About Me
- Name: Nick W.
- Location: Wisconsin, United States
Libertarian observations from within the Ivory Tower by an archivist, librarian and researcher.
Email me at
libertarian_librarian@hotmail.com
Worth a visit or two
- Andrew Sullivan
- The Ornery American
- Iraq the Model
- Dennis the Peasant
- Tim Blair
- James Lileks
- Views from the other side of the aisle
- Views from the XX side of genetics
Archives
- February 2005
- March 2005
- April 2005
- May 2005
- June 2005
- July 2005
- August 2005
- September 2005
- October 2005
- November 2005
- December 2005
- January 2006
- February 2006
- March 2006
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- November 2006
- December 2006
- January 2007
- February 2007
- March 2007
- April 2007
- May 2007
- June 2007
- July 2007
- August 2007
- September 2007
- October 2007
- November 2007
- December 2007
- January 2008
- February 2008
- March 2008
- April 2008
- May 2008
- July 2008
- August 2008
A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library. ~Shelby Foote
Friday, October 06, 2006
Moderate Muslims
That's the feeling I get reading through postings at MuslimVillage, a Web Forum based in Australia. A bunch of fairly normal people who happen to be Muslims and who are concerned over world perception of their religion. Well and good.
But, then I find this thread, and I find it disturbing that virtually every author (of the ones I recognize) listed by the thread creator and the thread contributors are either anti-American or apologists for the atrocities that some Muslims perpetrate in the name of their religion. Many are both.
Noam Chomsky. Hard to find an author more anti-capitalistic or anti-American than Chomsky.
John Pilger. Dislikes America, hates Israel, hates Bush, hates Blair, likes Hugo Chavez.
John Esposito. Apologist for Palestinian terrorists and fanatical Islamists.
Edward Said. Huge supporter of Palestinian statehood and apologist for Palestinian terror.
Juan Cole. Anti-Israeli bias and apologist for Iranian President Ahmadinejad.
Robert Fisk. So biased and well-known for his factual inaccuracies that "being Fisked" has become an idiom for pointing out biased or inaccurate reporting. Apologist for Islamic terrorists.
Charlie Reese. Apologist for Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
Karen Armstrong. Good will ambassador for Islam. Being published on CAIR's website is a pretty big strike against you in my book.
Justin Rai(y)mondo. A bit more balanced than the previous batch (which is why I put him last), Raimondo actually defended Pope Benedict, but he remains unabashedly anti-Israel.
I'll admit I don't know the rest of the authors listed. Maybe some of them are somewhere close to the middle. But if you were to make a list of anti-Israel, apologists for Muslim terrorists, at least 8 of the 9 listed above would be in the top 20. Probably the top 10.
Not surprising, perhaps, since it's a Muslim forum. Sure-- except that these aren't wahhabist fanatics. These are "average" people. The ones I keep hoping will speak out against the wahhabists and jihadists and terrorists that have, in large measure, hijacked their religion. Seems rather unlikely given their preferred reading. Sigh. Especially after I discovered this thread as well. Double sigh.
One final note. In the opening to the thread, the request goes out for, "...your favorite local/international Non-Muslim writers, journalists, religious scholars, academics, artists, policy makers and community edu-activists...."
Edu-activists?
I friggin HATE edu-activists. They aren't as bad as Illinois Nazis, but they're pretty bad. Be an educator or be an activist. I don't want the people teaching my kids, or anybody's kids, to be activists. Activists lose perspective, they lose the ability to think critically and analytically, they become lost in their cause-- whatever it may be. Passion in teaching is one thing-- that transmits itself to the students as "Gee, she really likes this topic, maybe I should pay more attention." Activism is a whole other brand of enthusiasm altogether. It transmits itself to the student as "Gee, this is really important. Good thing she told me which side is the right side of the issue."
And, bam, shut go the doors of open inquiry.
But, then I find this thread, and I find it disturbing that virtually every author (of the ones I recognize) listed by the thread creator and the thread contributors are either anti-American or apologists for the atrocities that some Muslims perpetrate in the name of their religion. Many are both.
Noam Chomsky. Hard to find an author more anti-capitalistic or anti-American than Chomsky.
John Pilger. Dislikes America, hates Israel, hates Bush, hates Blair, likes Hugo Chavez.
John Esposito. Apologist for Palestinian terrorists and fanatical Islamists.
Edward Said. Huge supporter of Palestinian statehood and apologist for Palestinian terror.
Juan Cole. Anti-Israeli bias and apologist for Iranian President Ahmadinejad.
Robert Fisk. So biased and well-known for his factual inaccuracies that "being Fisked" has become an idiom for pointing out biased or inaccurate reporting. Apologist for Islamic terrorists.
