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| Jim Geraghty on the "Cartoon Jihad" |
| 2006-02-08 |
| National Review's Jim Greaghty, who lives in Turkey, had this to say about the cartoon riots yesterday: I’m gonna say this again, in one more attempt to break through to those who have e-mailed in to inform me that I’ve “gone native” and am “embracing dhimmitude”. The initial cartoons were insensitive, provocative, disrespectful, rude, and perfectly legal. Everyone who’s offended by a cartoon has a right to demonstrate, boycott, and express their disapproval in a legal manner. Threats cross the line. Riots cross the line. Burning down embassies not only crosses a line, but constitutes an act of war. This issue is marked by the phenomenon of drawing conclusions about large groups of people based on the actions of a smaller sample. Extremist Muslims are concluding that because one cartoonist did something they find offensive, they can retaliate against any Dane, European, Westerner or Christian. Certain Westerners, including some of my readers, are looking at the violent actions of Muslims on television and concluding, “This is Islam. There’s no such thing as a moderate Muslim. There’s only the rabid, maniacal, homicidal psychotics, and the more polite, patient or lazy ones.” I don’t know what to do next. There seems to be an awful lot of enthusiasm for an all-out Huntingtonian “Clash of Civilizations” — it’s Apocalypse Now, Armagideon time, let’s Ragnarok and Roll. Maybe non-Muslims’ patience with the Muslim world, four years and change after 9/11, has run out. I’d hate to see this; I don’t want to believe that the world’s one billion Muslims are my enemy, irredeemable, incapable of coexisting with the values of the West. A signifigant number of Moslems are friendlies--in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Lebanon, not to mention the young Iranians who want the mullahs gone. It's east to forget that sometimes. A significant chunk of the public is tired of half-measures. I hope our leaders are picking up on this, and can come up with some wise course of action. In a followup post today, he cites some pretty ferocious reactions by Fred Barnes, Michael Medved, and the RedState community: These are not the reactions of bigots or haters. These are the reactions of men and women whose patience is exhausted. . . . Maybe when you see a thug in training carrying a sign saying “Islam will dominate” at Ground Zero in Manhattan, it’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back. As a Red State contibutor said, “Not there. Not ever.” I know, from my experiences, that there are significant numbers of Muslims who have no beef with the West, who want to live the American dream, who can practice their faith and coexist with other religions. I’ve documented their efforts to take back their faith from the bin Ladens of the world. But apparently they are too quiet. I wonder how many Muslims understand how the actions of the embassy-torching maniacs define their faith to so many. I wonder how many don’t know, how many don’t care, and how many do know and care but are too scared of the consequences to stand against the violence committed in their name. I’m trying to articulate my positive experiences with Muslims over here to my readers, but it’s not as powerful and penetrating an image as screaming lunatics burning down embassies and threatening to behead anyone who they believe has insulted them. And frankly, I’m not all that wowed with the reaction of moderate Muslims. I’m not sure how much further I want to stick my neck out defending a faith community that won’t loudly and firmly police or rebuke its own members. It’s depressing, but maybe we've got to go through this... delaying a clash might be just postponing the inevitable... |
| Posted by:Mike |
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| Posted by: Hupomoger Clans9827 2006-02-08 22:38 |
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| Posted by: mhw 2006-02-08 18:55 |
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| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-02-08 15:25 |
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| Posted by: eLarson 2006-02-08 14:18 |
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| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-02-08 14:09 |
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| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-02-08 13:34 |
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| Posted by: Ulimble Shoth9170 2006-02-08 13:18 |