Maher is an excellent illustration of the difference between a liberal and a leftist. A liberal examines the world according to an actual ideology, oriented in such a way as to apply the same standards to all people. When faced with situations where women are chattel, gays are persecuted, and knuckle-dragging religious fundamentalism prevails, a liberal will reject such very strenuously, as does Maher.
A leftist, on the other hand, is little more than a programmable automaton who does not follow any real ideology other than saying what they are expected to say. They wear their little keffiyahs and Che shirts, and promote their Palestinianism with a cult-like dedication simply because it is fashionable. They receive props from their mindless little peeps, feel good about themselves for doing so, and all join in with the majority persecuting the minority because they haven't the foggiest clue what liberalism actually is. All they know is what they are supposed to say.
Excellent observation. I don't often agree with Maher, but he seems correct in this case.
Mark