Here's an email I have sent to Amy Goodman, the producer of the ultra-leftist news program "Democracy Now!", in response to the following segment:
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/12/20/chris_hedges_obama_is_a_poster
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To the attention of Amy Goodman:
Hi,
I know you've gotten quite angry about this issue in the past, on the street, and on your show.
But I wanted to let you know that Islam is not a race, it's a religion, and it is a human spirit destroying religion at that.
Anti-gay.
Anti-women.
Anti to freedom.
Your previous exposure to wars in East Timor and South America has warped your view a bit.
Not everything is equal. Some religions help humans thrive more than others.
When your buddy Chris Hedges goes out to speak with Islamic communities, does he talk to them about the problems with having veiled women? Does he talk to them about the problems with gender apartheid? Probably not.
Saudi-style Islam, which is being spread worldwide with Saudi Arabia oil money, is taking advantage of your anger over the misdeeds of the CIA.
Maybe have Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Twafik Hamid, and Ibn Warraq on your program to discuss these key issues.
Right now you seem to be in the back pocket of Hamas, the Taliban, and Al Qaeda. And Saudi-funded Islamic educators who are helping to cook up home grown terrorism here in America. Your and Chris's throwing around the term "racist" in response is not only highly dishonest, it's dangerous. Islam is a religion, not a race.
Does the word "democracy" in your program mean that people who believe Islam is a human spirit destroying religion get to have a voice? Oh, but wait, Chris Hedges says he doesn't believe in atheists. Do you?
Can your hysterical anger over past abuses by the CIA ever be quenched? By considering Islam to be a race, and by giving credit, support, and credence to Saudi-funded Islam in America, you've crossed over from fighting oppression to supporting it.
Sincerely,
Jonathan
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Speaking as a left leaning anti-authoritarian myself. I'm a socialist, but I also spent 25 years in a cult. So unlike idiots like Hedges who never spent one day as a believer in any hard core real religion, I know what it's like to live in an oppressive one. Mormonism was bad. But Islam is much worse. Pat Condell and Christopher Hitchens are also "lefties" who I admire.
Sometimes Goodman has some interesting stuff on her show. But she also frequently plays Islamic music during the show breaks. And in videos of her out on the street I've seen her angrily accusing people concerned about Islam of being racist. So she appears to be in the same boat as Hedges.
I don't like Fox and Glenn Beck is an asshole. But on the other hand I don't agree with the MSNBC liberal consensus that we should leave Afghanistan because the Taliban just wants to be left alone (to re-subjugate women and so on). Condell & Hitchens have spoken about being pushed away from the anti-war-at-all-costs-Islam-appeasing wing of liberalism (the class which have a crazed conspiratorial tone about all American wars).
Self hatred on the left is very unappealing and dangerous, just as is self hatred on the right.
I'd just assume go to Burning Man and relax. That would be great, but it just so happens that fellow humans are being screwed over elsewhere on the globe. And caring about their welfare is something worth valuing and fighting for. And I still remember 9/11 unlike some people.
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