“I feel it’s 1938 again – Bernard Lewis *
More: Joyner has been following the updates (as have readers in the comments).
Damian Penny;
The lefty bloggers, not surprisingly, are jumping up and down with faux outrage about righty bloggers (including myself) writing about this untrue story.
So, guys, has Karl Rove been indicted yet?
Fascism — as opposed to its German variant Nazism — is not primarily, fundamentally or at least necessarily about bigotry, toward Jews or anybody else. It is about collectivism, in one form or another. It is about imposing — with both the carrot of socialism and the stick of the police state — uniformity on the entire body politic, to get all the oars pulling at the same time, in the same direction. The fact that the Iranian regime wants to enforce a national dress code which is “authentically” Iranian says more about their fascistic impulses than the regime’s anti-Semitism. Not only does anti-Semitism predate fascism by a lot of centuries, but anti-Semitism is not unique to fascism nor is it always present in fascist movements. What is always present is the desire to enforce conformity and uniformity on the masses. So breathe your sigh of relief if your concern is the maltreatment of Jews in Iran (though a small sigh it must be). But if your concern was that Iran might be fascistic, then the debunking of the yellow star story should not allay your fears at all.
May 23 Update: Amir Taheri stands by his story;
The law has been passed by the Islamic Majlis and will now be submitted to the Council of Guardians. A committee has been appointed to work out the modalities of implementation.
Many ideas are being discussed with regard to implementation, including special markers, known as zonnars, for followers of Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism, the only faiths other than Islam that are recognized as such. The zonnar was in use throughout the Muslim world until the early 20th century and marked out the dhimmis, or protected religious minorities. ( In Iran it was formally abolished in 1908).
I have been informed of the ideas under discussion thanks to my sources in Tehran, including three members of the Majlis who had tried to block the bill since it was first drafted in 2004.
I do not know which of these ideas or any will be eventually adopted. We will know once the committee appointed to discuss them presents its report, perhaps in September.
Interestingly, the Islamic Republic authorities refuse to issue an
official statement categorically rejecting the concept of dhimmitude and the need for marking out religious minorities.
I raised the issue not as a news story, because news of the new law was already several days old, but as an opinion column to alert the outside world to this most disturbing development.
Iranians are nuts….I wonder if we will see mass demonstrations around the world about this?
Waiting for the MoonBats to comment…. (crickets chirping)
The Iranians are rendering Goodwin’s law inapplicable. They really are Nazis…
Iran’s mad mullah’s have declared a holy war against all non-muslims. It’s high time we recognized this fact and acted accordingly.
We could name Iran’s imperialist aggression the Cressaids (Islamic Crescent instead of Christian Cruciform.) The reaction of the medieval Europeans to Muslim aggression in what we refer to as the Crusades was far too little, far too late. This time we should name the threat, not the response.
There is no more forceful sign that Iran is as dangerous as Hitler and just as determined.
We had better take this seriously and do something about it ( UN for instance could make up for some of their outrageous behaviour by actually doing something about Iran that means something, but I won’t hold my breath!)
As to international protests, don’t turn blue waiting for that, either.
Those are saved until George Bush , Tony Blair and PM Howard actually DO something about this evil and then they all get wound up by the same clock and off they go.
But to protest the actual evil that is handed out by the likes of Hamas, Iran and Al Queda?… why, shucks, they are just your harmless murderers who have been ‘victimized’ by the presence of Israel on a patch of dirt that nobody wanted or put to good use until the Jews got there to make it something positive.
Do watch carefully , however, how this plays out. First and foremost, those who would be forced by this law to wear a badge denoting that they are not Muslim had better make tracks out of Iran before it is too late.
Funny how freely comparision are drawn between George Bush and Hitler. But when when Iran does something so reminiscent of the Nazi regime; silence.
PM John Howard of Australia had it right yesterday, when he said that a world with less U.S. presence would be a dangerous one indeed. That’s exactly what nutjobs like the Iranian dictator would like to happen. Who would stop him and others of his ilk from spreading more of this crap around the world? France? Russia? China? “Be careful what you wish for”, indeed!
Hello, all you leftists and non-partisans?
What say y’all?
