Playing the Race Card Playing the Race Card

Atlas Shrugs brings up a timely topic:

In these contentious times, debate about the Middle East and Islam is easily stifled. All it takes is for some disgruntled Arabs, preferably Palestinians, or a handful of western leftists to level a charge of "racism.” Then the alleged offender, whether he is a Jewish author, a Christian professor, or a Muslim dissident, is silenced and shunned. In this way, today’s charge of "racism" is similar to the Stalin-era accusation that one was a "bourgeois capitalist."

The crime alleged is one of essence. It is meant to cancel out the humanity of the accused as well as the actual facts in the case -- and it does. Thus, the fear that one might be accused of being a "racist," either by Muslims or by western leftists is so great that most people either join the Orwellian jackal-chorus or refuse to "get involved." Here are the Alice-in-Wonderland rules: No one, especially westerners, particularly Jews, is allowed to accuse Muslims of being "racists.”

This post brings the issue false charges of racism to public awareness. It has started a lively discussion. Read the whole thing and add your comments.