Milo Yiannopoulos, Pamela Geller, free speech campaigners

Free speech is vitally important. It is enshrined in the American Constitution, and it is assumed as a right in all other civilised countries, whether it is part of their constitution or their Bill of Rights, or merely by custom over generations.

And yet, free speech is threatened. If it was not threatened, no-one would riot to close down events that didn't suit their view of the world, social media platforms would stick to deleting pornography and incitement to violence  rather than targeting unfashionable opinion. Facts would not be categorised as 'hate speech.'

 Milo Yiannopoulos is a flamboyant gay man, witty, entertaining, and sometimes outrageous, though in my opinion, not nearly as outrageous as is commonly claimed.  Milo's talks have provoked riots, the mere mention of his name can have some fuming because of  his 'hateful' opinions. And they will condone violence against him and against his supporters. 

He wrote a book, but his prospective publisher was worried about repercussions. They cancelled his contract.

Rioting because Milo Yiannopoulos was to speak.

He published anyway. Most of what Milo Yiannopoulos has to say is serious, rational, and pure good sense - that it is vital to overturn the extreme Leftist culture that now reigns in politics, entertainment and in education.







There were a few things I didn't like about his book - the use of some pretty vile profanity, for instance, and the assertion that 'ugly' should be cured with surgery.  But I remember that that particular one was in relation to the very loud 'feminists' he comes in contact with - the sort of 'feminism' that has nothing to do with the perfectly sensible variety we knew in the 60s and 70s. And I have seen on social media some gross specimens! Not that they were physically ugly so much - few of us are beautiful - but these ones seemed to want to display themselves as physically ugly as they could possibly manage, and in as few clothes as possible. So I can forgive him for that one - maybe.

Milo loves to be flashy. 

But then he'd say something that would make me break out in laughter. For instance, he related an incident when he was dressed up as a clown,  'I didn't mind about the clown costume because I still looked sexy as fuck.'


Milo is vain and he is funny. He is incredibly entertaining, but that is only one aspect. He is also very well read, and highly intelligent. I have seen him tie a Muslim activist into knots, because it so quickly became clear that he knew the religion of Islam, while the declared Muslim (Western, female) had very little idea.

For sheer entertainment, I would give this book 5 stars (out of 5) 


So why do they try and silence Milo?  He says: 'It isn't my outrageous behavior, my mockery of ideologies considered sacrosanct in America today, or even my addiction to uncomfortable truths. The establishment's real fear is that this book will affect readers, especially young people. In particular, they fear that the young people at the epicenter of political correctness in America's universities with begin to question the ideologies foisted upon them...'



Milo speaks out against Islam, among other things.  Since Islam declares that the punishment for being homosexual is death, it is no wonder that he despises the religion. But this is one reason that Milo is so heavily criticised  - we are not supposed to speak ill of Islam.  It is Sharia Law, the barbaric law handed down to devout Muslims from the 8th Century - that any criticism of Islam is forbidden. 

And yet European countries are now trying to enforce that law for them. How very, very sad.

Another advocate for free speech is Pamela Geller, who has been trying to shed a light on the facts of Islam ever since the Twin Towers were brought down by Jihadists in 2001.

And then they wanted to put an enormous mosque on the site instead. Some claimed it would be a symbol of unity or peace or something like that. Pamela saw it is as more like a symbol of  triumph.  Thousands agreed, and the proposal was eventually quashed.

But that was when her activism really began.

And ever since,  people have been trying to stop her talking. She points out, again and again, that you cannot call facts 'hate speech.' It makes no difference. Facts are routinely called 'hate speech.'

Her recent book is called 'Fatwa,'  as a Fatwa has been called against her. She sees routine death threats made against her, and at least once, there was a serious attempt to carry out the threat. 

In her book 'Fatwa,'  she describes her efforts to open people's eyes to the reality of Islamic teaching, and she describes the determined efforts to close her mouth. There were even efforts made to thwart her attempts to provide safety to young women threatened with 'honour killing' because they committed such 'crimes' as talking to an unrelated man, appearing in Western dress, or wanting to leave Islam. In Islam, of course, the prescribed punishment for  'apostasy' is death. 