Are you not going to denounce Ahmadinejad as a Hitler? Aren’t y’all going to call the Iranians Nazis?
Why not? Y’all have no problem spitting out such words against the leaders of the Free World who fight against such evil, after all…
Hmm… if y’all say nothing, then maybe you would if a certain minority was forced to wear a, say, pink triangle? Hmm…
Nevertheless, it’s yet another reason to nuke Iran before Iran nukes other nations… and they WILL. They said so!
Will the world remain silent (and practice “restraint”) as Iran and the other Islamic states proceed with the next Holocaust? When they make WWIII white-hot?
Where are the NDP, BQ and the spineless Liberals (Paul Martin included) now?
Still collecting their MP’s cheques and living large, no doubt.
Wonder what Noam Chomsky, Ward Churchill and their kind would say about this?
Something scary, like they support the intentions of Iran and other savage Islamist states.
Or they’ll say nothing at all, in silent consent.
I’m waiting for the first Moonbat to explain to us how a nuclear armed Iran is acceptable.
I’m waiting for the first Moonbat to minimize this grotesque and carefully chosen symbol of Hitler’s Final Solution which the mullahs are proposing.
One more reason to get off of oil. We are making these religious fanatic nutjobs absolutely filthy rich beyond their wildest dreams. Prepare to see camels with gold teeth regularly. Picture a world with a shrinking demand for oil. What will Iran do with all that sand?
I think the situation is more complex than it appears.
First – defining citizenship by religion is also an important definition of the state of Israel. As most of you know, any Jewish individual in any nation of the world is granted automatic citizenship upon arrival in Israel. Now – what about other religions?
Israel has just passed a law that forbids Israeli Arabs (ie Muslims)from living with their spouses and children, if those spouses/children are Palestinian. That is, if you are a Palestinian in the occupied territories and met and married an Israeli, you cannot live in Israel with them. That’s the law.
There are two reasons. One is that someone from the Occupied Territories is defined by definition as ‘alien’ and ‘an enemy’. The other is the stated agenda of Israel to ensure that the majority in Israel remains Jewish.
There is a great deal of debate in Israel about this law, with many, justifiably in my view, calling it racist. There are numerous columns in Ha’aretz Daily about this – both pro and con. The following quotes are from an article: “Don’t ever admit to racism”
“It is doubtful that the arguments posed by Justice Mishael Cheshin, who was joined by the majority of justices, are capable of bearing the burden of granting legitimacy to discrimination that borders on racism. And these are not legal-constitutional matters, but rather political distinctions and an understanding of reality in which the justice is no more than an ordinary citizen, influenced by the general atmosphere, and therefore, required to be especially cautious.
“Cheshin’s arguments rest on two pillars: the “alien status” that prevents the petitioners from being with their spouses, and that they are “enemy citizens” at a time of war. There is no doubt that residents of the region – in other words, anyone who lives in the occupied territories and is prevented from living with their family – are not Israeli citizens. But calling them aliens and comparing them to foreigner aliens trying to infiltrate into European Union states is indicative of a false innocence in the best case, and in the worst, deliberate deception.
After all, the residents of the territories are foreigners in their homeland; they are forbidden from traveling on its roads, enjoy its resources, or run their civic and political affairs. ”
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/717611.html
Now- with regard to Iran, and its imposition of Sharia Law of ‘dhimmitude’ on any non-Muslim – that’s of course fascism. But Islamism IS fascist, and its definition of ‘the true citizen’ is not primarily by ethnicity (though it is in Darfur) – but is religious. You are a valid citizen if and only if, you are Muslim.
Note – my point – Israel has a similar ideology.
The agendas are different. I am not, at the moment, critiquing the morality of either ideology, for I don’t agree with either – but that’s not the point. Israel is defining a geographic area as ‘X’ and saying that the majority of inhabitants of ‘X’ must belong to a particular religion. I think Iran is doing something different.
Iran is attempting to rapidly set itself up as the locus, the origin, the True Root, of Islamism. The fascist Islamism. It is not focusing so much on the geographic territory of Iran, but on the ideological power of Islamism over the world. And, it is attempting to define itself as the Origin. Rather like the Vatican as the locus of Christianity.
