No, a "boiled frog" will jump

Submitted by Sean H. (United States), Aug 23, 2005 at 17:14

It's ironic that Dr. Pipes should use the "boiled frog" analogy to criticize European reaction to the growth of Islamism because the analogy is a myth. As the link to Snopes.com that Dr. Pipes provides clearly shows, a frog will indeed try to escape the pot once it gets hot enough. The frog isn't stupid after all. When he is threatened, he reacts.

I suspect the same is true regarding the threat to western civilization from the growth of militant Islam. Most in the Western world, especially Europeans, haven't reacted aggressively (until recently) because many simply do not perceive militant islam as an honest-to-goodness threat, either in terms of physical danger or cultural hegemony. They dismiss people who do feel that way as simple alarmists. (I'm certain Dr. Pipes is familiar with this situation.)

That will change -- and change very swiftly -- should terror become common or should cherished western ways of life (like trashy entertainment) become threatened. Indeed, I think the reaction in Europe reflects that. Remember that France banned headscarves to preserve its secular character. England too is slowly waking up, throwing out the worst of the worst like Omar Bakri.

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