Pamela uses direct quotes from the Koran to illustrate her points. And yet, because she is pointing out the actual teachings of the Koran, she is labelled bigot, racist, etc.  Facts should never be suppressed. How can one address a problem if one cannot describe that problem? 


Here we are in 2017, and yet many European nations plus Canada, Australia and Britain, are caving in to demands from Muslims in a misguided attempt to keep the peace. Pamela says that Islam is at war with civilisation, and the politically correct Leftists are in collusion with them, whether or not they understand what they are doing. She calls them 'craven quizlings.'

On page 60, she says 'Who would have imagined that twelve years after 9/11, patriots and freedom lovers dedicated to opposing the ideology behind those attacks on the homeland (and over 21,000 deadly Islamic attacks worldwide since) would be demonized, dehumanized, and the object of a campaign to get us banned from an allied nation. It could only be the result of insanity or ... defeat.' 

There was a terrorist attack in London. The advice from police was for people to run and hide. Pamela says:  'Running and hiding is no strategy in war. Operation Fetal Position is a recipe for disaster.' (Page 127) 

For speaking out, Pamela Geller finds herself the recipient of some truly dreadful threats, often on social media and usually blandly ignored, while her own posts are routinely taken down. This, for instance, that a Muslim posted pictures of her next to bloodied dismembered bodies along with threats too gross for me to say.  And yet that facebook page was not taken down. 

She says, (page 189)  'This is ultimately not about me; it is whether America will stand for freedom or surrender. I don't want to die, but I will not live as a slave.' 

But it seems that so many people would rather live in fear of repercussions by Muslims than to stand up to their threats. They refuse to even hear when people point out what the threat is. They would rather silence people like Pamela Geller than look at what is real. 

An excerpt from Pamela's book -  'All my work is in defense of the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, the equality of rights of all people before the law, and individual rights. The claim that I operate a hate group is a vicious smear and eerily evokes the circumstances that preceded the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s.' 


It's a strange world. On the news today, it speaks of the Christmas season being particularly dangerous as a season for terrorism. There is talk of new loudspeakers in cities so that they can sound an alarm when there is a terrorist attack, a heavy police presence is now routine at major events, and heavy bollards are being erected in places where crowds gather in order to protect against a terrorist deciding to deliberately drive into them.  And yet there is no mention of just who these 'terrorists' are, and what they might be murdering for.

Bollards erected in the hope of preventing an Islamic terrorist attack.

Milo Yiannopoulos and Pamela Geller are freedom fighters. They are fighting for the right to tell it as it is.  And they are telling us to open our eyes, particularly about the dangers posed by the spreading influence of Islam.

In certain circles, the penalty for being homosexual
is to be thrown from a tall building

As a gay man, Milo could be threatened with execution, as other gay men have been,  while Pamela is subject to a Fatwa.











Our government, our educational system, our politicians, would rather preach nonsense such that 'Islam is a religion of peace.'  One only has to read the Koran and the other Islamic 'holy' books to know how false is such a claim.

Both these books are worth reading.  Milo's book is entertaining, as well as informative, while Pamela's book goes into detail about the numerous times she has spoken out, and by one method or other,  has been silenced.  This part of the book becomes a little tedious to read, and yet the sheer repetition rams home her point that freedom of speech is under enormous threat. 

Pamela Geller - 'The foundation of my work is individual rights and equality for all before the law. These are the foundational principles of our constitutional republic.  That is now considered controversial. Truth is the new hate speech. Truth is going to be criminalized.'     

Both books can be found online. Many bookshops will probably not stock them - further proof of the threat to freedom of speech. 

Remember Thalidomide?

For most of us, it is long ago, but for the ones who were born deformed by this drug, it is something they live with every day of their lives.

Gary Skyner is one of these people.  His autobiography, published recently,  is very much worth a read.

Here is what is said on one of the the selling sites, The Book Depository.

