On September 11th, 2012, Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer hosted the Stop the Islamization of Nations (SION) International Freedom Defense Congress (IFDC). For this they deserve praise and thanks. I offer the following idea as a constructive suggestion.
A congress is a deliberative body. Rather than deliberation, we heard wonderful and inspiring speeches from activists, artists, and researchers working on the problem of the growing influence of Islam. True to the name, I would have liked to have had a portion of the event dedicated to debating and crafting an IFDC platform.
Among suggested policy planks, the following might have emerged:
1) The IFDC stands for the immediate halt of immigration by Muslims into western nations.
2) To make clear that we oppose the cultural blindness of multiculturalism and are not racist, the IFDC promotes the words “culturism” (the opposite of multiculturalism) and “culturists.” Recognizing the importance of diversity, we are a culturist movement, not a racist one.
3) The IFDC promotes regular inventories of mosques in the West to look for pro-violence materials. Furthermore, we support surveillance of mosques where more than 5 % of the materials advocate violence.
4) The IFDC supports culturist profiling at airports and in hiring practices when national security and public safety could be compromised.
5) The IFDC advocates deportation hearings against non-citizens in our nations that promote Jihad.
6) The IFDC calls for the immediate investigation into foreign mosque funding in the West. And, the IFDC propose to make foreign funding of mosques in the West illegal.
7) The IFDC denounces all violence.
8) The IFDC denounces the violation of any rights or harassment of any peaceful Muslim citizens.
9) The IFDC calls for curriculum and Islam related memorials and museums to describe the violent tactics of Muhammad and the 1400 year conflict between Islam and non-Islamic nations and peoples.
10) The IFDC denounces the use of western dollars and lives to attempt to turn Islamic nations into Western nations. And the IFDC denounces sending western foreign to Islamic nations generally.
11) The IFDC denounces the use of Sharia-based law in any western court or nation.
To be sure, these platform planks would have engendered difficult debates. Some would be reomoved, some added, and the order rearranged. We would even have to work tirelessly to agree upon wording. But that is what congresses do.
This released final IFDC platform would have reduced the media’s ability to spin the reporting against us. It would provide a platform for western political parties to either adopt or refute. And, it would provide a litmus test for western politicians.
2 comments:
It would seem to me another thing that is lacking from these various attempts to elucidate a vision for the "counter-Jihad" movement is a articulation of a positive overarching ideology.
It seems to me it is not helpful to have an organization whose sole purpose is to oppose other peoples, institutions and ideas.
Instead, I think a statement of vision is also important. Something along the lines of;
All of us, every single man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth were born with the same unalienable rights; to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And, if the governments of the world can't get that through their thick skulls, then, regime change will be necessary.
;-)
But seriously ...
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