You may think of Montana as the state of Brokeback Mountain-type lore, minus the gay stuff, of course. But who knew it was another place rife with Zionut fanaticism?

The American Association of University Professors has an intereating article by Richard Drake, chair of the History Department at the University of Montana. His sin was to invite Stephen Walt, the Harvard University prof and author of a best-selling book on the Israel lobby, to lecture on campus. His article reads like the average Palestine solidarity activist’s autobiography — the smear campaigns, naked hostility, and outlandish claims all for promoting debate on Israel’s policies, America’s funding of it, and the lobby’s role in keeping the Palestinians oppressed.

Juan Cole described “the techniques of smearing and pressure politics deployed against his appearance” as “as a form of Zionist-fascism (whether deriving from Christian Zionists or Jewish ones).” While I agree with him that it “is a much more potent danger to open intellectual inquiry in the United States than is usually realized,” I would call it something else — Zionutism.

Fascism is may describe the mindframe, but is a political ideology with a wide range of elements I doubt even the nuttiest Zionut would espouse. Of course, the extreme drive to crush all dissent is one big element they do share.

Here are some gems — actual Zionut quotes — from angry letters featured in Drake’s article:

“It is much as if the university had brought a Holocaust denier to campus and accorded him the honors of a respected guest.”

Walt was also accused of having brought to campus “in a suit and tie what used to be the province of those who burned crosses while wearing sheets and hoods.”

Comparing Walt to Holocaust denial and the KKK is outrageous, of course. It is also very typical of the nuttisms spewed by Israel-first loonies who cannot tolerate any questioning of their views. If you are not frightened yet, consider that many of these letters came in on University of Montana stationary.

[Tarboush Tip: Informed Comment]

Related posts:

1. Zionuts vs. the UAE
2. What Kind Of Zionuts Immigrate To Israel?
3. Bang for your buck…
4. NASCAR Is Boring, Ann Arbor Is A Whore, And Zionuts Taste Like Chicken
5. Alan Dershowitz: Coming to a Court Near You.