Muslims in the Crosshairs (part 2 of Dr. Jasser's series)

Washington Times ^ | August 3, 2006 | M.Zuhdi Jasser

[nuconvert]

Muslims in the crosshairs

By M.Zuhdi Jasser

August 3, 2006

Part two in a three-part series.

So far the ideological battle against political Islam has proven to be a fight few Muslims want to participate in. It has taken five years since September 11 for conventional wisdom to even begin to attempt to understand "moderate" Muslims let alone engage their ideology.

Far more important than a debate over who or what defines a moderate is our need in the United States to focus discussions upon the ideology of Islamism and political Islam. If radical Islamist terrorism is a means to an end, we should be pressing American Muslim leaders about where they stand regarding al Qaeda, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood or Hezbollah.

Islamism, as I see it, is an overriding philosophy of Muslims who believe in a society guided by a system of government founded upon clerical interpretations of religious law as derived from their own interpretation of the Koran and Sunnah. Argumentation within Islamist governments and parties is based upon clerical interpretations of God's law, not upon a reasoned deduction of effectiveness of human law. No matter how moderate Islamists present themselves, they will always hold on tightly to the notion that a majority Muslim state must be identified as an "Islamic state" with clerical guidance of their society's proximity to the Muslim path.

Islamism is clearly in direct conflict with Americanism. Yet, an Islam which is anti-Islamist is not. Americanism as Islamists see it is defined by our Constitution and our legal precedents as a system based in legislative liberty for all faiths — true pluralism. Americanism uses a language of legislative debate not derived from religious precedent or clerical interpretation of one faith, but rather from the reasoned precedent of our secular courts and legislatures.

[austinaero]

The best way to get someone out of the crosshairs is to PULL THE TRIGGER, IMHO.

[ccmay]

I've spoken with Dr. Jasser before. He's the real deal. I sure wish there were a lot more Muslims of his caliber.

[backhoe]

Islam, The Alleged Religion of Peace® ( TARP™ )? Click this picture:

[American Quilter]

There are many Muslims who do understand that anti-theocratic societies like the United States are preferable for the free practice of their own private faith and that of all others. In fact, many Muslims are inherently anti-Islamist by virtue of being pious Muslims demanding to be free of coercion. That is why many of our families immigrated to the United States. But virtually no efforts are underway to find these Muslims, who are our greatest untapped resource since September 11.

Why do these Muslims have to be "found"? If they have neither the intelligence nor the backbone to stand up and identify themselves, they're not going to be of any use to us in fighting the Islamofascists.

I have significant doubt about whether the Muslims in our country are in fact more loyal to America than to Islam. During WWII, German-Americans and Japanese-Americans held pro-America parades to demonstrate their loyalty to their chosen country, even as some Japanese-Americans were suffering imprisonment in west-coast concentration camps. Does anyone here know of a Muslim-American pro-America parade since 9/11?

[Bob J]

1 billion times?

[C210N]

One thing from the article is clearly wrong:

When we fought the ideological battle against communism during the Cold War, was there a moderate Communist ideology?(and then continues that were no moderates)

Of course, he is forgetting the Democratic party, which has long survived the fall of Communism in Europe.

[nuconvert]

: ) you make a good point there.

[seasoned traditionalist]

Islamism is clearly in direct conflict with Americanism.

Yet, an Islam which is anti-Islamist is not. Americanism as Islamists see it is defined by our Constitution and our legal precedents as a system based in legislative liberty for all faiths — true pluralism. Americanism uses a language of legislative debate not derived from religious precedent or clerical interpretation of one faith, but rather from the reasoned precedent of our secular courts and legislatures.

Until this great chasm of thought between Islamists and American ideology is made clear, we are actually facilitating the spread of Islamism among American Muslims.