To do this, it is attempting to get the West to attack it. This is an important tactic in this re-definition of Iran as the Centre of Islamism. The ‘we are nuclear’ is an open taunt to the West to attack it. Such an attack would act as an enormous boost to the agenda of Iran as the Centre of Islamism. Many moderate Muslims would react, emotively, and support Iran just because of the attack. That’s the agenda, in my view.
All other such taunts – such as denial of the Holocaust, and now this imposition of ‘dhimmitude’ follow this agenda. Get the West to attack Iran, both in fact and ideologically. Get Muslim emotions high and irrational and keep them all focused on Iran.
Iran wants to be the centre of Islamofascism, controlling the mosques and imams in Europe and elsewhere, and keeping the Muslims,in a state of extreme irrational emotion (the cartoon frenzy is an example).
They are worried that Afghanistan and Iraq, moving towards democracy despite the best efforts of Iran, Syria, etc to send in insurgents, will isolate Iran from power. So, they are reaching out to The People – all Islamics, and trying to define The People as under attack by The West. Therefore, it is an important requirement – that the West attack Iran, for this agenda to be successful.
The Chamberlain comment by Bob Rae would come back to bite him in the a** if he were to become PM (not gonna happen, but what the heck). There would be no bigger appeaser than Rae in this case. And you could probably say the same about the rest of the Lib leadership hopefuls who voted NAY on Afghanistan, IMHO.
1938 Black armband*s recipie:
===========================
[1] First you mark *em.
[2] Then it*s roundup in cattle cars.
[3] Then you gas *em
2006 Black Headband*s recipie:
===========================
[1] First you mark *em
[2] Then . . .
[3]
We are not going to sit and watch this again!
TG
I wonder how the Chomsky and Churchill types can blame this on Dubya and the imperialist USA. Likely, as opined above, they will say nothing. “First they came for the Jews and I said nothing..” It is remarkable how the left, with their constant concern for human rights, tacitly back these bigotted monsters who have caused more grief, death and devastation for Muslims than Dubya and the West could even begin to match.
Just saw a reporter during a press conference ask PMs Howard and Harper about this story. Both appeared shocked by the story.
CBC then cut away with stories on Guantanamo, hockey and evolution education.
Like I said…
1939: Heil Hitler!
2006: Allahu Ackbar!
It must be said over and over again that THE NAZIS TOOK THE IDEA OF THE YELLOW BADGE FROM THE MUSILMS, not the other way around.
Well, cutting away to hockey I can see.
Well, I would very much like to badge all Muslims living in the west.
I don’t think that is outrageous as is the reverse, because Muslims blow things up and other religion members … don’t.
I told this to my wife and the first thing out of her mouth was, “We’ve seen this before.”
She’s not a political junkie like me and it was obvious to her.
Mike, thanks for that comment. Sad, isn’t it-doesn’t fit in with the CBC’s leftist agenda or worldview. We all know who the Great Satan is, right?
Ryan, you nailed it too.
This is why I’m totally disgusted with the Left in North America and Europe. They’re intellectually and morally blind. One cannot even reason with such people.
The big problem is when racist, pro-American, right-wing types overreact. The Iranian use of coloured strips of cloth to identify different groups will just make visible the rainbow variety which makes up modern-day Iran. I have no doubt that if Ahmadinejad wasn’t dark-skinned, but was, say, German — you wouldn’t be so quick to condemn him.
Before you criticize the duly elected leader of Iran, you should collectively ask yourselves this: how can you expect Iran to become a truly modern multi-cultural society like Canada if it isn’t allowed to recognize that different groups have different needs, and should be treated differently? See what I mean? Alright? Okay?
As I’ve demonstrated on my blog, the Muslims and the Nazis have had a very close relationship for a very long time. After all, they do share a very similar, parallel ideology, that of the supremacism of their own respective kinds. In WWII, the Islamic world collaborated with the Nazis, including having Muslims enlisted with the German military.
Recalling “WWII: THE MUSLIM NAZIS”—
http://thecanadiansentinel.blogspot.com/2006/04/wwii-muslim-nazis.html
For those of you who haven’t seen the pictures of the founder of Hamas (via the Muslim Brotherhood) with top Nazis, go to that post and you will. It’s damning!
