A socially-conservative religious movement that started small and gained influence over a modern country, using war and instability to establish themselves as the loudest minority among factions with only the loosest of common goals? Destroyers of cultural artifacts, oppressors of women and foes to modernity in all its forms -- except, perhaps, weaponry.
Their methods are not without admirers on what used to be the far and crazy Right -- and it keeps trying to "sanewash" itself. They're still nutjobs, out of touch with the wide center of American culture and always looking for ways to ooze in.
These kinds of movements often get a sort of "piety exception" from people in the culture around them: "I don't agree with everything they say, but they sure are sincere in their faith!" Don't be fooled. They reject the notion of tolerance and freedom of conscience. They want to run your life by their rules, down to the smallest of details. Our homegrown version is hostile to the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights.
BUILDING A 1:1 BALUN
4 years ago
3 comments:
The Spanish Inquisition, The Committee on Public Safety, SS, Red Guard, Khmer Rouge and KKK were sincere in their beliefs as well. Doesn't make them anyone I want in the neighborhood.
And sadly, too many self-labeled Christian Conservatives are ignorant of both the principles that underlie our success as a nation, AND the nuts & bolts workings of their particular religious theology.
Owning da Libs & openly dreaming about a new Inquisition is a lot easier than all that loving & taking care of people stuff.
"HADID: Right. Well, this was announced by the ministry for the prevention of vice and promotion of virtue. The law demands women must cover their faces in public so they don't cause temptation. They can't travel without a male guardian. They can't speak loudly, even laugh, in public. And one leading Afghan lawyer described it to me as horrific. Azadah Raz Mohammad is at the Atlantic Council.
AZADAH RAZ MOHAMMAD: I believe this is a continuation of the Taliban's intimidation and oppression of women - from the way we're dressed to how we appear in public, how we talk, how we even laugh. It says that women shouldn't laugh very loud, and the laugh of women should not be heard by a man, which is extremely horrifying to actually see that this is actually codified.
HADID: And it is codified. These laws also touch on men. They must grow their beards long. They may not dress in Western clothes or sport Western haircuts."
https://www.npr.org/2024/08/24/nx-s1-5087505/taliban-codifies-law-dictating-how-men-and-women-appear-in-public
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