Much arrant nonsense is written (spoken?) on Mudcat political threads--by both the Right and the Left.

On the Right we hear apocalyptic tales of what happens when we lose the Iraq war--ranging from headscarves for all Western women to that old favorite, the world-wide Caliphate. And all because we didn't have the patience to let the "surge" do its good work--which would have brought eternal peace on earth, no doubt.

On the Left we hear about the $ystem, and get the distinct impression that rather than "sinners in the hands of an angry God", these days it's pawns in the hands of an all-pervasive and all-powerful capitalist system. (In fact we're not pawns--that's a self-defeating attitude. But that doesn't bother the posters who like to wallow in that mudpit.) And the corollary, of course, is that there's no point to struggling against the situation. Furthermore, there's no difference between any two candidates--since the entire political system is owned by the International Capitalist Cabal. More nonsense.

But there's nonsense and nonsense.

The theory that Rushdie was chosen for a knighthood in order to "bait Muslims" is not only nonsense, but pernicious nonsense.

I see no reason to give a pass to anybody on the Left or the Right who writes pernicious nonsense--and somehow never can find any evidence to back up the charge.

We should be trying to strengthen moderate voices within the Moslem community. An absurd theory like this one--given more play than just on a folk music website-- plays into the hands of those who already believe the West is capable of no good. They then tell their fellow Moslems that even Western intellectuals admit the West is evil incarnate--that even something as positive as an attempt to bring the UK and Asia closer together (and recognize Rushdie's undeniable literary achievements) through this honor, was in fact an attempt to stir up Moslem outrage, in order to justify further attacks on Moslems.   And therefore, there's no point to compromise with the evil grasping capitalist West--even Western intellectuals agree. This will not encourage any Moslem moderates to push for negotiations with said evil grasping capitalist West. Just as the nightmare of the world-wide Caliphate brings out the Right to undercut any attempt at negotiation by the West--and is used as a club to fight attempts to do so.

Total drivel. And dangerous drivel. On both sides.

As I said earlier--so the knighthood committee has a tin ear for the nuances of international politics? We should be surprised? Only a self-styled intellectual blinded by his or her own fear or hate of Western regimes would immediately see the evil hand of a Western government behind the knighthood.

Of course, I could be completely wrong. And if I am, it would be appreciated if somebody on the other side of the issue would produce some actual evidence of "Muslim-baiting" being behind the knighthood. I wouldn't be as unreasonable as Teribus as to actually demand proof that "Muslim-baiting" was behind it--just a bit of evidence would be nice. However, it would have to be actual evidence, with source--as opposed to the dark absurd mumblings we've heard so far.

I'm no scientist, but I do know that a theory needs evidence. Otherwise, as I recall, it's rejected by any reasonable person.

And so far, it sounds like the "Muslim-baiting" theory is ripe for rejection.