THE CABAL
| "Muslim!" Now Available In Insult Form | |
| Too many Americans caricature my community | |
 by Ali Eteraz, December 11, 2007
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"Muslim!" is quickly becoming one of the worse insults to call someone.
When a Presidential candidate—Barack Obama—is so much as (falsely) rumored to be Muslim, it is considered a smear. Mr. Obama, a Christian, and the son of an atheist and a Christian, has to keep five signed letters from Christian clergy in his office, just in case.
Even a Presidential candidate who comes from a marginalized religious background— Mitt Romney—cannot accept the idea of a Muslim in the cabinet.
When a Muslim gets elected to Congress—Keith Ellison—he is asked to prove his loyalty to the United States. Then, people become agitated when some shock-jock tells them that Ellison was planning on giving allegiance to the Quran, when in fact, a Congressman's preferred holy book is just used for photo-op purposes after the swearing in on the US Constitution.
According to a survey cited by the Washington Post, conducted by the Pew Center for the People and the Press, 45 percent of respondents said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for any office who is Muslim. Compare this with the 25 percent who said the same about a Mormon candidate and 16 percent who said the same for an Evangelical Christian.
In a 2004 survey by Cornell university, almost half of the national respondents favored curtailing the civil liberties of Muslims. An astonishing 40 percent of Republicans wanted American Muslims to register their whereabouts (24 percent of Democrats).
Average Muslims are routinely asked to condemn terrorism (as if it was their family member that committed 9/11). Yet, a simple Google search reveals that plenty of Muslims have condemned terrorism. The first hit for the query "Muslims condemn terrorism" as well as the query "Muslims do not condemn terrorism" both produce a list with hundreds of Muslim condemnations. It doesn't get simpler than that.
Every day numerous Americans pretend as if the world is devoid of common, decent Muslims. Just as recently as Friday the New York Times published an op-ed article entitled "Islam's Silent Moderates" which wonders why Muslims did not speak out against the rape tragedy in Saudi Arabia, the teddy bear fiasco in Sudan, or the persecution of feminist writer Taslima Nasreen in India. Yet, four days prior to the publication of the article, a Muslim writing at a reputable Left magazine condemned the injustice in Saudi Arabia, Sudan and India (among many others), calling his unjust co-religionists "dimwits." Yet, according to the New York Times op-ed, this Muslim doesn't exist.
There are some Americans who recognize the demonization for what it is, and how it is comparable to previous instances of American demonization. In an email to me, a very prominent American blogger writes: "We [gays] always used to have to condemn every pedophile, as if we were in charge, and as if we were somehow pedophiles. Same line of attack. I've often made this point that the attacks on Muslims and gays are very very similar."
There is a stubborn resistance among many Americans to the idea that Muslims are a multifarious and diverse group of 1.2 billion humans, living in every nation and culture of the world.
All Muslims do not act the same. Today in Canada one Muslim organization is suing a magazine for publishing what it believes is Islamophobic material, while another Muslim organization is supporting the magazine's right to publish the offending material. This is just one example of a very self-evident point. To give more examples would simply insult mine and the reader's intelligence. Yet, perhaps such mutual insults are necessary when some of the world's most celebrated novelists publicly exclaim that "there is no individual" in Islam.
Muslims are well aware that their co-religionists are being unjust towards women, are using the name of Islam to chase political power, have killed people in the name of Islam. But the fact is: it has been Muslims who have been at the forefront of resisting these injustices, and it will always be that way, so the rest of us can either get to know these Muslims or stop pretending like we know what we are talking about.
Long before 2001 when Islamic reformation became in vogue, Muslims whose teachers were executed and who had to go into exile, were writing books about it.
Long before America cared about the rights of women in the Muslim world, Muslim women were launching anti-honor killing jihads.
One of the most far reaching attacks against Islamically sanctioned forced marriages has been a film from Pakistan, not a vitriolic screed written in a high-end magazine in London.
Whenever there is progress in the Muslim world, it is because of something Muslims themselves accomplish. After witnessing the insane amount of Shia-Sunni killing in Iraq, it was Muslims who were able to get together and reach an accord to stymie the violence. We should not forget that the crushing blow against Soviet Union did not come from the West, it came from inside the Soviet Union, and from behind the Iron Curtain. Even a cursory indulgence in the state of Islamic reform will reveal that the same is occurring in the Muslim world today.
Putting aside what Muslims outside of America are doing, it bears asking why American Muslims are so reviled given that they have been almost model citizens.
An April 2002 survey by Cornell University showed that 26 percent of American Muslim households earn more than $100,000. An astonishing 66 percent of American Muslim households earn more than $50,000. Given that American Muslims number between 3 to 7 million in this country, that is a fair deal of taxes contributed to this country.
Further, Zogby International found that while only 8.6 percent of Americans have advanced degrees, that number is 32 percent for American Muslims.
A free clinic serving underserved areas run by American-Muslims in Los Angeles was recently recognized by Congress. One of my good friends runs another similar clinic in Las Vegas.
Average Americans have to stop and ask ourselves how we allowed "Muslim" to become such an insult and what to do about it. Here are some suggestions:
- Make a distinction between a "Muslim" and an "American-Muslim." The former should refer to people of the Islamic faith around the world. The latter should refer to Muslims in the United States. The two words are not interchangeable.
- Consider that American Muslim organizations that purport to speak for American Muslims do not in fact uniformly do so. American Muslims organize in many ways beyond those of affiliation with national organizations.
