One of the more odd sets of bedfellows today is the Western left and Islam. While it might seem that the two groups should be diametrically opposed, they in fact find themselves in bed together more often than not. But there are some good reasons for all this.
One of the better explanations which can be appealed to here comes from Pamela Geller of AtlasShrugs.com. The director of the American Freedom Defense Initiative has just penned a new book which looks at creeping sharia in the US, Stop the Islamization of America (WND Books, 2011). In it she warns of the dangerous alliance between the left and Islam. She is worth quoting at length:
“I think it is important to point out that Islamic supremacism could never have advanced so far and so fast without its alliance with the left. And while it seems counterintuitive on its face that the left would be carrying water for the most extreme and radical ideology on the planet, it is not. The left traditionally aligns itself with the totalitarian ideology of the day, whether it is Stalinism, Communism in other parts of the world (i.e., Maoism, the Pol Pot regime, etc.), or National Socialism (Nazism), all of which resulted in the murder of millions. The left is all about control. The Sharia is also about control. The Sharia exerts total control over the people, which is the very thing that the left desires and demands.
“Leftists are sympathetic and even positive toward Islam because of Islam’s obvious ability to subdue people, compelling them to obey and even to practice self-censorship so as to avoid the threats and abuse that inevitably come to those who resist. So the left recognizes Islam’s usefulness in advancing its authoritarian, totalitarian agenda. Islam’s transnational, supranational quality also aids the left’s desire to obliterate the sovereignty of individual nations and establish international rule that would destroy Constitutionally-protected American freedoms.
“So while ‘Queers for Palestine’ may sound insane and illogical considering the brutal treatment (and murder) of gays living in Muslim countries under the Sharia, it is consistent with leftism and statism.
“We see the effects of the Islamic/leftist alliance in the advance of cultural jihad initiatives all over the country. The left has been joining forces with Islamic supremacists since 9/11 to protest the Bush Doctrine, operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the existence of Israel. Every anti-war and anti-Israel rally was hosted by a leftist/Islamic cabal…”
It is all about common enemies, in other words. The left hates America and the West, as does Islam, so they are quite happy to work together to achieve their aims. Of course the left is being naive if it thinks this alliance can be anything other than temporary and limited.
Whenever the Islamists get into power, all opposition is ruthlessly crushed. And surely among the first to go in this unholy alliance will be the secular leftists, homosexual activists, social engineers, and the like. So the left is quite foolish to think it can actually dine with the devil here.
Of course others have noted this diabolical union. Indeed, a number of books have been written to document this alarming phenomenon. Let me mention just two important studies. The first is the 2004 volume by David Horowitz entitled Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left (Regnery).
Horowitz is a former leftist who some decades ago made a clean break with his radical past. In this important work he argues that the political left is unashamed to be cavorting with radical Islam. Instead of condemning the barbarism of militant Islam, Western leftwing intellectuals are excusing and condoning it. Indeed, the West is condemned for causing the problems, while militant Islam is let off the hook.
He offers plenty of documentation of how leftists are working arm in arm with Islamists to undermine American freedom and democracy. In the 300 pages of evidence he demonstrates the old dictum, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. Leftists and Islamists are united in their hatred of the West in general and America in particular.
Indeed, the second volume worth calling your attention to takes up this very theme: United in Hate: The Left’s Romance With Tyranny and Terror, by Jamie Glazov (WND Books, 2009). I have actually already reviewed this book elsewhere: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2009/09/16/a-review-of-united-in-hate-by-jamie-glazov/
But a few quotes are worth offering from this important book. Glazov was born into a family of Russian dissidents, and knows first-hand the importance of fighting against tyranny and oppression. Thus when he and his family fled to the US he was amazed to see leftist intellectuals siding with tyranny and oppression!
He came to the US to experience freedom and democracy, yet found many Americans denigrating and attacking such social goods. Islam is just the latest example of this, but the left has been siding with tyranny for decades now. Says Glazov:
“Throughout the twentieth century, the Western Left supported one totalitarian killing machine after another. Prominent intellectuals from George Bernard Shaw to Bertolt Brecht to Susan Sontag venerated mass murderers such as Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Castro, and Ho Chi Minh, habitually excusing their atrocities while blaming America, and even the victims, for the crimes.”
