The Left's Fundamentalism

A reader writes:

Your recent discussions regarding the unholy marriage of religious fundamentalism with certainty have been great - but I'm surprised you haven't broadened the discussion to include recent events in political fundamentalism as well that have no religious overtones.

One great example is the Duke lacrosse case.  These kids were railroaded by an opportunistic DA - not  so surprising, but what amazes and dismays is the way the entire left-wing community clung to the case as a an affirmation of their most cherished prejudices.  Any pretense of skepticism and doubt were cast aside for the security of righteous rage and certainty.

It seems that the fundamentalist psyche isn't just limited to religion - but to secular ideologies as well, even in our epicenters of free thinking.  And it's just as cruel, unapologetic, and dangerous.

The fundamentalist mindset - ideologically fixed, impervious to empiricism, a stranger to doubt - can infect any politics and any religion. I opposed it when it was on the left; and I see no contradiction in opposing it now it is on the right.