- Consider that Black and Latino Muslims in America are increasingly one of the larger subset of American Muslims. This means that nearly 1/3rd of American Muslims do not, in appearance or language, conform to the usual stereotypes. Of the seven "Best Blogs" nominated this year in an Islamic blog award, two are by caucasian-muslims, three by immigrant-muslims, one by a black-muslim, and one by a latino-muslim. The award has been won by a Latina-Muslim woman for two years running.
- Realize that while most Arabs are Muslims, not all Arabs are Muslim (many are Christian). Further, while some Muslims are Arabs, most Muslims are not Arab. Globally, only 18% of Muslims are Arab.
- It also might be advisable to make a distinction between a Muslim and an Islamist. A Muslim is someone who adheres to Islam. An Islamist is someone who wants to live under an Islamic theocracy. Most Muslims that live in the West have no interest in Islamism. In fact, most of them came here only to escape theocracies and tyrannies.
Finally, it is worth considering that for Americans to make collective demands on Muslims groups should be deemed completely beyond the pale. If we as a society are going to make collective demands on a group, then we are implying that collective punishment is appropriate as well. It might be worth remembering that the rationale Bin Laden used justify his attacks against innocent American civilians was based on the idea that all Americans are collectively responsible for their country's policies.
NEXT: Stephen Suleyman Schwartz explains Why I Became a Muslim
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Ali Eteraz, 27, is a columnist for Jewcy, a politics and culture magazine. He also contributes regularly to the More... |
LY
muslims
some of my best friends are muslims.
Olivier
What's in a name?
American-muslims? Latina-muslims? Somehow this subdividing makes me uneasy.
And as most people don't know the difference between Arabs, Persians, Pakistanis and Indonesians, I fear the subtleties of a black hispanic muslim woman living in the U.S. will escape them.
khalid mir
Interesting article ,
Interesting article , ali.
I think it goes hand in hand with the worrying trend in the so-called muslim world to talk about "the west" as a monolithic entity and the rise of conspiracy theorists who relate everything back to "the Jew".
So, yes, perhaps the purists-or the inclination to abstraction in all of us-tends to want to reduce complexities to such simple categorizations. And no doubt the reluctance or inability to think of muslims in the plural, as "liminal communities", influenced by language, ethnicity, culture and class serves particular political interests.
But here's my question, Ali: is it possible to go too far down in the other direction and not take into account the universal, or what is 'given'? I mean, is it also not a bit too convenient for late capitalism to talk about *all* identity being fluid, 'constructed'?
Hope all is well,
salaams,
b.
Anonymous
Muslims being persecuted?
Nonsense, there are three billion of them and they own half the world and don't allow non Muslims enough freedom to vote much less criticize their country.
Be glad you live Ali! This is a country where even a Muslim can criticize on Muslims without being beheaded, get it?
Qunfuz
Thanks
An excellent and much-needed article. The current climate, in Europe as in the States, is becoming scarily Islamophobic. The complacent generalisations keep on coming. It certainly doesn't help anyone to understand the very real traumas that are afflicting important parts of the Muslim world. We need many more Ali Eterazes.
anonymous
Muslims are not the "new
Muslims are not the "new Jews." Most of the attacsk on Jews in Western Europe is being carried out by Muslisms.
Muse
Thanks
I'm glad you're out there saying these things, because the latent hostility in the US to "Mozlems" has already defeated me. It took 4 months of living in Egypt to make me realize the effect it had on me. I no longer have the energy to do anything to defend or explain my existence and beliefs. All I can do is nod along to everything you wrote here.
Ismail
Like Olivier, I too am
Like Olivier, I too am perplexed that your first suggestion is to make a distinction between "Muslim" and "American-Muslim". What purpose would this serve, except to tacitly suggest that there is something purifying about being an American, or, conversely, to suggest that non-US Muslims are per se more suspicious than the home grown variety. This will do no one any good.
Otherwise, my admiration for the article is tempered only by my anger that such a mild and sensible set of ideas would require enunciating in 2007.
Adam Shprintzen
I think that Ali's point
I think that Ali's point regarding the "American-Muslim" and "Muslim" distinction is to just point out how integral the Muslim community is in the United States, and not necessarily as a sign of the magic cureall that is the Americanization process. Otherwise I, *gulp* agree with all of Ismail's senitments above me. It is particularly heartbreaking to hear vile statements coming from members of the Jewish community. Perhaps it is unfair (or just plain wrong) for me to expect the community en mass to be above such lunacy. Yet somehow I suppose I do expect more.
I will add one-more addendum as well...can we also get rid of the term "the Arab street" or "the Muslim street." Again, it implies the same level of monolithic thinking that you are demythologizing in this article.
zbird
it's a disturbing generalization--indeed, racism
...to treat all Muslims as the enemies of civilization, and Ali is correct to condemn such shoddy, hateful thinking.
On the other hand, I don't think you can say anything meaningful about international affairs or public policy without speaking to some degree in generalizations. For example, should we not study poverty for fear that nothing we say about poor people (other than the tautological) can be true about all poor people?
Running parallel with the rise of anti-Muslim prejudice is a politically-correct aversion among leftists (particularly academics) to make any generalization about Muslims for fear of being labeled a racist. Even if moderates don't accept them, the fact remains that the most dangerous and widespread terrorists in the world today call themselves Muslim. Also, not insignificant numbers of Muslims seek to undermine Western humanist values such as free speech, tolerance, the separation of church and state, and women's rights. Nevertheless, much of western culture seems incapable of calling a spade a spade and--in a reasoned tone, without condemning all Muslims--examining the problem for what it is.
