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Fight Fire with Fire?
Posted by: McQ on Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Anne Applebaum asks an excellent question in reference to the Islamic firestorm precipitated by the Pope's remarks:

All of which is simply beside the point, since nothing the pope has ever said comes even close to matching the vitriol, extremism and hatred that pour out of the mouths of radical imams and fanatical clerics every day, all across Europe and the Muslim world, almost none of which ever provokes any Western response at all. And maybe it's time that it should: When Saudi Arabia publishes textbooks commanding good Wahhabi Muslims to "hate" Christians, Jews and non-Wahhabi Muslims, for example, why shouldn't the Vatican, the Southern Baptists, Britain's chief rabbi and the Council on American-Islamic Relations all condemn them — simultaneously?

An interesting suggestion. Consider it for a moment. Perhaps the way to fight intolerance is to be selectively intolerant ourselves.

Why shouldn't we, in the West, make the same sorts of statements when our values are attacked as do radical Muslims?

Now I'm not advocating burning mosques or shooting imams, or violence of any sort. But I am saying that I think Applebaum has a point. There is no better way to demonstrate the problem sometimes than by holding a mirror in front of those with the problem.

Obviously, doing what she suggests is no small feat (much like herding cats, I suppose) but I suggest it would make the point very well.

The whole purpose of the outrage from certain segments of Islam is to effectively shut us up. The idea is to make it painful to criticize a religion (like all religions) which should be criticized. That leave the field to those who would spread the hate of radical Islam uncontested. And, of course, that is anathema to Western ideals such as freedom of speech.

So perhaps that's an idea whose time has come. Then the question is, if the Souther Baptists and the Vatican and other religious denominations were to actually do such a thing, would the media bother to cover it?

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Lets take it further....I see via Drudge that NBC is planning a Madonna concert where she performs on a crucifix.

Maybe it’s time those "radical christian" groups Rosie O’Donnell warned about swung into action with the same tactics that stopped the NYT et. al from showing the Mohammed cartoons.

Written By: Shark
URL: http://

The only problem with showing them a mirror is that they will think that they are doing what their pagan moon god wants them to do. Personally, I don’t think that Islam is at all compatible with a free society, except in its Sufi form. Islam has demonstrated absolutely no general potential for compatibility and I think for that reason we should not allow non-Sufi Muslims to live in the West, unless they converted to Islam as a non-Islamic Westerner.

Written By: MikeT
URL: http://www.codemonkeyramblings.com

"...would the media bother to cover it?"

Of course the media would cover it. It would be another glaring example of the dangers of western cultural imperialism and christian hatred and intolerance; obviously laying the groudwork for a new crusade and a religious war against peaceful Islam. Obviously a part of the vast right wing conspiracy, and an attempt to dominate the world’s oil suppies by violating the separation of church and state. Etc.

Written By: timactual
URL: http://

Gee, maybe Ann Coulter was a visionary when she suggested we invade their contries, kill their leaders and convert the people to Christianity. Or perhaps not. I truly don’t believe these creatures would be concerned, bemused or persuaded by the indignation of anyone outside of Islam. Theirs is a violent one-track mind.

We need to get them back to fighting one another. Can’t the CIA stir up the pots in that part of the world? You know, tell the Sunnis that the Shias said that their sisters are whores. Then tell the Shias that the Sunnis said all Shia women have hairy backs. Convince Syria to invade Saudi Arabia while we’re at it.

Written By: Joab
URL: http://joabsblog.blogspot.com

Perhaps firmly saying "No," accompanied by rapping them sharply across the nose with a rolled-up newspaper.

Written By: Achillea
URL: http://

Perhaps the way to fight intolerance is to be selectively intolerant ourselves.

Teh left has turned "discrimination" into a sin or an insult. However, being discriminating is not an act of evil, its actually pretty normal human behavior which is I guess why the left wants it to be illegal.

Written By: Josh
URL: http://

If they put some of those Danish cartoon or a picture of the Pope at every airline jetway and every security checkpoint, perhaps security would get even better.

Hey, there must be a silver lining to this.

Written By: Neo
URL: http://

Perhaps the way to fight intolerance is to be selectively intolerant ourselves.

I only wish that it was intolerance we were fighting instead of murderous thugs...

Written By: Shark
URL: http://

And maybe it’s time that it should: When Saudi Arabia publishes textbooks commanding good Wahhabi Muslims to "hate" Christians, Jews and non-Wahhabi Muslims, for example, why shouldn’t the Vatican, the Southern Baptists, Britain’s chief rabbi and the Council on American-Islamic Relations all condemn them — simultaneously?

Ha ha. Would CAIR have to payback the $500,000 they took for distributing the Saudi literature in America as well as make the condemnation?

Written By: unaha-closp
URL: http://warisforwinning.blogspot.com/

while i agree that there’s obviously a double standard when it comes to muslim outrage over religious conflicts (see also the danish cartoon uproar vs. muslim cartoon depictions of jews, et al), i think this idea is pretty silly.

first, you can never out crazy the crazies.

second, crazies, pretty much by definition, are immune to the subtle, logical argument being made in such a counter protest.

third, and i think most importantly, is that if the goal is to lower or eventually end the animosity that exists between the muslim world and the west, we need to rachet down the conflict whenever we can, not rachet it up.

Written By: this guy
URL: http://

There’s a word for doing yourself what you criticize others for doing. It’s called hypocrisy.

Written By: Platypus
URL: http://pl.atyp.us

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