thedrifter
11-14-05, 06:42 AM
Liberalism the Cause of Jihad in Europe?
Written by Justin Darr
Monday, November 14, 2005
After more than two weeks of nightly violence, the rioting of Europe’s Muslim minority has finally begun to subside. While the French government and maintream media may be eager to pretend that the events of the last month were an anomaly, or persist in the notion that the underlying issues that incited the violence are now being addressed, the current lull in the violence in Europe is just that: a lull. The violence will return in the future. Europe is fast becoming ground zero in a clash between two equally intolerant cultures, radical Islam and liberalism.
If American liberalism has an Eden, it must be somewhere in France. France has positioned itself in the world as the self appointed “Liberal Paradise.” Large scale social programs, crippling controls over business, the complete eradication of expressions of faith in public schools, year-long prison terms for anyone who might utter a word deemed to be “offensive,” euthanasia for invalids, no death penalty, abortion pills, and a compulsive anti-Americanism, has made France the envy of liberals world-wide.
While liberals may be quick to point out some perceived benefits of France’s socialistic programs, they are equally quick to ignore the dark side of liberalism that is also very apparent in France: a crippled, uncompetitive economy, high unemployment, and an overwhelming arrogance and intolerance toward those who do not share their beliefs.
In the post World War II era, Europe has followed the standard liberal plan toward its immigrant communities. First, welcome them as long as they are elitist intellectuals like themselves, or poor and willing to do the menial jobs liberals feel are below them. Second, force them into social programs designed to make them dependant on the state (and liberal political parties) and indoctrinate their children into the “proper” values in the public schools. Third, after a generation or two, urge them to completely set aside silly little cultural traditions and religious beliefs and join the larger socialist polity. Hey, there is no law saying that they cannot enjoy their cultural heritage and values, just as long as they confine it to “Celebrations of Diversity Parades,” and watch them on PBS.
For decades, this plan has had some success. Many of the issues surrounding values, freedom of speech, the environment, and religion that define the most contentious of American political debates are nonexistent in Europe. The liberals have already won. The liberal plan in Europe, however, has had one large stumbling block: Muslim immigrants.
Islam, in and of itself, is not an intolerant faith. The values and beliefs that constitute Islam may be different in many regards to Christianity, but the average Muslim is not necessarily predisposed toward intolerance. The reality of Islamic fundamentalism cannot be ignored, however. And the reality of Islamic fundamentalism is that it is one of the most intolerant and militantly aggressive beliefs on the planet.
Islamic fundamentalism exhibits several dangerous tendencies. Self-exclusion—meaning Islamists see the western world as sinful and corrupt, and refuse to intermingle with it. Militancy—Islamists feast on the numerous suras of the Koran endorsing and regulating violence. Intolerance—people of some differing beliefs are tolerated, but all must submit themselves to second-class status under the religious apartheid of “Dhimnitude.” Arrogance—no law applies to Muslims but Islamic law and the Koran. And, finally, aggressive territoriality—once Muslims have control of an area, then they must always have control over that area, holding it by whatever force they deem necessary (this is the rationale behind the Islamist desire to destroy Israel.)
For years liberals have tried to portray the spread of Islamic fundamentalism across the Muslim world as a result of poverty. This is not the case. The basis of Islamic fundamentalism is a sense of inferiority due to the decline of Islamic civilization.
Islamists see the decline of their civilization as a consequence of the corruption of Islam through the sinful influences of the world around them, and the aggressive intrusion of foreign powers to steal their wealth, resources, and land. To them, there is only one answer. Fight back and destroy the enemies of Allah where ever, or who ever they may be. There can be no compromise, no peace, only total victory or total defeat.
In Europe, the Muslim population is not fundamentalist in nature, but is being pushed in that direction by the liberal societies in which it lives. In traditional fashion, the liberals of Europe have chosen to attack, mock, and regulate those of the Muslim community who, “uneducated” or “stupid,” refuse to give up their beliefs.
