Horowitz is a chump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fSvyv0urTE
ok so before I start I must admit I'm not well versed on Horowitz' arguments, (Though a short perusal of Wikipedia makes me think I'd be further upset when his arguments are fully developed).

However, the clip of him angering some liberal college student posted by my fellow blogger merits a response. There are a few things going on in this short clip so I want to be clear; First I don't condone this girl being a hamas or whatever she admits to in the end of the clip. Rather I want to critique his logical progression which moves from answering her simple, if poorly articulated, question.

Her question--though poorly asked--is; How is MSA a Terrorist Organization?

Rather than answering, 'there have been isolated incidents of a limited number of MSA students who have had some association with known terrorists,' he responds with a question attempted to flush out secret Jew/American haters. Will you condemn Hezbollah?

Some might say this is the only way to determine if someone is a terrorist. Find out if they will condemn terrorists--

Before we go further we should analyze the viewpoint that engenders this extremism. Arabs who hate Israel for historic feuds or isolated issues of violence toward the Arab world (beating the shit out of a couple Palestinians) take their anger toward Israeli policy and anger over the historical Israel and make the absurd leap--All of Israel has committed these acts and is now our enemy. Yet this leap is not enough--all Jewish people should also be hated. But they go further--All people who support Israel should be hated. But they go further--All White Americans should be hated because they all support Israel. White Americnas support Israel even if they don't explicitly say so because they don't stand up and condemn Israels actions. If you can't stand before Muslums and condemn Israel you're an enemy and should be targeted.

It is easy to see the flaw in this thinking. Most Americans don't even know who Palestinians are and could care less about the historical feud in the middle east. But it is unchecked anger that engenders irrational terrorism.

Unfortunately, Horowitz has stumbled into this same logical reasoning. Do you condemn Hezebolla? Do you Hate Hamas? Because if you don't you're a terrorist and should be targeted as one.

Is it clear that the same logical steps made by extremest Arabs are being made by Horowitz?

If we're supposed to be fighting extremism we should be attacking it at it's root--attacking extremists violent and irrational ideology. Instead we're succumbing to the worst part of extremism, putting a target on anyone who even looks like they might harbor some terrorism.

Is this the best way to build relationships with the middle east or is this a race to the bottom?

It's also clear how quickly his irrational anger toward the middle east fosters more anger from this girl. I'll grant that it is stupid on her part to stoop to his level of playground violence 'if you're not for me you're a target' and if you don't agree with my argument you're my enemy. (It's also obvious he pulls this stunt on ignorant 20 somethings on every campus) But can we win this complex war by being more extreme and having large bullets, or do we win by rising above these irrational arguments of hatred?

I'm not saying we should let terrorists roam free--but a response that comes from analyzing evidence of terrorism and dealing justice is more effective than ignorantly painting a target on the entire middle east and shouting--Terrorist!




PS. --now that I've perused more of Horowitz I was correct--I'm more angered. Though not so angered that i'm going to go out and paint all neoconservative tea partiers as people full of hatred toward Arabs.

pss. tim if you don't condemn Horowitz you must hate all Arabs--no wait, you must hate all people who are not white... wait even some people who are white--heck hate everyone, ask questions later...