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| Fifth Column |
| Islam can do democracy...really |
| 2004-04-13 |
| Haroon Siddiqui proves we’re wrong once again: from the Toronto Star When grilling Muslims in terrorism-related probes, police often ask about the suspect’s religiosity and politics: "How often do you pray?" "What do you think of America?" Because we know that Muslims are grilled every day in terrorism-related probes. They live in sectioned off ghettos as well. Oh the puppies and baby ducks!!! Measured that way, most Malaysians and Indonesians would be deemed dangerous. They are very religious and very anti-American. Yet both have just overwhelmingly rejected Islamic parties in separate elections. And in Algeria, a secular president won re-election Thursday with the strong support of the leading Islamic party. These developments trump North American stereotypes of Muslims, as well as the racist idea that they, and Islam, are incompatible with democracy. Yup. I’m convinced. Add the mildly Islamist government in Turkey to the mix and you begin to see a healthy democratic pattern. No jokes please, he’s being serious. Contrast this with President George W. Bush’s much-ballyhooed plan to bring democracy to Arabs. The war on Iraq was to serve as the first step in "transforming the Middle East." It could still be transformed, but it will require major surgery and of course there are those that do not wish it transformed. The Marines are working on it at the moment. It was part of what his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, described to the congressional 9/11 commission on Thursday as Bush’s grand design of responding to terrorism "in a strategic sense," not just "a tactical sense." Human rights, women’s empowerment, freedom and elections were to be the antidote to the lure that Osama bin Laden and others held for young Muslims. Who could argue? Obviously you could. Yet, the Bush plan is in ruins. The April 5 Arab summit in Tunis that was to debate it was cancelled. See, he just proved it’s all Bush’s fault! Even reform-minded leaders do not want to be seen doing Bush’s bidding, so toxic is his name due to the invasion and botched occupation of Iraq, plus America’s failure to deliver on the promise of peace between Palestinians and Israelis. That’s because there’s one Yasshole who doesn’t want to undergo a transformation. I wonder why you didn’t include the PA as an example of a healthy democracy. They have a parliament and everything. Not to mention that Iraq was a healthy democracy in the days of Saddam. Yet with little or no American interference, Algerians, Indonesians and Malaysians are working their way through democracy to a moderate course away from past upheavals. Then he goes on to prove that four predominately Islamic countries are in fact, democratic. ... So, in four Muslim nations where people tend to be pious, voters are judging Islamic parties not by piety alone. Yeah, they’re saying jihad is bad for business. And their leaders are giving due deference to Islam without pandering to militancy, while keeping their distance from Bush. Seems they’re keeping a distance from Mecca as well. Is it just a coincidence that the four countries he mentions are quite a ways off from Saudi Arabia? Seems the closer you get to the epicenter the less democratic you become. The moral of the story is this: Islamic identity, always important to Muslims, is becoming more so. This is evident right across the Muslim world, not just in the nations under discussion here. The more successful Muslim leaders are those who, reflecting national sentiment, refuse to turn their countries into American outposts, even while pursuing broadly pro-Western policies. Pro-Western policies like worrying about jobs and the economy rather than waging jihad. And remember, national sentiment is a two edged sword. America will make greater progress with Muslims by accepting Islam on the same rational terms as other religions and by grasping that the post-colonial era of having anti-religious secularists or Islamic toadies doing Washington’s bidding is coming to an end. But...I did accept Islam on the same rational terms as other religions...before 9-11. The more I came to know it since then, the more I realized it wasn’t rational. Perhaps you would do better if you told your Islamist jihadi buddies to stop bombing people in the name of Islam. The future lies in encouraging the growth of genuine, homegrown democracies and in respecting their verdicts. I don’t get this guy. He went out to prove that Islam is compatible with democracy, and he did the exact opposite! He gave four (questionable) examples out of how many?? Sorry. Thanks for playing. Try again. |
| Posted by:Rafael |
| #4 Myself, I'll accept it as a rational religion when I see them respecting other beliefs with the same consideration they demand for theirs. Good thing I am not holding my breath waiting for this to happen... |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2004-04-13 12:04:48 PM |
| #3 America will make greater progress with Muslims by accepting Islam on the same rational terms as other religions ... I'll accept Islam as a rational religion when I finally see wave upon wave of moderate Imams "gloriously" martyring themselves by going into the extremist areas to preach the essential aspect of non-violent religious struggle. Until Muslims everywhere thrust from their ranks those who espouse violent jihad, they will not be taken seriously and for every good reason. The remaining world would be insane to accept Islam on its present terms. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-04-13 11:35:56 AM |
| #2 ...or lard. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2004-04-13 10:26:50 AM |
| #1 "...When grilling Muslims in terrorism-related probes..." ... baste generously with oil... |
| Posted by: Hyper 2004-04-13 9:09:44 AM |