Christopher Hitchens on the Satanic Verses Affair - Part 1

[WalterLiddy]

Canada barring importation of the books? I'm Canadian and I remember it being on every bookstore's shelves. Probably they didn't allow foreign printings to be distributed but it was printed here or something. I know for a fact it was not barred from sale.

[citizenjlk]

Thanks for posting, however you should turn it up then re-upload. it

[237KMT]

The reaction of the muslim world to The Satanic Verses should have shut the door on muslim immigration into the West 25 years ago. Yet here we are.

[beanerbut2]

I cannot hear this, please amplify the audio.

[zackhanscom]

chris hedges should have stuck with interviewing hitchens rather than debating him

[Brenda2OOO]

I love that intense stare as he looks directly at the camera at the beginning of this. Whew! Like looking into a laser beam.

[tylertyler82]

Salman Rushdie is a phenomenal author- Haroun and the Sea of Stories is one of my favorite books.

[jinxxedlikeshit]

And if they refuse conversion, kill them, all of them.

Compacted perhaps, but the end solution, the FINAL SOLUTION of Islam is death to unbelievers or force them to live under Islamic law, not ONE true Muslim will deny that.

[gabes80]

completely inaudible.

[SFTaYZa]

Chritopher Hutchens

[BeeryUSA]

Can barely hear a word of it. Hitch may have been controversial, but he was never boring - the last thing he ever deserved was muting!

[CTyler84]

The balls on that man. There was none like him, and there never ever will.

[liquidpig]

Thanks a lot for the upload! I wish all these kinds of programs were like this one from 1989. Nobody yelling, nobody talking over each other, everything went so smoothly and got right to the information.

[jamesdragonforce]

@liquidpig Bill (my ass hair) Maher

[liquidpig]

@jamesdragonforce Erm.... ok? I'm not sure what you mean by that, haha.

[jamesdragonforce]

@liquidpig I meant that in response to your comment about how talk shows used to be so smooth and to the point and not a bunch of loud mouthed and in your face assholes like Bill Maher.

[liquidpig]

@jamesdragonforce I think you may be thinking of Bill O'Reilly.

[jamesdragonforce]

@liquidpig both then I guess.

[ippyforeward]

I raise my glass to you Hitch! Goodbye, and thank you so so much.

[SlowrThanThe2ndComin]

Cant hear shit.

[amimanojit]

Hitch, hope you continue to live and keep inspiring countless others like me.

[CharlotteElliot]

adore christopher hitchens, hes in a league of his own, completely hilarious, scathing, erudite, eloquent, entertaining...first rate

[Brenda2OOO]

This might be the perfect man, right here.

[TheAplombMan]

HUTCHENS???????

[DaToNyOyO]

What I found most interesting about this whole pathetic affair is that none of these fuckers actually READ the book.

If they had they would've realised it was not insulting to islam. At all. Fanatic, reactionary, narrow-minded fools instigated this reaction.

[pr3ss3sc]

The main theme that I can see in every single argument made by Christopher Hitchens is it really isn't an argument at all, but rather an assault on the viewers self-esteem. He chooses to wield the power of pressure and condescension because he lacks a sufficient basis and universality to his points. I don't view this as productive, much less empathic or humanitarian, but rather a destructive exercise in the darkest parts of the human psyche.

[snowglobe87]

@pr3ss3sc Oh so he's supposed to hold hands with his opponent and whisper his arguments sweetly into his ear. Get real!!!! He was a very focused and erudite speaker, and you're melodramatic.

[TulipLilah]

Here is one of the greatest minds in history and people comment about his looks! How shallow has our society become?

[TomVodkaCollins]

@TulipLilah I doubt people who seem to comment on his appearance would find him half as sexy as they do were he not such a great mind. Speaking for myself, that is absolutely the case. Not that you couldn't double society's depth with a teaspoon, mind you.

[xxxMarzikinnsxxx]

@TomVodkaCollins

I TOTALY AGREE WITH YOU,I'VE NOTICE IT.

[TomVodkaCollins]

@xxxMarzikinnsxxx On this one comment, or in general? Either way you prove you've a superior intellect, my friend. X^D

[masterobiwonkenobi]

someone call that number

[mattb521]

Awesome.

[simsi1616]

Not only is he impressively smart, but he was damn sexy back then too!

[futureboy]

fuck me, this world is going to be so much worse off without people like him.

[DaToNyOyO]

@futureboy It's got me! I've got new shoes.. :/

[DawnOfTheDead991]

The ayatollah is an assahola

[brenonion]

@DawnOfTheDead991

XD thanks i needed that

[trallala]

@DawnOfTheDead991 oh, I see what you did there. It rhymes! Very clever.

[DawnOfTheDead991]

@trallala it's something I remember from when the Iran hostage affair way back

[ricko1111]

I remember this travesty as a teen - I bought the book based on the furor and discovered a great author - thanks ayatolla for showing me this author and Islams true face

[lanuevagranada]

the volume is too fucking low

[TheLukeStein]

Did he say "Hutchens"?

[abuzayd]

One of the poorest written books to date. The response by the Ayatullah was entirely political. Of course, it did manage to bring Salman into hiding lol

[BlankVellum]

@abuzayd I doubt it was a poor piece of written work, owing to the acclaim that it received from authoritative authors and literary critics, as well as winning many awards such as the Booker. And the implications that the Ayatollah's response was entirely political (rather than, say, religious) is one of the stupidest things I've heard this week.

[yoursuchagoodguy]

@abuzayd Your misuse of English suggests it is unlikely you have even read the book, let alone be in any position to offer insight into its quality.

Unless you care to explain why you think it is poorly written.

I think Satanic Verses was superbly written, as are all of Rushdie's books.

All religion, but especially Islam, is pure idiocy, and is based on perpetuating fear and ignorance.

The biggest threat to the collective sanity and happiness of the planet is Islamic religious morons.

[lexaling]

Can't hear it.

[liquidpig]

@lexaling I can hear it, but I have (portable) external speakers hooked into the headphone jack of my tower, with the YouTube video volume turned all the way up, and my computer volume at about 3/4 way.

[ChollieD]

""Free speech" does NOT mean that you can insult one billion muslims!"

Yeah, sure. As Hitch illustrates, the Muslims that are angry with Rushdie have NEVER READ The Satanic Verses, and just don't understand what freedom of speech implies.

[DaToNyOyO]

@ChollieD That's because they neither have nor advocate freedom--speech or otherwise.

[redryan20000]

IT"S TOO LOUD

[MorginWard]

i like this