Gary Skyner's autobiography, You Can't, You Won't: A Life of Unarmed Combat, provides an honest, detailed account of his life as a thalidomide child. Gary was born severely disabled in 1959 after his mother was prescribed the thalidomide drug during pregnancy. Originally devised in 1957 by a German pharmaceutical company as a free sedative designed to combat morning sickness, thalidomide was first licensed in the UKâ in 1958. However, it became apparent that there was a surge in rare birth defects after pregnant women had been prescribed the drug. As one of the earliest in the UK to be born damaged by the deadly drug, Gary's life was destined to be difficult and challenging as it impaired his physical development. Expected not to live, let alone to achieve much, Gary is living proof that there is nothing you cannot achieve if you believe you can. Born with foreshortened arms in the Toxteth area of 1950's Liverpool, Gary explores how his parents' marital breakdown and his difficult relationship with his father were all caused, in Gary's eyes, by the strains of raising a disabled child. In addition to his troubles at home, Gary's tears turned to anger as he became aware of the government's reluctance to make provision for thalidomide victims, leading him to become active in campaigns in order to shame them into proper negotiation. You Can't, You Won't also explores how Gary's dreams came crashing down on him due to his limitations as a thalidomide child. As a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter, he always wanted to be a star player, but he soon realised he had to accept his limitations. Working first as a telephone operator, Gary later became a welder, a housing officer and a trained paralegal. Despite his difficult life, You Can't, You Won't also explores the happier times, including having two daughters and his comic and motivational speaker career. There has never been a dull moment and this autobiography explores his belief that life should be spiced with jokes and laughter. Written with conviction and humour, You Can't, You Won't is a story of courage and triumph that will appeal to those who enjoy memoirs, but also to those interested in the background of thalidomide births.


My review:

This is not a personal story and not a political story, but a combination of both because sometimes, the personal is political.  In the case of Gary Skyner, the politics started before he was born, when a greedy drug company released a drug before it was adequately tested. Gary's fight was for himself, to live a normal life in spite of the damage done by Thalidomide, but also for fair treatment from the company that caused the damage, and even with the Trust that was in charge of the money grudgingly released to the victims of Thalidomide.

It is not likely that Gary will ever be satisfied that the company has made sufficient recompense.  The damage was too great, the victims too many - not only the ones maimed as he was maimed, but those babies who died before or soon after they were born. And there are others, probably many others, whose symptoms were more subtle, and who will never know that their health problems were caused by the drug.

Gary's story is one of struggle. He had to overcome his handicap, but there are also those normal life problems we all have to navigate. He has achieved a great deal in his life, and that is why he became successful as a motivational speaker.  He is also successful in what has to be about the most difficult job in the world - that of a stand up comedian.

Plus he is an author. This is a good book. I recommend it.

Gary is shown here with a pile of his books. 

You can acquire a copy from Amazon or from The Book Depository, and probably from most other online booksellers.


https://www.bookdepository.com/You-Cant-You-Wont-Gary-Skyner-Carol-Fenlon/9781785898631?ref=grid-view&qid=1512776057397&sr=1-1





Gary's book is a reminder - that one should never, ever, take chances by prescribing drugs to pregnant women.  I am concerned that this warning is being forgotten by the medical fraternity.  For instance,  pregnant women are advised to be vaccinated against Pertussis, usually with the combined vaccine, 'Boostrix.' (Pertussis, Diptheria, Tetanus.)  I am a perfectly healthy and non pregnant woman,  not one who is prone to allergic reactions, but I was bedridden for two days after having that vaccination, and felt the effects for months.  I assume that it is not given in early pregnancy, (I hope not)  but all the same, I question whether it should be given to pregnant women at all.  They are also often advised to have the flu vaccine - a vaccine that is changed every year, and therefore cannot possibly  be adequately tested. 

Now Gary has managed to achieve a great deal in his life.  But I am quite sure he would be the first to say, to YELL!  that one should NOT take any chances with pregnant women. I would hope we never see another such tragedy as those Thalidomide babies, now grown men and women.