Soft intellectualism

Submitted by Alan Meyer (Australia), May 24, 2013 at 23:39

Dear Daniel,

I am glad that you take the trouble occasionally take the trouble to correct what is, effectively, a multi pronged attempt to de-legitimise your writing and thinking.

Here in Australia, at least one news outlet regularly uses Amin Saikal as their ME expert in all things pertaining to the Arab-Israeli conflict. His pronouncements on Israeli politics, policies and trends are invariably in error and almost always out of left field.

Of late, Waleed Ali, that other soft intellectual, has devolved into becoming a current doyen of mass-entertainment chat shows which he occasionally hosts.

It is no surprise that these two Muslims would misquote you. It is only surprising that you take the trouble to defend yourself from their inaccuracies, because they don't count for much here in Australia.

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