The Essentialist Terrorist
There is a coordianted effort on part of academics, scholars, think-tankers, journalists and others to create a profle of Muslim militants as essentialist terrorists who commit heartless violence because they are spiritually addicted to violence. These authors argue that no concrete grievances or violations of rights cause Muslim militancy. Free to trash the core beliefs of Islam and free to make fun of Islamic creeds, the Highly influential Terrorist Literature (HITLit) has successfully equated puritan Islam with terrorism. Most HITLit authors, known as terrorism experts, are research associates with influential think tanks such as RAND and the American Enterprise Institute, and some teach at Harvard University. Some have worked for the National Security Council and the U.S. Defense Department. These authors include Bernard Lewis, Bruce Hoffman, Steven Simon, Jessica Stern, Daniel Benjamin, and Richard Perle. They appear on National Public Radio and major radio and television networks