21st Century McCarthyism

A comment on one of the articles here prompted me to activate the Wayback machine and take a look at the 1950's, the era of big cars, big hair-doos and big events.

Put on your Eisenhower for Prez button and grab that cigarette...

21^st Century McCarthyism

The anti-communist fervor from the 1950’s is a part of history; ugly and xenophobic in its schemes, efficient and ruthless in its execution.  Yet among the evilness of it all, there were rays of sunshine.  The hearings did expose communists in high offices and among the rank and file of Hollywood, cleansing from its midst those individuals we know now would have tried very hard to commit some kind of national tragedy.

How is this different from political Islam today?

Islam is not just a “religion of peace” claimed by its devotees, it is a complete and total system of political will and ambition as laid down by Muhammad 1400 years ago.  It is insulting to Muslims that we insist, through western eyes that there is a separation between religion and politics, yet in their own words, Islam is exactly that: a religio-political entity where Allah and state are inseperable. 

Political Islam, or Islamism is just as dangerous as communism.  Islamism is nothing more than communism wrapped in a turban. 

The goals of Islamism are the same as those for the communists: world domination no matter what.  Now it is important to understand that Islamism and communism are the umbrellas under which stand millions, not all of whom believe in, or practice what is printed on the umbrella.  It is the company, not the company it keeps which defines itself as Islamism.

During the McCarthy hearings, many were ostracized, demonized and prevented from working.  Many were ruined by their appearance on the stand, and many had basic civil rights denied, and that aspect is not to be held as an ideal during that time.  When all was said and done, however, the commission justified its actions in how many communists were exposed and prevented from implementing the Kremlins orders. Did the end justify the means? 

Today, Muslims are looked upon by many as the new communist, someone to expose and defeat at any and all costs.  As during McCarthy, there are those who call to task anyone who appears to be this “New Communist” and demanded to account for their associates, actions and words.  Is this a fair and balanced way to achieve the desired goal of stopping the spread of Islamism if it creates the same atmosphere as was during the McCarthy hearings?  The answer must be yes, as the threat from Islamism today is greater and more dangerous than at any time in the past.

Communism had its ideology wrapped in dogmatic knots, Islamism has its theological doctrine wrapped in political ambition.

If Joseph McCarthy were alive today, I would be taking him to task for his denial of basic rights, and at the same time congratulating him for rooting out a deadly threat from our midst.

UPDATE Dec 15
My good friend Dr. Ernie sent in these comment a few minutes ago, I think it is excellent and deserves to be included as part of a broader context on the subject of Islamism.

Thank you, my friend for your always great insights.


I am glad you raised the issue.  I think it is exactly this that we need to confront.  We need to figure out how to create a cultural shift in how America views Islamism, to avoid being taken over.  At the same time, we need to *equally* fight against the sort of paranoia and blacklisting that made McCarthyism a dirty word even now, fifty years later.

This isn't just about moral responsibility (though I think there's that).  Because of McCarthy, American culture has strong antibodies against that sort of moral cleansing.  This is what I meant, Billy, when I said we had to work hard to differentiate ourselves from the "nativist" opposition to Islam.  The world is watching, and if they (even accidentally) think we're condoning McCarthy-style purges and fearmongering, they will dismiss anything relevant we have to say.

We need to "thread the needle", and find the radical centrist way to raise the alarm about Islamism while still standing firmly for civil rights, the rule of law, and respect for persons.  Not just because it is the right thing to do,  but because that is the only way enough people will actually listen to us.