Cynical Nation

"Wanna do "dueling book reviews" again?"

I am all for it. Well, except that this sounds like a real semi-insane wingnut book and I dont want to support the author by buying the book. Is there a free edition somewhere? :)

Criminy, just go to a Barnes & Noble and sit down with an espresso and read it there or something. :-)

Ok, deal. When I get a chance I will read it and post a review. You let me know when you plan to read yours, so we can post the reviews simultaneously. In both blogs. Ok?

I always like exploring our disagreements Barry. You can always be counted on to make a reasonable case for your views.

Certainly my own views are colored by the fact that I am somewhat more socially Conservative than most people in the northeast by a seemingly sizable measure.

I revile porn, find much, if not most of the "entertaimnment fare" we export an abomination and disdain our welfare/entitlement culture.

As for D'souza's thesis, for years we've been told the obvious inanity that "Radical Muslims hate our freedoms."

While it's true that the concept of Liberty (freedom) is particularly Western, it's certainly NOT the source of the animus that radical Islam has for us...at least not in my view.

What they hate, among other things (such as our domination of the world oil market, our support for Israel, etc), according to the likes of D'souza and Liberal Paul Berman, is our decadence - our preoccupation with all things pornographic, our apparent sympathy for the most violent and vile thugs ("therapy for child molesters") and our apparent empahty for things like "gay marriage."

Of that there's little question. Paul Berman's book Terror and Liberalism http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Liberalism-Paul-Berman/dp/0393057755
notes that al Qaeda's founder and OBL's predecessor, Sayyid Qutb came to America for an education in the 1940s and found THAT America (a far more Conservative place than it is today) decadent and repulsive with women allowed to walk the streets unescorted and to drive alone.

D'souza seems to argue that the things Qutb took issue with would only inspire the most radical Muslims to hate, while our embracing "gay marriage and adoption," espousing a view of crime where the predator is seen as a "victim of society," may well make it easier for today's radicals to radicalize more moderate Muslims.

Is that a good reason to palcate radicalized Islam?

No, not in my view, BUT it is another reason why contemporary Liberalism is so destructive, first, it doesn't work, it creates far more problems, while solving almost none and it emboldens our enemies by projecting a sense of weakness and insecurity toward them.

Well usually when I disagree with you, I at least take a moment to re-examine my position. I think in this case I'll get the book and give it a fair read, because I've admired his writings in the past.

Islamofascists use "morality" as an excuse to seize power, wealth, women, resources, etc... through murder. Their shocked sensibilities are a rationalization for their murderous ways, and one that resonates with American puritanism.

Abortion clinic bombers and other religious murderers use the same "moral" excuses.

The true motive is the desire for power, the desire to control, nothing more.

Well, actually they use religious directive, as Islam preaches that all unbelievers be either converted or killed.

No other religion preaches that.

Moreover, there is no indication that suicide bombers are motivated by people like OBL or Muqtada al-Sadr. They DO NOT kill themselves to advance the political aims of others, they actually appear to kill for religious reasons.

Abortion clinic bombers, like Eric Rudolph also don't kill "for power."

Eric Rudolph was an emotionally disturbed man and a member of the nazistic cult called the "Christian Identity Movement," who railed against the "homosexual agenda" (his rationale for the Olympics bombing) and "the culture of death" (his rationale for the abortion clininc bombings he conducted).

Rudolph did not belong to any specific organized religion, but was motivated out of personal cultish/religious beliefs and notany desire for personal power.