I thought conservatives were against “special treatment”. The bigger the target, the more resources they have at their disposal to defend themselves. Why is it only a problem when such suits are filed by Muslims? Should critics of Islam and Muslims be treated by a special legal standard?

I'll take this alarmism more seriously when they give an iota of their attention to questions of due process and transparency in anti-terror witchhunts and equally harassing lawsuits *against* Muslims. Seems their beef isn't with the tactic, but the target.

Gaffney's use of the image of Gulliver is apt and very ironic. Taking these sensationalistic charges from people who have long track records of fomenting prejudice at face value for a moment for the sake of conversation, I'd argue that in the scheme of things these are pinpricks compared to the instionatlized legal and political abuses we've seen against Muslims, Arabs and others in post-9/11 life. And that's thanks in at least part to the agitation of people like the attendees of this conference. I don't see it cramping their style (or getting them shipped off to Guantanamo) much.

In a globalized world, it shouldn't be surprising that there are repercussions to picking fights with people from or tied to other parts of the world. You may have the upper hand at home as you bash some politically impotent minority, but once you leave your home you might taste some of your own medicine. I'm not sure these cases are so tragic given the hysteria and hate these people heap on Muslims. Sounds like karma in a globalized world to me.

Finally, notice how they frame it as “lawfare”. As if any lawsuit to seek redress by a Muslim is part of some stealthly military campaign. Muslims, you see are always violent and dangerous, even when they're just availing themselves of their legal rights as fellow citizens not to be slandered, libeled or otherwise harmed.

The subtext, as usual, is that Muslims are never victims. No matter what you do to 'em, they're at fault, 'cause they're evil. Obviously, they don't deserve the ability to seek legal redress like you or me.

That, folks, is prejudice and hate in its purest form. And it bubbles just beneath the surface all over the political landscape today.

I thought conservatives were against “special treatment”. The bigger the target, the more resources they have at their disposal to defend themselves. Why is it only a problem when such suits are filed by Muslims? Should critics of Islam and Muslims be treated by a special legal standard?

I'll take this alarmism more seriously when they give an iota of their attention to questions of due process and transparency in anti-terror witchhunts and equally harassing lawsuits *against* Muslims. Seems their beef isn't with the tactic, but the target.

Gaffney's use of the image of Gulliver is apt and very ironic. Taking these sensationalistic charges from people who have long track records of fomenting prejudice at face value for a moment for the sake of conversation, I'd argue that in the scheme of things these are pinpricks compared to the instionatlized legal and political abuses we've seen against Muslims, Arabs and others in post-9/11 life. And that's thanks in at least part to the agitation of people like the attendees of this conference. I don't see it cramping their style (or getting them shipped off to Guantanamo) much.

In a globalized world, it shouldn't be surprising that there are repercussions to picking fights with people from or tied to other parts of the world. You may have the upper hand at home as you bash some politically impotent minority, but once you leave your home you might taste some of your own medicine. I'm not sure these cases are so tragic given the hysteria and hate these people heap on Muslims. Sounds like karma in a globalized world to me.

Finally, notice how they frame it as “lawfare”. As if any lawsuit to seek redress by a Muslim is part of some stealthly military campaign. Muslims, you see are always violent and dangerous, even when they're just availing themselves of their legal rights as fellow citizens not to be slandered, libeled or otherwise harmed.

The subtext, as usual, is that Muslims are never victims. No matter what you do to 'em, they're at fault, 'cause they're evil. Obviously, they don't deserve the ability to seek legal redress like you or me.

That, folks, is prejudice and hate in its purest form. And it bubbles just beneath the surface all over the political landscape today.