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TechnoratiI've never been able to explain Halloween to the kids, with its odd thematic confluence of pumpkins, candy and death. But Halloween is a piece of pumpkin cake compared to Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, which commences today. In this special week, organized by conservative pundit David Horowitz, we have a veritable witches' brew of Cheney-style anti-jihadism mixed in with old-fashioned, right-wing anti-feminism and a sour dash of anti-Semitism.
A major purpose of this week is to wake up academic women to the threat posed by militant jihadism. According to the Week's website, feminists and particularly the women's studies professors among them, have developed a masochistic fondness for Islamic fundamentalists. Hence, as anti-Islamo-Fascist speakers fan out to the nation's campuses this week, students are urged to stage "sit-ins in Women's Studies Departments and campus Women's Centers to protest their silence about the oppression of women in Islam."
Leaving aside the obvious quibbles about feminist pro-jihadism and the term "Islamo-Fascism," which seems largely designed to give jihadism a nice familiar World War II ring, the klaxons didn't go off for me until I skimmed down the list of Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week speakers and found, incredibly enough, Ann Coulter, whom I last caught on TV pining for the repeal of women's suffrage. "If we took away women's right to vote," she said wistfully, "We'd never have to worry about another Democrat president. It's kind of a pipe dream; it's a personal fantasy of mine."
Coulter is not the only speaker on the list who may have a credibility problem when it comes to opposing oppression of women in Islam or anywhere else. Another participant in the week's events is former Senator Rick Santorum, whose book, It Takes a Family blamed "radical feminism" for pushing women into the workforce and thus destroying the American family. A 2005 column on that book in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, began with: "Women of America, I hope you look good in a burqa. If Senator Rick Santorum,R-PA, has his way, we will all be wearing the burqas discarded by our recently liberated sisters in Afghanistan..." (This was the before the Taliban re-emerged.)
Not quite in the burqa-promoting league, but close, is another official speaker for the week, Christina Hoff Sommers, who has made her name attacking feminism for exaggerating the problem of domestic violence and eliminating opportunities for boys. These are the people who are going to save us from purdah?
Another disagreeable feature of jihadism--anti-Semitism--is also represented on the list of speakers for Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week, again by the multi-faceted Coulter. Just last week on CNBC, she referred to America as a "Christian nation." Asked where this left the Jews (not to mention the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Wiccans and atheists), she said they could be "perfected" by converting to Christianity.
You might imagine that this view of Jews as "imperfect" would bother Horowitz, who is famously alert to any hint of anti-Semitism on the left. But no, he defends Coulter, writing that "If you don't accompany this belief by burning Jews who refuse to become perfected at the stake why would any Jew have a problem?" Sure, David and if that's the threshold for intolerance, Osama bin Laden could probably win an award for humanitarianism.
Maybe none of this should be surprising. When Mel Gibson, who is not known to be a member of the Hollywood left, unleashed a drunken anti-Semitic tirade on his arresting officers, Horowitz also rose to his defense, arguing that ensuing outrage reflected a "hatred"--not of anti-Semites but of Christians.
As for the anti-feminism of Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week: This fits in neatly with the thesis of Susan Faludi's brilliant new book, The Terror Dream: Fear and Fantasy in Post-9/11 America. She shows that, in the wake of an attack by the ultra-misogynist Al Qaeda, Americans perversely engaged in an anti-feminist campaign of their own, calling for an immediate restoration of traditional gender roles. Coulter was part of that backlash, opining in 2002 that "feminists hate guns because guns remind them of men."
Before you put on your costumes to celebrate Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week, let me set the record straight. American feminists do not condone, defend, or ignore jihadist misogyny. In fact, we were warning about it well before Washington turned against the Taliban and have been consistently appalled by the gender dictatorships of Saudi Arabia and Iran.
But if the facts don't fit in with Islamo-Fascist Awareness, they have to go. For example, in a May '07 column in The Weekly Standard Christina Hoff Sommers listed me as one of the "feckless" feminists who refuse "to pass judgment on non-Western cultures." What? If Sommers had even done ten minutes of research she would have noticed, among other things, a column I wrote in the New York Times in 2004 stating that Islamic fundamentalism aims to push one-half of the Muslim world--the female half--"down to a status only slightly above that of domestic animals."
Yes, feminists tend to hate war and sometimes even guns and this may be why Horowitz and company hate us. They should know, though, that we especially hate a war that seems calculated to inflame Islamic fundamentalism worldwide. If many Muslim women around the world willingly don head scarves today, it's in part because our war in Iraq has, tragically, pushed them to value religious solidarity above their feminist instincts.
Or maybe I'm missing the point of Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week. Maybe it's really an effort to show that our own American anti-feminists (and anti-Semites) are just as nasty as the ones on the other side. If so, good job, guys! No need to continue with the trick-or-treating, you've already made your point.
http://www.omniture.com -->
Barbara Ehrenreich, the author of Nickel and Dimed (Owl), is the winner of the 2004 Puffin/Nation Prize.
© 2007 The Nation
111 Comments so far
Show AllI find the term "Islamo-Fascism" to be an oxymoron; it is a new political term, and I think that it is being employed for the following reasons:
A. The propagandists commonly confuse the the terms "Fascism" and "Nazism", and
B. Terms oft repeated, whether proper or not, tend to come into common usage, even when those terms are not understood by the people.
The Fascist Party happens to be the oldest extant political party on Earth, having been formed around 550 BC by the Romans, after they had exterminated the Etruscan Kings and formed the First Republic.
A Fascist form of government consists of an elected Senate, who votes for the people, and that Senate is not governed by any king, or other royalty. The old Romans could legally appoint a dictator from time to time, but the dictator's term was limited to one year.
Fascists are completely right-wing.
Islamists are religious zealots, most often represented by a king, or a president-for-life. The day-to-day life of the people is dictated by the church, but, the church is also the government in those countries.
In my opinion, by becoming rightists ourselves, we have become pawns of those Islamist dictatorships, to the extent that the United States has itself become a religious dictatorship.
