Green Energy
From time to time I take a peek to see what the other side, particularly the lefties, are saying about the blogging efforts of the wakeful in general, and sometimes I stumble upon things about mine in particular. Most of the sentiments are quite the expected stuff: charges of racism top the list, then warmongering, intolerance, stereotyping and the like. Sometimes the word “bigotry” is used instead of “racism”, and a common refrain is to put the words, “A good Muslim is a dead Muslim” in our side’s mouths. It’s the subject of bigotry, stereotyping and the question of the moderate Muslims that I wish to talk about here.
First, I find charges of bigotry toward me far better than charges of racism. Both charges are meant to smear, but the charge of bigotry has a chance of approaching the truth, and it’s a charge I can address, while the charge of racism can’t be true about me even in theory, nor can I address it any more than I can answer the question, “Have you stopped beating your wife?” Also, when I read the aforementioned phrase they put in my mouth, I’m consoled by the fact they say “Muslim” and not “Arab”. Even a cursory reading of my blog will reveal that my arguments are about Islam and its adherents of any race, not about Arabs. None of my writings apply to Christian Arabs, for example, with the exception of dhimmis like Israeli parliament member Azmi Bisharah who still think pan-Arabism is as influential an ideology as it was 30 years ago; and they apply to Arab Muslims, to slanty-eyed Malay Muslims, to black-skinned Somali Muslims and to blond, blue-eyed Swedish converts to Islam equally. I’m tired of repeating this again and again, but here goes: it’s about religion, not about race.
Now to address the argument that does follow from correct initial assumptions: that I’m a bigot who believes all Muslims are evil and want to offer us the choice between conversion and death (and dhimmitude for some of us). I am charged with disbelieving in the existence of good Muslims: of Muslims who lead their religious lives on the “live and let live” model to which all other religions today adhere; who may think all human beings should keep shariah law, but leave the conversion of the non-Muslims to such observance to their deity rather than to humans; who are ashamed of their brethren of whom we hear about on the news every day, and think they are giving Islam a bad name; and who view clashes like those in Israel or Kashmir as nationalistic land disputes that can be solved through negotiations, and through concessions from both parties. Such Muslims do exist, and I have never hinted otherwise. However, I see four problems that nullify any Leftist argument that proposes the abandonment of the war, on the ideological front against Islam as well as on the physical front against the Muslims, on the grounds of the indisputable existence of such Muslims. These are the problems:
Each point needs elaboration.
[...]
In full on Our Children Are The Guarantors »
-
Answers to Objections When You Talk About Islam An excellent post from Citizen Warrior:BELOW IS a list of responses you are likely to get when talking about the terrifying brilliance of Islam to someone who knows little about it. Most of the responses...
- Muslim Roulette
By Bosch Fawstin Islam vs Muslims A is A. Islam is Islam. There is no such thing as ‘Good’ Islam vs ‘Bad’ Islam. Islam is a totalitarian religion, while Muslims are individual human beings who may or may not practice Islam faithfully. I’ve...
- “race” Over
Title for a Jihad Watch post from October 6, 2006: “UK: violent Muslim/non-Muslim clashes”. Thereafter, Robert Spencer follows up with his usual exasperated commentary, shared by all of us who have eyes to see the truth: Or in the deceptive and misleading...
- Robert Spencer On Moderate Muslims And Moderate Islam
Robert Spencer weighs in, for those who didn't already know his opinion, on whether moderate Muslim exist, and whether there is such at thing as moderate Islam: One of the most common responses to my work that I have encountered since I have been...
- Playing The Race Card Playing The Race Card
Atlas Shrugs brings up a timely topic: In these contentious times, debate about the Middle East and Islam is easily stifled. All it takes is for some disgruntled Arabs, preferably Palestinians, or a handful of western leftists to level a charge of "racism.”...
