Islamists Are Alike All Over

With Islamic Republic of Iran’s (IRI) growing nuclear and cyber threats, it is curious that the Democratic Party in this country still panders to the regime. IRI is not a friend of the free — so why do some in this country, particularly those on the Left, insist upon capitulating to the Islamic extremists? 

There is an episode of “The Twilight Zone” (the original version) that speaks to this unholy alliance. In “People are Alike All Over,” two astronauts from Earth, Marcusson and Conrad, crash their spaceship on Mars, which is habited by intelligent life. Marcusson dies from the crash — but before their departure, he assures Conrad not to worry about the aliens, for “people are alike all over.” He is an optimist and sees the best in everyone. Conrad, however, doesn’t see the inherent good in others like his late partner and is fearful of the Martians. He imagines the worst. But it seems Marcusson was correct not to worry. The beings, far advanced beyond humans, assist the stranded Conrad and provide him with food and comfortable shelter; they seem generous and eager to share with him. The twist — and there is always a twist with “The Twilight Zone” — is that the well-furnished house provided by the aliens is actually a cage. It is a zoo exhibit complete with a sign on the outside reading, “Earth Creature in His Native Habitat.” Conrad is imprisoned for the rest of his life. In this chilling ending, he stares in horror at the ogling crowd of extraterrestrials and realizes Marcusson was unwittingly still right: people are alike all over.

This episode first aired in 1960. For this day and age, I echo Conrad and warn the Democratic Party: Islamists are alike all over.

Islamists are fundamentalist Muslims whose ultimate goal is world domination. Islamists hunger to subjugate others, truly the rest of the world, under Sharia. As such, they loathe the West, especially the United States. They view freedom enshrined in the U.S. Constitution not as fundamental human rights but as blasphemy and satanic. They include the likes of ISIS and the Taliban, Islamic groups whose atrocities are widely condemned throughout the West. And importantly: Islamists are also the Islamic regime in Iran. But just like the Martians in “The Twilight Zone,” the mullahs of IRI obfuscate their true nature. They speak our language by calling their politicians “reformists.” They ease our discomfort by depicting popular support for the regime. But do not be fooled like poor Conrad. This is propaganda. Their cruelty equals that of ISIS and the Taliban. IRI is not as open with their torture and executions as ISIS was, but these are daily state-sanctioned practices.

So how do we avoid Conrad’s fate? How can we escape caging ourselves and foregoing our autonomy? I propose a simple method: Imagine the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is Osama Bin Laden. How would you feel about the United States giving Bin Laden billions of dollars? How would you feel about Bin Laden’s agents working as advisors to American politicians? How would you feel about Bin Laden sympathizers receiving American funding for research that would be shared with Al Qaeda? 

Islamists are alike all over. When September 11 happened, the Islamic Republic of Iran celebrated. I was nine-years-old at the time and remember receiving candy at my school in Tehran. The largest terror attack on American soil, nearly 3,000 Americans dead — this was joyous news. Do we really want to engage with a regime — and its apologists — that cheer our death? What happens to those who open their doors to these extremists? Look at Afghanistan to find the answer. Or Iraq. Or Yemen. We cannot tolerate this evil. Our democratic pillars are strong, but they can still crack.

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The U.S. government should investigate domestic ties to the Islamic Republic more rigorously. Anyone with connections to the Islamic regime should not be given visas to come to this country. Additionally, the American public needs to understand the truth, that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ISIS by a different name. It is the Taliban. It is Al Qaeda. Knowing this will help the American people hold their leaders accountable, whether by ballot or other means.

“The Twilight Zone” is a fun show to watch—from the security of your couch. Its chilling twist endings provide rich entertainment. Its themes, often of human nature, help us ponder philosophical questions. Rod Serling’s timeliness narration deliciously haunts us through the screen. It is fun escapism, but no one actually wants to live in “The Twilight Zone.”

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William Mehrvarz was born and raised in the Islamic Republic of Iran. After rejecting Islam (the crime of apostasy), he fled under the threat of execution to seek asylum in the United States. He now writes and speaks about the dangers of Islamism and the importance of religious freedom. For more information, please visit his website at www.WilliamMehrvarz.com.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.