This was perfectly illustrated in Abe Greenwald's recent piece about the latest French riots: http://www.jewcy.com/cabal/psst_french_rioters_are_muslim
I don't think it's a coincidence that dangerous prejudice against Muslims is growing just as the mainstream media finds itself unable to utter the word "Muslim" whenever Islamism (as Ali defines it) rears its ugly head. I suspect the extremism and racism is an unhealthy but natural reaction to inability of government and mainstream media to recognize Muslim problems as Muslim.
--Z
Anonymous
Adam- Very menschlich of
Adam-
Very menschlich of you to express agreement with me despite our long history of take-no-prisoners battles.
If it helps, you might try referring to me as "American-Ismail" in the future, lest the uninformed confuse me with all those untrustworthy Ismails out there.
Adam Shprintzen
Hey, us CUNY products have
Hey, us CUNY products have to hang together. Despite appearances to the otherwise, I think that we probably agree on far more fundamentals than are obvious. Though I am guessing that we will never agree about hummus. Or baba ghanouj probably for the same reasons (though my sephardic side does give me a modicum of eggplant-related expertise).
In some ways I suppose this issue has been on my mind as of late, working with a group out here in Chicago doing Muslim-Jewish outreach around social justice issues. The project itself has been wonderful; I've been ashamed by some of the responses of people that I thought were fairly reasonable within the Jewish community when telling them about it. Thankfully not rabbis and other leaders who are quite supportive.
D from SD
Adam, I appreciate what
Adam, I appreciate what you're saying and doing. I often find myself baffled and angered by the antisemitism in my own community, too, because I somehow expect them to be above it and even the voices I find generally reasonable will say something crazy and disheartening from time to time. Fortunately, my Imam is one of the good guys and is working to build bigger bridges between the tiny Jewish and Muslim communities here in Northern Arizona, as are several Orthodox Jewish friends of mine. It's a start.
Anonymous
I wonder why
Hmmm, I wonder why Muslims have a bad reputation in the world today...
Anonymous
I don't wonder why!
One more reason:
"Libel Tourism, coming soon to a town near you"
About Muslims use of libel laws to silence their critics.
read the whole article here:
http://pajamasmedia.com/xpress/rogerkimball/2007/12/08/libel_tourism_com...
Deb Debka
Monday night, Dec. 10 Cairo
Monday night, Dec. 10 Cairo announced plans to resume diplomatic relations with Tehran. An Egyptian emissary was sent to Iran to discuss the resumption of relations after 27 years. DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources report that this step was part of an initiative for Saudi Arabian, Jordanian and Egyptian leaders to come together in a new summit to embrace the Syrian ruler and bridge their policy differences with the radical Syrian-Tehran line.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will be invited and urged still more emphatically to starting patching up his Fatah’s quarrel with the extremist Hamas and adapt to the newly emergent Arab reality with a tougher line against Israel. DEBKAfile’s Middle East sources report: The road to radicalization embarked on by this central Arab bloc is the direct result of the dialogue Washington has opened with Tehran, while also reflecting the ubiquitous Arab drive for unity.
Saturday, Abbas sent Ahmad Qureia, head of the Palestinian negotiating team with Israel, to Damascus for guidance from Syrian officials on future tactics in these negotiations.
He was preceded by Bassam Iwadallah, personal adviser to Jordan’s King Abdullah, who informed Syrian officials of the king’s initiative for a new Arab summit to restore their ruler to the Arab fold. The Jordanian official disclosed that the king was fully engaged in bids to heal the rifts between Saudi Arabia and Syria, and the Palestinians and Syria.
Bashar Assad responded favorably by sending Syrian foreign minister Walid Moualem to Amman Sunday, Dec. 9, where he was personally received by Abdullah. He also sent the Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal to Riyadh Saturday, on two errands:
1. To let Hamas’ Saudi bankers hand out the directive for a nod to Fatah overtures to his movement for a reconciliation - with effect in Gaza and Lebanon.
2. To embody the Assad regime’s willingness to begin coordinating its policies with fellow Arab rulers.
DEBKAfile reports that Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert will find a different Abbas when they meet Wednesday, Dec. 12, to start the talks for a Palestinian state that were kicked off at the Middle East conference in Annapolis last month. The Palestinian leader will now be following fresh guidelines from the Arab bloc which is emerging from the chrysalis of Washington’s direct engagement with Tehran, rather than conforming with the spirit of Annapolis
D from SD
"Hmmm, I wonder why Muslims
"Hmmm, I wonder why Muslims have a bad reputation in the world today..."
To a large extent because it serves certain socio-political and religious interests to demonize Muslims by playing up every bad thing any Muslim does and downplay any bad thing anyone else does (and disconnect it from their religion).
"One more reason: "Libel Tourism, coming soon to a town near you" About Muslims use of libel laws to silence their critics. read the whole article here: http://pajamasmedia.com/xpress/rogerkimball/2007/12/08/libel_tourism_com...
Hmm, well I've certainly never seen Jewish organizations use legal or economic pressures against antisemites (real or perceived), so I guess you got me there.
I'm wondering why the Muslim-hating commenters on Jewcy are usually averse to signing a name. What are you afraid of?
Raichu
Intolerance and hate are different things
I believe that every individual should be regarded as just that, an individual, and not be judged on the basis of group identity.
