Phyllis Chesler's latest column certainly reflects my perspective:
C’mon, whom are we kidding? How big does the elephant have to be before we’ll agree to discuss it? This coming American election is not just about universal health care—it is also about the survival of the free world as we have come to know it. And therefore, all about Islam.
If we say we are for women’s rights or for human rights, then a candidate’s gender, skin-color, or age may not be as important as their ideas about Islam.
Do our candidates understand that we are really at war and that we cannot talk our way out of it? That charm, even of the spellbinding variety, is not enough, nor can we “take a meeting,” Hollywood-style, or Tammany-Hall style, to set things right. Nor is simple, old-fashioned heroics the answer to the kind of Orwellian propaganda and guerilla-terrorism that America and our allies will continue to confront in the 21st century.
Does our next President understand that we have to fight with everything we have and risk losing it all in order to hold onto any of it?
Does our next President understand that a western concept of human rights is a universal vision and that America cannot protect such rights only for American women and then turn our backs on women in the Third World?
C’mon, whom are we kidding? How big does the elephant have to be before we’ll agree to discuss it? This coming American election is not just about universal health care—it is also about the survival of the free world as we have come to know it. And therefore, all about Islam.
If we say we are for women’s rights or for human rights, then a candidate’s gender, skin-color, or age may not be as important as their ideas about Islam.
Do our candidates understand that we are really at war and that we cannot talk our way out of it? That charm, even of the spellbinding variety, is not enough, nor can we “take a meeting,” Hollywood-style, or Tammany-Hall style, to set things right. Nor is simple, old-fashioned heroics the answer to the kind of Orwellian propaganda and guerilla-terrorism that America and our allies will continue to confront in the 21st century.
Does our next President understand that we have to fight with everything we have and risk losing it all in order to hold onto any of it?
Does our next President understand that a western concept of human rights is a universal vision and that America cannot protect such rights only for American women and then turn our backs on women in the Third World?
Isolationism is cowardly, interventionism is both dangerous and almost doomed to failure; we need a new dialectical method to resolve these two seemingly intractable opposites.
Here is a question that an American President needs to answer.
Is revealing the truth about a particular religion or about its followers—be they Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, or Jewish, tantamount to insulting or reviling someone else’s religion?
Here is a question that an American President needs to answer.
Is revealing the truth about a particular religion or about its followers—be they Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, or Jewish, tantamount to insulting or reviling someone else’s religion?
If not—or rather, if only one group experiences the “truth” or any criticism, both valid and invalid, as an insult, what is the remedy? Sensitivity training about Islam for the presumably “Islamophobic” or sensitivity training about western standards of tolerance for too-easily injured Muslims?
10 comments:
I don't think any of them truly get it. Not a damn one. Some are closer than others but when you hear them utter a phrase like "radical muslim" "perverter of their faith" "misunderstander of their religion" you know they still need to brush up on their reading.
The true radical muslims, the ones who pervert their faith, misunderstand their religion, are the ones who do not subscribe to jihad and the global caliphate. Who believe in live and let live. You're a Christian he's a Jew I'm a Muslim so what?
The Sons Of Allah (LOVE that phrase from Oriana) are, unfortunately, the true muslims. But every damn one of the candidates would get dry mouth, shakes, start choking, before they could ever admit that. At least/especially BEFORE they're elected.
You say two different things here.
1) You don't think the candidates get it,
2) The candidates would get dry mouth and the shakes before they could ever admit that the true Sons of Allah are the ones who follow the way of violent Jihad.
My opinion is, it is the latter. I have a hard time believing that I am smarter than Hilary, Barack, McCain, or Romney. These guys all had top-notch educations. I went to state college. But I know the truth of Islam, and I started to learn it with Khomeini, and further with Intro to Religion 101 in college (textbook Huston Smith).
Islam is a religion of the sword. It is a religion which proscribes violence as not only a solution to a problem, but as the way to pursue a kingdom for Islam and to ensure that its adherents would be rewarded with "booty" on earth.
Pastorius,
I'm new to this commenting. Left a couple as anonymous on the threat on the Jihadi boards post Saturday. So I guess I'm the Commenter Formerly Known As Anonymous.
I'm actually not sure myself which it is. Are they truly ignorant about it or willfully ignorant? Is one as bad as the other or one worse? And which would you think would be easier to wake them from? Because if we can't and they don't they'll get us all killed. Or worse.
Romney, McCain, Thompson, Guiliani and Huckabee (wish Duncan Hunter had done better) seem to mostly get it but are not forceful enough in their presenting it as far as I am concerned.
Islam is a religion of the sword is the point I was trying to clumsily make. And when they blame it on radical Islam (which I've heard Mitt use the most, at least he'll say that much) they miss the mark and mislead people who don't know how to turn elsewhere for information. The problem is Islam. Period. Not radical Islam.
I voted Libertarian in 2000, Bush in 2004. This is the most critical election we've ever had (except maybe 1860). I see it as 1 issue and have since getting the wake up call in a switchroom 9/11. And if we blow it G_d help the free world. Unfortunately I worry that's what will happen, especially if Mr. & Mrs. America are too disgusted with their choices to go vote.
As a personal aside, I want to thank you. Since I started reading IBA and Cuanas several years ago it has reawoken my Christianity (and The Anchoress my Catholicism) and again made me proud to say I am both.
And for introducing my ears to Arvo Part. O.M.G. Listening to his music could make the most ardent atheist believe in the Almighty.
Ano1,
First, I'm glad you are commenting. And, I agreed with what you had to say. I just wanted to clarify the distinction you made, because it is important.
Second, thank you very much for telling me that cuanas and iba have had a positive effect on you. You've made my year. I often wondered why I do what I do. I am a Christian, though I am not the best example of a patient, loving Christian. I worry that my voice negatively effects people.
However, at the same time, I don't hear these opinions expressed in Church, though they are clearly moral opinions informed by a study of the Bible and Christian history. So, I figure I have to open my mouth, even if what comes out isn't always pretty.
:)
Pastorius,
Neither is patience a virtue of mine. Ask me long sufering wife. I speak my mind for better or worse.
Jesus lost his temper when they defiled his Father's house. I believe he would forgive us, as imperfect humans, for trying to defend our loved ones, His children. That's His message, isn't it?
You're correct. The Churches have not done a great job of getting the messge to the people. My daughter is dating a Methodist Minister's son. Great kid but very uninformed about the threat (thinks Clinton is great?!) until he visits our home. Hopefully Benedict can start getting the message out and others will follow suit. This will, sadly, come down to a war of religions (or religion vs. cult). It already has.
You're doing far more good than harm in this world with these blogs. Sometimes our message needs a rude word to be heard. Or an upsetting of the moneychangers tables.
You and the rest are doing awesoe and yeoman's work. As long as you keep at it, we still have a fighting chance.
Well, thanks, once again.
You're right, there are a lot of people here at IBA who are doing good work. One of the things I like about IBA is that it is a lot of different opinions. We don't all agree on much of anything except that we are all infidels, and we would all be killed for what we believe in any Islamist country.
"You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves." Churchill
We're only infidels to them;>)
Better to go down returning fire than clutching a white flag.
Agreed.
I've been quiet lately. Why? I'm down about all the bad signs I see. "Bad Moon Rising" indeed!
But I WILL get my mojo back. I just need to regroup.
Hey, listen to some Arvo Part, AOW. I know you like choral music.
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