What's your reaction to President Obama's recent statements to the Muslim world that "the United States is not, and never will be, at war with Islam" and that "we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation"?
Enough Americans feel bad about the Iraq war that they didn't become upset over President Obama's apology to the Islamic world. Call it a mea culpa or a sign of more openness, but clearly Obama wants to make amends for the Bush era. His base on the left is ashamed of the war, an incursion that had no justification in fighting against terrorism. Up to 300,000 innocent civilians may have died there. We will never know, given the chaos of the situation after March, 2003, and the absence of official death counts.
Recently Obama has gone even further, telling the Turkish parliament that he considers Islam a great culture that has contributed much to the world. In a daring reference to his family background (daring for a politician who needs public approval, that is), he pointed out that Muslim-American families like his have contributed to our society and will continue to. For some observers -- and the entire right wing -- these remarks went too far. But when everything is considered, they were necessary.
This President owes his election to the power of words, and the words applied to Islam after 9/11 fill a toxic dump site. The war makers paid lip service to the notion that not all Muslims are terrorists, but they spent their whole energy painting the picture of an Islamic bogeyman, a frightening specter implacably opposed to the U.S., filled with fanatical hatred, and capable of springing appalling attacks anywhere, anytime.
His critics believe that Obama is giving aid and comfort to the enemy no doubt, by apologizing to the Islamic world, but from his perspective he's beginning to treat Muslims like normal human beings. There was a long period known as the Red Scare in American politics, preceding WW II, when the same tactics were used against anarchists and Communists. Then as now, everyone remotely associated with the Soviet Union was demonized, and the Russians themselves were given all but supernatural powers to infiltrate American society and bring it down. That the McCarthy witch hunts of the Fifties brought to light not a single traitor hasn't quenched the right wing's xenophobia, which simply shifted to illegal immigrants and all Muslims.
So while we encourage moderate Muslims to stand up for themselves and speak out against the jihadis (a long-term project that, sadly, shows few signs of succeeding), here at home we have to revive the tradition of tolerance that the Bushies undermined. They seemed incapable of realizing that tolerance, and the civil rights that go with it, are more important by far than raw patriotism. (Notice that no one has ever said that toleration was the last refuge of scoundrels.) Obama walks a fine line, trying to preserve both patriotism and tolerance, a mission we should all support. Does the Islamic world, as the source of so much trouble and turmoil, not to mention so much backwardness in women's rights and democratic freedom, deserve anyone's apology? In their own eyes they do, and America should be strong enough to offer one. There's error and wrongdoing on both sides. It's no shame to be the first to admit it.
Published in the Washington Post
But there really isn't.
Yes, there ARE moderate Muslims, but sadly, they are terrorized and forced into silence by the baying mobs. And no, it isn't JUST the Muslims that are being intolerant.
Intolerance in the Christian world results in snide comments, job discrimination sometimes, and the very rare beating or attack. Islamic intolerance is daily, widespread, and deeply bloody and vicious.
It doens't help the cause of liberal tolerance and democracy to ignore the rising tide of fundamentalist threat to science and equality. Glossing over the brutality and vehemence of the Islamists in a misguided effort to be diplomatic is simply being dishonest.
We can applaud the historical contributions of the Islamic world, and respect their traditions and beliefs, without abandoning a belief in tolerance for our own. A robust and vigorous defense of tolerance means that we must stand up to zealotry wherever is happens, and right now, I'm afraid, the majority of religious intolerance is coming from the Muslim world.
NAME ME ONE MODERATE practicing muslim who accepts ALL people as perfect in the eyes of god, INCLUDING HOMOSEXUALS, INCLUDING WOMEN.
I don't mean any of the numerous sports players and others in the public eye who have chosen to join Islam. I AM TALKING ABOUT the leader of a movement. Name ONE.
WHERE is the MODERATE MUSLIM LEADER who represents HOPE and EQUALITY and PEACE FOR ALL HUMANS?
I am not looking to compare religions in my request here, that would be an endless fiasco. I am ASKING for simply ONE name of ONE person who represents Islam who is MODERATE. Someone who doesn't want to stone adulterers, execute and punish homosexuals, treat women like cattle etc.
NAMES?
