The Anti-American Issue

[Hugh_Hoy]

OH...Just do a google on Levine. Not surprisingly, he's a darling of a leftist blogger. Many of the links there are to lefty groups. Just sort of proves my point that this was a post mainly for the purpose of promoting a certain point of view.

 

However, Levine doesn't receive such warm association with others. For example, "Perhaps you thought that reading Qurâ??an and hadith and sira, accompanied by hundreds of articles and dozens of books, might help one to understand a belief-system that, unlike Mark LeVine, is not â??suspicious of all sources and all authorityâ? and indeed, is based entirely on â??sourcesâ? and â??authority.â? From what do Sheikh Tantawi, Qaradawi, the â??Sunni scholarsâ? of Anbar Province, Ayatollah al-Sistani, Ayatollah Khomeini, and the imams with their khutbas in Saudi Arabia, receive their authority, if not from their familiarity with, and understanding of, the canonical texts? When, on a thousand websites, inquiring Muslims write in, asking for opinions on taxes and hairstyles and avoiding interest and the calculation of zakat and the possibility of permanent peace with Infidels, on what do those offering their opinions and formal rulings base them â?? if not the authority of the texts, and the commentators on those texts? Yet someone like Mark LeVine, who rushes about the wide world, who is a great believer in his own experiences â?? teaching Qurâ??an to Muslim Brothers, interviewing Hamas members, and whatever else it is that he has done (no need for boring book-learning in the stacks) â?? discounts all that. He, after all, is part of the â??new generation of historians and analystsâ? who are suspicious of â??all sourcesâ? and â??all authority.â? One wonders by what criteria he decides to stop being suspicious, and to accept any scholarly work by anyone. At what point, for example, would he say that Snouck Hurgronje or Antoine Fattal, to take two disparate examples, have passed all of Mark LeVineâ??s tests and need not be read with such a total refusal to accept â??all sourcesâ? and â??all authorityâ?� It appears that Edward Said and Noam Chomsky are among those who, as â??sourcesâ? and â??authority,â? have passed some Mark-LeVine-tests. What tests would those be? Perhaps others can apply the same criteria?"

 

The author above was doing no more than I did in my opening questions ! And no more than what LeVine, himself, apparently does: question self-styled authorities. (I'm noting the frequent mention of LeVine and Chomsky in the same sentences. LeVine seems to admire Chomsky. Chomsky, IMO, is a one of those hypocritical anti-capitalists who, in the classroom expose evil capitalism, while accumulating unusual wealth investing in stocks, real estate, and (horrors) actually selling tapes of his "facinating" lectures to captivated young students whose minds have yet to mature...and charging them $25 to attend some of his lectures. LOL ! Yes, Chomsky, LeVine's idol, is a wanker and hypocrit.

 

All people here need to do is "connect the dots" and you can see for yourself. (Shit, I've been offered 16 grand a month to do this type of shit. And I'm giving it to you guys free of charge. Of course I don't have to do it in Iraq or Afghanistan or Pakistan. 5555555555)

 

Carry on!

 

HH

[rogueyam]

 

Let me translate Senator McCarthy's, oops, I mean Rogue's comment.

 

If we label someone a commie/lefty or whatever, his argument is automatically invalid. He is not allowed to contest this labeling.

 

That is such a case of pure projection it's almost farcical.

 

[Fidel]

Ouch!

 

Stung!

 

You got me!

 

He's a LEFTIST!

 

Crucify him! Crucify him!

[Fidel]

I think that's an accurate reading of your statement, Rogue. Hugh has just confirmed that he's from the same school of thought.

 

If someone wants to debate something, or makes a statement on any issue.

 

Instead of engaging in an exchange of ideas... just shout "LEFTIST! COMMIE!".

 

That should do it.

[Fidel]

And answer me this boys, is it anti-American (or perhaps you would prefer "leftist"), to discuss the phenomenon at hand?

[rogueyam]

OH...Just do a google on Levine. Not surprisingly, he's a darling of a leftist blogger.

 

I googled him too. It seems he has not earned comment on his work outside of his own clique. Ho hum.

[Fidel]

Gentlemen. Congratulations! You have won the debate!

 

Your "He's a Leftist" debating technique is clearly unstoppable!

[rogueyam]

And answer me this boys, is it anti-American (or perhaps you would prefer "leftist"), to discuss the phenomenon at hand?

 

I commented on the issue at hand up near the top of the thread. You responded with a raft of rusty old leftie boilerplate and that was that.

 

[CTO]

Maybe he's going back to Levine because that was the source for starting the discussion.

 

I think it's amazing that a country that is so democratic, you vote for your prosecutor's and sheriffs, which is amazing trust of faith, yet then is so un-democratic when it comes to other countries.

 

And I think many people, including those who would be termed "Anti-American" see that there is hope for America, if only America wasn't so intrusive and over sensitive.

 

A friend pointed out to me once when I noticed even "Leftie" Americans became defensive when non Americans discussed the country, that to Americans, the Office of the President is supposed to be above reproach almost, as if attacking Clinton/Bush is the same as attacking the American system.

[Flashermac]

Bye.