Like Horowitz and the neocons she is a disinfo agent. The problem for her ilk is that Americans are waking up. Once they see that this whole idea of a clash of civilizations is simply a false paradigm and a manufactured threat the backlash will get ugly. People are tired of seeing thier sons and daughters dying in Iraq and they do not want to see them die in Iran nor shouldn they as we all deserve to live in peace. I prefer to sit back with my popcorn and watch these people out themselves for the trouble makers they are.
Rumors about Fate of Iranian Jews
http://www.adl.org/Internet_Rumors/Iranian_Jews.htm
From the ADL itself
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Several rumors have been circulating in e-mail, blogs and other online media about the fate of Jews living in Iran. One suggests that an "Islamic Army" carried out a massacre of Iranian Jews in Shiraz on November 12, 2006 with 1,700 killed and many thousands more attempting to flee the country. This rumor is false, and has absolutely no basis in reality. There have been no attacks, or threat of attacks, against Iran's Jewish community.
Another rumor suggests that Iran has passed a law that requires Jews and other religious minorities to wear distinguishing badges on their clothing reminiscent of those required by the Nazis during World War II. This rumor, sometimes containing the subject line, "Badges for Jews and Christians in Iran," stems from a May 2006 report in Canada's National Post that intimated such a law was under consideration. That story has since been discredited and was retracted by the Post.
These rumors, and others like them, attempt to play on concerns that have arisen as a result of the anti-Israel rhetoric of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly called for the demise of the Jewish state and has questioned the fact of the Holocaust.
Despite his rhetoric against Israel, there has been no change in the status of the Jewish community in Iran and its general acceptance within Iranian society.
Jewish MP denies Iran badge planArticle from: Agence France-PresseFont size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print From correspondents in Tehran
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,19196947-1702,00.html
May 20, 2006 06:20am
IRAN'S only Jewish MP strongly denied reports in a Canadian newspaper overnight that Iran may force non-Muslims to wear coloured badges in public so they can be identified.
"This report is a complete fabrication and is totally false," Maurice Motammed said in Tehran. "It is a lie, and the people who invented it wanted to make political gain" by doing so.
The National Post newspaper quoted human rights groups as saying that Iran's parliament passed a law this week setting a public dress code and requiring non-Muslims to wear special insignia.
Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians would be forced to wear a yellow, red or blue strip of cloth, respectively, on the front of their clothes, it said.
Mr Motammed said he had been present in parliament when a bill to promote "an Iranian and Islamic style of dress for women" was voted. "In the law, there is no mention of religious minorities," he added.
MPs representing Iran's Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian minorities sit on all parliamentary committees, particularly the cultural one, he said.
"This is an insult to the Iranian people and to religious minorities in Iran," he said.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said overnight, during an official visit to Ottawa, that "anything of that kind would be totally repugnant to civilised countries, if it's the case, and something that would just further indicate to me the nature of this regime. It would be appalling."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he had only seen reports about the law but that he would not be surprised by them.
"Unfortunately, we have seen enough already from the Iranian regime to suggest that it is very capable of this kind of action," he said.
"It think it boggles the mind that any regime on the face of the earth would want to do anything that could remind people of Nazi Germany," he added.
"The fact that such a measure could even be contemplated, I think, is absolutely abhorrent."
Harper's parliamentary secretary, Jason Kenney, told the House of Commons that Canadian officials were trying to verify the claims.
Thanks Little yes the truth will set you free! :) Salaam Alaykum.
You will learn that here on Earth, among humans that is, the slandered are NEVER silenced...that's why we are not going to shut up : )
So the people who are funding Islamofacism awareness week and Horowitz are also the people who funded/are funding:
Richard Nixon
Global Warming deniers
The Heritage Foundation-hard right wing
Perle Wolfowitz and Feith
American Enterprise Institute
Iraq war mongers
I am not surprised by any of this!!!!
More on Horowitz's funders from sourcewatch:
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=10840
Scaife Foundation which funded Horowitz and Islamo-fascism awareness week was also a Nixon supporter! : Scaife's support of candidate Nixon in 1972 is legendary; Scaife gave 330 checks for $3,000 each to 330 "dummy" organizations that fronted for Nixon's campaign. After the Watergate scandal Scaife called for Nixon's resignation.
David Horowitz 'Declares' Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week for October 22-26
Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 in News, War party, Neocons
by Jim Lobe| Comment | www.antiwar.com
According to tax records obtained through the Foundation Center, Horowitz has been the beneficiary in recent years of a number of far-right foundations, including the Allegheny ($575,000 since 2001), Carthage ($125,000) and Sarah Scaife Foundations ($800,000) – all three are part of Richard Scaife's empire and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation (nearly $1.3 million). The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation ($475,000) also contributed nearly $500,000 to Horowitz's enterprises over the same period.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
about the Scaife Foundation:
The Sarah Scaife Foundation is one of the American Scaife Foundations. It is controlled by Richard Mellon Scaife. The foundation does not award grants to individuals. It concentrates its efforts towards causes focused on public policy at a national and international level. From 1985 to 2003 the organization awarded over $235 million USD to other organizations.
Between 1985 and 1991, it was one of five foundations to fund the George C. Marshall Institute, a known Global Warming skeptic.
It is also one of the principal funders of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), the think tank in which prominent members of the Bush Administration (Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz) aligned themselves with in the late 1990s to articulate their neoconservative foreign policy, including sending a letter to President Bill Clinton urging him to invade Iraq.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Scaife_Foundation
Since slavery has become the prime discussion here....read the essay on Slavery in Islam on my blog (just click on my username)...If yall are sincerely concerned about finding out the truth, you might find it helpful
salaam
"Having a national Islamo-fascism awareness week is a whole other thing."
It's a stunt. I think they are trying to sell more books.
"Islam is fair game"
*Everything* is fair game, and that is how it should be based upon the merit of the argument.
The level of ignorance and hate on this board is astounding! Its deeply worrying living in this country under this current climate of fear and ignorance.
