[Dean's World] Dean: "Ideological Purity"
notify at powerblogs.com
notify at powerblogs.com
Fri Mar 2 05:54:36 EST 2007
Posted by Dean:
"Ideological Purity"
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1172801118.shtml
I withdraw the phrase "ideological purity."
However, this is the new editorial policy at Dean's World:
"This is an Islamophobe-free zone."
I am NOT going to engage in lengthy parsings and arguments over
exactly what that means. If you cannot tell the difference between "I
believe Islam is a false faith" and "I believe Islam is the cause of
terrorism and repression," then you don't belong here.
If you think the problem in the Middle East is primarily a Muslim
Problem rather than a problem with a region plagued with a legacy of
fascism, communism, and brutal dictatorships stemming from the Cold
War and colonial eras---along with the ethnic strife and religions
tensions that always add to such things--then you do not belong here.
If you think there is anything even remotely excusable about what a
con artist and shameless hate-profiteer like Robert Spencer does for a
living, you do not belong here.
It is henceforth the editorial policy that if you cannot write with
these as your presumptions, you do not belong here:
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 "The Muslims."
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, anachronistic, obscure 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 or their friends.
5) Muslims have no more need to prove that they can be good
Americans, loyal citizens, decent people, or enemies of terrorism
than anyone else does.
That is our stated editorial position. You will work from respect for
that, or you just need to leave.
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