Stereotypes as Insults

Controversy can develop at the most random times. In a dull moment yesterday, I commented on Josh Marshall's use of Islamic terms as insults. My point in doing so was not to defend Dobson, as some suggest. I was defending Islam. A parallel situation might be this: There is in Western Christian culture a stereotype of Jews as rich and greedy. So let us say that in some company, a boss with undetermined religious beliefs decided to eliminate Christmas bonuses. A disgruntled employee proceeds to mutter that he is a "Jew." This would be wrong not because bosses should eliminate Christmas bonuses, but because that line of attack perpetuates anti-Semitic stereotypes. Attacking the religious right by effectively calling them Muslims is the same thing.

UPDATE: Interested readers might like this perspective on the concept of "shura." It is only one view, but I don't have time to find something definitive.