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Campus Watch is Missing the Point (and so is the Right as a whole)

Reader comment on item: An Inadvertent Endorsement of Campus Watch [at Georgia Tech]

Submitted by Pro-Israeli Democrat (United States), Apr 21, 2006 at 07:53

This message is a follow-up to my previous entry, in which I express my doubts about the intentions of the American Right in calling for "diversity" in Middle East studies. This is symptomatic of another error they are making in trying to pinpoint the so-called "unholy" alliance between Radical Islam and the Far Left. As a moderate-liberal college student, I have come to know many Americans on the Far Left, and here is how I would describe many of them:

* They support both Israeli and Palestinian statehood (I have my doubts due to the rise of Hamas, and favor the Israelis anyway. I defend Israel in debates all the time)

* They attend Holocaust-related lectures and memorials

* Some are, in fact, Jewish (as I am), although most were born Catholic

* Most have contempt for religion in general

* All deplore the acts of 9/11 and terrorism in general

* Most simply want to protect American democracy and put an end to so-called "anti-terrorist" measures that are meant to crack down on dissenters, NOT capture Al-Qaeda, Hamas, or Hezbollah operatives

* Most care more for maintaining civil liberties such as dissent, free speech, and abortion than they do for establishing a Palestinian State (even those who sympathize with the Palestinian Arabs).

So, the thought that the Left is going to align itself with radical islam to destabalize the West is, in my mind, completely irrational. The real problem is the allegience between radical Islam and the far RIGHT (Fundamentalist Christians, Klansmen, Neo-Nazis, Holocaust deniers, etc.) Just look at history!!! During World War II, Haj Amin al Husseini, Mufti of Jerusalem and distant relative of that terrorist Arafat, not only supported Adolf Hitler, but sent Arabs to SS regiments.

During the Early 1990s, the Iranian government ordered Hezbollah to bomb a Jewish Community Center and the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was not "leftists" that helped Hezbollah carry out the operations, but local NEO-NAZIS. Each attack killed about 90 people, and left Argentina's Jewish Community stunned. Reverend Fred Phelps, meanwhile, supported Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War and after September 11th, expressed "admiration" for what Al-Qaeda had done to America. He believes that 9/11 was justified since the US has "legalized" homosexuality, and pickets the funerals of American Troops for the exact same reason. I am sure he would get along with Ayman-Aal Zawahiri.

More recently, we have seen Televangelist Pat Robertson call Ariel Sharon's stroke a "punishment from God" (I was OUTRAGED), and white supremacist David Duke pay a "goodwill" visit to Syria, where he claimed that America was "occupied by Zionists". Iran's loudmouth, dumb @$& president Mahmoud Ahmadi-nejad would be proud, for Duke also denies that the Holocaust happened, as do many on the Far Right who call it a Zionist "hoax".

I have never met a single leftist who thought such a ridiculous thing, let alone said it. While there is little evidence to support the claim that "leftist" professors and college students will aid in Al-Qaeda attacks, the Far Right has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction (consult the "Turner Diaries" for this), denied the Holocaust, and attempted to justify 9/11 for whatever reason. So, the lethal alliance is not between Radical Islamists and peace protestors. It is between Radical Islamists, skinheads, and Holocaust-denying white supremacists. Their political views converge naturally and this alliance has been in place at least since World War II and should make everyone nervous. It certainly scares me.

...If organizations such as this were effective in fighting the war on terror, they would hone their attention on on the disturbing ties between Islamic Fundamentalists and White Supremacists, rather than Islam and the "left". Peace protestors demonstrating against the Iraq War do not want to destroy Israel. Neither do Arab-American history professors. Neo-Nazis and Baptist Ministers on the other hand, would love to see a nuke fall on what they consider to be "the zionist entity" (does that language sound familiar? If it does, that is because this is what the Islamists say when they refer to Israel)?

Even conservatives should also remember, first and foremost, that our president is not a terrorist-fighting action hero. He is a clown and a businessman first and foremost and one of his campaign financers in 2000 was a man by the name of "Arian". Arian is a leading member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the group that launched several suicide attacks against Israeli civilians this week. To see Bush (AND NO I AM NOT COMPARING BUSH TO HITLER, FOR THAT IS EQUALLY RIDICULOUS) posing with a leader of Islamic Jihad makes me sicker than anything else, as does his "strollin' through the garden" with Saudi Royals and his proposed Dubai Ports Deal. All play into the hands of terrorists. Hard-line conservatives (including former generals) know this as well, and want Bush to go the way of his ideological inspiration, Richard M. Nixon.

The Iraq war has only served to create more terrorists and grant the Iranians hegemony in the South (I have strongly opposed it from the beginning on both moral and strategic grounds, although I believe that both the Afghan War and the '91 Gulf War WERE justified...I am not anti war. Far from it). So George W. is no better at fighting terror than Carter, Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton (and all four could not fight terror if their lives depended on it. It is amazing how many opportunities Reagan missed to crush the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Southern Lebanon, just as it is amazing how many Clinton missed to take out Osama bin Laden). One can support Israel without supporting the Administration (and I sincerely believe that Israel is now in MORE danger thanks to Iraq and the implications for the nukey Iranians). I think George W. is the next Nixon and I LOVE the Israelis. There is no contradiction between being a liberal American and supporting Israel. It is sad that some conservatives see it that way.

