Secondly, Hirsi Ali criticizes Islam, in a sense, from within, by which I mean that's the religious culture she comes from, and I support Muslims (or ex-) who fight to change the culture they know and originate from.
OTOH... She'd already announced that, though an elected representative in the Netherlands, she was leaving for the States. And she'd already shown that her critique of Islam was one that lined up with a clashista or neo-con view. It's not surprising she's off to work with the AEI.
So, overall, good riddance. And if, as you suggest, this divides and weakens the right, so much the better.
You probably are wondering, what is my real name? I am Ayaan, the daughter of Hirsi, who is the son of a man who took the name of Magan. Magan was the son of Isse, who was the son of Guleid, who was the son of Ali. He was the son of Wai'ays, who was the son of Muhammad. He was the son of Ali, who was the son of Umar. Umar was the son of Osman, who was the son of Mahamud. This is my clan, and therefore, in Somalia, this is my name: Ayaan Hirsi Magan Isse Guleid Ali Wai'ays Muhammad Ali Umar Osman Mahamud.
I am Ayaan, the daughter of Hirsi, who is the son of a man who took the name of Magan. Magan was the son of Isse, who was the son of Guleid, who was the son of Ali. He was the son of Wai'ays, who was the son of Muhammad. He was the son of Ali, who was the son of Umar. Umar was the son of Osman, who was the son of Mahamud. This is my clan, and therefore, in Somalia, this is my name: Ayaan Hirsi Magan Isse Guleid Ali Wai'ays Muhammad Ali Umar Osman Mahamud.
But I note the 9/11 hijackers from Germany, both in the US and back home, made use of the possibility to write their Arab names in a lot of different ways. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
I have said many times that I am not proud that I lied when I sought asylum in the Netherlands. It was wrong to do so. I did it because I felt I had no choice. I was frightened that if I simply said I was fleeing a forced marriage, I would be sent back to my family. And I was frightened that if I gave my real name, my clan would hunt me down and find me. So I chose a name that I thought I could disappear with - the real name of my grandfather, who was given the birth-name Ali. I claimed that my name was Ayaan Hirsi Ali, although I should have said it was Ayaan Hirsi Magan.
Still don't like Hirsi Magan/Ali for other reasons...
But I'd sincerely believe that a self-made free-thinker as Hirsi Ali would be much better at place here in Europe than surrounded by the arch conservatives in the United States, a country with a very low Islam minority. In fact, I would not be surprised that the people within the AEI are suddenly faced with internal dilemma's themselves: I read that Ayaan for instance promoted pre-marriage, safe sex for women in Islamic countries, an issue which is at complete odds with the conservative christian moral dominant through the AEI! There is every bit of potential fireworks with her next move. The story of Hirsi Ali is far from being over and she remains in my opinion a person whose movements and writings should be closely tracked.
It will in fact be interesting to see if she sticks to her guns in opposing religiously-inspired sexual taboos (of Islamic origin) when faced with the same (of Judeo-Christian origin).
I agree wholeheartedly with that. Interesting might just be scratching the surface of descriptive terms...
The direct cause for the ending of my membership in parliament is that on April 27 of this year, a Dutch court ruled that I must once again leave my home, because my neighbors filed a complaint that they could not feel safe living next to me. The Dutch government will appeal this verdict and I grateful for that, because how on earth will other people whose lives are threatened manage to find a place to stay if this verdict is allowed to rest?