Andrew McCarthy makes a great point in his post at NRO a few days ago:
If only the fantasy were true: If only there actually were a dominant, pro-American, echt moderate Islam, an ideology so dedicated to human rights, so sternly set against savagery, that acts of terrorism were, by definition, “un-Islamic activity.” Imagine an Islam that, far from a liability, proved an asset (indeed, an indispensable asset) in combating the threat against us. Imagine that we could accurately call the threat mere “extremism” — no “Islamic” (or even “Islamist”) modifier being necessary because the “extremists” truly were a tiny, aberrant band, fraudulently “hijacking” a great religion.
If only….
If the fantasy were true, who among us would not be proud to mark the annual observance of September 11 by breaking ground on a $100 million Islamic center cum mosque at the site of the most horrific attack in American history? In the nine years since the atrocities that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 Americans at the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pa., such an Islam — if it really existed — would have spearheaded the defeat of America’s enemies.
Looking for this Islam is akin to looking for the 13th Imam. So many of us revel in our own high-mindedness while ignoring the truth.
Such an Islam, over nine long years, would have risen up and made itself heard. It would have identified by name and condemned with moral outrage the imposters purporting to act in its name.
What excruciating truths have we yet failed to grasp on this ninth anniversary of 9/11? The first is that such an Islam does not exist.
No, it does not exist. It doesn’t exist in part because there is no “Islam.” There are thousands of Islams. One cannot separate the religion from the state.
It gets old being constantly called “close-minded” and “intolerant” because we will not live our lives in fear of causing an uproar in the Muslim world. I grew up being told that if told that you best be able to take it if you’re going to hand it out.
Imam Feisal Rauf let the cat out of the bag once again when he tells us that he’s afraid of moving the proposed site of the Ground Zero mosque for- guess why?
Rauf said that developers were still deciding whether they would relocate the proposed mosque, but that he feared moving it could cause an uproar in the Muslim world.
Think about that for a second. An Imam is afraid of inflaming the Muslim world by being sensitive to America. The Muslim world demonstrates its real estate savvy: when it comes to the Ground Zero mosque, it’s Location, location, location.
It’s not about having a Community Center. It’s ALL about having it next to Ground Zero.
Rep. Peter King (R) of NY agrees:
“To me, it’s almost as if he’s blackmailing and threatening the United States that somehow if the mosque is not approved or people speak out against his mosque, you have to worry about being attacked by Islamic terrorists,” Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf on Fox Business Network on Friday.
King said that the Islamic center was being “put their to make a statement, not to build bridges, but to make a statement.”
“Moderate” Muslims in Dearborn Michigan burned both Pastor Terry Jones and Osama Bin Laden in effigy:
Chanting “burn, baby, burn,” a group of Muslims in Dearborn lit ablaze tonight effigies of Pastor Terry Jones of Florida and Osama bin Laden in a protest against religious extremism.
Led by Dearborn attorney Majed Moughni, the group burned a pair of dolls holding hands that were dressed up to represent Jones, the Florida pastor who has plans to burn Qurans, and of Osama bin Laden, the terrorist behind the Sept. 11 attacks.
“They both represent the murder, killing, and war against America,” Moughni said before the blaze was lit with a Bic lighter.
The moral equivalence is lost on me. Jones threatened to do something and now has backed away from it completely. Bin Laden’s plans killed 3000 Americans. I don’t see the comparison. Call me silly.
Meanwhile, Muslims in Indonesia attacked Christians for something that hasn’t happened and Muslims in Britian celebrated 9-11 by burning the flag of the United States of America.
Andy McCarthy is right. The Islam in your mind is the not the Islam of reality.
So please, fellow FA authors: Flame on
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.