As I am a Muslimah alhumdolillah and most of my friends are also I do know what many Muslim women think as we often discuss these issues. I have also traveled to several Islamic countries and speak Arabic and Farsi. Have you traveled to this part of the world and do you speak these languages? Doubt it.
Benazir Bhutto was elected and was Prime Minister of Pakistan before. If Pakistan is radical now why not read the history of the CIA funding radicals in the region to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan? This is a direct development of that and our so called allies the Saudis. If America truly cared about women's rights we would choose better allies then the Saudis who repress their own people against their people's will!
I'd like to add that four Muslim countries have elected women to the highest office Prime Minister or President. America has not elected a woman once! The Muslim world is not perfect but the last thing it needs is self-righteous western women like you lecturing Muslim women what they should think, who they should support, and how they should act. You are not going to win anyone over with your attitude.
By the way below is a list of Muslim women reformers actually worth supporting! The one thing they all share in common is their pride in their faith and their belief in reforming women's rights within the context of their faith and heritage a more succesful approach to gaining support.
Shirin Ebadi-Nobel Prize winner of Iran. Women's rights reformer antiwar activist.
Queen Noor of Jordan-reformed women's rights and improved education in Jordan for Muslim women.
Queen Rana of Jordan- improving women's rights and health in Jordan.
Dr Sima Samar-Afghan women's rights activist.
Sheikha Mousa of Qatar-improved access to education for women and girls encouraged women's democratic participation.
Karamah-an organization working to improve Muslim women's legal rights
Ingrid Mattson-the first Muslim woman to head the Islamic Circle of North America a major muslim organization.
Megawati Sukarnoputri, former President of Indonesia
and others: http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Muslim_Leaders.htm
It is pretty easy to find Judy Rebick's article "Getting Racism" because it was published on September 10th, 2001. She talked about the mistreatment of Palestinians in Israel. Yes, she is Jewish, but that did not stop her from accusing Israel of apartheid.
http://www.rabble.ca/everyones_a_critic.shtml?sh_itm=d5e9ebea10679732a9d...
The point is that one's ethnicity is not always an indicator of of one's politics.
Stephen Lewis said on the hour that, though he often feels conflicted, if it is a forced choice between his Jewish background and his belief in human rights for all he usually upholds the latter.
(Stephen Lewis's son, Avi, is Naomi Klein's husband)
There is Ken Hechtman (son of ADHD researcher Lily Hechtman) who went to Afghanistan to try to find out what the west was not reporting about the Taliban (ie their positive aspects). When he was let out of jail and cleared of all charges, he was going to stay in Afghanistan as a reporter until he found out that he had been outed. Even though he was not at all religious himself, it seems that all four of his grandparents are Jewish (he was pretending to be a Catholic while in captivity).
Izzy Asper, on the other hand, thought that any country named after himself could do no wrong.
There are Catholics who are against equal marriage, there are Catholics that are for equal marriage.
There are protestants who believe that women should have an equal role in society and protestants who believe that women were put on earth to be the handmaids of man.
"Flemming Rose's background"
Irrelevant.
http://petras.lahaine.org/articulo.php?p=9&more=1&c=1
Flemming Rose's background
"Fleming Rose was a Ukranian Jew and not even Danish..this is the man who published the cartoons. No doubt he was Mossad."
What's that have to do with the over reaction months later?
Fleming Rose was a Ukranian Jew and not even Danish..this is the man who published the cartoons. No doubt he was Mossad.
I've been away from the computer for a while and can't spend much time now, but I want to respond to something littlem85 said earlier:
"Frankly the Danish cartoons had nothing to do with "blasphemy laws"".
This statement is utterly untrue. Although the conservative Jyllands-Posten decided on its own to recruit cartoonists to draw Muhammad cartoons, and printed them to--as they alleged--test the waters for censorship, the Organization of the Islamic Conference turned this tempest in a Copenhagen teapot into a worldwide campaign of vilification. It's not like individual Muslims all over the world picked up their local issues of the Jyllands-Posten in September 2005 and decided to stage riots in February 2006. The hatefest was organized by the governments, who had two goals:
1. Extract an apology from the Danish government, on the assumption it's the government's job to control what a country's newspapers prints;
2. Bully Denmark into protecting Islam from blasphemy.
3. Get the UN to approve a "human rights" policy that would create international norms against disparaging religion
Here are some links:
AsiaMedia:
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/religion/article.asp?parentid=45875
Arab News:
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=76912
An OIC press release from 1/18/06 "It is the expectation of the Muslim World that the conscience of the civilized West would evolve self-controlling mechanisms to put a halt to these unfruitful practices.":
http://www.oic-oci.org/press/english/2006/January%202006/denemark-2.htm
Nat Hentoff at the Village Voice
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0608,hentoff,72237,6.html
This ridiculous idea to have Islam week with speakers like Coulter. Guess the real Halloween has come out of the wall while these ancient back stabbers and block heads speak their disgusting minds. Hope the feminists protest such ignorance and make their protests really wild with costumes that depict slavery, stupidity, narrow mindedness,and brutality and examples of prejudice such as the holocaust. Do Halloween up big with a sign depicting Coulter as the real Witch. Where is Gloria Steinem? probably hushed by the right wing wacko media. Put a burka on portrayals of Bush and Cheney and depict them as death which is really what Halloween is about.
"Jake its very clear you are islamophobic and anything I say you'll twist around so I am done with you troll!"
Translation: I am unwilling or unable to address the points that Jake makes so I will ignore them and call Jake names.
Another Ad Hom.
Jake its very clear you are islamophobic and anything I say you'll twist around so I am done with you troll!
vaudree
If you want to have fun, start quoting from Horowitz's anti-capitalist/anti-US imperialist tomes from the early '70s.
Begin with the "Free World Colossus" and go from there.
When it was fashionable to be a Leftist, Horowitz was a Leftist. As the tide turned to the Right, so did Horowitz.
Presently, he has tons of dough coming in from various right-wing business groups. He is very good at developing new right-wing projects which, in turn, attracts new investors.