I own a copy of the Quran. I'm familiar with it's message. Though Islam is too inane to be believed, I do keep a copy of Islam's book around for reference. The Quran is the most hateful book ever written. On nearly every page, non-Muslims are mentioned in a way that is hugely derogatory. In this book is a timeless call to war for everyone who believes against those who don't. This isn't a one or two passage affair, hatred toward non-believers (Jews and Christians in particular) is almost the only message that the Quran teaches, and it is commanded to continue until Islam envelops the world.
I don't doubt that there are people who claim to be peaceful Muslims. I understand that they believe their religion was established by a peaceful man who wanted a continuation of Biblical behavior. But they only know of the Islam that they are being taught. They are not actual Muslims.
Islam has been at war with the world since Islam was invented by a charlatan to satisfy his urges for sex, money, and power. Currently, Islam is at war with Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and others. None of these religions are at war with one another. Islamic nations are involved in four-fifths of the world's armed conflicts, though they only account for one-sixth of the global population, so they are many times more violent than the rest of us.
Scripture tells us that we are not to accept or tolerate in God's name or character anything that is untrue, and this includes any false religion. When it comes to deceptive and destructive doctrines corrupting the hearts of men, YHWH (why exactly are you scared of His name?) isn't at all tolerant, and He doesn't want us to be either.
Here is a helpful link that most of you will ignore. Most people won't spend 40 hours of their lives learning who wants them dead and what it will take to stop them, but for those who do, I invite you to read Prophet of Doom. Some of you may not fully appreciate Craig's ideological perspective, but it enables him to put Islam in the context of scripture so you can better understand why today's events are happening, and that they were predicted thousands of years ago.
http://www.prophetofdoom.net/Islamic_Terrorism_Timeline.Islam
Read the introduction to the timeline, then read the book. It is the most honest and complete guide to Islam in existence.
Though the prevailing sentiment is that we need to be more tolerant, in fact, we need to be far more discerning. Our tolerance problem is that we are far too tolerant toward a doctrine that kills. And should anyone be confused, intolerance does not mean the same thing as hate. Intolerance is the unwillingness to accept, which should be our attitudes toward anything false (i.e. religions). Hate is enmity toward your fellowman. It is possible to love someone and be completely intolerant of their convictions. It is an attitude requiring courage to show, and to save Muslims from themselves takes concern and commitment.
Anonymous
Am
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations appointed by George Bush is a muslim.
Anonymous
The Quran is the most
The Quran is the most hateful book ever written.
I read exactly the same words written about the Torah many times. With examples and commentaries. Will you condemn both books?
Umm Zaid
Thank you, Ali, for this
Thank you, Ali, for this piece; thank you, Jewcy, for printing it; and thank you to the intelligent commenters. Oddly, it is the people like... well like many of the "anonymous" posters (and Raichu) here who are doing exactly what Ali describes. Did you read his words, or are you part of that pitchfork mob that looks for any mention of Muslims in any article so that you can copy and paste your comments about Eevul Mozlems?
Anonymous
Muslims
need to fight antisemitism in the Arab world before they start yelling about "islamophobia."
Otherwise no one will take them seriously.
Anonymous
scary, indeed....
well, if anyone picks up a newspaper in the US these days, you will find anti-muslim verbiage virtually everywhere, that would not be tolerated if it were made toward any other ethnic or religious group. the level of suspicion and endless 'hints' of questionable behavior suggested in the media should be legally challenged by muslim groups everywhere. it is slanderous and not unlike screaming 'fire' in a crowded theatre. as is usual in situations like this, it's the people doing the screaming who need to be examined, meaning the source - not their targets, who are being made scapegoats. it's a tired old, sleazy tactic. in the propaganda war that now rages in the US, Iran has been made to look like a murderous nation that invades its neighbors and kills innocents, yet that is exactly what has been done by the US and Israel during the last 5 years. why is it ok to say publicly that barak obama 'doesn't have 'muslim' proclivities', as if it's a good thing, but if anyone were to dare say that hillary clinton either had or didn't have 'jewish' or 'zionist' tendencies, they'd probably be crucified. if i were muslim, i'd find all of it highly offensive....and would most likely point the finger at the neo-con establishment for inciting ethnic/religious hatred and divisiveness.
D from SD
Anonymous Jews need to
Anonymous
Jews need to fight Islamaphobia in America, Canada, and Israel before they start yelling about "antisemitism". Otherwise no one will take them seriously.
Anonymous
Islamophobic=Naziphobia
I'll respect Islam when they stop blowing up, beheading innocent civilians around the world and stop their vitriolic anti-semitism. Until then shut the hell up!
Anonymous
Stop Islam
If American Jews do not wake up to danger, and do not do everything in their power to discourage Muslim immigration and influence in the US and EU, then the future for Jews in the US, EU, and Israel will be bleak.
Even "moderate," assimilated Muslims in the USA believe all sorts of nonsense about Jews. If they are able to influence secular and Christian Americans, the result will be the destruction of Israel and of the Jewish people.
Ali is a reasonable man. One millions Alis are dangerous.
AmberPasternak
overheard at work
"i don't have a problem with muslims. i mean, i do, but i don't." woman goes on to explain that a "group of muslims" beat the crap out of a friend of a friend. i found her ease at lumping all muslims together (and implication that the reason for the attack was linked to their muslimness) disturbing. she was talking about people in their late teens/early twenties in the midwest.
Anonymous
Why I don't trust Muslims:
"Hamas-sympathizing juror behind terror mistrial
May have misled prosecutors during jury selection"
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59187
Anonymous
Hearsay evidence
"overheard at work"
Proof Amber, where is the proof?
