Is the Temple of Right-Wing Idiocy closed on Mondays, or is it just that word of Salon's new RV parking lot has finally reached the Free Republic?

@Goldenboy --

Can you answer the question as to how "creeping Islam" is somehow going to take over our political, governmental and financial institutions, take charge of our schools and workplaces and homes, force the women into burkas, force the men into facial hair, put us all under shari'a law, and have us all saying Allahu Akbar instead of the Pledge of Allegiance?

The same way creeping socialism has ruined this country, you fool!

Really, do.

The fine art of facetious satire is not dead!

By the way, Glenn didn't argue that Islam takeover is "unlikely". If he has argued anything at all on that matter he has argued that it is out of the realm of possibility.

"Oh, but it isssssssss ... if the mongrel hordes outbreed us. So let's make condoms illegal and bomb abortionist abattoirs ... and third world nations."

</SNARK>

Just to place the argument in perspective.

Cheers,

I think that Roger Simon is actually atypical of most of those on the right who have this actual fear and worldview because he is secular-based rather than religious. It much more common to blame the prospect of gay marriage for this threat, rather than endorse it. (The view of Savage, D’Sousa, Falwell, etc.)

The common theme, however, is that the liberals are an “enemy within.” For Simon (and secular neo-cons) it’s because “they don’t understand the threat” and for the religious right, the liberals themselves “caused the threat” and are responsible for 9/11.

The same is true for the Malkinites who fear “Reconquista” – whether they want to admit it or not, their real enemies are Americans who don’t share their views on immigration.

These fears and worldviews although ostensibly directed at outside the U.S. are really directed at their fellow Americans who don’t share their views – who need to “wake up” and embrace the fear and adopt their delusional conspiracy theories.

It is this fear of “liberals” – the fear of “the enemy within” - that holds the neo-conservatives and the religious right together within the Republican Party. These conspiracy theories thus serve a valuable purpose for them, it binds them together like a religion does, or more accurately, a cult.

That is why this worldview appeals to such substantial portions of the right-wing political movement in the United States, and even for those who don’t really believe these theories, they serve a valuable political purpose, and are therefore rarely condemned for the lunacy they represent.

http://www.dineshdsouza.com/books/enemy-intro.html

http://mediamatters.org/items/200703300007

I have another one for you: I've been digging in my garden all morning and my tooth still aches. This is one stubborn toothache, I tell ya!

Oh, man. I ususally don't post "LOLs" or "me toos", but that cracked me up sooooo bad.

That's gold, Jerry! Gold!

People, we have spent almost half a trillion dollars and spent many lives fighting against fundamentalist islam. And we have barely made a dent. That should tell you what we are up against.

You are being sarcastic, right?

Fighting the wrong enemy in the wrong country and still no results? Wow!

I have another one for you: I've been digging in my garden all morning and my tooth still aches. This is one stubborn toothache, I tell ya!

Well, Golden Boy, you learn something new everyday. Turns out you're right about those students (Republicans, interestingly enough), being brought up on *University* charges. Good thing a powerful Republican organization stepped up and helped them get off the hook. From this organization's six-page letter to the University:

""because the College Republicans were engaged in protected first Amendment at their rally, official punishment of the group or its members would violate the Consitution…we strongly urge the administration not to impose punitive sanctions in response to this incident."

That would be the ACLU. Oh, and all charges were dropped shortly after this letter was sent--back in March.

It's funny how the Righties on this thread area all talking about how liberals ignore Muslim extremists, and then it turns out it's a liberal organization that helps the students get acquitted. You were going to mention and thank the ACLU, right?

You were also going to mention all charges were dropped 5 months ago, right?

Oh, and as for the Dutch cartoons--they were published in Harper's, a liberal magazine. You were also going to note that, right?

University won't punish College Republicans for anti-terror rally

By Melanie Bengtson

First Amendment Center Online intern

03.29.07

San Francisco State University’s College Republicans will not face sanctions after hosting a rally during which students stepped on pieces of paper they had painted to resemble the Hezbollah and Hamas flags. The anti-terrorism demonstration on Oct. 17, 2006, prompted another student to file a complaint because the flags contain the Arabic word for “Allah.”

The complaint alleged that the Republicans had attempted to “incite violence and create a hostile environment.” SFSU administrators held a hearing to evaluate the charges, which could have resulted in sanctions to force the group to apologize or even remove their organization from campus. The hearing panel announced on March 19 that there would be no sanctions against the organization.

“We were actually very surprised,” said Leigh Wolf, president of the SFSU College Republicans. “They had dragged it out for so long. We were under the impression that they fully intended to drop sanctions on us.”

Associated Students, the student government of SFSU, unanimously passed a resolution condemning the College Republicans on Nov. 15. That resolution prompted the Office of Student Programs and Leadership Development to investigate the incident. That investigation led to a hearing before the Student Organization Hearing Panel, which had the power to punish the group.

Samantha Harris, the director of legal and public advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, said, “This was really one of the most egregious free speech violations we’ve seen.”

The situation drew the attention of national media and interest groups. FIRE and the American Civil Liberties Union petitioned the school’s administration on behalf of the College Republicans and their constitutional right to free expression.

According to Wolf, SFSU has failed to protect free speech in the past. In 2004, while celebrating the reelection of George W. Bush, the College Republicans were surrounded by students who tried to quiet them by throwing soda cans and other objects at them. Then charges were filed against the College Republicans, though they were later dropped.

“It’s the epitome of ‘free speech if it is our speech’,” said Wolf.

The Student Organization Hearing Panel announced on March 19 that no punishment would be imposed on the College Republicans. Associated Students also voted unanimously to recall their resolution condemning the organization.

“Students and faculty who find themselves facing censorship really need to stand up for their rights on principle. As much work as FIRE put in the case, we couldn’t have done it without the students … they stood up for what they knew was right and they stood up for the First Amendment,” said Harris.

Asked if the College Republicans intended to file a lawsuit against the university, Wolf said, “All options are on the table at this point.”

Calling the university’s actions against the First Amendment an “embarrassment,” Wolf said, “It’s the very essence of our country ... the ability to disagree and still live in a civil society where everyone still functions even if they disagree with each other.”

Melanie Bengtson is an intern at the First Amendment Center and a sophomore studying developmental politics at Belmont University.

Update

Students sue university over probe of anti-terror rally

Lawsuit says San Francisco State violated First Amendment by dragging College Republicans through five-month probe, campus tribunal after they stepped on Hamas, Hezbollah flags during protest. 07.10.07