Today, Whor-o-wits is a wealthy CEO who presides over his own right-wing attack company. I also believe that he lives in luxurious accomodations and enjoys the company of a much younger trophy wife.
The American Dream!
The Left has never been able to keep the opportunistic talents of people like David. For some reason, big business foundations and government agencies just don't fork over the cash.
And of course, anyone commiting violence in association is wrong in doing so. But they are pretty much lone wolves.
"Jake what about the fundamentalist Chirstians who firebomb abortion clinics "
List all the individuals who have done so, so we can get an idea of the scope of the problem. The point being, there are individuals doing that, and they don't do it all that much.
In the wake of the cartoon controversy, thousands of people took to the streets and killed dozens. Over cartoons.
139 dead in the Danish Cartoon Protests, 2 firebombed embassies, etc.
"Danish cartoons. I think that even mild Christians would cringe at the idea of Jesus being portrayed as a pedophile. "
Would they take to the streets and kill people?
Yes, neoconism is a religion where the marketplace is god and corporations are the prophets - and unfettered greed is the highest virtue.
Horrowitz is apt to come from the first name Horimir or Horislav, but I guess it could come from Hormoz. If you take the etimology of David way back it used to be Dodavehu or Dowd - which can also be spelled Dwd, Dvd or Dud.
Even if David is not a dud, the Arabic spelling of the name is Daud, and the Egyptian word for the star of david is Djuat (also spelled Tuat, Duat, or Dwat) - which means "other world".
And even atheists, such as Richard Dawkins, have a very definite idea of what the God they don't believe in looks like. Cheri DiNova proved that by defining God as Love and when Avi Lewis (Naomi Klein's husband) asked him, Richard Dawkins informed everyone that the god that he doesn't believe in is a male being.
http://www.cbc.ca/bigpicture/evil.html
Re Danish cartoons. I think that even mild Christians would cringe at the idea of Jesus being portrayed as a pedophile.
Can't complain too much, I have read both the Satanic Verses (Northrup Frye's The Great Code says the same things about Christianity as the SV says about Islam) and own a VHS of Jesus of Montreal.
littlem85 says: One TYPE of Jihad is armed struggle
That is the only definition of Jihad which has common knowledge. There was a little cartoon that was going around a few years back about the birth of Enron and his love affair with George Bush, who was portrayed as a country singer with the hit song American Jihad. Seems that Enron self destructed when Bush broke his heart.
littlem85, my head's pounding right now, so I'm keeping it simple for the next few hours.
The problem isn't so much one week of Islamo-Fascism
Awareness Week as it is fifty-two weeks of Christo-Fascism!
It's so damned absurd. All the demonizing of Iran and Syria while supporting Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The latter two have extremely oppressive societies. Their governments loathe freedom and democracy.
Who is an Islamo-Fascist? Who is a Terrorist? Whoever the powers-that-be say is, like Jose Padilla and Cat Stevens. It would be laughable except that it puts us all at the mercy of people who really should be in intensive psychotherapy and not given the stewardship of the planet.
1. I agree that the Dems haven't done all they can. And it is true they can't break a filibuster. We need to elect enough, probably 9 and 10 for sure next election. And for sure a Dem Prez no matter who. The Supreme court is on the verge and one more conservative on it can undo everything that is still intact. And that will last for another 20 years. I don't contend this is more important than lives being lost isn't the most pressing issue, but it is important to realize that one more wingnut judge and they will overturn not just Roe v. Wade, but Social security, medicare, most large social programs. Remember Social Security only survived by a 5 to 4 vote in the 30s despite a court that at that time was liberal. Think of the damage that could be done, millions of seniors in poverty, no healthcare for them. Medicaid, Schip. If you don't think that the right wingers won't push for all of this as they become more and more emboldened, you are wrong. If you listen to right wing talk, their overall objective is to totally overturn the new deal of FDR, the new society of the 60s and 70s of the war on poverty, medicare, etc.
The electorate in the last 7 years has made the Dems extremely gun shy and the constant lies from prez and repugnets do echo across the land and it is unfortunate that this still resonates in the red states. I live in Georgia and hear the wingnuts exicited that this can occur in our lifetime; Roberts, Alito, Thomas, Scalia are licking their chops for just one more wingnut Supreme court judge and we can begin. Justice Breyer, liberal is 87, Ginsberg, Stevens, and Souter in their 70s DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! Roberts, Alito, Scalia, Thomas, just licking their chops for one more wingnut
We must support the Dems and nurse them along no matter what!!! Don't vote for any 3rd party candidates, don't sign any petitions to get other candidates on the ballot in any state. THIS COMING ELECTION IS THAT IMPORTANT.
REMEMBER DIVIDE US AND THEY WIN!!!!!!.
Ironically, in the 1960s, Horowitz was biased on the far left. He wrote for Ramparts magazine, heaped praise on North Korea the way that he praises Ann Coulter today.
Let's not forget much of the new spin and counterspin about liberating women in Islamic countries has become part of imperial oil policy. Afghanistan is one example.
In the spring of 2001 the Bush administration gave the Taliban $43 Million in spite of their cruelty to women and connection to Bin Laden. Only feminist groups and a few others even bothered to mention this at the time.
http://www.robertscheer.com/1_natcolumn/01...umns/052201.htm
Now bleeding heart Laura is concerned about the women of Afghanistan:
http://www.state.gov/g/wi/rls/58651.htm
An overview of the current situation in Afghanistan paints a rather bleak picture:
http://www.counterpunch.org/cloughley03252006.html
The only religion Horrowitz subscribes to is neoconism.
Isn't this how Hitler got his start in politics by blaming every problem Germany had on the Jews?
Mr. Horror-witz is the reincarnation of the bigoted movement to prove that the Arian race is superior to all others.
But David, in studying your genealogy I discovered that you are not related to the tribe of King David but to the tribe of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
My god I think you might have Muslim blood in your body and will now also have to be purged or exiled from the country during this celebration of Islamo-Fascist week when we take the time to persecute all those hateful Muslims.