Charlie Reese. Apologist for Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.
Karen Armstrong. Good will ambassador for Islam. Being published on CAIR's website is a pretty big strike against you in my book.
Justin Rai(y)mondo. A bit more balanced than the previous batch (which is why I put him last), Raimondo actually defended Pope Benedict, but he remains unabashedly anti-Israel.
I'll admit I don't know the rest of the authors listed. Maybe some of them are somewhere close to the middle. But if you were to make a list of anti-Israel, apologists for Muslim terrorists, at least 8 of the 9 listed above would be in the top 20. Probably the top 10.
Not surprising, perhaps, since it's a Muslim forum. Sure-- except that these aren't wahhabist fanatics. These are "average" people. The ones I keep hoping will speak out against the wahhabists and jihadists and terrorists that have, in large measure, hijacked their religion. Seems rather unlikely given their preferred reading. Sigh. Especially after I discovered this thread as well. Double sigh.
One final note. In the opening to the thread, the request goes out for, "...your favorite local/international Non-Muslim writers, journalists, religious scholars, academics, artists, policy makers and community edu-activists...."
Edu-activists?
I friggin HATE edu-activists. They aren't as bad as Illinois Nazis, but they're pretty bad. Be an educator or be an activist. I don't want the people teaching my kids, or anybody's kids, to be activists. Activists lose perspective, they lose the ability to think critically and analytically, they become lost in their cause-- whatever it may be. Passion in teaching is one thing-- that transmits itself to the students as "Gee, she really likes this topic, maybe I should pay more attention." Activism is a whole other brand of enthusiasm altogether. It transmits itself to the student as "Gee, this is really important. Good thing she told me which side is the right side of the issue."
And, bam, shut go the doors of open inquiry.
Labels: Religion
Comments:
<< Home
Moderate...
When flight attendant Eva Buzek returned to Minneapolis from a trip to France, five taxi drivers refused to take her home from the airport. The reason? She had two bottles of wine in her suitcase -- and the drivers were Muslims, who don't drink and refuse to have alcohol in their taxis.
When flight attendant Eva Buzek returned to Minneapolis from a trip to France, five taxi drivers refused to take her home from the airport. The reason? She had two bottles of wine in her suitcase -- and the drivers were Muslims, who don't drink and refuse to have alcohol in their taxis.
Moderate...
A Muslim minicab driver refused to take a blind passenger because her guide dog was "unclean".
Abdul Rasheed Majekodumni told Jane Vernon she could not get into his car with the dog because of his religion.
A Muslim minicab driver refused to take a blind passenger because her guide dog was "unclean".
Abdul Rasheed Majekodumni told Jane Vernon she could not get into his car with the dog because of his religion.
Moderate...
MUSLIM taxi drivers are refusing to carry blind passengers with their guide dogs or anyone carrying alcohol.
At least 20 dog-aided blind people have lodged discrimination complaints with the Victorian Taxi Directorate. Dozens more have voiced their anger.
MUSLIM taxi drivers are refusing to carry blind passengers with their guide dogs or anyone carrying alcohol.
At least 20 dog-aided blind people have lodged discrimination complaints with the Victorian Taxi Directorate. Dozens more have voiced their anger.
Moderate...
Al-Qaeda affiliated group takes responsibility for setting internet coffee shop ablaze in Gaza Strip as punishment for what they deem unethical behavior. Group threatens others who don't comply with ethical standards. Growing strength and presence of al-Qaeda in Gaza, West Bank, looms over Palestinian Authority, whole region.
Al-Qaeda affiliated group takes responsibility for setting internet coffee shop ablaze in Gaza Strip as punishment for what they deem unethical behavior. Group threatens others who don't comply with ethical standards. Growing strength and presence of al-Qaeda in Gaza, West Bank, looms over Palestinian Authority, whole region.
Moderate...
In her bright pink hat, Paula Hare has found herself waiting on her stoop a lot lately, for taxi cabs that never come.
Not to avoid confusion, Paula even tells the taxi dispatcher she’s transgendred. But on three occasions when the taxi actually showed up, she says Muslim drivers have refused to give her a lift.
In her bright pink hat, Paula Hare has found herself waiting on her stoop a lot lately, for taxi cabs that never come.
Not to avoid confusion, Paula even tells the taxi dispatcher she’s transgendred. But on three occasions when the taxi actually showed up, she says Muslim drivers have refused to give her a lift.
Considering how all of these moderate muslims behave, you will really want to watch out for the radical ones.
Yep, it's a religion of peace and tolerance.
Post a Comment
Yep, it's a religion of peace and tolerance.
<< Home