A Schism in the Left

[TheLolGuy]

I've noticed recently, over the past few months, a growing internal debate on the left primarily about Islam, which sometimes branches off into other subjects but undoubtedly stems from the religion. As far as I can tell the debate is being generated mostly by Sam Harris, who identifies himself as a liberal, and the following he has accumulated, including Bill Maher, Maajid Nawaz, a British politician of the Liberal Democrat party (a predictably leftist party) and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who has had first hand experience of the brutality commonly meted out by third world Islam. In fact, even Richard Dawkins questioned the accuracy of the recent media story on the Muslim and the clock.

 

If this forms one camp, the opposing one contains the usual 'I'm offended, we're all the same, don't criticise other people (unless they are white males or conservatives)' brigade. The types who control speech on the university campus, who prevent Ayaan Hirsi Ali from speaking on her treatment as a woman in a Muslim country, or who slander Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins with the usual epithets, racist, bigot, xenophobe! I have sensed in some of Sam's latest blogs and interviews, a frustration and something close to despair (though he has such a calm demeanour), about the value of trying to have an honest conversation on Islam, Islamic countries and the connection between the doctrine of jihad with so much of the violence in the world. I'm not surprised given the amount of slander anybody will receive for being skeptical in these topics.

 

But does this schism provide some hope for the future? That the left isn't monolithic on the silencing of criticism of other cultures? And should we support the effort?

[AccuTron]

My gut sense is that very many issues are not about the issues at all, but about the "I'm holier than the other girls people" egos that unfortunately vote.  Gang behavior, really.  Will that diminish?  I'm not holding my breath.  Yet the USSR fell without a shot (between the big opposing armies anyway), so I suppose change is possible.  One big problem is that "news" has become just another extension of Entertainment, and the same media people, big wigs or little noisy voices, call the shots.  There is enormous voting power and money in that, benefitting parties that don't want to change it.