He too documents plenty of examples of this, including the Western left’s love affair with all things Islamist and anti-Israel. It all makes for scary reading. One is reminded of the phrase uttered by Malcolm Muggeridge, “the great liberal death wish”.
And that is just what this is. As Glazov states in the last paragraph of his book: “And so we come to the end of our tale of the Left’s romance with tyranny and terror. Just like the Western intellectuals who journeyed to Russia during and after the Bolshevik revolution, so too present-day Jewish, feminist, and homosexual believers continue the long tradition of members of the political faith in waging war on themselves and, ultimately, lusting for their own annihilation inside a totalitarian dream – and nightmare. This is the story of the Left: a long and horrifying journey into the heart of darkness, destruction, and death.”
Quite so. Of course, if the lefties want to commit their own suicide, so be it, but the trouble is, they want to take the rest of us down with themselves. That is something I will resist steadfastly. And so should all of us.
If anyone has any doubt about the compatibility of homosexuality with Islam then look no further than this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTwR5LCem3M
What Islam and Secularism share is the idea of fate. The former believes in a fickle and irrational God called Allah, who arbitrarily directs the effect of men on Earth. The latter also believe in a fickle and irrational God called Nature or Evolution. Both paralyse all thought will and action, the consequences of which can be seen in every Islamic country.
Winston Church wrote in 1899 this description of Islam, below this I found that I was able to simply replace Islam with queer ideology:
“How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity.
The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities – but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.” – Winston Churchill 1899!
My appropriation:
How dreadful are the curses which being gay lays on those who are enslaved to it! Besides the militant frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful evolutionary fatalism. The effects are increasingly apparent in many countries. The rise in sexual violence, promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, mental instability, suicidal tendencies, drug taking, a threat to the economy, a hatred of truth, justice and righteousness, a threat to freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and thought itself, a terrible threat to children, and a threat to marriage and the family exist wherever the followers of the prophets of Cultural Marxism, like Gramsci, Lukacs, Marcuse, Horkheimer and Alfred Kinsey rule or live.
A degraded and perverted sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity, sanctity and humanity. The fact that with gayness, queerness – whatever- every woman becomes a second class citizen, simply a machine for bearing children, must delay the final extinction of sado–masochism, bondage and sexual slavery, until gay perversion has ceased have its terrible hold on men .
Individual gays may show splendid qualities. Many become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die in the cause of diversity and gay affirmation, but the influence of Frankfurt School and its cultural Marxist ideology paralyses the personal and social development of those who follow it.
Apart from Islam, no stronger retrograde force exists in the world.Far from being moribund, gayness is a militant and proselytising ideology. It has already spread throughout Britain and other western nations, raising strutting and cavorting followers at every gay pride parade. No technology, no reasoned debates, no appeal to common sense, or health and safety can stop this cancer eating away at the heart of our nation. Just as ancient Greece and Rome vainly struggled with inner moral decay so we too are condemned to fall, unless by a supreme recovery of moral courage and martial vigour we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in the olden times.
David Skinner, UK
I think that the many remnants of communist groups that abound in Australia and other Western countries fulfil the role of a medium in which many otherwise disparate groups may coalesce and have their own agendas pushed to a wider population. Their market is particularly the new, educated, middle class (sometimes called the “chattering class”) and their progeny, who have purposefully been brought up without any knowledge of the Gospel or the truth of the Biblical worldview and its foundational role in bringing about all the social and economic developments that have allowed them to attain their current prosperity and status.Their main concern is to appear to be “tolerant” and to take the moral high-ground (even though they reject the existence of objective morality). The communists in turn, have symbiotically brought about greater influence for their agenda, much greater than their small numbers, organisational fragmentation and repugnant history would suggest they deserve. This has all been part of a purposeful strategy.
When I was a communist, I spent some time with the American Socialist Workers Party in the early 70s. This was a time when the Young Turks, from upper middle class families, educated in swanky private liberal arts colleges, were taking over the party and redirecting it. I got to know some of the old guard, like Farrell Dobbs and Charlie Scheer who led the great Teamsters strikes in Minneapolis in the 30s and Joe Hansen who was one of Trotsky’s personal secretaries. These older fellows were happy with the orientation to anti-war movements and women’s liberation but boy didn’t they baulk when it came to gay liberation! “What’s this got to do with improving the conditions of the working class?” The Young Turks won (as they usually do).
