Pat Robertson says Islam "not a religion," calls for Muslims to be treated like Communists

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Is it even worth quoting Pat Robertson? No, probably not, and it's a waste of time to pay him any attention, not to mention to devote any space to him here at The Reaction or anywhere else. And yet, given his influence, or whatever influence he has left (and he does have many, many followers still), he oughtn't be dismissed so readily, for he speaks to a certain strain of noxious right-wing bigotry, theocratic bigotry, that is alive and well throughout much of American conservatism today.

The other day, writing about the Fort Hood massacre, I noted the bigoted reaction of many on the right, and, in Robertson, we have one of the most explicit expressions of that bigotry. At Think Progress, Matt Corley delves into it:

This past weekend, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned against allowing "anti-Muslim sentiment" to emanate from the shooting at Fort Hood by Major Nidal Malik Hasan. But that is exactly what some conservatives are doing. Dave Gaubatz, the controversial author of the controversial Muslim Mafia, called yesterday for "a professional and legal backlash against the Muslim community and their leaders." On his 700 Club TV show yesterday, Pat Robertson claimed that Islam is "not a religion," but "a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination":

ROBERTSON: That is the ultimate aim. And they talk about infidels and all this, but the truth is that's what the game is. So you are dealing with not a religion. You're dealing with a political system. And I think we should treat it as such and treat its adherences as such as we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group. Well, it's a tragedy. Our hearts go out to the families who suffered. But those in the Army should be held on account for the fact they let this man loose.

And there you have it. In Robertson's view -- and he is certainly not alone in holding it -- Muslims, including American Muslims, ought to be blacklisted and persecuted.

As I have said before, Americans and Christians ought to be outraged -- and embarrassed that Robertson is one of their own.