What Do You Do?
By Judson Cox (08/02/03)
I have a tendency to learn life's lessons through bitter experience. A few years back, a buddy went with me to cut wood on my property. It was only after I lay pinned beneath a gigantic spruce tree, that I thought, "Wow, I probably should have seen this coming."
My mistake was in failing to see the danger of letting my friend near a chain saw after he'd consumed multiple beers. I never claim to be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but the lessons I learn seem to make large impressions on me! For many Americans, such a lesson came on September 11th, 2001.
For decades, experts warned us of the dangers that Islamic terrorist presented to the United States. We watched as the Ayatollah rose to power in Iran, taking American hostages. We saw Palestinians target Americans and Israelis abroad. We saw our embassies and barracks bombed, and were shocked by the first attack on the World Trade Center. However, with the same complacency that allowed me to ignore the dangers of mixing alcohol with chain saws, we ignored the threat. Even when Osama bin Laden appeared on "Sixty Minutes," and told us in no uncertain terms that he planned to destroy America, barely an eyebrow was raised among politicians and the populace. Then, the morning came when Osama's threats came to life. Hijacked planes were flown into first one World Trade Tower, then the other, then the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Over three thousand innocent Americans lay dead, and we were shocked into recognizing a threat should have been obvious.
For a brief moment, politics and the digital distractions of modern life took a back seat to confronting a very real danger; suddenly we were vulnerable. For a brief moment, Americans of all reasonable ideologies united for the sake of our very survival. Unfortunately, in the time elapsed between that horrifying morning and this placid day, much of our resolve seems to have dissipated. Most of those who share my political ideology and religion, still see the threat of Islamic fascism for what it is. We see a culture bent on destroying our nation, and eradicating Christianity and Judaism (as well as all other religions except Islam). However, most of us do not fully comprehend the implications of the ideology our enemy follows. We still see the conflict in the terms of those that have come before. We tend to minimalize the threat by assigning it the face of a dictator, or a group of power hungry nations. To view the conflict in which we are embroiled in such a way, is to focus on the surf, while missing the huge swells driven by a hurricane that would wipe away everything in its path. If we see Islamic fascism as akin to communism and nazism, we underestimate it. This threat is not merely an adherence to a competing economic or social system, or even loyalty to a competing nation; it is far more.
The mistakes of the Left begin where the mistakes of the Right leave off. The Left confuses the threat of Islamic fascism with the familiar ideology of communism. The fallacy of multiculturalism prevents them from recognizing Islamic fascism as the threat that it is. The Left ignores the stated objectives of our enemy, and assigns root causes to their hatred. The Left assumes that the hatred of the Islamic fascist for America stems from economic disparity and our support of Israel. The Left blames America for the animosity of our enemy out of habit. In previous wars against nazism and communism, many on the Left were sympathetic to our enemy. The Left represents the academics of our culture, the artists, intellectuals and the otherwise self perceived elite. This elite sees itself as above loyalty to any nation, and has no vested interest in seeing Americanism prevail. Indeed, in our previous struggles, their sympathies were quite to the contrary; many embraced the ideologies of our enemies for reasons of personal gain. The Left found common ground with the ideologies of our enemies because communism and nazism purported to raise the intellectual and the artist to levels of higher economic standing and greater social acclaim. It would be Herbert Marcuse and Ed Azner who held the economic position of Bill Gates, and the leadership position of our President.
Having adopted the relativist world view, the Left cannot differentiate between ideologies; all cultures, religions and ideologies are assumed to be equally valid. For this reason, the Left cannot condemn our enemy, but demonizes our Attorney General for his attempts at preventing terrorists from establishing beach heads within our nation. The Left sees Islamic fascism as merely another academic pursuit; they defend college professors who raise funds for terrorist groups, and who openly wish for America's defeat. They believe that as intellectual elites, their role is to increase understanding between our enemy and our selves. Faced with an uncompromising enemy, the urge to compromise is tantamount to surrender. When a terrorist attempts to murder innocent American civilians, the Left sends the ACLU to defend him. When our leaders attempt to prevent an Islamic State from amassing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to destroy America, the Left compares our President to Hitler. To the Left, America's leaders are liars of evil intent, and her enemies are noble and just. When viewed in this light, it becomes obvious why the Left refuses to recognize that they have a dog in this fight. They see Americanism as a detestable evil, and assume that when it is destroyed, they will be held up as the only blameless and righteous members of the "Great Satan." They assume that they will be celebrated as peace makers and moral leaders. Insulated in their ivory towers, think tanks, and foundations, blinded by the footlights of the stage, they assume that their lives will continue unaffected regardless of who prevails.