AmberPasternak
evidence?
so i should go around tape recording people and posting it for proof of xenophobia? i'm not naming names of racists. i'm saying it is disturbing what people feel comfortable saying out loud in public places. and if this is what they tink is acceptable in public . . . what are they saying at home or with friends? she wouldn't have said a "group of christians beat the crap out of this guy i know."
LY
Ly
Are you sure that muslim guy actully know the person was Jewish when he decided to help him?
Anonymous
Yes, evidence
"and if this is what they tink is acceptable in public . . . what are they saying at home or with friends?"
Who cares what they are saying at home or with friends?
I care about Muslims trying to blow up people and not about what people are saying. I also care about Muslims in jail forcing non Muslims to convert to their religion in England and in Canada.
I can perfectly well understand that women's sentiments and a certain amount of generalization is unavoidable. If a group of Muslims or Jews or Puerto Ricans, or white people attack someone there is no way not say a group of X attacked such and such a person.
There are more hate crimes in the US and in Europe, btw, against Jews than against Muslims.
http://patdollard.com/2007/11/19/hey-cair-stfu-hate-crimes-against-muslims-disproportionately-low/
Anonymous
Eteraz and his article, Muslims and violence
I came here from Mr Eteraz's blog at
http://eteraz.wordpress.com/2007/12/11/muslim-now-available-in-insult-form
I left a comment, but it appears not to have been accepted. Thats OK, it is not like I have never been censored by Muslims for telling them the truth about Islam.
Here is what I wrote:
You are surprised at the "immense latent hostility towards Muslims"?
Why? Could it have anything to do with the hate and violence that Islam preaches and does? End that and the problem goes away -- or just blame everybody else for Muslims' problems, like Muslims always do. Of course, Muslims will not end the violence because they don't see it has a problem. The problem is the hostility of infidels, remember. If Muslims recognize the hate and violence as a 'Muslim problem' they can't blame it on everybody else, can they? If hate and violence is a Muslim problem then the cause might even be Islam. Oh no!
On a personal note, I became 'hostile' when Muslims started threatening me and my family. Of course, those people are not 'real Muslims'. Of course. Just because a person says the shahada (profession of faith), observes the 5 pillars of Islam, goes to the mosque every Friday, has memorized half of the Quran, wears a beard, and is named 'Mohammud' - this does not mean that he is a 'real' Muslim.
So I started reading the Quran, ahadith and early works of Islam. It is not a nice story about nice people doing nice things. Then I noticed that Muslims were rarely honest about Islam when it comes to the difficult issues, the hard questions. Yes, Muslims have even been known to lie about Islam. Shocking!
http://www.kactuzkid.com/lies.html
I noticed that Muslims use excuse after excuse after excuse. It is always the 'others' fault. It is never Islam. In Islam, there is never any soul-searching and even less honesty, even among the so-called moderates.
That is why the situation not only does not change, but gets worse. The future will not be nice, and I blame (among other things) Islamic hate and violence for much of the misery that is to come.
J Kactuz
Anonymous
"Perhaps it is unfair (or
"Perhaps it is unfair (or just plain wrong) for me to expect the community en mass to be above such lunacy."
Adam, with all due respect, I think such expectations are what prevent too many Jews from viewing many vital issues critically enough. The world has suffered as a result.
The large crowd that says "All Israel wants is peace" all too easily turns a blind eye to Israeli government misdeeds and cynical provocation, which creates and maintains an environment where more land can be grabbed.
Also, as you probably already agree, Israeli soldiers and settlers are not immune from the Lucifer effect, so evident among some American soldiers and private contractors in Iraq.
Control without supervision breeds sadism, even among territorially covetous Jews. The fact that such sadism and provocation has been known since the 30's by its practitioners to encourage the policy of territorial expansion, makes such assumptions of Jewish ethical superiority all the more destructive.
If more Jews would awaken as you have to the moral falibility of fellow tribe members, there would be much healthier debate about a variety of critically urgent issues.
We could use more outspoken Jewish leadership on the issues of Mid East peace, the media's participation and enabling of the demonization of Muslims, and the role of Jewish individuals and organizations in this disastrous foreign policy and constitutional assault.
Sorry for the rant, and it may be "monolithic thinking." I certainly appreciate every example of it's demythologization, at whatever cost to solidarity in the "Jewish community."
Anonymous
"The large crowd that says
"The large crowd that says "All Israel wants is peace" all too easily turns a blind eye to Israeli government misdeeds and cynical provocation, which creates and maintains an environment where more land can be grabbed. "
You changed the subject, buster.
It's also not true that Jews have not been critical of Israeli policies. What they are not is anti-Israel as you seem to be. It's one thing to criticize policies it's another to attack the existence of the Jewish State.
Most Muslims don't make such a distinction which is another reaosn they are mistrusted.
Anonymous
"The large crowd that says
"The large crowd that says "All Israel wants is peace" all too easily turns a blind eye to Israeli government misdeeds and cynical provocation, which creates and maintains an environment where more land can be grabbed. "
You changed the subject, buster.
It's also not true that Jews have not been critical of Israeli policies. What they are not is anti-Israel as you seem to be. It's one thing to criticize policies it's another to attack the existence of the Jewish State.
Most Muslims don't make such a distinction which is another reaosn they are mistrusted.