Sorry David but sometimes bigotry has a way of back firing on us. Hope you enjoy your pilgrimage to Mecca next year now that you have found out that you are really an Arab and not a Jew.
The Bible was and remains the most human-destructive creation in the history of men and women---a completely obscene collection of wishful fantasies. "We" are good (the ONLY good out of ALL humanity), "they" are so evil they deserve extermination, and "God" will be pleased only as we force this on ourselves and carry it out against others. (The sign of "His Pleasure" is that "we" get the evil people's land/resources: it just sort of happens that way.) Strange, isn't it: the fact-based, documented reality is that our longest successful period of development, Minoan Crete, was at least 2500 still-unmatched years of Western peace and progress (not a utopia, they just really loved The Earth, life, and had their shit together), and when males took over full power (by violence of course), we learned to forget where we got it right and never have been able to since then....Until we "go back" and get our real bearings, we cannot resume going forward, as "history" the blood-soaked nightmare proves. No waste goes unjustified in the march of its "ideals"....But as historian/poet Barbara Mor has written, "The Earth is the only God we can really know," and it sickens me to think what price we're going to pay for this murderous, infantile willfulness we've been calling "progress"....
VAUDREE: You're right, jihad is a struggle. It could be internal or external. One TYPE of Jihad is armed struggle (which is what the essay discusses...its long, I know. Part two is more comprehensive, it goes through what constitutes legitimate armed struggle in Islam and what Islam forbids in armed conflict)...One thing Jihad definitely IS NOT, is Holy War...Holy war is UTTERLY forbidden in Islam (it talks about that in Part Two of the essay)
lol about Rush's Jihad!
"The Jizya tax is a poll tax, or per capita payment, levied on non-Muslims in a Muslim state in lieu of their exemption from the Zakat-Charity (obligatory charity Muslims pay) and military service, and to provide religious minorities with protection of their persons, wealth, and faith." (Hammad, The Gracious Quran: A Modern Phrased Interpretation in English)
Anyway, we don't live in a Muslim state so this is kind of irrelevant, and as Muslims do not evangelize, it probably will continue to be irrelevant.
But even so, it doesn't sound degrading or oppressive to me...unless you are an anarchist who doesn't believe in any form of governance whatsoever...
salaam
Read some of it - thought a Jihad was a struggle to accomplish something or a duty or purpose. Like it is the Jihad of Common Dreams to report the news that the main stream media tends to leave out and the Jihad of Rush to be the biggest jerk on radio. Am I even close?
balakirev says: The tenor of their basic idea "islamofascist" tells me that they are trying to generate fear and hate.
Of course! You know one reason why Horowitz is encouraging hatred of Islam is to discourage Americans from listening to Muslims or anyone who may stick up for Muslims (or anyone who questions the official News you get from Fox).
If you made a group seem like the devil, then listening to the devil is synonymous to giving into temptation. It is a means of convincing Horror-wits disciples that we are trying to corrupt them just by opening our mouths.
You heard about the piece of legislation that the Bush administration is trying to push through Iraqi parliament - it concerns oil and the legal ownership there of:
http://www.cbc.ca/onthemap/fullpage.php?id=49
Seems a bit convenient if one is pre-programed to plug one's ears every time someone starts talking about "collateral damage" or oil, or rendition, or prison abuses, or against harmonizing immigration policies. Yes, that is what the Three Amigos are talking about - harmonizing immigration policies.
"Last year's affair with the Danish cartoons, in which the Islamic nations tried to force a Western democracy to protect Islam with blasphemy laws..."
--
Frankly the Danish cartoons had nothing to do with "blasphemy laws"
If anyone is interested in an alternative view (you know, besides the one that people say Islam is intolerant of everything and anything) of the Danish Cartoons you can read this British Muslim's thoughts on it below. It is the last entry on the blog, way down at the bottom...
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=45859...
This discussion confirms what I have thought for some time now; religion is idiotic.
we are all sinners, accomplices, murderers.
prisons in egypt israel peru.. dipravity is to be found everywhere since day one.
without mea culpas first how can we redeem?
VAUDREE: Thanks,
I'm going to post a couple more essays on common misconceptions in Islam on my blog (I've already posted the Jihad one). I'm posting another about slavery and the revelation of the Quran (which MILITANTLIBERAL was kind enough to be sarcastic about, which is fine, it is a difficult thing to believe, but I don't see any point in mocking it).
MILITANTLIBERAL wrote: "Hopefully everyone here knows that Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and the North African coast were Christian for about 300-400 years before the Arabs conquered them from the Romans in the 7th century AD. Those things aren't reasons to invade or bomb anybody, but the problem is growing numbers of Islamic immigrants and converts pushing Western societies to remake themselves to comply Islamic law. I've already pointed out on this site some current examples: prayer foot baths in public restrooms, prayer breaks for Muslims (only?) at workplaces, taxicab drivers (in Minneapolis) refusing to drive people carrying alcohol."
--
Firstly, the fact that those areas that were mention above were Christian and not Muslim before the 7th century I think has to do with the fact that Islam didn't come around until the 7th century! And so what if they converted?! If you read the essay on Jihad you will know that there is no such thing as forced conversion in Islam or any concept of evangelizing (that is actually a very Christian concept and something Islam doesn't at all hold to in anyway: If you want to be a Muslim, fine, if you don't ain't nobody gonna force you).
No one is trying to push Western societies to remake themselves to comply to Islamic Law. The examples you listen above are Muslims personal rights to adhere and practice their faith. Why do you have a problem with that? Is it harming you in anyway? How are those practices changing western society? Prayers last like 5, maybe ten minutes if someone is praying long, how is that disruptive?
Marikken, i am not just talking about the fanatics, unless you mean that fanatics are the only ones "Evangelizing". the very foundation of christianity is that we are all born "sinners" and have to accept one particular savior or else - off to "hell". what a repugnant belief system. i'm tired of hearing that it's a religion of "peace", the bible itself doesnt' have much peace in it. i agree there are "good" christians, but that's because they are good people and not because of that terrible religion
Well, I think that my original question as to whether Islam can be held up for review the same way as Christianity, has been answered with a resounding NO!!!!. Don't know why.
thanks for your input
Dear USA,
I am sorry to hear this.
