THE GAME
Anthony Lewis, in his farewell column, seals his legacy as a master of moral equivalence, managing to get in one last re-iteration of his trademark "Christian Fundamentalists are as bad as Islamists" theme:
Islamic fundamentalism, rejecting the rational processes of modernity, menaces the peace and security of many societies. But the phenomenon of religious fundamentalism is not to be found in Islam alone. Fundamentalist Christians in America, believing that the Bible's story of creation is the literal truth, question not only Darwin but the scientific method that has made contemporary civilization possible.
I'm not a fan of Christian Fundamentalism, but the Amish, in my view, are a bit less dangerous than Al Qaeda, as is Jerry Falwell, idiotic post-9/11 analysis notwithstanding. Is it possible that Lewis really thinks that those naive souls who put fish-stickers on their bumpers and prefer a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis are in the same ball-park as the Islamo-fascist thugs who planned and executed the WTC attacks? Of course not. But is his implication to that effect nonetheless intentional? Of course it is. That's how the game of moral equivalence is played.
Posted by Dr. Frank at December 18, 2001 07:03 AM | TrackBack