Moderate Muslims are the World's Swing Voters

Moderate Muslims are the World's Swing Voters
by Steven Hill

Moderate Muslims should be seen as the world's swing voters. Unfortunately the US has been losing its appeal to these moderate swing voters, and in the process losing the battle for hearts and minds.

Some political observers see the world as divided into two hostile camps, a "clash of civilizations" between Islam and the west. Many Americans tend to view Muslims as a monolith, our views having been burned into our perceptions by 11 September, the Iraq war and ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Yet in countries such as Malaysia - one of the larger Muslim countries in the world - a more hopeful future is discernible.

A stroll through the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur shows it to be a fascinating blend of the modern, the ancient, the post-colonial and the multi-multi-religious. The silver gleaming high-rises of the twin Petronas Towers - the second-largest twin towers in the world - are the tallest of a modern skyline that juts above a religious and ethnic stew.

In the shadows of the high-rises are traditional Asian wet markets, a maze of vendors selling everything from live poultry and eels for slaughter to the latest electronic gadgets (many of them black market). Around the corner, an itinerant dentist is yanking teeth on the sidewalk, his patients spitting blood and saliva into a bucket. The tension between traditional and modern development is worn on Malaysia's sleeve.

Religion is apparent just about everywhere, from the public square to the private domicile. Malaysia's population is 60% Muslim, and it shows. Walking along many streets in Kuala Lumpur, one can see a river of bobbing female headscarves, draped in luxurious, flowing robes of exquisite pattern and design. The overall effect is like watching swarms of colorful butterflies from the nearby jungles.

But contrary to the stereotype about Muslim countries, Malaysia is for the most part a tolerantly religious nation. Indeed, religious tolerance is enshrined in the nation's constitution. Other religions thrive here - Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Confucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions. The indigenous people, known as Orang Asli, have their own animist religion, believing in the presence of spirits in inanimate objects. From block to block, one can see colorful temples, monks and priests of different religious stripes in flowing robes and costumes. Around each corner is the smell of burnt offerings wafting from homes.

Hindus comprise about 6% of the population, most of them descendants of Indians brought to Malaysia by the British in the 19th and 20th centuries as indentured laborers for oil palm and rubber plantations. One hundred or so years later, they have carved out a vibrant niche.

Hindus have an immense shrine just outside of Kuala Lumpur called the Batu caves, an intricate network of geological caverns that has been converted into a holy site. The spectacular caves are one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, and the focal point of the Hindu festival of Thaipusam, which attracts over 1.5 million pilgrims yearly and is one of the largest annual gatherings anywhere in the world.

Not everyone is religious in Malaysia, however. Among younger Muslims and others with a more secular or westernized background, many have become less-than-practicing. Nearly a quarter of Malaysians are of Chinese ethnicity, a tenth are indigenous, the entire nation woven from its various strands into an ethnic and religious tapestry.

There are occasional tensions between the many religious and ethnic groups, but on the whole Malaysia shows what moderate Islam can look like - a nation where there is a dominant religion but also a place for other religions. Much as in the United States, which is dominantly Christian yet other religions thrive, here in Malaysia "traditional" doesn't necessarily mean "intolerant."

Indeed, many traditionally-minded Americans would have a great deal in common with traditionally-minded Malaysians. That's because most people everywhere want the same things, namely life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, including the freedom to practice their religion.

Sociologist Amitai Etzioni has argued that moderate Muslims, whether in Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan or elsewhere, should be seen as the world's swing voters. Unfortunately the US has been losing its appeal to these moderate swing voters, and in the process losing the battle for hearts and minds.

The Obama administration should think carefully about the lessons of the past eight years, indeed the past 80 years. There are hundreds of millions of moderate Muslims in the world, and they are waiting for an American partner that is cognizant of its role in a long, difficult history of colonialism and imperialist interventions. They, too, are looking for a "new deal." A president with the name of Barack Hussein Obama presents an opportunity, but the opening may not last long.