The communists’, sometime seemingly incongruent, support of movements that would appear to the outsider to be at odds with each other, e.g., gay liberation and Islam, have probably achieved more in the last 40 years in storming the citadels of Christianity, than all the efforts that the old-timers put into running for office and controlling trade unions.
Col Maynard, Sydney NSW
How clever David. Thank you Bill. On a micro scale, at Local Government level elections, I have seen the “sluggish moribund” voter allow political party control to be re established after three years under Administration. A number of previous Labor Councilors were sacked for corruption.
And still the local government voters went back to those political parties who misrepresented them previously.
A key here, as identified in your article Bill, appears to be giving control to the relatively more powerful.
Ray Robinson
Very interesting piece Bill –
But while not wishing to alienate your, and our, many RC readers/friends – what do we make of the other instances where ‘Christians’ are also sucking up to the left – Take ‘Sojourners’ in the US and some similar groups in Australia. And what of the following…
“Congratulations from Pope John Paul II to Mikhail Gorbachev for his work on the Earth Charter”. See http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/articles/6/1/Congratulations-from-Pope-John-Paul-II-to-Mikhail-Gorbachev-for-his-work-on-the-Earth-Charter/Page1.html
Yet another case of a quite ‘totalitarian’ ‘group’ aliening not just with the left but with the ‘earth worshippers’, and there has been a softening, even the creation of considerable alliances, between the ‘holy see’ and Islam.
I suggest a reading of Revelation – especially ch 17 – is in order here to see what God showed John a long time ago will happen in the last days! By the way, Rome is a city built on seven hills!!!
This jockeying, or ‘manoeuvring together for power, is Food for thought in a world rapidly heading towards a one world government that we Christians are told to have absolutely nothing to do with!
Peter Stokes
This argument only makes sense in the context of the left’s enormous influence by winning the hearts and minds of so many who control main stream media outlets. The other important context is that that political right in Australia – the federal coalition government – has not seriously engaged with these issues at all. They have allowed the left leaning media’s assertions to largely pass unquestioned.
Furthermore, is there anyone at a federal level seeking to take leadership by calling the government to attention or action? Do you know of anyone of significant in federal parliament even considering ways to even approach this topic? Perhaps they exist. But I do not know of any.
If anyone has any doubt about the compatibility of homosexuality with Islam then look no further than this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTwR5LCem3M
What Islam and Secularism share is the idea of fate. The former believes in a fickle and irrational God called Allah, who arbitrarily directs the effect of men on Earth. The latter also believe in a fickle and irrational God called Nature or Evolution. Both paralyse all thought will and action, the consequences of which can be seen in every Islamic country.
Winston Church wrote in 1899 this description of Islam, below this I found that I was able to simply replace Islam with queer ideology:
“How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity.
The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities – but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome.” – Winston Churchill 1899!
My appropriation:
How dreadful are the curses which being gay lays on those who are enslaved to it! Besides the militant frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful evolutionary fatalism. The effects are increasingly apparent in many countries. The rise in sexual violence, promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, mental instability, suicidal tendencies, drug taking, a threat to the economy, a hatred of truth, justice and righteousness, a threat to freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and thought itself, a terrible threat to children, and a threat to marriage and the family exist wherever the followers of the prophets of Cultural Marxism, like Gramsci, Lukacs, Marcuse, Horkheimer and Alfred Kinsey rule or live.
A degraded and perverted sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity, sanctity and humanity. The fact that with gayness, queerness – whatever- every woman becomes a second class citizen, simply a machine for bearing children, must delay the final extinction of sado–masochism, bondage and sexual slavery, until gay perversion has ceased have its terrible hold on men .
Individual gays may show splendid qualities. Many become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die in the cause of diversity and gay affirmation, but the influence of Frankfurt School and its cultural Marxist ideology paralyses the personal and social development of those who follow it.