It is time for the Left to recognize our enemy. Islamic fascism is not merely a political ideology, or a spiritual hobby that one can put on and disregard like ever changing fashion styles. If our enemy prevails, all of our lives will be unimaginably altered. Consider the consequences if America were to fall under a Taliban government. Yes, Christianity and Judaism would be outlawed. The Left may disregard that, but they will not be immune. Atheism, Agnosticism, Richard Gere's beloved Buddhism and Tom Cruise's Scientology would all be outlawed. Indeed, all that the Left holds dear would come to a swift and violent end.
Environmentalism would be outlawed as a form of Gaism. Women's rights would cease to exist. Women would not be allowed to attend school, work or drive cars. Not only would fashion shows be replaced with burkas, but Hillary Clinton would be out of a job. The gay pride parades that the Left so enjoys would be stopped, as would the much touted gay marriage movement. Tolerance would be an unthinkable heresy. Homosexuals would be executed in as painful a manner as possible. Capital punishment would not only be the norm for murderers, but innocent rape victims would be executed as well. Movies and the theater would be outlawed. Sports and entertainment television would be banned. Dancing and non-religious music would be forbidden. Even the academic elite would not be able to find refuge in the university. Philosophy, Art, Literature, Sociology, Psychology, etc., would all be banned. The books on which our academics are based would all be outlawed. The works of the Greeks and Romans would be banned for polytheism. The plays of Shakespeare and the poems of Wordsworth, would be burned for containing Christian and pagan imagery. To possess a book, by Darwin, Freud, or Marx (the trinity on which most universities base their academics) would be illegal. To posses such a book would be punished by maiming, and to teach from it would warrant death. The internet would be outlawed due to the difficulty of controlling the content, libraries and schools would be burned, and the press would cease to have any freedom. Even slavery would be re-established, as non-Muslims are viewed as less than human.
If we are to withstand such an enemy, we must understand that they mean to absolutely destroy all of western civilization. They would wipe out the religious and the secular, our hedonistic excesses and our precious freedoms. To think otherwise is not only to ignore their stated aims, but to deny the reality of their successes. The Islamic fascists have proven, repeatedly, that they are capable of establishing such a government, and forcing the adherence of their subjects. Witness Afghanistan under the Taliban, Iran under the Ayatollah, and to varying degrees, Libya, Syria, Saudi Arabia and every Islamic nation on earth. This is truly a struggle between western civilization and barbarism, in which a pre-enlightenment ideology seeks to plunge the entire world into the dark ages. They wish to stamp out every social advance mankind has made since at least the 1200s.
We have a choice to make. Will we have the resolve, as a culture and a nation. to recognize our enemy and fight it, or will we surrender to primitive barbarians because we have become too enlightened to believe anything is worth fighting for? In short, will we defend western civilization, or will we follow in the footsteps of France. I reference an article in the Jerusalem Post, dated July 18, 2003 by Caroline Glick, entitled "Fighting Minority Tyranny." The article discussed several conventions held by radical Muslims, surrounding the opening of a new mosque in Spain. The stated goal of the convention was to organize Muslims through out Europe and the world to reject European currency, in favor of the dinar, in an attempt to "overthrow the capitalist system." According to the article, French Muslims are being instructed to "reject the French identity, " to "see themselves not as Frenchmen, but as Muslims." The Islamic fascists make no secret of their goal. It is the west that seems uncertain how to respond. The same article quoted French Interior Minister Nicholas Sarkozy, who said late last month, "It is irresponsible to ask whether Islam is compatible with our republic, because if you say no, what do you do then?" What indeed?
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