On Max Blumenthal’s piece at Tom Dispatch.
Islamo-phobia dates from the Crusades, or before. The curious aspect is that anti-semitism (being against Semitic ppls) has morphed from anti-Jew to anti-Muslim, the Jews have become white or even superior, in the US, the Anglo World generally, less so elsewhere – as did in the US Italians, the Irish, Catholics, etc. Israel has become the 51st state, a mini-me.
Blumenthal covers the conservative and Jewish forces that propelled it post 9-11.
He leaves out, or doesn’t mention, treat:
a) that 9/11 was itself an exercise in provoking islamophobia, either in what was accomplished, or how it was presented, digested and served up by the media (no distinction made for now.)
b) the reasons for it, beyond the implied Jewish lobby influence in the US against Palestinians (arabs, muslims), nor exactly why conservatives and Zionists should come to hold hysterical hands.
c) The vulnerability of the US to ideological take over – it is taken for granted, or glossed over.
d) The slowness of the grip and scope of islamo-phobia, despite huge expense, tremendous effort, relentless media bashing and manipulation, as well as slap-dash secret service ops. (Underwear, shoe bombers.) The sluggishness is in fact a victory for egalitarian and democratic forces. Other factors like economic meltdown which may be directly related to scapegoating of the enemy-du-jour are ignored.
Now, a short piece can’t stretch to pamphlet length, or have book like ambitions, and this one has a descriptive aim.
Nevertheless a certain narrowness is worrisome.

Posted by: Noirette | Dec 23 2010 15:43 utc | 3