Thoughts on the Hamas victory

Here is a selection of recent e-mails from readers about the Hamas victory.

A reader abroad forwarded this e-mail he had received from an American friend:

I just saw something amazing.

George Bush more or less completely tongue tied.

It was almost a comedy run by CNN, against their will. It was the most anti-democratic coverage full of explicit irony, but this was all unintended!

In the left hand pane George W. Bush was smiling and speaking in high praise of democracy (the infallibility of true democracy). In the right hand pane were fanatical hatefilled and rabble rousing rallies of Hamas. In the foreground was a truly democratic election with almost complete turnout; the result was the election, as you know, of an Islamic military party who has a sworn duty to destroy Israel. It was unbelievable. Both the American left and the American right could have been the target of this absurd spectacle.

What could Bush say? What can the left say? Will they blame Bush? I guess they will. But they don’t want to say that Hamas is to be damned (that would be intolerant and unsympathetic and culturally bound in one’s judgements). But they won’t blame the people. Can they blame Bush for something which isn’t supposed to be bad?

Steyn doesn’t even have to use his talents on this one. The facts alone are a completely absurd spectacle.

A reader in England writes:

I will briefly say that I am (at least in part) glad of recent developments in the Middle East as they may serve to inform Western people and about the real nature of Islam and Islamic based communities and governments in the region (and worldwide). I am glad that Iran is being led by a total Islamic nutcase who has hardly hidden his anti-Israel and anti-Jewish agendas. I am glad that Hamas is now in power and will probably show their (and many Palestinians”) nasty extremism to the world. Ordinarily most Westerners would ignore the situation partially through weariness of hearing about the Israel-Palestine conflict and partially through “an all sides are bad” way of thinking. And partially “because they can” (ignore it.) Now that may no longer be the case. The situation is too polarised and too dangerous. Though I never underestimate the White Liberal Westerner’s (particularly in Europe) ability to support various Islamic regimes’ behaviour for the various reasons we have talked about, here is a situation so “in yer face” that perhaps, just perhaps the average White Liberal (and not so liberal) Westerner will finally realise the sort of crazed people (Muslims) and evil ideas (Islam) we are dealing with here. Perhaps, just perhaps!

Bill Carpenter writes:

The apocalypse of liberalism continues. It seems to have been unfathomable to the Bush Administration that the Palestinians would opt for the stone killers of Hamas. Such blindness reflects the very common American tendency to believe that everyone is “just like us.” That is liberal hubris and bad faith. Hubris in that we think we are archetypal humanity, and not the product and beneficiaries of a particular, God-ordained, history. Bad faith in that we deny the role that the virtues and sacrifices of our forebears, and Providence, have had in giving us what we have and making us who we are.

Considering the Administration’s awareness of Islamic terrorism, it is strange they did not see this coming.

LA replies:

That’s a good summary.

BTW, you are the first person I remember ever picking up on my phrase “apocalypse of liberalism,” though I’ve been using it like a mantra for years.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 27, 2006 11:43 PM | Send