Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
The New York Times' resident hysteric would have you believe that Pashtun tribesmen spend their leisure hours fuming over American cable TV news:
So virulent is the Islamophobic hysteria of the neocon and Fox News right — abetted by the useful idiocy of the Anti-Defamation League, Harry Reid and other cowed Democrats — that it has also rendered Gen. David Petraeus’s last-ditch counterinsurgency strategy for fighting the war inoperative. How do you win Muslim hearts and minds in Kandahar when you are calling Muslims every filthy name in the book in New York?
(Hat-tip: Memeorandum.) Look, I don't want to spend all week blogging about The Lower Manhattan Islamic Community Center That the Associated Press Won’t Call the “Ground Zero Mosque” Anymore, but liberals won't shut up about this story, which bids fair to become the 2010 equivalent of the O.J. trial.
As Ann Coulter said, in reference to Keith Olbermann's obligatory Martin Niemoller lecture about the mosque controversy, "It’s like we’ve designed a pompous [expletive] trap." That this trap has attracted Frank Rich is hardly surprising.
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Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
I can see it now: the flickering firelight in a dark cave somewhere on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan; the hum of a gas-powered generator; a static-filled, snowy image on the tiny television. On the rickety table, a letter of surrender addressed to General Petraeus. A Taliban terrorist leader is about to sign the letter. His pen is poised over the paper.
And another Taliban terrorist stops him and points to the TV. "Did you see what they called us on Hannity?"
Another terrorist pulls out his earbuds and puts down his iPod. "Guys," he says, "You gotta hear what Mark Levin just said. About us!"
"That's it!" the first terrorist shouts. "I'm tired of being insulted! I'm tired of the hurtful remarks." And he tears up his letter of surrender and tosses it into the fire.
"Let's go, fellas!"
And the war, tragically, continues. All thanks to Hannity and Levin and Limbaugh.
May '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
I hear he's a fine critic of musical theater. And can wangle me an intro to Maureen Dowd!
Aug '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
Once again, neocon warmongers have foiled the effort of liberals to bring about world peace by winning the love and respect of armed fanatics who want to kill us all.
May '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
This may be unrelated, but in many of the GZM discussions, I've not seen one mention of the Bamiyan Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban. I remember the news of this archeological terrorism was the first time I'd heard of the Taliban in the spring of 2001. By the autumn, we were all too familiar with them. If indeed we are to believe the GZM will "build bridges," than why is this example of radical Islamist religious intolerance not addressed? I think Rob alluded to this is an earlier post, but I imagine that there are more mosques in Manhattan, than in there are non-Islamic places of worship in the whole of Saudi Arabia. Americans in general and New Yorkers more specifically aren't the ones with a tolerance deficiency. If they want to spread moderation and tolerance, take their money and goodwill to the Muslim world. Treat the disease of Islamofascism, not the symptom.
Jul '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
Frank is right.
And it's all my fault.
I called the mosque organizers "poltroons" and suggested that we "chastise their insolence".
I just couldn't control my potty mouth and now seething legions of new Taliban spring forth from the earth.
Sorry.
Jul '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
Funny stuff, all around.
What is most perplexing: the complete and utter lack of humor or nuance in the views of those like our Frankie; the righteous arrogance displayed in lecturing us on what we are doing (and what harm we are causing); or the inability to comprehend that our Islamist foes may not think quite the same way as your average NYC Drama Critic?
Jul '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
Robert Stacy McCain, Guest Contributor
Once again, neocon warmongers have foiled the effort of liberals to bring about world peace by winning the love and respect of armed fanatics who want to kill us all. · Aug 22 at 12:32pm
Kill us all? Sorry, but that's extreme.
They're not that crazy - once the Caliphate is re-established they'll need useful Dhimmi's to, um, do the actual work. You know: HVAC guys and sewer-plant managers.
See, the reason the entire Middle East is out of plumb and dirt-poor and and trash-strewn is that Muslims learned to be lazy. They just enslaved infidels and subjugated their women and had them do all the work while they lounged on cushions, drinking tea, in between the five daily calls to prayer.
It may be true that they want to kill you, but then, you're a useless intellectual. But they'll make exceptions for the Dhimmi's who know how to do the hard stuff like plumbing. And screwing in light bulbs.
Edited on August 23, 2010 at 1:58amRe: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
I've got nothing to add, Robert, except to say that I sure like your style.
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
Though Mr. Rich despises Fox, he really loved Cats.
Aug '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
As a political pundit, Frank Rich is an excellent theater critic.
Jul '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
If I might be allowed to lend a contrarian voice to this conversation, I would submit that Frank Rich isn't totally wrong here. This debate is very much being followed by press in the Muslim world.
I encourage you to visit Al Jazeera's home page, which currently features a video on the left sidebar of protestors on both sides of the issue in New York. You don't have to know Arabic to get the gist of the message. Also worth reading is this piece from Dawn, one of Pakistan's premier dailies.
Jun '10
Re: Frank Rich Says 'Hysteria' as if He's Against It
Let me get this straight: Having finally given up on the press in the West, now I have to start worrying about what the press in the Muslim world is saying. Our press says we are Islamaphobic, their press says we are crusaders. I am inundated by what I consider to be ludicrous lies. What changes in behaviour might I adopt to counter being lied about?