by Raymond Ibrahim*

Because conspiracy theories emanating from the Muslim world are nothing new — a decade ago, Israel was accused of perpetrating the strikes of 9/11, today it is accused of perpetrating the bombings of a Coptic church — they tend to be dismissed in the West.

A close examination of these theories, however, reveals pathological trends that need to be acknowledged — especially by Western leaders who stubbornly interact with the Muslim world under the assumption that all Muslims “think just like us.”

Consider, for starters, those conspiracy theories dealing with subversive animals:

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

And now, for some comic relief: A bear — you know, the big, hairy animal type — broke into a California home and went straight for the premium stuff:

… Alsky says the animal appeared to have pushed aside vegetables in the couple’s fridge and gone straight for the two-pound box of [chocolate] sweets.

He says the bear also tried to open a bottle of champagne but was not successful.

Now that’s taste: chocolate and champagne…

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A suspicious looking character was caught on security video shoplifting at a Smith’s grocery store in Utah. Watching the tape, one can tell that he is good at what he does. He blended into the crowd of shoppers, was friendly, and seemed to know exactly where to go in the store to find what he was looking for. He grabbed the goods and then made a quiet and quick exit. The difference here? The shoplifter was a dog. From CNN:

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

Dear Ms. Whoopi Goldberg, don’t tell me that torturing animals (dog-fighting) — “hanging, drowning, and slamming at least one dog’s body to the ground” — is an integral part of Southerners’ “cultural upbringing.” I’ve lived in the Deep South for about 5 years, visited family there many times, and vacationed there more times than I can remember. My experiences? Good, decent people, and beautiful cities, countryside, and beaches. So how did this dog-fighting controversy get started?

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was busted red-handed running a chamber of horrors for canines. Not only was he fighting dogs, but torturing them too, presumably for his own pleasure. From the Smoking Gun, including the federal indictment against Vick:

…After a March 2003 loss by a female pit bull, codefendant Purnell Peace, “after consulting with Vick,” electrocuted the animal. In April, prosecutors allege, Vick, Peace, and Quanis Phillips, “executed approximately 8 dogs that did not perform well in ‘testing’ sessions.” These animals, the indictment claims, were killed “by various methods, including hanging, drowning, and slamming at least one dog’s body to the ground.”

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