For example, in 2004, Cheryl Benard of the RAND Corporation stated in The Christian Science Monitor, “Ironically, France's new secular dress code may end up taking Islamic society a step forward by sending Muslims back to their own religious texts for review,” in regard to French legislation banning school girls from wearing the “hijab,” or Muslim head scarf in public school. In other words, Muslims in France are too stupid to understand their own faith, so they must be forced by the state to go study it. Who cares that the “hijab” is a cultural norm for many Muslims and not wearing it in public is tantamount to a sexual assault on a young girl. But liberals do not like it, so away it goes. “Take your scarf off, your welfare check home, and shut up,” is how Europe has dealt with the differing beliefs of its minorities. Over decades the Muslim community has refused to fall into line, so the liberals have systematically ostracized it.
This should be no surprise to Americans. This is how liberals deal with anyone who disagrees with them here. The only difference is that there are fewer of them and they have not, yet, managed to gain complete control of the courts.
After years of mockery, oppression of their beliefs, and discrimination, the Muslim minority has lashed out. The riots are far more an expression of frustration and hopelessness than any form of religious extremism. But they are the raw emotions from which radical Islam can spawn. And the incompetence of the French government has ensured that it will.
The first response in Europe to the riots was one of shock, inaction, and insults. The people in the street where called “scum,” Liberals were perplexed at the immigrants’ hostility after all the programs they created for them, and the police stood by and helplessly watched. The second response was complete oppression. A state of emergency was declared, curfews imposed, agitators threatened with deportation, and the right of public assembly severely curtailed.
The message the Muslim community received is that when they fight, they can bring Europe to its knees. When they stop fighting, things became worse. This is the worse-case scenario for Europe. For the first time in their lives, the immigrant population of Europe feels powerful. There is no more fertile soil for radicalism to bloom than the one created by the French.
Islamists might ask why the Muslims of Europe stopped fighting? Soon, Europe’s immigrants might be asking the same question. Out of liberalism’s arrogance and inability to accept any ideas but it own, liberals have set the stage for jihad in Europe.
About the Writer: Justin Darr is a freelance writer living in the Philadelphia area with his wife, Erin, and twin children. He can be read widely on the Internet and in print publications in the United States and Europe. Justin Darr is a proud member of the MoveOff Network. . Justin receives e-mail at justindarr@juno.com.
Ellie
Written by Justin Darr
Monday, November 14, 2005
After more than two weeks of nightly violence, the rioting of Europe’s Muslim minority has finally begun to subside. While the French government and maintream media may be eager to pretend that the events of the last month were an anomaly, or persist in the notion that the underlying issues that incited the violence are now being addressed, the current lull in the violence in Europe is just that: a lull. The violence will return in the future. Europe is fast becoming ground zero in a clash between two equally intolerant cultures, radical Islam and liberalism.
If American liberalism has an Eden, it must be somewhere in France. France has positioned itself in the world as the self appointed “Liberal Paradise.” Large scale social programs, crippling controls over business, the complete eradication of expressions of faith in public schools, year-long prison terms for anyone who might utter a word deemed to be “offensive,” euthanasia for invalids, no death penalty, abortion pills, and a compulsive anti-Americanism, has made France the envy of liberals world-wide.
While liberals may be quick to point out some perceived benefits of France’s socialistic programs, they are equally quick to ignore the dark side of liberalism that is also very apparent in France: a crippled, uncompetitive economy, high unemployment, and an overwhelming arrogance and intolerance toward those who do not share their beliefs.
In the post World War II era, Europe has followed the standard liberal plan toward its immigrant communities. First, welcome them as long as they are elitist intellectuals like themselves, or poor and willing to do the menial jobs liberals feel are below them. Second, force them into social programs designed to make them dependant on the state (and liberal political parties) and indoctrinate their children into the “proper” values in the public schools. Third, after a generation or two, urge them to completely set aside silly little cultural traditions and religious beliefs and join the larger socialist polity. Hey, there is no law saying that they cannot enjoy their cultural heritage and values, just as long as they confine it to “Celebrations of Diversity Parades,” and watch them on PBS.
For decades, this plan has had some success. Many of the issues surrounding values, freedom of speech, the environment, and religion that define the most contentious of American political debates are nonexistent in Europe. The liberals have already won. The liberal plan in Europe, however, has had one large stumbling block: Muslim immigrants.
