Kurds, Lebanese Christians and others had to live under Shariah where they could not have equal rights under the law with Muslims. Those who attempted to live under self-rule were crushed. Minorities have left and are leaving the Middle East to escape forced Islamization and Arabization. Women are still being stoned, and apostate and honor killers are getting away with murder,” she wrote.

She said she lived 30 years in the Middle East under “the tyranny of Shariah,” and understands Muslims’ concern over “former Muslims who spill the beans.”

“My speech at Princeton was going to start this way: ‘I want to stress that I am not here to offend the good and peace-loving Muslims. Most people, including myself, don’t want or care to criticize religion, in the sense that it is a personal relationship with God,'” she wrote.

“But if a religion, any religion, expands itself to the point of a one-party political and legal system while condemning those who question to death, then it makes perfect sense that such a religion has put itself in the realm of criticism. No religion or ideology can be beyond questioning when human rights are at stake. Religious or secular, we all must question obstacles to freedom and peace. The rights of any one religion must never supersede human rights or the rights of other religions to flourish. Tolerating intolerance is not a virtue; it is gross negligence.”
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Nonie Darwish is the author of “Cruel And Usual Punishment” and “Now They Call Me Infidel.”