Anonymous
Poor, misunderstood muslims
Where is the mass of so-called 'moderate' muslims speaking out or demonstrating against the many acts of worldwide islamic terror? Nowhere, that's where! The fact is that to be an accepting member of this belief-system is to fall in lockstep with all of its fascistic actions. Islam means submission. The west, with its naive and 'compassionate' children of its permissive culture is fertile ground for the propagandists preaching their 'Islam is a religion of peace' mantra. These foolish delusional people are todays equivalent of the 'useful idiots', that famous remark by Lenin referring to the American Liberal-Left who were quick to support and defend the Bolsheviks and communists in Russia after WW1.
Headless Hearts
Are you kidding?
First, our media goes out of its way not to call muslims out when they carry out terrorist attacks and when they are called out, they call them militants & insurgents. Please... they're terrorists.
Second, I don't know if you noticed, but virtually all the terrorists in the world are muslim. Not Christian. Not Budddhist. Not even Irish Catholic anymore. Muslim. So while all muslims are not terrorists, all terrorists are muslim. You have to deal with that... and you can't blame skeptics who wonder if your religion is really a religion of peace.
Third, a google search of "muslims condemn Islam" is not the same as oh... say... some percentage of the world's muslims joining in solidarity on one sunny afternoon to protest the perversion of their religion by fanatics. That's not going to happen though because your religion has been hijacked.
Fourth, you have no idea how inverted your opinion is on the Dennis Prager issue with Keith Ellison. Mr. Prager wanted Mr. Ellison to bring a Quran and a Bible to honor both Islam and the dominant religion in the US. The greatest irony is that Ellison brought Thomas Jefferson's Quran which was given to Thomas Jefferson as a gift. You'll never believe what's inscribed in that book... "Know your enemy" (I paraphrase).
Fifth, Christians, not muslims, are seen as public enemy #1 in America. Ask the ACLU.
Sixth, I have no sympathy for this article. Every day, every hour, every minute, Jews are being defamed all over the muslim world. Mickey Mouse gets killed by Israelis... Palestinian kids even recite poetry about cherishing the day they will become martyrs. Until you publish an article about the anti-Jewish smear in the muslim world, this article is just a bunch of hot air. A jew would never get this much play and sympathy in a muslim publication.
Seventh, at least we can agree that American-Muslims are completely decent and tend not to be radicalized. However, that is such a small minority of the world's BILLION Muslims that their impact is negligible.
FINALLY, The Muslim world needs to blame others less and blame itself more. You have to be kidding to blame America. Muslim's have never had it so good except here. And they're not alone... Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Buddhist, Hindus... they all flock to one country and one country only... Your article is irresponsible.
Anonymous
"Muslim!" Now Available In Insult Form
What an amazing article. Excellent! We need more minds like yours in this world!
Anonymous
Quote the polls correctly, Ali
Ali Eteraz does his usual thing--spins and uses selective facts and quotes. He uses the Pew poll on religion, but quotes the inflated (read: False) figures of Muslim population in America. There are not 3 to 7 million Muslims in America. The Pew Reasearch Group puts the Muslim population of the U.S. at 2.35 million (cite).
The poll also discovered that
<blockquote>Relatively few Muslim Americans believe the U.S.-led war on terror is a
sincere effort to reduce terrorism, and many doubt that Arabs were
responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Just 40% of Muslim Americans say
groups of Arabs carried out those attacks.</blockquote>
Another fact that Eteraz glosses over is the fact that more Americans would refuse to vote for an atheist (cite) than for any minority religion candidate.
Here are the complete figures:
<blockquote>In general, being a Mormon is viewed as far less of a liability for a
presidential candidate than not believing in God or being a Muslim.
Roughly six-in-ten Americans (61%) say they would be less likely to
vote for a candidate who does not believe in God, while 45% say they
would be reluctant to vote for a Muslim. At the same time, more people
express reservations about voting for a Mormon (25%) than about
supporting a candidate who is an evangelical Christian (16%), a Jew
(11%) or a Catholic (7%). </blockquote>
No, Muslims are not a monolithic group. But they are the group responsible for neary all of the terrorist attacks in the world today. Gee. Why do people mistrust Muslims? I can't for the life of me figure that one out.
Fuad Husseini
I think the British teacher
I think the British teacher in Sudan should have been executed, not for defaming Islam, but for ignoring the cultural sensitivities of the Sudanese. The Sudanese have enought problems maintaining their unique culture with the West boycotting it, and US led efforts to detach Darfur and Southern Sudan from soverieng Sudan
Anonymous
This says it all
"I think the British teacher in Sudan should have been executed, not for defaming Islam, but for ignoring the cultural sensitivities of the Sudanese...." Fuad Husseini
Yes, Fuad, and you still want Americans not to hate you!
David Kelsey
Not the point
"
Even a Presidential candidate who comes from a marginalized religious background— Mitt Romney—cannot accept the idea of a Muslim in the cabinet."
That's actually quite funny. I mean, it's unacceptable, but it is hysterical that Romney would draw a line like that.
"But the fact is: it has been Muslims who have been at the forefront
of resisting these injustices, and it will always be that way, so the
rest of us can either get to know these Muslims or stop pretending like
we know what we are talking about."
Look, Ali...no one has an issue with moderate Left Muslims. And no reasonable person denies there are major Muslim Intellectuals (I mean, you guys invented algebra, for crying out loud) and political dissidents.
But that isn't who people are worried about...right?
Headless Hearts
This says it all... I SECOND THAT!
Yeah Fuad...
One only hopes that you're one of these guys who just writes that kind of stuff to stir trouble and doesn't really mean it. However, given the pre-occupation of Muslim life with "losing face," and being "offended" by every little cartoon or teddy bear, I suspect you actually do mean it.
