Monty91
01-13-2015, 05:04 PM
We all recognise that Islam is a religion plagued by extremists. Muslims are most aware of this – worldwide they are much more likely to be the victim of jihadists than Christians or Jews are. The vast majority of Muslims are moderate and get on with their lives without troubling anyone, yet time and again they find themselves represented by ISIS or the likes of the Kouachi brothers.
We desperately need moderate Muslims to come forward and join with us in taking stand against those who kill in the name of Islam. Yet those who are the most vociferous in calling for moderates to take a stand are often those who defend the right of Charlie Hebdo to print cartoons depicting the Prophet.
Thus we extend the hand of friendship towards moderate Muslims only to slap them in the face in our determination to offend them in the name of free speech. In doing so, we legitimise the rantings of extremists who say that Muslims have no place in Europe. Radical Islamists are already declaring that this week’s cover of Charlie Hebdo is “an act of war.”
If we genuinely want moderate Muslims to be part of our community, to stand beside us against the extremists, then we have to start a process of building trust that will involve listening to their concerns. That’s not ‘self censorship’, it’s respect – the very thing that civil society is based on.
We desperately need moderate Muslims to come forward and join with us in taking stand against those who kill in the name of Islam. Yet those who are the most vociferous in calling for moderates to take a stand are often those who defend the right of Charlie Hebdo to print cartoons depicting the Prophet.
Thus we extend the hand of friendship towards moderate Muslims only to slap them in the face in our determination to offend them in the name of free speech. In doing so, we legitimise the rantings of extremists who say that Muslims have no place in Europe. Radical Islamists are already declaring that this week’s cover of Charlie Hebdo is “an act of war.”
If we genuinely want moderate Muslims to be part of our community, to stand beside us against the extremists, then we have to start a process of building trust that will involve listening to their concerns. That’s not ‘self censorship’, it’s respect – the very thing that civil society is based on.