A version of this article was published in The Guardian (UK) and other publications

Steven Hill is director of the Political Reform Program for the New America Foundation. His book "Europe Rising" will be published by the University of California Press in September 2009

 

 

Comments

[Usama]

I say all of this because 'experts' continually offer new ways to 'colonize', like putting a new face on an empire, from ugly to handsome.

Americans have to face reality.

And they need to know where the responsibility and accountability lies.

Telling people that they should look to "moderates" is saying 'these are people you can use and manipulate to gain your advantages'.

If the Wall Street disaster is proof of anything, its proof that America's leadership contains a level of treachery that strikes the very heart of every person in the world.

[Usama]

There is a Clash of Civilizations advocated by this article and supported by most posters here.
Instead of leaving the Muslim nations to their own, you almost all advocate social engineering, interference, and reshaping of everything in the Muslim societies, with some differences allowed.

Why is this?

Because American and European global dominance is predicated on controlling the oil and gas located within the Muslim world. And even if America could recieve its oil from someplace else, it would still seek to control and interfere in the Muslim world because other nations America wants to control are still dependent on that oil, like Japan, India, and others.

Even if the majority of Americans and Europeans didn't want to have anything to do with the Muslim world, their military and political experts would require that their militaries, spies, and politicans should continue the colonization and intrusion to gain global strategic advantages.

And given that today's events are all built on the legacy of Western Capitalist colonization of the Muslim world, so colonial empires created states and set up kings and militaries to repress Muslim people, all the events in the Muslim world have to be placed in this context. The Clash Of Civilization continues.

[SNusbaumer]

I don't get this post. Who doesn't know there are different types of Muslims, including those who are political moderates? (Those who don't know this don't know much of anything, so don't waste your time on them.) Yet, Malaysia is South East Asian, a cultural world apart from the Middle East. People are similar yet their social environments are not. Religions are shaped and distorted and stomped by the cultural environments they function in. Malaysia is not perfect, by a long shot, yet Islam there lacks the hard edge and angry response that it has in much of the Middle East.

[Usama]

Folks,' Moderates' is a code word. It should be known that the Muslim world has been dominated by oppressive rulers who controlled information, controlled activity, and spied on their people all with American and European consent, if not open and secret support and instruction.
Its well known that the CIA brought the Baathist parties of Syria and Iraq to power, as well as brought the Free Officers Movement of Egypt to power. And America had King Faisal of Saudia assasinated in favor of King Fahd who was more pro American. And of course America's CIA adn DOD supported Sukarto as well as Pakistan's military generals.

None of this is news. Its all reality- not conspiracy.

America has been supporting the oppression and suppression and repression of the Muslim world. More and more Muslim people are aware of this. The Muslim people want to be free of American imperial dominion to shape the Muslim world as we like and prove to the world that we have a progressive, enlightening way of life.

Right now, the entire world is suffering from Wall Street's economic treason and treachery. Trillions of dollars are lost from America's and Capitalism' leadership. And even Bush left office giving billions to the same people who betrayed him. Meanwhile, food crises are breaking out in countries that followed America's World Bank leadership. Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya.

Is it moderation to just keep following America's leadership?

[Horst]

The author should read the diatribes of ex-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed...moderate indeed.

[fbr79]

Reading about Malaysia's record on Human Rights and reading this article would lead people to think there are two distinct countries named Malaysia.

[Inquisitr]

"That's because most people everywhere want the same things, namely life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, including the freedom to practice their religion. "

Problem is practicing your religion impunes upon the life liberty and happiness of others.

Islam is not a religion of peace, there is no such thing as a religion of peace. Your religion demands the death of anyone who doesn't agree with it, demands women be treated like swine, and anyone who is of your faith and decides maybe he's not so sure anymore needs to be put to death.

"but that's only the radicals!"

No, that's the whole religion. It doesn't say in your book that this is the word of god only if you think it's the right thing to do, it's the word of god period. As long as people of msulim decent are angry, the book will provide all the reason and incentive you need to kill.