The Grand Mufti wining and dining with Nazis… with Himmler… inspecting the SS and giving the Nazi salute (which is also the Islamic Jihadist salute today)… sickening.
Well, at least I am resonably sure that both Prime Ministers Howard and Harper are, at present, saying “WTF” to each other, albeit in different accents. Both are probably trying to get triple confirmation on this story.
I only hope that the National Post correctly sourced this story before running with it. I can’t imagine running a story like that in a national paper because of its overall implications if it hadn’t been 100% confirmed.
CBC still not covering the story. I mean, even if it isn’t true, the fact that the PMs were asked this question is a story in and of itself.
CBC leading story is the funeral. (Awful story, don’t get me wrong).
Where can I get a streaming version of the PMs press conference?
Dave, the Left in NA and Europe are more than just blind, they are dangerous. They are the amoral Useful Idiots that protect these fascist scum.
Whether they are just plain stupid or conscious appeasers doesn’t matter. They are the same sheeple that cast their eyes to the ground while mayham and evil were going on around them in Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Russia.
ET: as usual, a great commentary.
As much as I support Israel, there is much to be desired in their handling of matters. My girlfriend tells me that in Israel, those of Palestinian origin are issued different-coloured licence plates than Jews, for example.
At the same time, Israel’s situation IS radically different in that it is perpetually under siege and surrounded by a vast sea of hostiles. Iran is under no such threat from Jews or Christians (mind you, I’m sure the mullahs have painted that picture, to keep people scared & compliant).
On another point, folks here would be wise not to tar all Iranians with the same brush. Most of the exiles and emigres I’ve met are kind, literate, modern-minded folks.
Almost to a man, they despise the criminal regime in place since 1979, and many long for the past under the Shah. Clearly he was no angel, either, but at least he tried to modernize Iran.
The Shah famously quipped that he would starting treating his subjects like they were Swedes when they started acting like them (I’m paraphrasing here, but you get the drift).
Although I suspect the real motive behind these extreme actions is simply to push the west,they should state honestly what these actually are…TARGETS.
Plus ça change, plus c’est le même chose…
Libby,
I found it ironic that you refer to “racist, pro-American, right wing types” and then defend a racist policy. I guess it’s ok to be racist as long as you’re anti-American and left wing. It’s also ok to defend an Iranian leader who states that the holocaust was a hoax. (I don’t see what the colour of his skin has to do with the issue: racism is racism) The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
Fox News is trying to get confirmation of the story….
“The big problem is when racist, pro-American, right-wing types overreact. The Iranian use of coloured strips of cloth to identify different groups will just make visible the rainbow variety which makes up modern-day Iran. I have no doubt that if Ahmadinejad wasn’t dark-skinned, but was, say, German — you wouldn’t be so quick to condemn him.
Before you criticize the duly elected leader of Iran, you should collectively ask yourselves this: how can you expect Iran to become a truly modern multi-cultural society like Canada if it isn’t allowed to recognize that different groups have different needs, and should be treated differently? See what I mean? Alright? Okay?
Posted by: Libby Raoul ”
Libby . you need a major dose of Braino . . . it will help you flush out the gigantic pile-o-crap that sits betwene your ears and pretends to be a brain.
You can’t honestly believe yourself when you write this will just be used “to identify different groups will just make visible the rainbow variety which makes up modern-day Iran”
The rainbow variety ??
Go get help, there are good doctors and drugs for what ails you.
“I have no doubt that if Ahmadinejad wasn’t dark-skinned, but was, say, German — you wouldn’t be so quick to condemn him.”
–Oh, really? Here goes: “If Ahmadinejad looked exactly like Hitler I would condemn him exactly as I do now.” How’s that? I’ve no lessons to learn from any racist, ultra left-wing extremists who support what the Nazis did and the Palestinians and Iranians do.
“Before you criticize the duly elected leader of Iran…”
–“Duly elected?” No– the clerics picked who they wanted to “run”. The candidates were all the same– totally obedient of the clerics and all. It made no difference who won– they’d do the bidding of the clerics or they’d be executed. Some due election. Get informed, Libby; don’t let Noam Chomsky et al tell you those lies.