He is known as Pakistan's Mother Teresa:
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=256194&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23
I read this the same hour I read about how:
-a young couple was executed by fellow MUSLIMS for trying to elope.
-Women in Afghanistan, who were demonstrating against the "rape law', were pelted with rocks, spit at and threatened with death BY FELLOW MUSLIMS.
-how up to 20,000 Iraqis are believed to have been tortured and killed BY FELLOW MUSLIMS
and of course we have all seen the video of the girl being held down and beaten by FELLOW MUSLIMS.
...I could go on and on. It's DAILY AND CONSTANT that muslims SPILL BLOOD, kill, torture, terrorize, threat, etc etc. I am NOT saying Christians are any better but lets be honest here: THERE ARE moderate christians out there! I could name one EASILY, Barak Obama.
Who can name ONE, JUST ONE MODERATE MUSLIM who doesn't wish death on homosexuals, jews, atheists, etc and who truly supports a pluralistic, educated and progressive society based on freedom and equality?!! NAME ONE. You can't. There aren't any.
I think your article should be more along the lines of:
ISLAM NEEDS TO APOLOGIZE TO HUMANITY
and your next article
CHRISTIANITY NEEDS TO APOLOGIZE TO HUMANITY
Enough of the blood stained hands of patriarchal myth and superstition based "faith". Down with dogma and up with good old fashioned LOGIC.
It's dangerous rhetoric to clump all members of one religion together. Yes, many Muslims interpret their religion in way that to those of us in the west, seem a bit backwards. However, Islam is relatively new compared to Judaism and Christianity. And Christianity modernized only a few hundred years ago...
there are many great muslims, christians, and jews. and there are always those that destroy and then put God into it to justify their evils which makes the whole group look bad.
I've always had a tough time with the anti-Islam rhetoric. Christianity has had many periods where those who called themselves Christians were guilty of unspeakable atrocities including ethnic cleansing, genocide of indigenous people, destruction of native civilizations and stealing of land and resources around the world. The first episode of the PBS Native American mini-series called "We Shall Remain," reminds us that the true savages of America's early history were the Christian Old World conquerors bringing religion and civilization to the New World.
The advancement of consciousness of our species is sometimes two steps forward one step back. Villagers under the attack of the Nordic Vikings could have hardly imagined that they would become a beacon of social and political progress. Those living in Muslim-dominated in Spain, when Islamic, Christian and Judaic theologies flourished could hardly imagine a Muslim country where extremist interpretations of the Qu'ran inspire dictatorships.
The olive branch we extend to the world should be directed at all peoples. This is not a Christian country (unless you want to marry your same-sex partner). Muslims have been been maligned for too long by the previous criminal Administration. To my Muslim sisters and brothers: Salaam Alekam! May we all be the expression of love towards one another taught by Jesus and the masters of all faiths.
Allow me to be the first to say I am sorry for the heinous inexcuseable methods my fellow countrymen have used to disparage your great and wonderful culture and people. Those people who feel it necessary to humiliate and demean an entire population of people, based on the actions and words of a handful of people, know not of what they speak. Your people, and your culture and customs have benefitted The West in immeasureable ways, and we owe our gratitude and appreciation to those who keep your cultural and social traditions alive. Please understand that many of us in the west face the same pressures of economic, education, and social discontent that many of your Muslim brothers and sisters do. Please do not judge us by those radical extremist factions who propogate myths about our people and our culture, just as we in The West should not (but unfortunately do) judge your people by your minority extremist factions.
I do hope our people can one day soon come together and talk, discuss, and even debate and exchange ideas, values, and principles, in the pursuit of finding common ground, that I know we share, but that too many here want to overlook, because they are scared and ignorant of those who are foreign to them.
Do you really really think remarks like this help. I doubt your 'inner peace and spiritual success'. Get educated.
Why use the past tense? Islamophobia continues apace in the media. Not to mention names, but a well-known "progressive" web site regularly seasons its pages with not only with neoconservative editorials but with sensationalist stories about fundamentalist Muslim atrocities. These tabloid stories elicit many slurs from the "liberal" readership which would not be tolerated if they were made against any other religion.
PS: I'm not Muslim
Islam may need an apology but, it should not and did not come from our President. Had he apologized, all hell would have broken out with the right wing and that is why he succeeded in walking that fine line you suggest.