For example, Europe's radical, pretend moderate, Imam Yusef al-Qaradawi, the international spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Grand Islamic Scholar of Qatar, has recently been pushing for a "wasatiya" (middle way) movement, often preaching to his followers to moderate and tolerate. Yet, he continues to have the blood of American soldiers and innocent civilians in Iraq on his hands, with his endorsement of the religious legitimacy of suicide bombing in Iraq. He moderates his language for European audiences and reverts back to his fundamentalism for his Al Jazeera audiences. His fundamentalist stances are misogynistic, anti-Semitic, anti-Western, pro-Islamist and anti-freedom.

In the current American discourse, we should be curious to learn whether Muslims agree with leaders like him and why. Unless my fellow Muslims are willing to take on the likes of al-Qaradawi ideologically, they will continue to facilitate Islamism and its associated threat to American security.

(WITH 5 MILLION MUZZIES HERE IN US, WE MOST DEFINITELY SHOULD BE ASKING THIS QUESTION.

WHY NO ONE--EITHER IN GOV'T OR MEDIA--IS DOING SO, IS FRUSTRATING AND QUESTIONABLE, IN THE EXTEME)

Political Islam, on the contrary, has great support within the Muslim population. It should be engaged relentlessly in our public arena. Only anti-Islamist Muslims can change that tide. But, for now, our private and public-sector thought leaders should first wake up and force the debate.

Holding my breath. Holding. Holding.

Okay, so I'm using the "Sheehan-diet" method of holding my breath and cheat so as not to pass out. lol

[seasoned traditionalist]

When we fought the ideological battle against communism during the Cold War, was there a moderate Communist ideology?(and then continues that were no moderates)

Of course, he is forgetting the Democratic party, which has long survived the fall of Communism in Europe

You are soooo right. Did not pick up on that.

Kudos.

Not only were they/continue to be, "moderates" with regards to Communism/Socialism, but were/are in fact, supporters/enablers for this for of repressive government, which most of the time, it appears, they would welcome replacing our Representative Democracy--as long as it replaced Republicans and Conservatives.

Stupid, "USEFUL IDIOTS," to coin a well known and oft used Communist term for all of them.

[jusduat]

I'm sick of Islam and the twisted reality they live in.
I have always held that talk is cheep and actions are what counts. Muslims actions speak loud enough. Muslim leaders are cowards and it should be outlawed since it is SO Very
LOUD in it's hatred of all others. I just don't think there is any hope for them.

[AmericanChef]

It's muzzies' duty to convert us all. No matter how moderate you get, there's still that, and we're a Christian society, which is the only one that makes America "work". We have to stop importing these folks, but that's never going to happen.

[nuconvert]

Yes, he is. Thanks for your input.

[nuconvert]

Part one of this series here............

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1677278/posts?page=1

[zimdog]

Why do these Muslims have to be "found"? If they have neither the intelligence nor the backbone to stand up and identify themselves, they're not going to be of any use to us in fighting the Islamofascists.

Because the response to them is too often like that in post #2. Of course, the terrorists want to kill them too.

Does anyone here know of a Muslim-American pro-America parade since 9/11?

I do not know of any specifically "Muslim" parades. Since Muslims do not generally live in "Muslim neighborhoods" like Germans and Japanese did in the 1940s, there isn't a distinct place to parade. A great number of Muslims are highly educated professionals living in distant suburbs, but there are many different ethnic neighborhoods in cities where parades might be held. Look at Arab Americans in Dearborn, Bangladeshis in Queens, Iranians in L.A., African Americans in Chicago or Harlem. Also look for community organizations, mosques and ethnic organizations marching in larger citywide parades. And of course, Muslims who parade as members of non-Muslims groups: Boy Scouts, fire department, marching band, etc.

Don't be surprised if you find a lot.

[zimdog]

"Islamism, as I see it, is an overriding philosophy of Muslims who believe in a society guided by a system of government founded upon clerical interpretations of religious law as derived from their own interpretation of the Koran and Sunnah. Argumentation within Islamist governments and parties is based upon clerical interpretations of God's law, not upon a reasoned deduction of effectiveness of human law. No matter how moderate Islamists present themselves, they will always hold on tightly to the notion that a majority Muslim state must be identified as an "Islamic state" with clerical guidance of their society's proximity to the Muslim path."

Well said. Good post.