Approaching Islam

One of the reasons I was excited about Omar and Michael’s request to join me here was the opportunity to engage in a reasonable dialogue about Islam. So far I think we have succeeded. One thing tough struck me. Jason Pappas argued here that Islam itself is the problem, and over at QandO today Tom Perkins argues:

The Poet Omar Wrote:

“I mean we all know all Muslims are nothing but dangerous, violent primitives who respect nothing but the threat of cultural annihilation.”

Thing is Omar, that’s a good enough working description.

What Moslem’s there are who not merely don’t fit that description, but will risk their lives or what wealth they have to oppose it, they don’t seem to amount to much.

That’s coming from someone who doesn’t think much of C. “It’s the Jooos” Ford, BTW.

I take Tom at his word that he is not universally intolerant. I can’t say I have noticed anything to suggest otherwise. I also understand exactly what he is saying. Similarly with Jason, I can see where he is coming from as well, but I think in Jason’s case he is just wrong.

Let us start with Jason. First of all the problem we face is not terrorism per se, and Jason and others have made that argument forcefully and well. However, it isn’t just Islamism either. The Muslim world is filled with fascist, odd Marxist and Islamic totalitarian movements. They have morphed over time and adopted a more Islamic face, Saddam and Arafat presided over steadily more Islamicized states (okay, in Arafat’s case state is hardly accurate, but bear with me) and Assad is moving in that same direction as well, but at their heart they are not dangerous because Islam is dangerous, but because totalitarianism is dangerous. These movements have less in common with the ancient caliphate (and exactly how it was worse than the states of Europe at the time is beyond me) than they do with European fascist, Nazi and communist movements.

I often hear that if Christians were the ones flying planes into buildings we might be worried about non-Muslim fundamentalists in our country as well, but they aren’t. I think that is a very valid point about the problems in the Muslim world now, but I don’t think it has much validity in understanding Islam itself. The past of nations that were majority Christian shows that Christians are perfectly capable of religious terror, and there is plenty in the Bible one can use to justify whatever you want. Our secular movements have given us the Nazi’s, fascism and Stalinism and Leopold’s millions of victims in the Congo. In the case of Spain the fascist movement was specifically Catholic and trying to construct Gods kingdom on earth. Obviously secularists and Christians, as well as other faiths, can justify all manner of horrible things. Obviously mass terror can arise in many cultures. This is not about Islam; it is about totalitarian ideologies, many of them ostensibly secular. So far these totalitarian movements have killed many millions in the Muslim world, and I fear we are in for the “Long War.” Nevertheless the people of Europe have visited even greater horrors upon the world so far, we can’t just claim it is about Islam’s inherent violence. I think Paul Berman said it best:

I assume that Islam, like the other great religions, is a huge piano keyboard on which one could play this tune or that. Islam isn’t the cause of the problem. Islam is the setting of the problem. Islam has offered a language for the totalitarian movements but an anti-totalitarian language could just as easily be drawn out of Islam, and is by some people.

Omar is one of those people. Omar might not like the way I am about to put this, but I would ask Jason and Tom to consider this. Even if we accept Jason’s view that Islam is theologically bound to be violent, and that this interpretation is valid, why argue against other more liberal, if in Jason’s mind incorrect, interpretations? Self interest should drive us to encourage such mental gymnastics on Omar’s part. I don’t look at it this way, but it certainly seems logical. The last thing the Muslim world needs is to hear that Bin Laden and Ahmadinejad have the only correct ways to view Islam. Islam will not go away; we don’t need to insist that Muslims view us as subject to universal dhimmitude in order to be good Muslims.

In that spirit I suggest we all encourage the real liberal democrats in the Muslim community. Where are they? Our media is fascinated by the terrorist appeasers such as CAIR and the radicals. I suggest we support those who are actually fighting on our side in this war of ideas, and so I suggest The American Islamic Congress.(H/T Michael Rubin at The Corner) Sign their petition, read their agenda, support their activities, become a member. We keep demanding to hear from moderate Muslims, how about we actually help real liberal democratic voices be heard. It is in all of our interests, but the Muslim community’s most of all.

Update: Omar has suggested two other organizations: The Libforall Foundation and the Free Muslims Coalition. I have already begun to peruse the sites and they are very impressive. I sincerely suggest that those who are most set in their opinions of Muslims in general should spend the most time finding allies in that community. The stakes are too high. I have known too many Muslims who are not our enemies to give up on the idea that we have common ground.

Update: Omar has suggested two more links, Arabs for Israel and a link to Frontpage magazines profile of Abdul Hadi Palazzi who runs the Cultural Institute for the Italian Islamic Community.