These "moderates" you like to talk so much about allow the radicals to do what they do. They are just as guilty just as every christian at the time in Mass. was guilty of the Salem witch trials.

The "Moderates" you talk about are the same ones that showed up to demand Slaman Rushdie be put to death for even talking negatively about your religion.

the "Moderates" sat and watched and condemned nothing as Theo van Gohg was killed.

Your moderates allow your radicals to do what they do.

[JacksonJones]

There are books, and then there are interpretations of what is in the books, and they are not necessarily the same thing. The killers of van Gogh weren't Malaysian.

[TruthSeeker2009]

Part 1:
Wow ! you have so much hatred for Islam and Moslems in general.
I suggest you travel around the world a little bit and interact with some moslems, don't just read about what extremists (a tiny minority) have done and then judge 1.5 billion people.
People hide behind religions and twist interpretations to their means so that they would get more legitimacy with their supporters, but you cannot judge a religion by the deeds of a tiny minority of its followers, the same analogy:

1. You shouldn't not judge Judaism by the deeds of the iDF
2. You should not judge Christianity by the deeds of : Hitler / Europeans during the Crusade / European during the black trade / European during the colonization era / Christians Militia in Africa, and also Moslems extremist groups (the focus of only the last couple of decades) ...

You should know that good and evil people are everywhere, in every nation, in every religion, in every tribe....
And the next time you want to learn about a religion, don't rely only on MSM and people who vehemently oppose that religion, you should read about it from all the perspectives.

God has taught people how to live peacefully in every religion, the problem is when somebody or a group decide to take all for him/themselves (Greed for Land, Power & Wealth) and what's their best rallying slogan: "God told us to do so, God gave us this land, .... "

[Inquisitr]

I have traveled to many countries muslim and non. I have no way of proving this to you so I'll just stop with that there.

I never said all Muslims or Jews or christians are evil people. go back to my comment and you won't find it.

What I did say is that the religion itself is evil, and the people who keep insisting it is a religion of peace I have no tolerance for.

I won't even go into the history of the Koran, and how it's creation was simply plagurism, I won't touch on How the book is supposed to be dictated by god, but at many many times it's actually Mohammed who is speaking. I won't even go into the fact that Mohammed was mentally ill and suffered seizures that he called his "visions".

I won't even ask what version of the Koran we're talking about, since there are about 7.

I can quote the book to.

Sura 5.38 "The punishment of those who wage war against god and his apostle, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet"

Am I to be put to death now?

you want to read something? Read Ayaan Hirsi Ali, from a supposedly "moderate" traditional muslim community, who was butchered when she was circumsized, and threatened with death when she spoke out against Islam's treatment of women.

[Inquisitr]

I can do a part 2 also

And she was not threatened with death in Afghanistan, she was threatened with death in holland.

No sir, not all Muslims may be the taliban, but as long as the religion is there there will be a taliban.

Not all Christians are the far right nutters, but as long as there is christianity there will be the far right nuttos.

How about the "moderate" israeli's that allow the ultra conservative settlers to help cause so much death in Gaza?

Religion is the problem sir. Your gods are not gods of peace, they are gods of death, you just choose to ignore those parts of your books.

That's the problem, to get to any of what you call the "good in religion" and I would argue with you that there is no such thing, but even if there was, is all the hate, negativity, and 2000 year old superstition worth all of this?

No the sooner humanity rids itself of this vile practice the better we will all be.

[TruthSeeker2009]

Part 2:
As far as Islam goes, one of the first verses revealed in the Quran (Surat 109) defines the right attitude that moslems should adhere to when dealing with non moslems: "...And I will not worship that which you have been wont to worship, nor will you worship that which I worship, To you be your way, and to me mine".
Unfortunately, some people don't follow this clear message from God, and I grant you that. There have been instances where people asked for the death of others, and even killed others who disagreed with them, but that doesn't put all moslems in the same basket as you are implying.