“racist, pro-American, right-wing types overreact”?
–Who the (censored) do you think you are? Self-righteous, brainwashed leftist. Letting yourself be told lies as if they were the truth. Slandering everyone who denounces racism as racist. Bizarre!
“..how can you expect Iran to become a truly modern multi-cultural society like Canada if it isn’t allowed to recognize that different groups have different needs, and should be treated differently?”
–Are you kidding us? Where on earth are you getting these astonishing ideas?
–Should we recognize that Islam requires Muslims to kill those who refuse to be Muslims? Should we allow Muslims to go around killing non-Muslims? In Canada?!
“Iran… a truly modern multicultural society”?
–You mean like Nazi Germany, who identified non-Aryans in the same manner? Yep, that’s “multicultural”. Oh yeah, suuuure.
Why don’t you just move to Iran and see if you’re right or wrong?
Tell them you’re a non-Muslim lesbian or something “multicultural”. See if they don’t chop your head off.
You are unenlightened. So much so I just can’t believe you’re not just being a troll or something…
Read the Koran, for heaven’s sake! Find out for yourself!
Libby is just a liberal trying out the appeasement process.
Ted, davidson, agitfact, steve d
Your silence is overwhelming.
enough
The Iranian government must clearly be put in its place and the west MUST stand up and oppose (not appease) the Iranian leaders.
But, I am a little worried about how many people here in this thread are making what I think is a mistake and over-generalizing when they criticize actions like this by putting down “Iranians” as opposed to the Iranian leadership.
Over the years, I have met, known, or worked with about a dozen immigrants from Iran. Now, this is purely anecdotal and non-scientific…But, I have found that every single story that I have heard from “common” Iranians (of all age groups) is that they too think the Iranian leadership is out of touch with reality. Even those with different political leanings have told me that the shah was loved by more than 50% of the population and no one there can yet understand how Iran – which had been a westernized state (similar to Turkey) – was overrun by religious zealots. In fact, I repeatedly have heard about how, in Iranian tea-shops, people trade “conspiracy theory” stories about how it happened.
All I’m saying is that we should be careful about stereotyping these people – and thus, turning into the kind of people we are criticizing. Most of the Cold War-era Easter European countries were populated with people who were not pro-communist – but, instead, had had their country taken over by a minority of power-hungry freaks with Soviet-supplied weapons and logistical support. Today, we understand that, and therefore, we don’t characterize people from these country’s as being pro-communist. We understand that the majority was simply a slave to the communist minority.
Every indication I have is that the Iranians have the same situation. The government of Iran is clearly being run by a bunch of zealous nutbars. But, I don’t think it’s fair to assume that the majority is that way.
BTW, Libby, by “treated differently”, you’re clearly supporting Iran’s discrimination against non-Muslims.
Therefore, I ask, how is that not racist? How are you not a racist, yourself? After all, you encourage that state to treat non-Muslims differently. I suppose it’s okay to beat them to death when they’re accused of wrongdoing? I suppose you approve of their treatment of women as if they were dogs?
In Iran, if a woman kills someone who’s going to rape her, she gets executed. But if she gets raped, she also gets executed.
Don’t you know?
Are you still sure you want to be a leftist?
“how can you expect Iran to become a truly modern multi-cultural society like Canada if it isn’t allowed to recognize that different groups have different needs, and should be treated differently?”
Bingo.
Our First Useful Idiot Moonbat on the scene.
Well Libby, Hitler struggled with that question too. He inventoried the different groups, got them badges for public identification, then built crematoriums for the Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and retarded. He also wanted all Slavs exterminated. The mullahs are better versed in history than you.
On the other hand, maybe Libby is a troll. Maybe she should be banned. Like non-Muslims are banned in the Islamic world! Maybe Libby should be forced to wear a piece of brown fabric identifying her as a troll? She does approve of it, after all!
Whoa…in my last post “Easter” should have been “Eastern”. That’s probably obvious though.
Why do Candians NOT UNDERSTAND irony?
Libby’s post was a joke!
It may turn out that the story was a hoax.
But don’t forget folks “fake by accurate.”