Apart from Islam, no stronger retrograde force exists in the world.Far from being moribund, gayness is a militant and proselytising ideology. It has already spread throughout Britain and other western nations, raising strutting and cavorting followers at every gay pride parade. No technology, no reasoned debates, no appeal to common sense, or health and safety can stop this cancer eating away at the heart of our nation. Just as ancient Greece and Rome vainly struggled with inner moral decay so we too are condemned to fall, unless by a supreme recovery of moral courage and martial vigour we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in the olden times.
David Skinner, UK
I think that the many remnants of communist groups that abound in Australia and other Western countries fulfil the role of a medium in which many otherwise disparate groups may coalesce and have their own agendas pushed to a wider population. Their market is particularly the new, educated, middle class (sometimes called the “chattering class”) and their progeny, who have purposefully been brought up without any knowledge of the Gospel or the truth of the Biblical worldview and its foundational role in bringing about all the social and economic developments that have allowed them to attain their current prosperity and status.Their main concern is to appear to be “tolerant” and to take the moral high-ground (even though they reject the existence of objective morality). The communists in turn, have symbiotically brought about greater influence for their agenda, much greater than their small numbers, organisational fragmentation and repugnant history would suggest they deserve. This has all been part of a purposeful strategy.
When I was a communist, I spent some time with the American Socialist Workers Party in the early 70s. This was a time when the Young Turks, from upper middle class families, educated in swanky private liberal arts colleges, were taking over the party and redirecting it. I got to know some of the old guard, like Farrell Dobbs and Charlie Scheer who led the great Teamsters strikes in Minneapolis in the 30s and Joe Hansen who was one of Trotsky’s personal secretaries. These older fellows were happy with the orientation to anti-war movements and women’s liberation but boy didn’t they baulk when it came to gay liberation! “What’s this got to do with improving the conditions of the working class?” The Young Turks won (as they usually do).
The communists’, sometime seemingly incongruent, support of movements that would appear to the outsider to be at odds with each other, e.g., gay liberation and Islam, have probably achieved more in the last 40 years in storming the citadels of Christianity, than all the efforts that the old-timers put into running for office and controlling trade unions.
Col Maynard, Sydney NSW
How clever David. Thank you Bill. On a micro scale, at Local Government level elections, I have seen the “sluggish moribund” voter allow political party control to be re established after three years under Administration. A number of previous Labor Councilors were sacked for corruption.
And still the local government voters went back to those political parties who misrepresented them previously.
A key here, as identified in your article Bill, appears to be giving control to the relatively more powerful.
Ray Robinson
Very interesting piece Bill –
But while not wishing to alienate your, and our, many RC readers/friends – what do we make of the other instances where ‘Christians’ are also sucking up to the left – Take ‘Sojourners’ in the US and some similar groups in Australia. And what of the following…
“Congratulations from Pope John Paul II to Mikhail Gorbachev for his work on the Earth Charter”. See http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/articles/6/1/Congratulations-from-Pope-John-Paul-II-to-Mikhail-Gorbachev-for-his-work-on-the-Earth-Charter/Page1.html
Yet another case of a quite ‘totalitarian’ ‘group’ aliening not just with the left but with the ‘earth worshippers’, and there has been a softening, even the creation of considerable alliances, between the ‘holy see’ and Islam.
I suggest a reading of Revelation – especially ch 17 – is in order here to see what God showed John a long time ago will happen in the last days! By the way, Rome is a city built on seven hills!!!
This jockeying, or ‘manoeuvring together for power, is Food for thought in a world rapidly heading towards a one world government that we Christians are told to have absolutely nothing to do with!
Peter Stokes
This argument only makes sense in the context of the left’s enormous influence by winning the hearts and minds of so many who control main stream media outlets. The other important context is that that political right in Australia – the federal coalition government – has not seriously engaged with these issues at all. They have allowed the left leaning media’s assertions to largely pass unquestioned.
Furthermore, is there anyone at a federal level seeking to take leadership by calling the government to attention or action? Do you know of anyone of significant in federal parliament even considering ways to even approach this topic? Perhaps they exist. But I do not know of any.
We need more that just analysis.
Chris McNicol
Demons cooperating.