Friday, September 21, 2007

Derb's Islamophobophobia   [Jonah Goldberg]

For reasons I am in the dark about, Derb hasn't been in the Corner for quite a while. But let me say that while I may disagree with this or that minor point or emphasis in his Islamophobophobia piece, I not only agree with its thrust, but think it is a wonderful omnibus piece of writing. Just to add my own two cents, here's a relevant snippet of what I wrote in my review of Dinesh D'Souza's book:

Lastly, something needs to be said about the angry reaction from certain quarters on the Right. Criticizing such a prominent fellow conservative could be a sign of conservatism's own intellectual health, but it could also be a sign of a new, right-wing political correctness. The Islamists reportedly proselytize with the slogan "Islam is the solution." For some on the Right the mantra is "Islam is the problem." They will not stomach D'Souza's fine distinctions between good Muslims and bad ones. The use of the word "dhimmi" is a good example. Muslims use this term to describe non-Muslims who agree to live under the yoke of Islamic rule and Sharia law. Some right-wingers have begun using it in much the same way their counterparts in previous eras referred to "collaborators," "Commie symps," or "fellow travelers." We aren't near the point where a respectable conservative says "the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim," but one can smell the whiff of sulfur bubbling to the top of certain swamps.

09/21 09:10 AMShare