Muslim "tolerance"
Arab states vary from marginally tolerant, like
Kuwait
, which allows non-Muslim foreigners to worship in certain areas, to the
obsessively intolerant, like
Saudi Arabia
, which confiscates cross necklaces and Bibles at its airports and
destroys them. Both countries require all citizens to be Muslim. Other
states with ancient Christian populations, like
Syria
and
Egypt
, keep tightening the screws, so their non-Muslim population is in
continual decline, due to emigration and coerced conversion. Under the
Taliban, the few Hindus in
Afghanistan
were forced to wear distinct symbols to set them apart, reminiscent of
Jews forced to wear stars of David in Nazi Germany. So too were Jews in
Yemen
, who were also made to walk in the gutter when passing a Muslim. It
should be of no surprise that nearly all Yemeni Jews immigrated to
Israel
upon its creation.
Muslim Nazis: not just a metaphore
Throughout this essay, jihadists have been compared to Nazis.
Incredibly, this is not merely metaphor, accurate though it may be. Solid
links between the two were established during the rise of fascism, most
notable being the uncle and mentor of no less than Yasser Arafat, the
Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Haj Amin al-Husseini. Huseini lived in
Berlin
throughout the war, personally petitioning Hitler, broadcasting to Germans
to kill Jews rather than freeing them to immigrate to the territory known
as
Palestine
, and recruiting Albanian Muslims into the SS. The Baathist parties of
Iraq
and
Syria
were also heavily fashioned on fascist principals brought from
Germany
. According to Hitler’s chief architect and confidant, Albert Speer,
Hitler regretted that Germans had adopted the “meek” principals of
Christianity, rather than the warrior ethos of Islam. Maybe mere idle talk
on Hitler’s part, but telling nonetheless.
Jihadist hate: not just for Westerners
Most Westerners are confused by the contradictions in Islam. Several
decades of self-critical literature in the West blaming the world’s ills
on capitalism, colonialism and racism have created a population too quick
to look internally to explain jihadism. Many secular Westerners cannot
accept that a person can be motivated by any religion to blow themselves
up on a crowded bus. They refuse to accept that jihadism is a centuries
old worldwide phenomenon. But Muslims today are attacking regions as
diverse as
Thailand
, the
Philippines
,
Indonesia
,
Kenya
and
Nigeria
where there is not a Westerner around. Fear of being called intolerant
keeps many Westerners silent. Others fall silent because of jihadist
intimidation. Sometimes silence does not mean no news, but rather, very
bad news. For instance, in
Juarez
,
Mexico
, no drug trade stories are printed in the newspaper anymore since several
reporters were gunned down after writing them. There seems a similar
silence in regard to Islam. In fact, this paper is submitted anonymously,
due to the very real possibility of death threats, like the fatwa that
hangs over author Salmon Rushdie. Some Westerners are willing to openly
criticize Wahhabism, the Islam of official
Saudi Arabia
that bin Laden also follows, but are loath to critically analyze Islam
itself. But how is criticizing the sect of millions of followers who are
directly descended from the first Muslims and who still control
Mecca
being more tolerant than criticizing Islam itself? In reality, such
critics are only less intimidated, as opposed to more principled; hence
they feel freer expressing their true opinion. Finally, secular Westerners
steeped in socialism have developed such an irrational contempt for their
own conservative Christians—and really all Christians—that one of
their first reactions to 9/11 was to morally equate the likes of Pat
Robertson to Osama bin Laden.
Traditional Islam: Lying for jihad
Compounding Western confusion, Islam has a custom of lying to
“infidels” to advance jihad. It even has a name, al taqiyah. After so
many years of these lies, it should be clear that when a knowledgeable
Muslim says Islam does not support violent jihad, or that Islam is simply
about peace and love, he or she is telling a boldfaced lie. Besides
outright lying, many Muslims seem in denial about the Koran and supporting
hadith and sunnah. Most cultural Muslims seem unaware of Muhammad’s
penchant for violence, including beheadings that now inspire terrorists in
Iraq
, his misogyny, his dishonesty, and his bizarre sexual attitudes and
conduct. Many Muslims grow embarrassed and angry when pointing these
things out, as such facts can be inconvenient things.
Jihadists in the West: Not looking for freedom
Although it is probable that many average Muslims enjoy the freedoms
in
America
, most mosques here are in fact funded by
Saudi Arabia
, and the message they push is clear: Muslims are here to hurt us or
convert us. Saudi-funded mosques are little more than foreign military
installations placed on American soil without the blessings of Americans.
Only an idiot thinks that a bearded cleric with his shrouded wives and ten
children living in
New Jersey
is here to enjoy religious freedom.
Fighting jihad: time to get a backbone
A large majority of the world is not Muslim. Even most Muslims are not
raving lunatics and many are genuinely bewildered as to why so many
twisted people commit terror in the name of Islam. Once we truly realize
this, we can easily act decisively against the jihad terrorists. Point
number one is that Islam is not immune to criticism in a society based on
freedom of speech.
Americans have done an admirable job of showing restraint toward Muslims
after 9/11. In
India
, such restraint would be unimaginable from Hindus after centuries of
repeated attacks by Muslims. We can only hope our restraint is based in
strength, and not in the cult of political correctness now permeating much
of the West. Our strength will be our key to survival. While
deconstructing Islam in essays is a matter of freedom of speech, the right
to chose one’s faith is a matter of freedom of religion.
Freedom of conversion: A post-Muslim sanctuary
One of the many ironies of jihadists in the West is how they have
taken advantage of the tolerance that they would deny others. Yet many
cultural Muslims would prefer to be recovering Muslims, or post-Muslims. A
support structure for post-Muslims needs to be established to provide
sanctuary from the death threats for apostasy feared by many trapped
Muslims. Freedom of conversion legislation should be passed to reinforce
that it is a crime to threaten someone converting to another religion.
Such legislation should also be pushed in the United Nations as a human
right.
No more asymetric immigration
Muslims found preaching or practicing violent jihad should risk
immediate expulsion, revoked citizenship, and/or jail if an actual crime
is committed. All further Saudi funding of mosques in the
United States
should end. Muslim institutions and governments must issue an apologies
for the depredations of Islam similar to apologies for human rights
violations issued by Western governments and the Catholic Church. As long
as jihadists seriously threaten the
United States
, there should be a stop to immigration from Muslim countries. Any further
immigration after hostilities end should be symmetric, meaning that Muslim
countries have to accept an equal number of non-Muslim immigrants into
their countries, granting them full citizenship. This is required because
through asymmetric immigration, Islamization would still occur at the
expense of non-Muslims. This is unacceptable. Muslim nations cannot expect
to be “pure” while simultaneously demanding access to non-Muslim
countries.
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