Green Energy
Yes, They Exist. No, They Aren’t The Solution
From time to time I take a peek to see what the other side, particularly the lefties, are saying about the blogging efforts of the wakeful in general, and sometimes I stumble upon things about mine in particular. Most of the sentiments are quite the expected stuff: charges of racism top the list, then warmongering, intolerance, stereotyping and the like. Sometimes the word “bigotry” is used instead of “racism”, and a common refrain is to put the words, “A good Muslim is a dead Muslim” in our side’s mouths. It’s the subject of bigotry, stereotyping and the question of the moderate Muslims that I wish to talk about here.
First, I find charges of bigotry toward me far better than charges of racism. Both charges are meant to smear, but the charge of bigotry has a chance of approaching the truth, and it’s a charge I can address, while the charge of racism can’t be true about me even in theory, nor can I address it any more than I can answer the question, “Have you stopped beating your wife?” Also, when I read the aforementioned phrase they put in my mouth, I’m consoled by the fact they say “Muslim” and not “Arab”. Even a cursory reading of my blog will reveal that my arguments are about Islam and its adherents of any race, not about Arabs. None of my writings apply to Christian Arabs, for example, with the exception of dhimmis like Israeli parliament member Azmi Bisharah who still think pan-Arabism is as influential an ideology as it was 30 years ago; and they apply to Arab Muslims, to slanty-eyed Malay Muslims, to black-skinned Somali Muslims and to blond, blue-eyed Swedish converts to Islam equally. I’m tired of repeating this again and again, but here goes: it’s about religion, not about race.
Now to address the argument that does follow from correct initial assumptions: that I’m a bigot who believes all Muslims are evil and want to offer us the choice between conversion and death (and dhimmitude for some of us). I am charged with disbelieving in the existence of good Muslims: of Muslims who lead their religious lives on the “live and let live” model to which all other religions today adhere; who may think all human beings should keep shariah law, but leave the conversion of the non-Muslims to such observance to their deity rather than to humans; who are ashamed of their brethren of whom we hear about on the news every day, and think they are giving Islam a bad name; and who view clashes like those in Israel or Kashmir as nationalistic land disputes that can be solved through negotiations, and through concessions from both parties. Such Muslims do exist, and I have never hinted otherwise. However, I see four problems that nullify any Leftist argument that proposes the abandonment of the war, on the ideological front against Islam as well as on the physical front against the Muslims, on the grounds of the indisputable existence of such Muslims. These are the problems:
- They are a minority.
- They can turn to the extremist majority any moment.
- Many professing moderates are extremists engaging in dissimulation (taqiya).
- Even true and stable moderate Muslims are powerless to deal with their extremist brethren.
Each point needs elaboration.
[...]
In full on Our Children Are The Guarantors »
-
Answers to Objections When You Talk About Islam An excellent post from Citizen Warrior:BELOW IS a list of responses you are likely to get when talking about the terrifying brilliance of Islam to someone who knows little about it. Most of the responses...
- Muslim Roulette
By Bosch Fawstin Islam vs Muslims A is A. Islam is Islam. There is no such thing as ‘Good’ Islam vs ‘Bad’ Islam. Islam is a totalitarian religion, while Muslims are individual human beings who may or may not practice Islam faithfully. I’ve...
- “race” Over
Title for a Jihad Watch post from October 6, 2006: “UK: violent Muslim/non-Muslim clashes”. Thereafter, Robert Spencer follows up with his usual exasperated commentary, shared by all of us who have eyes to see the truth: Or in the deceptive and misleading...
- Robert Spencer On Moderate Muslims And Moderate Islam
Robert Spencer weighs in, for those who didn't already know his opinion, on whether moderate Muslim exist, and whether there is such at thing as moderate Islam: One of the most common responses to my work that I have encountered since I have been...
- Playing The Race Card Playing The Race Card
Atlas Shrugs brings up a timely topic: In these contentious times, debate about the Middle East and Islam is easily stifled. All it takes is for some disgruntled Arabs, preferably Palestinians, or a handful of western leftists to level a charge of "racism.”...