Maybe Libby was being sarcastic….
anyone see CBCpravdas bit last night. speaking mostly with slightly right of centre conservatives that thought Harper was still too liberal.strange strange .complaining about grants for soccer moms and taxpayers were social engineering.
speaking of strange.-Libby Raoul— what colour cloth of the rainbow should each of us be wearing for a modern Canada. Id wear red for redneck if it wasnt associated with the Libs.
Doug, I fear that the story is not a hoax… for I know the terrible ideology of the leadership of that totalitarian theocratic dictatorship.
Where can I get the press conference video file of PMs Harper and Howard?
Mike Schmidt, you can get the video of H & H at CTV News, under “Aussie PM says meeting represent new start”
Bernard Lewis’s 1996 book on Islam, states:
“Tolerated unbelievers were called dhimmi, or ahl al-dhimma, “the people of the pact.” This was a legal term for the tolerated and protected non-Muslim subjects of the Muslim state.…The dhimma, which determined their status, was conceived as a pact between the Muslim ruler and the non-Muslim communities and was thus essentially a contract. The basis of this contract was the recognition by the dhimmis of the supremacy of Islam and the dominance of the Muslim state, and their acceptance of a position of subordination, symbolized by certain social restrictions and by the payment of a poll tax (jizya) to which Muslims were not subject. In return, they were granted security of life and property, protection against external enemies, freedom of worship, and a very large measure of internal autonomy in the conduct of their affairs.”
The Koran refers to these people, and insists on their recognition of their subordination. “Had the People of the Book accepted Islam, it would have surely been better for them. Few of them are true believers, and most of them are evil-doers” (Koran: The Imrans).
The Koran, by the way, is a violent text, advocating violence against anyone who rejects Islam ‘kill them whereever you find them” ..”those who deny our revelations We will burn in hellfire”..Check out the chapter on women).
Actually, Iran’s ‘mad president’ is following the Koran. It asserts that Islam is the only acceptable religion and that ensuring this supremacy is a military duty, a violent duty, of all Muslims. And, it encourages getting the infidels to attack you, so that you can attack them.
Note- that the notion of hierarchical levels of members of society is not unique to the Islamic world but is found in just about every society in history. However, as the world has industrialized, these levels have become ‘fuzzy’ rather than distinct. What is of interest is how Iran is taunting the west, by insisting in this global industrial era, that the People of the West, are at the bottom level of the Islamic society.
I feel that Iran’s cutlural taunts (eg rejecting the Holocaust, asking for cartoons about the Holocaust); its nuclear taunts, its Letters to Bush and the EU, AND the current suggestion that People of the West are social inferiors, are actually for the Islamic world. Iran is trying to establish itself as the Apex of Islamism. This means asserting the superiority of Islam (not Iran but Islamism), asserting that Iran is the centre of Islamism, and getting all Muslims all over the world, to focus on Iran as that centre.
Libby Raoule, at 12:53pm
Analysing your comments causes certain images to come to one*s imagination.
This is a free country and you have every right to express your opinion.
You seem to be agreeing with the visual marking of certain groups of Iranian citizens. Correct me if I misunderstand.
The images your comments raise are those of
skinhead, goosestepping, KKK, white supremisist.
Now that is not being offensive on my part. There are quite a few who are proud to carry that identity. They sincerely believe all blacks should be deported to their various countries of origin for instance.
You are encouraged not to be shy about your convictions. There is better understanding when people remove the white sheet, the mask, the hidden face can say so much more when exposed.
Ever notice that when supremisists are busy working, dispatching infidels, kneeling executions, lopping off heads, tossing fire bombs into night clubs, that they always seem to be wearing a bandanna to hide their identity?
Why is that? Are they not proud of the freedom work they are doing?
Remember, everyone has the right to an opinion. TG
David Frum points out that “The first world leader to require Jews to wear distinctive badges (a yellow belt and a yellow conical “dunce” cap) was Haroun al-Rashid, the Abbasid caliph, who ruled in Baghdad in the era of Charlemagne, the late 700s and early 800s.”
http://frum.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTkxN2MwMDBlOTllYjAwM2UxNzU5NTU2NDQyZDBkZTE=
Mark
Ottawa
ever wondered what nazi germany would have been like
with nuclear weapons ? in a few years time we’re all going to find out ….