Hugh Hewitt and Frank Gaffney discuss the intra-conservative flame war about the book here.
Via Andrew Bostom.
My own theory is that the degree of vitrol toward Ms. West is, in part, a measure of a certain helplessness, indifference or agonized malaise that some "conservatives" feel about Islam and the Islamic jihad. I think there is some kind of projection going on.
The unwillingness to recognize that history is repeating itself-the penetration of Western governments clearly parallels the infiltration made by the Soviet communists, is a real problem.
FDR was a great leader, but he was also a schmuck. A great, flawed leader-certainly no saint. And it is ludicrous to discount the extent to which Harry Hopkins may have been compromised.
That's just my opinion.
Conservatives who recognize jihad as the primary threat to Western civilization do not seem bothered by her book, and are able to talk about it in a rational fashion. The other disturbing thing is that much of the criticism against West seems very personal in nature.
Like conservative Mean Girls or something.
It is also interesting to me that a lot of vitrol has come from two former communists.
Could it be that there are still totalitarian impulses lurking in some of these "former" folks?
Her most vocal critics are also men so there's that as well.
Anyway, I'm quite enjoying the book.
And her other books are outstanding.
