Saturday, September 22, 2012
Do Muslims Hate America?
Today in the Washington Post I came across an opinion column that I think is worth reading, on why Muslims hate America.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/why-muslims-hate-america/2012/09/21/520dd22e-043f-11e2-8102-ebee9c66e190_blog.html
Mr. Rashid makes some good points and the main ideas are things that I too have stated in this blog:
1) Rabid anti-American sentiment is only from a minority of Muslims
2) That the West is seen by many as hypocritical in its views on freedom, telling the Islamic world that it should embrace democracy and freedom yet at the same time supporting dictators or enacting legislation that impinges upon freedom (ex. French anti-veil laws)
In terms of these recent “anti-Islam film” protests I still think the Islamists are going overboard here as many seem to be of the misguided view that the US Government is somehow directly or tacitly behind everything that goes on in America. Why the US Government is getting blamed because some bigot made some amateur film and posted it on YouTube is beyond me and betrays a lack of understanding by many in the Islamic world of how media works in the West. Such violent reactions are counterproductive, and in fact could even encourage other bigots or trolls to make more films simply to promote further outrage and continue the division between the West and the Islamic world.
I'm not sure what the solution is. If there are massive protests and violence every single time someone releases anything deemed anti-Islamic, or some random preacher in small-town USA decides to burn a Qur’an, I could it see a reaching a point where people will have to protest every single day as more and more Westerners turn to amateur theatrics just to provoke outrage. Then what?
Freedom of speech is not all-encompassing, Western nations have various laws that put limits to it and many have “hate crime” legislations that prevent promoting hatred against a particular group. As long as those are applied fairly regardless of the group being targeted there is little more that can be done legislatively.
So what's the solution?
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5 comments:
"1) Rabid anti-American sentiment is only from a minority of Muslims"
In poll after poll anti-american sentiment is the norm in the Muslim world. We're really arguing about a question of degrees. Frankly people here have taken to calling Islam the Religion Of Permanent Offense. Everything is a cause for rioting whether there is truth to it or not. I also believe that this is a convenient way for the rulers of Muslim countries to channel anger away from home where it so rightly deserves to be directed.
"2) That the West is seen by many as hypocritical in its views on freedom, telling the Islamic world that it should embrace democracy and freedom yet at the same time supporting dictators"
Given that Muslim countries are almost entirely dictatorships I find this a curious statement. Should we then not be supporting dictators benevolent or otherwise? Jordan has been an ally of the US but they're an authoritarian regime. It seems we have a choice in government here: 1. Islam 2. Vibrant political democracy 3. capitalism. You may pick any two.
"or enacting legislation that impinges upon freedom (ex. French anti-veil laws)"
anti-veil laws exist for a reason. Is it wise to have someone enter a bank wearing one? What about in cases of assault, or slander? Airport checkpoints?
1) I’m sorry but I’ll need links to these polls. I can only find some work from pewglobal.org and it indicated that 74% of Pakistanis considered America an enemy, in light of the deepening mistrust between the two countries and drone strikes, but I haven't found anything else. I would expect the majority of citizens in Iran, Afghanistan, Palestine, and probably Iraq, to consider America in enemy, I haven't found any hard data for India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Turkey, Malaysia or Indonesia. Between those six countries I believe that's over half the Muslim population.
2) The hypocrisy is the West promoting the values of freedom and democracy yet supporting dictatorships as long as they are an ally of the West. Mubarak had been a US ally for 20+ years and the West had no problem with Egypt being a dictatorship as long as it was allied to Western interests. Same with the West supporting Saddam Hussein until he turned on them.
If the West wants to support dictators, fine, but it can’t then go around saying how democracy is such a wonderful thing and the world should embrace it.
Islam can work with both democracy and capitalism. Turkey, Malaysia and (arguably) Bangladesh are examples. Let’s see about Egypt.
"anti-veil laws exist for a reason. Is it wise to have someone enter a bank wearing one? What about in cases of assault, or slander? Airport checkpoints?"
What about while sitting in a park? Or out shopping? In France you still can’t cover your face. Is it crucial while sitting in a park that your face be uncovered?
A look through some old news articles at the time of the debate made clear that a concern by some was Muslim veils and how that did not fit within secular French society.
Amnesty International condemned the French Law, noting, “For security purposes, complete public bans on face-coverings are unnecessary and discriminatory,” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia
1) "I’m sorry but I’ll need links to these polls."
Fair enough. I had a link somewhere at some point and I'm too busy (read: lazy) to find it. Let's concede it's not a majority but anti-americanism however virulent has pretty broad support across the globe and not just the Muslim world.
2) The hypocrisy is the West promoting the values of freedom and democracy yet supporting dictatorships as long as they are an ally of the West.
Indeed. Nations have no permanent friends, only permanent interests.
Mubarak had been a US ally for 20+ years and the West had no problem with Egypt being a dictatorship as long as it was allied to Western interests.
And Mubarak had no problem being our friend so long as we propped him up and gave him billions every year. Blame Carter.
Same with the West supporting Saddam Hussein until he turned on them.
We didn't support him so much as prop him up to make Iran miserable.
If the West wants to support dictators, fine, but it can’t then go around saying how democracy is such a wonderful thing and the world should embrace it.
Well, democracy is a wonderful thing. IMNHO, if we focused more on trade and less on war we'd be a lot happier. I can't say the rest of the world would be better off. YMMV.
Islam can work with both democracy and capitalism. Turkey,
Turkey is secular
Malaysia and (arguably) Bangladesh are examples. Let’s see about Egypt.
I'll agree on Malaysia. I have no hope for Egypt.
What about while sitting in a park? Or out shopping? In France you still can’t cover your face. Is it crucial while sitting in a park that your face be uncovered?
Fair question and a tough one. I wonder what the french do about motorcyclists who have a full face shield. Perhaps muslim women should just wear those.
A look through some old news articles at the time of the debate made clear that a concern by some was Muslim veils and how that did not fit within secular French society.
Yes and given the constant rioting and burning of cars in the banlieu their fears are well warranted. France's inability/unwillingness to integrate their Muslim immigrants is going to pay dividends they don't like.
Amnesty International condemned the French Law, noting, “For security purposes, complete public bans on face-coverings are unnecessary and discriminatory,” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia
Given the state of affairs globally, this is small potatoes.
“Turkey is secular”
But it is still an Islamic nation, as 95+% of Turks are Muslim. Technically any proper democracy is secular, the only way it wouldn't be is if the country only allowed political parties from one religious group.
“I wonder what the french do about motorcyclists who have a full face shield. Perhaps muslim women should just wear those.”
I believe the law doesn't apply to specific circumstances where a law requires headgear, such as wearing a motorcycle helmet while riding a motorcycle. However it would be illegal to wear said helmet while walking around the supermarket or sitting in a park.
"But it is still an Islamic nation, as 95+% of Turks are Muslim. Technically any proper democracy is secular, the only way it wouldn't be is if the country only allowed political parties from one religious group."
By that logic, the USA is a Christian nation. A notion I dispute and I assure you I'm not alone in that one.
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