I also believe that Campus Watch wants us to believe that Iraq is now a happy place with happy, jolly people (and to have college professors tell us just how happy and wonderful the new Iraq is). Are abductions, targeted killings of homosexuals by Shiite militias, suicide bombings by Sunnis, the growth of "Al-Qaeda" splinter groups and other Wahhabi nutcases, and the price paid by American tax-payers "happy" things? I don't think so, and thus I am dreaming of a world without FOX news, or without its Middle Eastern equivalent, Al-Jazeera.
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Reader comments (54) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Professor Laura Bier [147 words]Charlie CoyleApr 23, 2006 14:4643914
well said [86 words]BosAug 23, 2007 09:2343914
Cowardly Professors' Hypocritical Orwellian Accusations of "McCarthyism" [420 words]Amendment9Apr 22, 2006 18:2643821
Campus Watch is Missing the Point (and so is the Right as a whole) [1078 words]Pro-Israeli DemocratApr 21, 2006 07:5343704
Wow [341 words]D WilliamsApr 22, 2006 21:4243704
If you read closely [402 words]Pro-Israeli DemocratApr 23, 2006 08:4543704
There is no fine print [436 words]D WilliamsMay 9, 2006 12:4043704
The need to be judicious in your remarks [127 words]Paul BowmanApr 20, 2006 13:2943659
In defense of free speech [39 words]NathanApr 20, 2006 01:5943631
Finally, Progress [30 words]Douglas BoggsApr 19, 2006 23:5343626
Spelling and grammar of GA Tech professor [35 words]Carl S. HoffmanApr 19, 2006 12:3243573
where do they come from??? [33 words]john bennettApr 19, 2006 11:3043567
Campus Watch [235 words]kim segarApr 18, 2006 14:0943493
Frontal Lobe Removal [109 words]Kevin MApr 18, 2006 13:2743487
Nice, Kevin! [10 words]D WilliamsApr 22, 2006 21:5843487
The Freedom Fighter [103 words]PigfootApr 18, 2006 12:5843483
Does Ms. Bier hear herself? [215 words]PatApr 18, 2006 11:5343476
Stop the witch-hunt; preserve democracy and academic freedom [735 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Pro-Israeli DemocratApr 18, 2006 10:4043472
Facts, please Pro-Israeli Democrat [370 words]CanWePleaseWakeUpHereApr 25, 2006 14:3843472
world war II [27 words]robert aApr 18, 2006 06:1543464
Britain!!! [51 words]Catriona BrownApr 18, 2006 05:4543463
Laura Bier [17 words]Peter YarrowApr 18, 2006 05:3943461
campus watch [147 words]Julia MackApr 17, 2006 23:3143448
What a silly diatribe [321 words]JeffApr 17, 2006 22:1543443
Good Point Raised [73 words]D WilliamsApr 22, 2006 22:0943443
Please drop the ...drivel [314 words]obilicApr 17, 2006 21:5443439
Are you saying [10 words]D WilliamsApr 22, 2006 22:1443439
campus [168 words]baruch tovaApr 17, 2006 20:4143430
cream of the crop [91 words]Donald OApr 17, 2006 20:2743429
The Fifth Column [9 words]Donna SummerApr 17, 2006 19:0543425
The historical expertise of Laur Bier [94 words]Joseph GreenbergApr 17, 2006 18:5643423
Israel is the promised land [163 words]Donald Grant CheesmanApr 17, 2006 18:3843422
Tenure you say [27 words]Katherine McLeanApr 17, 2006 18:1943421
what occupation? [444 words]john mcginleyApr 17, 2006 17:1143418
Keeping tabs on profs [35 words]David W. LincolnApr 17, 2006 17:0143417
Leah Bowman whoever [94 words]Colin SpencerApr 17, 2006 17:0143416
The radicals on American college campuses. [155 words]Richard Lion heartApr 17, 2006 16:3843415
Laura Bier [121 words]Donald W. BalesApr 17, 2006 16:0643412
Laura Bier [38 words]Jerry ScheinbergApr 17, 2006 15:4843411
Critical Thinkers or Captive Audience? [229 words]ddsApr 17, 2006 15:3243410
Pre-Occupied with Occupation [401 words]David GatorguyApr 17, 2006 15:2643409
Brainless or Brain dead? [73 words]JaladhiApr 17, 2006 15:0943406
Victims [38 words]D WilliamsApr 22, 2006 22:3543406
Organizational Conflicts are Generic [128 words]Stew GableApr 17, 2006 14:5443405
The Occupation of Palestine [69 words]Geoffrey LewisApr 17, 2006 14:3743403
I, amongst many, appreciate "Campus Watch" -- and I thank you!! [22 words]Nikki SimonApr 17, 2006 14:3043401
America today [83 words]HarrakApr 17, 2006 13:4543400
Holy cow, Harrak! [37 words]Kevin MApr 17, 2006 14:4443400
Nice [9 words]John RApr 17, 2006 21:4743400
we are losing... [165 words]ahmadzafireApr 17, 2006 22:0743400
Financial, Emotional.... [87 words]JohnApr 21, 2006 13:5543400
Coward thy name is Leah Bowman, I mean Laura Bier [31 words]SullyApr 17, 2006 13:3343399
Downside of Tenure [34 words]Ruth Morton FazioApr 17, 2006 13:1743397
Laura Bier longs for the days before the Web arrived [109 words]Yoel NatanApr 17, 2006 12:5143394

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