Honest people reading these comments need to realize that people like Fuad Husseini exist and they don't really care about the political correctness of the West. They would love to punish anyone with severe physical violence just for INSULTING anything about their religion.
What percentage of Islam is like Fuad... Hashem only knows.
Grow a thicker skin, Fuad.
Roni
Correction! Muslims did not invent Algebra
The ancient Greeks and Indians already had a working knowledge of algebra 1000 years before the rise of islam.
Anonymous
I deny that
"Look, Ali...no one has an issue with moderate Left Muslims. And no reasonable person denies there are major Muslim Intellectuals (I mean, you guys invented algebra, for crying out loud) and political dissidents."
We are talking about a culture that translates (out of tens of thousand published each year) a measly 300 plus book a year into Arabic from other languages.
Greece by contrast translates over five hundred every year.
The French translate thousands each year. I could go on.
Anonymous
History of algebra is a lot more complex David Kelsey
From wikipedia:
“The origins of algebra can be traced to the ancient Babylonians,[2] who developed an advanced arithmetical system with which they were able to do calculations in an algebraic fashion. With the use of this system they were able to apply formulas and calculate solutions for unknown values for a class of problems typically solved today by using linear equations, quadratic equations, and indeterminate linear equations. By contrast, most Egyptians of this era, and most Indian, Greek and Chinese mathematicians in the first millennium BC, usually solved such equations by geometric methods, such as those described in the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, Sulba Sutras, Euclid's Elements, and The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art. The geometric work of the Greeks, typified in the Elements, provided the framework for generalizing formulae beyond the solution of particular problems into more general systems of stating and solving equations. The word "algebra" is named after the Arabic word "al-jabr" from the title of the book al-Kitāb al-muḫtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-ğabr wa-l-muqābala, meaning The book of Summary Concerning Calculating by Transposition and Reduction, a book written by the Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-khwārizmī in 820. The word Al-Jabr means "reunion". The Hellenistic mathematician Diophantus has traditionally been known as "the father of algebra" but debate now exists as to whether or not Al-Khwarizmi should take that title.[3] Those who support Al-Khwarizmi point to the fact that much of his work on reduction is still in use today and that he gave an exhaustive explanation of solving quadratic equations. Those who support Diophantus point to the fact that the algebra found in Al-Jabr is more elementary than the algebra found in Arithmetica and that Arithmetica is syncopated while Al-Jabr is fully rhetorical.[4] Another Persian mathematician, Omar Khayyam, developed algebraic geometry and found the general geometric solution of the cubic equation. The Indian mathematicians Mahavira and Bhaskara II, and the Chinese mathematician Zhu Shijie, solved various cases of cubic, quartic, quintic and higher-order polynomial equations. Another key event in the further development of algebra was the general algebraic solution of the cubic and quartic equations, developed in the mid-16th century. The idea of a determinant was developed by Japanese mathematician Kowa Seki in the 17th century, followed by Gottfried Leibniz ten years later, for the purpose of solving systems of simultaneous linear equations using matrices. Gabriel Cramer also did some work on matrices and determinants in the 18th century. Abstract algebra was developed in the 19th century, initially focusing on what is now called Galois theory, and on constructibility issues. The stages of the development of symbolic algebra are roughly as follows: Rhetorical algebra, which was developed by the Babylonians and remained dominant up to the 16th century; Geometric constructive algebra, which was emphasised by the Vedic Indian and classical Greek mathematicians; Syncopated algebra, as developed by Diophantus and in the Bakhshali Manuscript; and Symbolic algebra, which sees its culmination in the work of Leibniz. Cover of the 1621 edition of Diophantus's Arithmetica, translated into Latin by Claude Gaspard Bachet de Méziriac.A timeline of key algebraic developments are as follows: Circa 1800 BC: The Old Babylonian Strassburg tablet seeks the solution of a quadratic elliptic equation. Circa 1600 BC: The Plimpton 322 tablet gives a table of Pythagorean triples in Babylonian Cuneiform script. Circa 800 BC: Indian mathematician Baudhayana, in his Baudhayana Sulba Sutra, discovers Pythagorean triples algebraically, finds geometric solutions of linear equations and quadratic equations of the forms ax² = c and ax² + bx = c, and finds two sets of positive integral solutions to a set of simultaneous Diophantine equations. Circa 600 BC: Indian mathematician Apastamba, in his Apastamba Sulba Sutra, solves the general linear equation and uses simultaneous Diophantine equations with up to five unknowns. Circa 300 BC: In Book II of his Elements, Euclid gives a geometric construction with Euclidean tools for the solution of the quadratic equation for positive real roots. The construction is due to the Pythagorean School of geometry. Circa 300 BC: A geometric construction for the solution of the cubic is sought (doubling the cube problem). It is now well known that the general cubic has no such solution using Euclidean tools. Circa 100 BC: Algebraic equations are treated in the Chinese mathematics book Jiuzhang suanshu (The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art), which contains solutions of linear equations solved using the rule of double false position, geometric solutions of quadratic equations, and the solutions of matrices equivalent to the modern method, to solve systems of simultaneous linear equations. Circa 100 BC: The Bakhshali Manuscript written in ancient India uses a form of algebraic notation using letters of the alphabet and other signs, and contains cubic and quartic equations, algebraic solutions of linear equations with up to five unknowns, the general algebraic formula for the quadratic equation, and solutions of indeterminate quadratic equations and simultaneous equations. Circa 150 AD: Hero of Alexandria treats algebraic equations in three volumes of mathematics. Circa 200: Diophantus, who lived in Egypt and is often considered the "father of algebra", writes his famous Arithmetica, a work featuring solutions of algebraic equations and on the theory of numbers. 