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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 |
| #7 and how many do know and care but are too scared of the consequences to stand against the violence committed in their name. And that's the problem. they won't speak out. They're fightened and have given in to what they feel is "inevitable." such brave moderates would prefer that infidels pull them out of this mess - leaving them blameless. If the west doesn't win, then they will submit as they have done before. Inshallah. Dead has paradise. It's Win Win for doing nothing but wait for the winner and submit. |
| Posted by: Hupomoger Clans9827 2006-02-08 22:38 |
| #6 In a later post Gerhaghty says this, A TIPPING POINT ON ISLAMÂ’S REPUTATION [02/08 06:39 AM] I stand by my reaction of the past couple days. But IÂ’ve also come to a depressing conclusion. A significant chunk of the American public, including a number of prominent thinkers on the right, have concluded that the problem with IslamÂ… is Islam. |
| Posted by: mhw 2006-02-08 18:55 |
| #5 The "cartoon Jihad" is one of the best opportunities for us to unmask the large number of terrorist supporters who up until now have hidden behind a mask of reasonableness, while still hypocritically backing the fanatics. Our intelligence people must be working overtime cataloging the thousands of new hostile faces that have suddenly been illuminated--and done so in a way that accomplishes absolutely nothing! That's right, the Islamists have handed us another major victory by exposing much of their infrastructure. An infrastructure that can now be undermined, surveilled, observed and interfered with. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-02-08 15:25 |
| #4 If it is anywhere, it is keeping its mouth tightly shut lest it be hauled out by the loonies. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2006-02-08 14:18 |
| #3 "You go with what you know." All I know of islam is it's violence, bigotry and a egotistical superiority complex. I haven't seen anything else. If it's a religion of moderation and peace where is the moderation and peace? |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2006-02-08 14:09 |
| #2 And frankly, IÂ’m not all that wowed with the reaction of moderate Muslims. IÂ’m not sure how much further I want to stick my neck out defending a faith community that wonÂ’t loudly and firmly police or rebuke its own members. Amen. The "Fox Turns Chicken" thread at Blair's site is a watershed, IMHO. A self-proclaimed moderate Muslim, raised in a Western country, explaining that she simply will not condemn terrorist groups. Terrorism; yes. If she knows 100% for certain that someone commited a terrorist act, sure -- but then she's already denied believing bin Laden's admission to his role in 9/11 is real. As a Muslim, she feels it is beyond her to judge another Muslim. She would not even harshly judge a Muslim who joins a group involved in terrorism. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-02-08 13:34 |
| #1 Yah, they weren't targeting 5 million Danes; it is OUR throats that the Muslimutt swine are after. Write them off. |
| Posted by: Ulimble Shoth9170 2006-02-08 13:18 |