Best Regards
WR
Nations in which the majority of citizens practice Islam tend to be economically underdeveloped and militarily weak.
So, it is laughable when a Right-wing attack group attempts to initiate an islamofacist "hate" week. (Hey, this sounds like something from 1984!)
The tenor of their basic idea "islamofascist" tells me that they are trying to generate fear and hate.
Proclaiming an Islamofascist week would be like the attack dogs from the Right proclaiming an anti-commy week, anti-undocumented workers week, or an anti-abortiona week, or an anti-atheist week, or anti-unitarian week, etc..
No such movements would be organized to enhance understanding, tolerance, knowledge, or actual systematic critical thinking.
littlem85, explain them to the rest of us.
It is better if when the rest of us are exposed to them again that we can separate the truth from the crap.
I was watching something on TV with a bunch of Muslims who came from different countries and one topic that came up was that, through talking, it would help them figure out what was part of the culture and what was part of the religion.
I think that is a question that even Christians face - the difference between their religion and their culture. Culture tends to modify religion somewhat.
That said, if a little girl wants to play soccer, let her. If she wears a hijab, so what! If she is good enough to eventually play hockey for team Canada - I am going to cheer as team USA loses once again!
When Muslims and Jews marry they don't do it to prove a point:
http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=957
They do it because they fell in love.
If anyone is interested in actually finding out what Jihad really is (since some people on this site seem to be a tad bit confused...and the words Jihad and Jihadist--whatever the heck that is, it being a totally made-up word--are thrown around very lightly...
read this essay I posted on my blog
littlem85.blogspot.com (or you can just click on my username)
It might clear some confusion you have about Islam too...
Isn't it about time to begin building bridges of understanding and reconciliation instead of feeding the hate-mongers of the world?
liberata: If Muslims are Islamo-fascists, then what are our leaders who ordered torture?
Recruiters for the Taliban and Al Qaida?
Think of it, if someone tortures your mother, wouldn't you want to join with those who are against the torturers?
Do you ever notice that Osama Bin Laden shows up just when Bush needs him the most?
I wouldn't be surprised if years from now it turns out that he was holed up on the Bush ranch. Probably not, but if it did turn out to be true I wouldn't be a shock.
Have you heard of Malalai Joya, who is a feminist and Member of the Afghan National Assembly?
Audio of speech - http://www.ndp.ca/xfer/conventionaudio/joya.mp3
Transcript of speech - http://www.ndp.ca/node/4329
David horowitz rage demands urgent psychiatric attention.
eric fromm is not here anymore. but... who could help?
I thought fascism is defined as the marriage of corporations with the government, in which case the definition seems to fit the Christo-fascism that is prevailing in the US.
I can't believe that it's just a coincidence that Horowitz et al. have declared Islamo-whatever week the same week that National Religious Campaign Against Torture (http://www.nrcat.com) is urging congregations to watch the Rory Kennedy film, Ghosts of Abu Ghraib.
If Muslims are Islamo-fascists, then what are our leaders who ordered torture?
So when is Theo-Neocon Fascist Awareness Week? I guess that will be the first week of November 2008.
Anyone know how many Muslims are in the American Congress? Considering their numbers in the US, there should be a few.
pissed, I have a message for your brother:
Yes, and Cheney first.
Scroll down to November 21, 2006 - Video: Harland Colt: Time to Lick My Wound (It is like what your brother does making fun of racist homophobic Republicans through the use of country music. HC says: "And I ask myself, what would Jesus shoot")
http://www.cbc.ca/22minutes/video.html
Rick, Ann Coulter has been on the BBC and the CBC and they weren't laughing with her. If you really really want Howard Zinn on The Hour, I am sure they won't take all that much persuasion. Just get a few like minded people together and pester them.
RE: Christianity
If Christianity is made up of a bunch of different religions, then why do we assume that there is only one type of Muslim.
I think that all religions have both a social gospel/brotherly love and capitalist/supremist version of itself.
And you know if you get your niece a Fulla (the Muslim Barbie) as a means of celebrating the week, that Fulla is going to be wearing clothes from the dollar store and some old Republican lady selling crafts - and maybe even a few of Barbie's old clothes from the 70's you pick up at the thrift shop. I've checked, ebay doesn't sell her outfits.
bligh says: With 2 billion practioners worldwide- in addition to the 1.3 billion Muslims- believing that Jesus of Nazereth was at least a prophet of God, I would think that a little respect for others beliefs are in order.
This is a question to those who are familiar with the Bible: Anyone here remember this prophet Joseph who was a Finance Minister who was unjustly imprisoned by is brothers? Rendition victim Maher Arar did - this was the story he read over and over again in the Koran to keep himself going while he was imprisoned:
http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/coverstory_maherarar.html
Strange how many of the same stories appear in both books.
The fascists that control Washington abuse/exploit not only religion, but everything, including leftist ideals, public institutions, language, organizations of all types, market power, human beings, animals, media, ignorance, negative emotions, addictions/habits, hopes and dreams, military force, scientific developments, natural resources, influence, history, patriotism, nationalism, the commonwealth, solidarity, democracy, misfortune, information, good intentions, confusion, chaos, treaties, oaths, the US Constitution, the public trust...
Bligh is right to point out the persecution of Christians, Jews and others in the Middle East (and the rest of the Islamic world I add). Hopefully everyone here knows that Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and the North African coast were Christian for about 300-400 years before the Arabs conquered them from the Romans in the 7th century AD. Those things aren't reasons to invade or bomb anybody, but the problem is growing numbers of Islamic immigrants and converts pushing Western societies to remake themselves to comply Islamic law. I've already pointed out on this site some current examples: prayer foot baths in public restrooms, prayer breaks for Muslims (only?) at workplaces, taxicab drivers (in Minneapolis) refusing to drive people carrying alcohol. It's nice that there may be some Muslim progressives out there, but they have no control over Islamic law. How bad can Islamic law get? Let me cite my favorite examples from the Quran, which Muslims believe the archangel Gabriel recited directly to Muhammed, who repeated it word for word to his followers, who wrote it down without error:
"If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or a (captive) that your right hands possess that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice." 4:3 (Translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali). This sura not only supports polygamy, which is very much alive all over the Islamic world and beginning to creep illegally into the West, it also approves of slavery and using slave women for sexual purposes. Did you know that slavery was legal in Saudia Arabia until 1962?