Islam, in and of itself, is not an intolerant faith. The values and beliefs that constitute Islam may be different in many regards to Christianity, but the average Muslim is not necessarily predisposed toward intolerance. The reality of Islamic fundamentalism cannot be ignored, however. And the reality of Islamic fundamentalism is that it is one of the most intolerant and militantly aggressive beliefs on the planet.
Islamic fundamentalism exhibits several dangerous tendencies. Self-exclusion—meaning Islamists see the western world as sinful and corrupt, and refuse to intermingle with it. Militancy—Islamists feast on the numerous suras of the Koran endorsing and regulating violence. Intolerance—people of some differing beliefs are tolerated, but all must submit themselves to second-class status under the religious apartheid of “Dhimnitude.” Arrogance—no law applies to Muslims but Islamic law and the Koran. And, finally, aggressive territoriality—once Muslims have control of an area, then they must always have control over that area, holding it by whatever force they deem necessary (this is the rationale behind the Islamist desire to destroy Israel.)
For years liberals have tried to portray the spread of Islamic fundamentalism across the Muslim world as a result of poverty. This is not the case. The basis of Islamic fundamentalism is a sense of inferiority due to the decline of Islamic civilization.
Islamists see the decline of their civilization as a consequence of the corruption of Islam through the sinful influences of the world around them, and the aggressive intrusion of foreign powers to steal their wealth, resources, and land. To them, there is only one answer. Fight back and destroy the enemies of Allah where ever, or who ever they may be. There can be no compromise, no peace, only total victory or total defeat.
In Europe, the Muslim population is not fundamentalist in nature, but is being pushed in that direction by the liberal societies in which it lives. In traditional fashion, the liberals of Europe have chosen to attack, mock, and regulate those of the Muslim community who, “uneducated” or “stupid,” refuse to give up their beliefs.
For example, in 2004, Cheryl Benard of the RAND Corporation stated in The Christian Science Monitor, “Ironically, France's new secular dress code may end up taking Islamic society a step forward by sending Muslims back to their own religious texts for review,” in regard to French legislation banning school girls from wearing the “hijab,” or Muslim head scarf in public school. In other words, Muslims in France are too stupid to understand their own faith, so they must be forced by the state to go study it. Who cares that the “hijab” is a cultural norm for many Muslims and not wearing it in public is tantamount to a sexual assault on a young girl. But liberals do not like it, so away it goes. “Take your scarf off, your welfare check home, and shut up,” is how Europe has dealt with the differing beliefs of its minorities. Over decades the Muslim community has refused to fall into line, so the liberals have systematically ostracized it.
This should be no surprise to Americans. This is how liberals deal with anyone who disagrees with them here. The only difference is that there are fewer of them and they have not, yet, managed to gain complete control of the courts.
After years of mockery, oppression of their beliefs, and discrimination, the Muslim minority has lashed out. The riots are far more an expression of frustration and hopelessness than any form of religious extremism. But they are the raw emotions from which radical Islam can spawn. And the incompetence of the French government has ensured that it will.
The first response in Europe to the riots was one of shock, inaction, and insults. The people in the street where called “scum,” Liberals were perplexed at the immigrants’ hostility after all the programs they created for them, and the police stood by and helplessly watched. The second response was complete oppression. A state of emergency was declared, curfews imposed, agitators threatened with deportation, and the right of public assembly severely curtailed.
The message the Muslim community received is that when they fight, they can bring Europe to its knees. When they stop fighting, things became worse. This is the worse-case scenario for Europe. For the first time in their lives, the immigrant population of Europe feels powerful. There is no more fertile soil for radicalism to bloom than the one created by the French.
Islamists might ask why the Muslims of Europe stopped fighting? Soon, Europe’s immigrants might be asking the same question. Out of liberalism’s arrogance and inability to accept any ideas but it own, liberals have set the stage for jihad in Europe.
About the Writer: Justin Darr is a freelance writer living in the Philadelphia area with his wife, Erin, and twin children. He can be read widely on the Internet and in print publications in the United States and Europe. Justin Darr is a proud member of the MoveOff Network. . Justin receives e-mail at justindarr@juno.com.
Ellie