499: Indian mathematician Aryabhata, in his treatise Aryabhatiya, obtains whole-number solutions to linear equations by a method equivalent to the modern one, describes the general integral solution of the indeterminate linear equation and gives integral solutions of simultaneous indeterminate linear equations. Circa 625: Chinese mathematician Wang Xiaotong finds numerical solutions of cubic equations. 628: Indian mathematician Brahmagupta, in his treatise Brahma Sputa Siddhanta, invents the chakravala method of solving indeterminate quadratic equations, including Pell's equation, and gives rules for solving linear and quadratic equations. 820: The word algebra is derived from operations described in the treatise written by the Persian mathematician Muḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Ḵwārizmī titled Al-Kitab al-Jabr wa-l-Muqabala (meaning "The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing") on the systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations. Al-Khwarizmi is often considered as the "father of algebra", much of whose works on reduction was included in the book and added to many methods we have in algebra now. Circa 850: Persian mathematician al-Mahani conceived the idea of reducing geometrical problems such as duplicating the cube to problems in algebra. Circa 850: Indian mathematician Mahavira solves various quadratic, cubic, quartic, quintic and higher-order equations, as well as indeterminate quadratic, cubic and higher-order equations. Circa 990: Persian Abu Bakr al-Karaji, in his treatise al-Fakhri, further develops algebra by extending Al-Khwarizmi's methodology to incorporate integral powers and integral roots of unknown quantities. He replaces geometrical operations of algebra with modern arithmetical operations, and defines the monomials x, x², x³, ... and 1/x, 1/x², 1/x³, ... and gives rules for the products of any two of these. Circa 1050: Chinese mathematician Jia Xian finds numerical solutions of polynomial equations. 1072: Persian mathematician Omar Khayyam develops algebraic geometry and, in the Treatise on Demonstration of Problems of Algebra, gives a complete classification of cubic equations with general geometric solutions found by means of intersecting conic sections. 1114: Indian mathematician Bhaskara, in his Bijaganita (Algebra), recognizes that a positive number has both a positive and negative square root, and solves various cubic, quartic and higher-order polynomial equations, as well as the general quadratic indeterminant equation. 1202: Algebra is introduced to Europe largely through the work of Leonardo Fibonacci of Pisa in his work Liber Abaci. Circa 1300: Chinese mathematician Zhu Shijie deals with polynomial algebra, solves quadratic equations, simultaneous equations and equations with up to four unknowns, and numerically solves some quartic, quintic and higher-order polynomial equations. Circa 1400: Indian mathematician Madhava of Sangamagramma finds iterative methods for approximate solution of non-linear equations. 1535: Nicolo Fontana Tartaglia and others mathematicians in Italy independently solved the general cubic equation.[5] 1545: Girolamo Cardano publishes Ars magna -The great art which gives Fontana's solution to the general quartic equation.[5] 1572: Rafael Bombelli recognizes the complex roots of the cubic and improves current notation. 1591: Francois Viete develops improved symbolic notation for various powers of an unknown and uses vowels for unknowns and consonants for constants in In artem analyticam isagoge. 1631: Thomas Harriot in a posthumous publication uses exponential notation and is the first to use symbols to indicate "less than" and "greater than". 1682: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz develops his notion of symbolic manipulation with formal rules which he calls characteristica generalis. 1680s: Japanese mathematician Kowa Seki, in his Method of solving the dissimulated problems, discovers the determinant, and Bernoulli numbers. [6] 1750: Gabriel Cramer, in his treatise Introduction to the analysis of algebraic curves, states Cramer's rule and studies algebraic curves, matrices and determinants. 1824: Niels Henrik Abel proved that the general quintic equation is insoluble by radicals.[5]
1832: Galois theory is developed by Évariste Galois in his work on abstract algebra.[5]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algebra#History
Ali Eteraz
Re: the Pew Poll
to the anonymous commenter who claims that i gloss poll results by citing the number of muslim support for suicide bombings.
i made critical comments about the muslim community when that poll first came out:
25% of US Muslims under 30 support suicide bombings in some capacity. As a 26 year old American-Muslim, I am concerned about these findings.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-eteraz/us-muslims-and-suicide-bo_b_492...
Link
David Kelsey
Narrow it down, Ali
Ali,
I fear you are trying to do two things at once. You are attacking the more shrill and indefensible actions and hysteria against Muslims, which is not what the more moderate Islamaphobics are saying.
Help me out. I have a leftist Muslim thinker of your caliber right here, and you are wasting time fighting with radicals that draw an absurd broad brush of millions of Americans and billions of people. That's easy. But you can tackle the hard stuff. Let's do that.
I fear accepting more Muslims to the U.S. through immigration, Ali. Even as I admire and feel warmth towards individuals and respect some basic ideas that Judaism shares with Islam uniquely.
Why shouldn't I be afraid of Muslim immigration? Why shouldn't I be afraid over what is happening in Paris and Amsterdam and elsewhere in Europe? Why shouldn't I want to close the immigration doors except to liberal political dissidents?
Why don't I have a right to fear that element of the Muslim community which is destructive, growing because it is alluring to the young, and sees my co-religionists as demonic?
LY
too lazy to type a subject
what in the h-e-double toothpick is a "moderate Islamaphobic"?