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Islam should not be called fascist
YJCMTSUIslam should not be called fascist, eminent Indian intellectual and journalist M J Akbar told the US-Islamic World Forum yesterday. What do you mean by the term Islamofascist? he asked a task force session on The Name Game: What is the impact of the names we use. While briefing the Gulf Times about his presentation, Akbar, a former member of the Indian Parliament, pointed out that Islam is 1,400 years old whereas fascism appeared only in 1920. So, whatever fascism might be, it cannot be Islamic. On the other hand, there are certain Muslims who are fascists. But you dont blame Islam for this, he maintained. Akbar stated that he does not blame Christianity for Hitler or Robert Mugabe, or the Vatican for Mussolini. Why do you blame Islam? he asked again. In his characteristic style, the editor-in-chief of The Asian Age (India), said that terms, which mean nothing, are commonly used. For instance, look at the term the West and Islam. Islam is a faith and West is geography. How can I compare the geography and faith? he demanded. Akbar asked why the West and South East Asia is not discussed. Then I can tell you how the Indonesians were boiled in water. Why dont you discuss the West and South Asia. I can tell you how the British killed 4mn people, he stated. The speaker observed that those who use the terms against Islam, are indulging in caricature and demonisation, just as they indulged in caricature and demonisation of the Jews in 1950s. To substantiate his point, Akbar took out a caricature of a Jewish man done in Germany, showing him dark and swarthy, when the German Jew was actually white. All your colonisation comes riding on a horse called civilisation, he remarked. Akbar said that the future is not going to be controlled by the axis of evil. We have to get rid of that phrase. Dont replace it with axis of good, because both evil and good are sentimental. What the world needs is the axis of equals, he added. The forum will conclude today. Posted by: ryuge 2007-02-19 |
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