[Dean's World] Dean: Dean's World Line In The Sand: Make A Choice

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Posted by Dean:
Dean's World Line In The Sand: Make A  Choice
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1172621961.shtml


   Back in the 1950s William F. Buckley Jr. conducted a purge in the
   ranks of his young publication, The National Review. He was running a
   conservative publication at a time when conservative publications were
   not respected and were thus by nature low-circulation. In those
   circumstances it would be hard to stand on principal and refuse to
   associate with certain parties just because it might provide
   short-term gain.

   Buckley refused to align his publication with elements on the right
   that were excessively hateful, rabidly racist, or just plain nuts. The
   whole thing came to a head when Buckley one day drew a line in the
   sand:

   You could either be a John Birch Society supporter, or you could write
   for the National Review.

   One or the other. Period.

   This is a minor correction to my friend Ron Coleman's earlier article
   by the way. It was not anti-semites he threw off his publication,
   although he was no anti-semite and hired many Jews. No, it was radical
   frothing nutjobs who saw Communist conspiracies everywhere. Buckley
   was staunchly anti-Communist, but would not align himself with people
   who saw everything as a Communist plot.

   Today [1]National Review is still one of the most respected
   conservative intellectual journals. The [2]John Birch Society is
   rightly remembered as a bunch of right-wing nutjob conspiracy
   theorists.

   Not that the National Review is the greatest publication in the
   history of the universe, but it's a venerable and respectable
   institution that's made a difference in the world. I find the example
   inspiring.

   And, having wearied of fighting every day against Islamophobic fools
   on Dean's World and other places, only to have people ridiculously
   deny the very possibility that there could be any such thing as
   Islamophobia even when the evidence is presented them full in the
   face, I've decided to draw a similar line in the sand:

   You can be an Islamophobe, or you can write for Dean's World. You
   cannot do both.

   This is meant for front-page contributors, submitters, or even
   commenters. It is time for you to make a choice, and to live by that
   choice. Because I certainly intend to.

   Simply put, you must agree with all of the following:

   1) Islam does not represent the forces of Satan or the Anti-Christ
   bent on destruction of the Christian world. 2) There is no 1,400 year
   old "war with the West/Christianity" being waged by Muslims or anyone
   else. 3) Islam as a religion is no more inherently incompatible with
   modernity, minority rights, women's rights, or democratic pluralism
   than most religions. 4) Medieval terms like "dhimmitude" or "taqiyya"
   are suitable for polite intellectual discussion. They are not and
   never will be appropriate to slap in the face of everyday Muslims. 5)
   Muslims have absolutely no need to prove that they can be good
   Americans, loyal citizens, decent people, or enemies of terrorism than
   anyone else does.

   Is this a test of "ideological purity?"

   Why yes. Yes it is.

   If you cannot accept, wholeheartedly, all of the above 6
   assertions--without exception or weasel-wording--then if you are a
   front page Dean's World contributor you should turn in your keys and
   say goodbye. You can do it gracefully or ingracefully. You can do it
   by email or by posting whatever you want on the front page. Your
   choice. But you need to do it: you need to leave.

   Furthermore, I will accept no more debate upon this matter by
   commenters bent upon snarky, snotty, Islamophobic irrationality. You
   should either stop using your comment account, or you should be
   prepared to simply be thrown out without further ado.

   I'm done with this.

   By the way, feel free to take me off your blogroll if you can't handle
   this. Or to ask me to take you off of mine.

   I'm done. Islamophobia has no more place in police society than any
   other form of irrational hatred, and I will no longer be any part of
   hosting discussions or "debates" with Islamophobes.

References

   1. http://nationalreview.com/
   2. http://www.jbs.org/