"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger [Muhammad], nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth (even if they are) of the People of the Book [Jews and Christians], until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." 9:29. This sura is one of the key supports for the doctrine of imperialist jihad. The jizya is a special tax that Jews and Christians in Muslim countries, and Hindus in India, had to pay until the nineteenth or twentieth centuries, i.e. the height of the West's imperial power.
I'm not a scholar on Islam, so I don't know all the details, but whenever I've learned more about the religion, it just gets worse and worse. People who imagine it's something like Christianity are wrong; there is no Muslim equivalent to the Sermon on the Mount. Neither Jesus nor his disciples made war or held political power while Muhammad did both. For those prepared to drag out parallel Old Testament verses, remember that the world holds about 13 million Jews, about 80% in either the U.S. or Israel. There are 1.3-1.4 billion Muslims and multiplying with alarming speed. Wherever they are there is Islamic law.
I have no use at for Horrorwitz or Crazy Coulter, and I'm sorry to see them latch onto this issue. I don't believe the Republicans really care about liberty or feminism as such but are looking for any scapegoat they can come up with to get more tax cuts for the rich. Today it is Muslims and Mexicans and gay people. Yesterday it was black welfare mothers. The day before that it was Communists and Catholics. Tomorrow it may be left-handed people (haven't you noticed they're not one of US?). Nonetheless, Islam really is a growing political and ideological threat to liberalism, and socialism if you think that important, and liberals had better start taking it seriously. Last year's affair with the Danish cartoons, in which the Islamic nations tried to force a Western democracy to protect Islam with blasphemy laws, and the threatened execution of Christian convert/apostate from Islam Abdul (sp?) Rahman, entirely proper under Islamic law, should illustrate that. The dilemma is that the Bush administration has presented a terrible and more immediate threat to liberty. So keep voting left but stay awake to other perils.
bligh
If only the "Christians" would practice what their savior advocated, this world would be a better place.
Love, tolerance, mercy, compassion, understanding, sacrifice, giving without expectation of reward - these are the hallmarks of a practioner of Christ's teachings.
I don't know who these mouth pieces are anymore who PREACH churchianity these days. They are no more Christian's then sitting in your garage - turns you into a car.
Why is it that any article on CD about religion becomes a green light to launch a hate-fest on Christianity? With 2 billion practioners worldwide- in addition to the 1.3 billion Muslims- believing that Jesus of Nazereth was at least a prophet of God, I would think that a little respect for others beliefs are in order. Probably asking too much.
It is something, when someone the likes of Ann Coulter can get airtime in MSM, and someone like Howard Zinn for example cannot.
And the right as the gull to call it a liberal media!
That is one of the biggest pieces of propaganda the right petals
My brother has written a heartfelt tune in observance of Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week.
Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2nzIQ1eWMg
Jake what about the fundamentalist Chirstians who firebomb abortion clinics or those that support the transfer/ehtnic cleansing of Palestinians because they believe Israel fulfills God's prophecy?
Superb article. This ridiculous event seems to be an anti Muslim hate fest !
JJ PETER: Good points and I think they function as an answer to INDIGO as to how the "fast kaps" assumed so much power so quickly. Why do you think Rupert wants to own so much media? The control of message = the ways and means to MANUFACTURE consent.
EZE FLYER: Thank you for posting the list. Seems most of it fits policy in the US today.
GOLD DOGS: I agree. It's to make those who still watch Fox and MSM THINK fascism is out there, like "the enemy" or the "evil one." Ironic that one of the Christian tenets these folks supposedly swear allegiance to is to REMOVE THE BOARD from their own eyes before judging (no less attacking, or fixing policy to justify attack) others!
You've got to give it to the right, at least this:
They control the dialog on the MSM talk circuit. Their WILLFUL ignorant ratings, making a mockery of civilized dialog, have become the standard fare on EVERY cable outlet. With the exception of Keith O. on MSNBC, its all about shock talk and the "guests" yelling over each other to make their insipit point.
Its a perfectly crafted, malevolent plan to reduce the national discussion to attacking the messenger, who - WOW, was just stating an opinion, and "don't *I* have freedom of speech!??" -
So the Coulters, Beck's and this hater, Horowitz, get to spew factually vacant crap, meanwhile, our cites are burning, are without water, children without health insurance, we are killing people in IraK, sharpening the swords for Iran, and we have an evil man-child commander guy, demanding relavancy, and more billions for his contractor buddies in the MIC.
This country is becoming insane.
No - it HAS become insane.
Islam: "A monotheistic religion characterized by the acceptance of the doctrine of submission to God and to Muhammad as the chief and last prophet of God."
Fascism: 1. a sense of overwhelming crisis beyond reach of traditional solutions; 2. belief one's group is the victim, justifying any action without legal or moral limits; 3. need for authority by a natural leader above the law, relying on the superiority of his instincts; 4. right of the chosen people to dominate others without legal or moral restraint; 5. fear of foreign `contamination; 6. the merger of government and corporate interests irrespective of the will of the people. (America, today: 1. terror = torture, indefinite detention, renditions; 2. we were "attacked" and we're "hated"; 3. God speaks through bush who acts on his "gut"; 4. Christian nation; 5. immigrants are lepers and job thieves; 6. corporate profits soar, peoples' wages fall, regulations abandoned, tax breaks/subsidies a plenty, out of control subcontracting.)
