Happy Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week! I've been celebrating the same way as most Americans: by asking questions like "Why isn't David Horowitz pumping gas for a living in rural Alabama?"
There are so many things that are idiotic about this spectacle, I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with D-Ho's complete lack of understanding of the term "fascism."
I believe his original intent was simply to combine two words that most people think are bad things. Islamo-Fascism sounded a lot better than Islamo-Herpes. On that end, mission accomplished. Fascism is bad. While it lacks a universally agreed-upon definition, according to folks like Roger Eatwell, Roger Griffin, Ernst Nolte, Robert Paxton, Juan Cole, and Stanley Payne, fascism is:
(an) authoritarian political ideology that considers individual and other societal interests subordinate to the interests of the state. Fascists seek to forge a type of national unity through oppression and coercion, usually based on (but not limited to) ethnic, cultural, or racial attributes.
They argue that fascism is related to, but distinct from, concepts like nationalism, populism, xenophobia, and totalitarianism. Just for kicks, Webster defines it thusly: "a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition."
Now please tell me, does that sound like Osama bin Laden's philosophy? Or anyone in al Qaeda? Or any Islamic terrorist in the world? Does Horowitz's application of that term to Islamic terrorism make you wonder whether or not he has ever read a book? Yes, truly D-Ho has a magnificent grasp of the nature of terrorism in the Islamic world. Clearly what Osama and his buddies want is intimately tied to a state or national interests. Issues of national identity motivate them. They quite obviously subordinate all other interests for the good of….whatever nation or state they're nationalistic about.
I could go on to point out that schools such as Yale, Harvard, and even Falwell's Liberty University have threatened legal action against Horowitz for claiming that they are participating in his pathetic week of attention-seeking. I could point out the number of schools who were shocked to find out that Horowitz was claiming that they were participating. I could note that the folks over at Blackfive (an excellent albeit very right-wing blog staffed mostly by military folks) mocked his opening event and think he's a total ass clown. I could point out that David Horowitz is a mental infant whose sole purpose is to promote himself and pander to the Republicans that all the other Republicans hate. But pointing out any of that would be redundant, as 5 minutes spent reading his nonsense are plenty to tell you all of this and more.
Brandon says:
I had a feeling you
Ed says:
That is the most detailed response this website has yet received.
I see your point, and the term is probably closer to being accurate (in the way he's using it) than my sarcastic comments give credit for. However, I'm not convinced that one can simply tack "religious" into the part of the definition that emphasizes the importance (above all else) of race and nation. Religion is a very different concept as I understand it, and a totalitarian government based on it falls into a much different category. I'd start talking about theocracy or dominionism before I leapt to "fascism."
As far as I can tell, no Islamic terrorists give a flying crap about race or nation. They show no allegiance to any state let alone belief in its supremacy. It is a stateless group of people who don't care about your race or which government squeezes you for taxes – they want to convert you or kill you. Very equal opportunity in that sense.
So my impression is that D-Ho simply chose the word "fascism," which has little or nothing to do with this problem, because it sounds scary. In my opinion that is the kind of move I'd ascribe to someone at the mental level of a high school freshman.
Matthew says:
I'm confident that Islamo-fascism only makes sense (insofar as one can even call what it makes "sense") if you believe that it is the goal of these "Islamo-fascists" (whoever they are) to take control of the major governments of the Western world and turn them into Islamic nations AND that this goal is realistic and achievable, probably within our lifetimes.
I am also confident that very few sane people believe both these things.
Although I would probably be more scared of Islamo-herpes.
Christina says:
A piece of a post at Shakesville
http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2007/10/buying-judicial-victory-in-congressand.html
"You know, I think it's time to revisit Dr. Lawrence Britt's 14 Characteristics of Fascist Regimes:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism: Check.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights: Check.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause: Check.
4. Supremacy of the Military: Check and check.
5. Rampant Sexism: Checkity-check-check.
6. Controlled Mass Media: Check.
7. Obsession with National Security: Checkaroonie!
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined: Checkellujah.
9. Corporate Power is Protected: How timely
-h says:
I don't care what you guys say, I'm celebrating all week long – great drink specials downtown.
I got hammered every f'n night during last year's Judeo-Fascism Awareness Week. Rockin.
There's gonna be a costume party down at Club D-HO for Christo-Fascism Awareness Week next year; I'm going dressed as Mussolini. My buddy's gonna come as the pope and we're gonna re-enact the Lateran Treaties. Concordat baby! We're takin 1st place for sure. It's gonna be sweeeeeet.