other examples of this type of mythology include:
- the romanticization of the 1950s (before brown v board had an effect)
- more recently, the romanticization of the late 19th century post-reconstruction era (before wilson)
- the idea of the united states being founded on christian values
- "christian europe"
- nostalgia over the british empire
- nostalgia for the roman empire
it's at best a half-truth and in reality totally mythical.
this page goes over most of what the video posted goes over but more aggressively, and concludes by articulating most of the points i made in my commentary.
i would like to live in a world where all societies are at a similar level of not just economic but intellectual and artistic development. that would be a lofty and worthwhile goal. but i am a realist and i know we're not there.
it's important to understand - and this is my point - that these arguments do not come from "white supremacists". to begin with, muslims are mostly white, and white supremacists (including the nazis) actually have a history of admiring muslims, not attacking them. there's not even a coherent argument underlying the ignorance.
these arguments are empirical in nature and while you do hear them from secularists like the aging richard dawkins, they ultimately come from secular arab, iranian or turkish scholarship. this is their own narrative.
i have long articulated support for secular groups in the region seeking to overthrow the theocratic and authoritarian governments that keep them culturally stagnant. i would characterize that as a pro-arab and pro-iranian position, and simultaneously as a contemptuous and dismissive position on not just islam but all religion.