tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625076107995960519.post7166618195801565165..comments2024-01-26T03:40:32.465-05:00Comments on Breath of the Beast: Is There Such a Thing as Islamofascism?Yaacov Ben Moshehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16711165551258127500noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625076107995960519.post-35790837262790163032007-02-13T15:42:00.000-05:002007-02-13T15:42:00.000-05:00I have quoted liberally from your essay (and some ...I have quoted liberally from your essay (and some others) in <A HREF="http://powerandcontrol.blogspot.com/2007/02/reality-based.html" REL="nofollow">Reality Based</A>.<BR/><BR/>BTW excellent.<BR/><BR/>Re: Don Kirk. The Left is not going to get on board. The best that can be hoped for is to move the left more to the right.<BR/><BR/>Why? Well the left is stuck with more unreason than the right. Proof? They still embrace socialism. A totally discredited economic philosophy. Another case of hope triumphing over experience. i.e. Socialism is faith based. Capitalism is based on experience.<BR/><BR/>There have been numerous examples of various forms of socialism and they all fail sooner or later. Thus real socialism has never been tried. At the same time capitalism in various forms almost always succeeds. I think there is a clue there.M. Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09508934110558197375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625076107995960519.post-37305308622733633782007-02-10T05:00:00.000-05:002007-02-10T05:00:00.000-05:00I am one of those people who Dr. Ledeen is upset w...I am one of those people who Dr. Ledeen is upset with: I find the term, "Islamofascism," to be so particularistic, partisan, and pejorative that its use becomes counter-productive. The recent use of the counter term by the political Left, "Christofascism," to describe what is center-right and thoroughly democratic views is a case in point: our conservative blogosphere's usage of 'Islamofascism'--to describe the evolved fascism into another homicidal/suicidal ideology in the 21C--will be self-defeating. The term is wonderful as propaganda, but despite Dr. Ledeen's assertion of its academic credibility, it is a term which is too easily trumped by accusations of being an example of Islamophobia.<BR/><BR/>A better term, I believe, to describe the new form of fascism in Iran is "theofascism." Dr. Ledeen's original term, "clerical fascism" is also accurately descriptive and not so easily discredited as "Islamofascism" will be. Arendt coined "clerico-fascism" in her work on totalitarianism, but her term never caught on.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps it's simply too late for a more accurate term which will not alienate the political Left from our efforts to effect regime change in Iran. The conservative blogosphere loves "Islamofascism," but I believe its use will eventually become an inhibiting factor to realizing any regime change in Iran.<BR/><BR/>But if a scholar of Dr. Ledeen's stature wants to keep the description as "Islamofascism,' then so be it. Let's not be surprised, though, when the term is eventually derisively dismissed by apologists for the toxic ideology as being latent Islamophobia.<BR/><BR/>Warmest regards,<BR/>Don KirkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625076107995960519.post-4165960573335335362007-02-08T01:26:00.000-05:002007-02-08T01:26:00.000-05:00"Why do they hate us?" Yes, this question really ..."Why do they hate us?" Yes, this question really irritates me, too...<BR/><BR/>YBM, I really like your reference toa "The Beast." It relates to an essay I've been working on about the value of "the hunting instinct" to our civilization. I wd argue that our generally pathetic response to The Beast's attacks is largely due to the atrophy of that ancient instinct. And The Beast senses this, AND GROWS BOLDER.<BR/><BR/>There is a well-known phenomenon in nature, when a creature like an elephant or buffalo, even a wild boar, goes "rogue." A rogue animal becomes vicious and aggressive to humans: an elephant will hide near fields and then charge out to trample some women trying to pick some manioc. And then move on to the next village, and kill some people there.<BR/><BR/>There is only one solution to the problem of a rogue animal: it must be killed as soon as possible.<BR/><BR/>"Why do they hate us?"<BR/><BR/>After a rogue is killed and examined, almost invariably a very good reason is found for its unusual behavior: a festering bullet wound, worn-out teeth, or impacted barbed thorns in the snout. And yet, when a rogue arises, do we step back and ask, "Why is it angry? Can we do something to address its grievance?"<BR/><BR/>No, we dispatch a hunter to kill the rogue. The end. <BR/><BR/>Islamofascists must be seen as "Rogue Muslims." They are out-of-control killers who must be killed so we can all be safe[r]. Of coure, in nature much fewer than one beast in a thousand becomes a rogue...It looks like the rate among Muslims is about one in 10.<BR/><BR/>By all means, let us set forth to destroy this Beast before it destroys us.Jewish Odysseushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16704379332151214452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1625076107995960519.post-11954235605935896412007-02-07T22:05:00.000-05:002007-02-07T22:05:00.000-05:00Very well done indeed. I have pointed out that, i...Very well done indeed. I have pointed out that, in the literature on fascism, there has long been a clearly identified type called "clerical fascism." You can find this spelled out in an old book edited by Eugen Weber called "Varieties of Fascism."<BR/><BR/>I was always a bit annoyed to find people sounding off against the use of "islamofascism" since it had such a distinguished scholarly pedigree (there are several very good books by A. James Gregor that expands the discussion if you're interested). <BR/><BR/>You've gotten there the hard way, by reasoning it out from first principles, and it's very elegantly done. Thanks.<BR/><BR/>Michael LedeenUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00523629782252021790noreply@blogger.com