"The radical Christian right, calling for a "Christian state" — where whole segments of American society, from gays and lesbians to liberals to immigrants to artists to intellectuals, will have no legitimacy and be reduced, at best, to second-class citizens—awaits a crisis, an economic meltdown, another catastrophic terrorist strike or a series of environmental disasters." (Chris Hedges, "American Fascists")
Sadly, in the Fascists v Fascists Battle Royal, a Fascist will win.
I think that Fascist Capitalism is a far greater threat to the world than Islamist extremists. The people behind this Islamofascist Awareness campaign are themselves fascist capitalists (try Fast Kaps for short).
Neocons are Fast Kaps. Fast Kaps use fascist methods to take what they want, and one of the first methods they use is to demonize anyone that stands in their way. It is all dirty politics and it depends upon fooling a majority of dumbed-down people, to gain their favor and votes.
Fast Kaps are the worst thing to emerge from the USA. We all know them well, either from direct experience or from television. Many serials have included episodes with Fast Kaps as the bad guys. The A-Team, for example, constantly rescued otherwise innocent and defenseless victims from Fast Kaps.
So, how the hell did Fast Kaps become the most powerful force in the USA? Like everything else, they did it by demonizing the competition and fooling the majority of voters. But the recent exposure of their lies about Iraq may have been a mistake.
Now, with so many of their lies exposed, we can expose the neocons for what they are. Can you say Fast Kaps? I know I can and I will press the message every chance I get.
Fast Kaps have fooled the nation. Fast Kaps have lied us into war. Fast Kaps have made the world a mess. Fast Kaps should not rule the world. Fast Kaps must be stopped.
David Horowitz is a fool! However! You are wrong in saying that the war on terror is a conflict with Islamic fascists, a small radical element in Islam that can be overcome by entreaties to Western Democracy and modern thinking. Wars and conquests to achieve a religious hegemony are endemic to Islam. One need only read any of the 42 Suras that speak to a conversion stratagem . Historical revisionist often point to a small number of Suras that speak of a benign treatment of strangers, but a critical reading of these items confirm, by strangers the Koran means fellow Moslems. Rather than the rule, moderate Islam (today's sensitivity speak) is the abrogation. At its basic level Islam is a religion the can only be fulfilled by planet wide domination, and what the true face of its adherents is, is fundamentalism theocracy achieve by wars of conquest. What we are witnessing today is the third such thrust by Islam. The first ended with the defeat of Moslem armies at the battle of Tours in 732 and ushered in the 800 year Spanish war of the Reconquista that ended with the final expulsion of the Moors form Spain in 1492 AD. The second was the Turkish conquest of Constantinople and the Balkans in 1453 AD. There were Moslem armies at the gates of Vienna in 1523 AD and this episode only ended in 1921 when the Greeks gained independence for Turkey. Of course, Turkey then took all human rights from Anatolian Greek Christians and expelled and killed over 200,000 between 1921 and 25. Today, we are witnessing the third incarnation if the Islamic imperative. Geopolitics being what they are there is little doubt that Israel as an independent state will ultimately be destroyed and with significant Moslem populations in France and England and other parts of secular Europe, serving as a fifth column, the dreams of Suleiman the Magnificent may be fulfilled.
People should spend this week understanding the state of facism in America, brought on by bush and his band of right-wing facists. We should call this week Facist Awarness Week!
godlessrant, there are good christians who are working for peace and for humanity (okay, they are good PEOPLE who happen to be christian, you could say they are good DESPITE their christianity). The kind you are talking about are the fanatics. Those people are dangerous, having lots of babies, and indoctrinating them in extremely unhealthy ways. Watch "Jesus Camp" if you can stomach it. As far as I can see, it amounts to child abuse. Certainly it's brainwashing. Maybe we need a child abuse awareness week that highlights such abuses by the christian fundamentalists.
criminal minds are embedded in all "ism's".
zionism and nazism colluded in the past.
zionism + islamofascism seem to be colluding in the present. Meanwhile we 'girls' are busy shopping and happy to be brainwashed.
Methinks islamofascism is far too limiting a term.
Seriously,we must label the enemies of western civ properly if we are going to deal with them at all levels in this Long War.
Howz'
about
islamochavezycastroishputineroliberalpictalibanfascist?
how about "abrahamofascist" week! covers all 3 of the abrahamic scum religions .
i'm certainly not crazy about Islam, but there should be some kind of expose for christianity. it's an awful religion. i constantly get bombarded by pamphlets, tracts, street corner preachers, buttheads on the bus who want to share "the good news" and digs by christian friends. frankly i'm tired of this crap ass religion. "you'll be sorry after you die", "i'll pray for you", "repent and be saved". how about "take your bronze age cult and shove it". let's see how many people have been killed in the cult of "jesus", before we take swings at Islam.
I've never once gotten preached to by a muslim nor had muslim tracts shoved in my face. nor been chastized by one. We have a few in this apartment complex, and they are very kind. So who is it who is always pushing themselves at me...."christians". threats of hell, threats of judgement, recommendations to read "the bible", one of the most absurd and rediculous books every written.
Has nothing been learned from the promotion of "awareness" of the not-real over the past 6 years?
What Americans really need is a "Awareness of the Definition Of Facsism Week."
Memes like this would have no legs whatsoever among an informed people, and extremists of any stripe would have no more visible platform than an offramp somewhere, where they'd stand holding their cardboard signs as the world passes them by.
Dichterfreund exactly the neocon strategy of winning an argument is when you are outgunned point the blame elsewhere.
I read about where the term Islamo-fascism came from....
it turns out the fascism part is used as "the face of"
Because so many people are screaming "fascism" now, this administration is doing the old shell game it does so well.
Now, the sheeeple will latch on to this term and ignore the very real Fascism growing in OUR country.
bligh,
"you don't know me, so how can you tell me what my motivation is"
Well, how is that not equally applied, then, to me? Sauce for the goose.
Personal motivation has nothing to do with it; the political tendency is what matters, and discussion of "how about sharia law?" drives discussion towards the neocons' playing field; it's their strategy, regardless of how you "personally" intend it.