I recall writing earlier on that at one point I wanted to be a author of science fiction; the problem was that I reeked at it, so I moved on to other things. Suffice it to say that I’ve always liked the genre – done well, of course. I’m particularly fond of what’s become something of a stock storyline: Parallel universes; you know, where similar characters are taking similar action in dissimilar realms and the conflict ensues when these disparate realities collide or somehow begin to meld, or characters are allowed to pass from one to the other. I don’t think that any science fiction writer has sufficient imagination to come up with the story that’s being played out geopolitically right now, though.

Radical Islam is a universe away in terms of the paradigm of the West. Call them locked in the seventh century, call them primitive, bloodthirsty – it doesn’t really matter. They are what they are, and what percentage of religious dogma versus propaganda plays into it has become immaterial. When worldwide mayhem breaks out over a cartoon, it’s only the most foolish Westerner who even attempts to intellectually unravel the cultural dynamic.

Of course, a great deal of it has to do with power-seeking political leaders in Islamic nations (in most cases, mullahs and other radical religious principals) who incite masses (whom they have helped to oppress) against generally nondescript enemies. Their rhetoric, though odious and inflammatory, is pretty much boilerplate propaganda that they’ve been drilling into people’s minds for decades.

In our universe, we have a similar dynamic, but dissimilar circumstances – and the universes definitely are in collision. Thanks to advances in technology, we are able to see the abject barbarity and malevolence directed against America every day – yet, we have our own power-seeking political players inciting masses (whom they have helped to oppress) against nondescript enemies – and it isn’t radical Islam. And the rhetoric becomes more odious and inflammatory every day. Like the mullahs, they are fighting (perhaps a losing) battle for their political lives, and timing is indeed important; should another devastating attack occur on our soil, they are likely to be driven into the political closet for the next fifty years – or strung up by their toes.

Why does a so-called Christian minister (the “Reverend” Al Sharpton) continue to stand upon podiums and roar about “ending poverty” when Christ himself said that there would always be poor people? Profile and power. Such outrageous comments significantly and instantaneously enhance profile and incrementally glean power – and these guys need all they can get right now.

Which is the same reason that this month, former NAACP chairman Julian Bond claimed that “the Republican Party would have the American flag and the swastika flying side by side,” It is also why the Reverend Joseph Lowery, at the funeral Coretta Scott King, blathered about there being “no weapons of mass destruction over there,” but “there are weapons of misdirection right down here" – with the President and Mrs. Bush sitting directly behind him, and why Jimmy Carter, the worst president we’ve ever had, followed suit as he “paid his respects” to Mrs. King.

“Spock… do you think that maybe - when the rift between the two universes opened – some of the insanity from the other side somehow… seeped through?”

I’ve never claimed to be above name-calling, although I do try to avoid it, but I have come to the conclusion that those Americans who do not believe we are in a death-struggle with far-Left international socialists in the U.S. are imbeciles of the highest order (or would it be the lowest order?). Likewise for those Americans who do not believe we are in a death-struggle with radical Islam, leaving aside those who claim so for political reasons.

There’s just too much evidence.

Iran is about twelve seconds away from being able to manufacture thermonuclear weapons, and the West is playing Neville Chamberlain with them. Their president has promised that Israel “will be removed.” Hamas – a terrorist organization - has gained preeminence in the Palestinian territories via elections held there – but we’re hoping they’ll be reasonable in the end.

I could cite more than a dozen similar instances of high-profile individuals, including several U.S. Senators, using comparable rhetoric to that at the King funeral in the press over the last few weeks alone. These far Left opportunists are playing the dirtiest and most deceptive of politics – projection and misdirection. And mainstream Americans – who should be chasing them around with torches and pitchforks – intellectually mull over their arguments. Free speech, you see…

On February 11, the Associated Press reported that 3000 protesters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, marched from a mosque to the Danish Embassy shouting: "Long live Islam. Destroy Denmark. Destroy Israel. Destroy George Bush. Destroy America!" Destroy, destroy, destroy. In the same report, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi mentioned the “huge chasm that has emerged between the West and Islam.”

Or perhaps instead, two opposing realities, like matter and antimatter, are in collision.

Anyone out there studied physics?