Thursday, October 13, 2016

Nasrallah and the Left

I have argued over the years to Western leftist audiences that Hizbullah--rumors or misconceptions to the contrary notwithstanding--is NOT a progressive party, and that leftists (in the East and the West) can't (and should not) support any aspect of the party other than the effective resistance to Israeli occupation and aggression in Lebanon.  In the series of sermons that Nasrallah gave during the days leading up to `Ashura, he spoke about many issues of "religious virtue" which concerns the party.  In one sermon on the 8th of the month (8 or 9 I am not sure), he railed against gender mixing.  I watched that part of the speech and thought to myself: they have something in common with Saudi Wahhabiyyah, for sure.  He even spoke about satan "personally" appearing and corrupting the minds of young men and women.  He even ruled against a young girl having a male tutor at her home.