Lately, it seems that the contortions exhibited by the Left in defending Islam and marginalizing the atrocities committed in the name of Islam are more incredulous and extreme than the acts of barbarity committed by ISIS. We have been perpetually reminded that Islam is a peaceful religion, that the terrorists screaming Allahu Akbar as they blow themselves and others up or as they spray civilian crowds with automatic weapon fire have no real connection to Islam, and that it’s wrong to even contemplate that any of the billion and a half followers of the religion might share the belief set with ISIS, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Boko Haram, and too many others to name. While refusing to condemn all for the actions of some is proper and consistent with the premises of liberty and religious freedom, actively proclaiming Islam as a religion of peace that has nothing to do with terrorism against a growing pile of evidence to the contrary is not. Consideration of many other basic tenets of Islam in conjunction with this dissonance only makes the dissonance harder to understand.
Islam, both religiously and culturally, is the diametric opposite of many of the values embraced by the Left. Islam does not accept homosexuality. Its orthodox forms call for imposition of the death penalty for homosexual acts, and many Islamic nations have laws to that effect. Islam subjugates and subordinates women, both by dress code and by behavioral mandates. Women who are the victims of rape have little to no recourse in Islamic law, and sometimes are themselves punished for being raped. Some Islamic cultures practice female circumcision, some don’t permit unmarried women to be in public without a male relative accompanying them, some jobs are forbidden to women, women have few rights in marriage or in court, and so forth. While Islam tolerates non-Muslims, it calls for a tax, or jizya, to be imposed on them. Sharia law is barbaric, with flogging and amputation considered legitimate punishments. Some cultures carry criminal penalties, including the death penalty, for apostasy i.e. refuting one’s faith i.e. leaving Islam.
Despite all this, despite the laundry list of beliefs that are completely incompatible with the Left’s values and the values of Western culture in general, the Left works mightily to disassociate any acts committed by an Islamic terrorist from Islam. In fact, our liberal leaders refuse to even utter the phrase Islamic terrorism. If this was a consistent behavior, if the Left actively defended Christianity against those who commit bad acts in its name, and if the Left actively defended law abiding gun owners against those who commit crimes with guns, we could understand the behavior. But, they exhibit the opposite behavior. The Left routinely vilifies entire groups when individuals within those groups commit bad acts. This is far more understandable, since the modern Left is rooted in identity politics and has little regard for individuals or individualism. While we do witness behavior paralleling the Left’s attitude toward Islam in the Left’s attitude towards a plethora of identity groups, those groups tend to be cause celebres of the Left rather than the antithesis of all they believe.
When we drill down a bit, though, that antithesis weakens. Consider:
Islamic law subordinates heretics. Liberalism is constantly seeking to enact laws and regulations that subordinate, regulate and prohibit dissenting opinions.
Islam is a one-way religion, with special scorn for apostates. Liberalism holds special scorn for apostates (including women and minorities who aren’t liberals).
Islam is authoritative and rigid. Liberalism embraces authoritarianism and is becoming ever more rigid as time progresses.
Islam is intolerant of dissent (see: Salman Rushdie). The recent experiences on the campuses of the University of Missouri and Yale University, where students not only brook no dissent, they demand punishment be meted for dissent, echo Islam’s intolerance in form if not content. Rather than being isolated incidents, these two are the latest in a very long list of examples of utter intolerance exhibited on college campuses.
Islamic extremism is driven by anger and hatred. Liberal extremism is driven by anger and hatred. Islam is quick to accuse those who disagree with its tenets and those who associate it with terrorism of hatred and intolerance. The Left is notorious for accusing anyone who doesn’t agree with them of hatred and intolerance.
Despite the utter incompatibility of Islam with modern liberal beliefs, the structure and expression of Islam’s beliefs closely mirrors that of the Left. While the Left doesn’t resort to terroristic violence to advance its message or inspire its adherents, it certainly embraces the use of force to mandate behavior. Thus, we find a thread of commonality that might explain the vehemence with which the Left defends the “religion of peace” against its detractors and against those who tend to notice that a whole lot of badness is being done in the name of that “religion of peace.”
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