Jihad Watch director Robert Spencer in FrontPage on the Newsweek Qur'an flushing imbroglio:
When in April EBay offered a consecrated host for sale, imagine if Catholics had rioted and seventeen people were killed.The media would have been full of stories about the dark side of the "Christian Right."
Imagine if, when Muslims desecrated the Tomb of Joseph in Nablus in 2000, destroying it with hammers, rampaging Jewish mobs had killed dozens of Palestinians.
The establishment media response would again have inundated us with stories about the heroic Palestinians and their Israeli oppressors.
Neither of those things really happened. But seventeen people have been killed and hundreds wounded in riots by Muslims since Newsweek published its story about an American interrogator flushing a Qur'an down the toilet at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
And yet the media establishment seems preoccupied only with the fact that Newsweek, in publishing a false story that it has since retracted, has done a very bad thing. And that the Bush Administration must do something to calm tempers and soothe feelings in the Islamic world.
There is no excusing Newsweek's irresponsibility in this. But this is not really a story about media bias or carelessness at all. There is a much larger story that is getting hardly any attention at all. The gorilla in the living room that no one wants to notice, is that flushing a Qur'an down the toilet should not be grounds to commit murder.
This aspect of the story is being ignored by spokesmen on both the Left and the Right. After the initial reports of rioting, Juan Cole sputtered, "Whatever goddam military genius came up with the bright idea of flushing the Koran down the toilet at Guantanamo should be court-martialed, and Bush had better get out there apologizing before this thing spirals further out of control." On the other side of the political spectrum, Paul Marshall wrung his hands in National Review: "Even if Newsweek publishes a full retraction, the damage is done. Much of the Muslim world will regard it merely as a cover-up and feel reconfirmed in the view that America is at war with Islam."
Neither Cole nor Marshall, however, made any moral judgment about the rioters. Marshall was furious with Newsweek: "It would be charitable to think that if Newsweek had known how explosive the story was it may have held off until it had more confirmation. If this is true, it is an indication that the media's widespread failure to pay careful attention to the complexities of religion not only misleads us about domestic and international affairs but also gets people killed." Cole, for his part, directed his anger at the Bush
Administration: "As a professional historian, I would say we still do not have enough to be sure that the Koran desecration incident took place. We have enough to consider it plausible. Anyway, the important thing politically is that some Muslims have found it plausible, and their outrage cannot be effectively dealt with by simple denial. That is why I say that Bush should just come out and say we can't be sure that it happened, but if it did it was an excess, and he apologizes if it did happen, and will make sure it doesn't happen again (if it did)."Neither one says anything whatsoever about a culture that condones -- celebrates --wanton murder of innocent people, mayhem, and destruction in response to the alleged and unproven destruction of a book.
The question here is one of proportionate response. If a Qur'an had indeed been flushed, Muslims would have justifiably been offended. They may justifiably have considered the perpetrators boors, or barbarians, or hell-bound unbelievers. They may justifiably have issued denunciations accordingly. But that is all. To kill people thousands of miles away who had nothing to do with the act, and to fulminate with threats and murder against the entire Western world, all because of this alleged act, is not just disproportionate. It is not just excessive. It is mad. And every decent person in the world ought to have the courage to stand up and say that it is mad.
I suspect that even Juan Cole and Paul Marshall, somewhere in the back of their minds, know that it is mad too. But why don't they say so? Because Rule #1 in the establishment (Left and Right) view of this present conflict is that it has nothing to do with Islam. To bring a moral judgment to bear upon Muslim people, or to explore the ways in which Islam fuels the conflict, is therefore absolutely forbidden.
This kind of analysis, dominant as it is in the media, does the Western world an enormous disservice. The reaction to the Newsweek story in the Muslim world only shows how critical it is that the elements of Islam that give rise to fanaticism and violence be examined and confronted. Lives are at stake. But Cole and Marshall, and many others like them on both the Left and the Right, can't see this necessity through the enveloping fog of political correctness.
Aptly put, Robert.
This self imposed constraint called political correctness has now really, really begun to hurt the host organism i.e. western society.
I wonder if you or Hugh could enlighten us on any historical parallels when societies "woke up", dumped age-old self-imposed restrictions and did the selfish thing with a clean conscience. I suspect, there may be no exact historical parallels because this degree of denial and policy-blindness is probably unprecedented...
Thank you. I made the point on my site that it was the barbarity, fanaticism and ignorance of the rioters that was the true (proximate) cause of the riots but I seemed to be the only one saying it. It lent weight to the critics of Newsweek to keep mentioning the deaths. Even Rush Limbaugh, who can be very smart when he wants to, admitted yesterday that people like the rioters may not be nice, sweet, peace-loving people who will leave us alone as long as we say nothing to upset them.
Thank you, Robert. Completely correct and very aptly put.
Robert
Imagine if, when Muslims desecrated the Tomb of Joseph in Nablus in 2000, destroying it with hammers, rampaging Jewish mobs had killed dozens of Palestinians
Also, note the lack of rioting and killing in the Buddhist world after the Bhamiyan Buddha's were destroyed by the Taliban.
Excellent post.
Mr. Spencer, it isn't about "political correctness." It's about FINANCIAL correctness, and you and I and everyone else KNOWS where the money is. There's nothing PC about excusing mobs of murderers. Neither a good liberal nor a good conservative would do so.
It's all about the money, for most people. The Saudis and their close kin have been handed 10 TRILLION dollars in the past thirty years. They are using it wisely. I can't help but wonder what would happen to Israel if Saudi offered us 50-cents a gallon gas for five years.
Don't forget all that "excavation" and "archeological research" going on in the Temple of David/Alaqsa Moaque.
Also recall the desecration of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, when all those "palestinian" "freedom fighters" ran in and occupied it for weeks rather than fight the IDF or surrender like real men.
Also, note the lack of rioting and killing in the Buddhist world after the Bhamiyan Buddha's were destroyed by the Taliban.
That's because Buddhists, like Jews, Hindus, and most Christians, are civilized human beings.
Add this: What about the desecration of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem by Palestinian gunmen?
The real point I wish to make is this: do we want a belief system that produces such madness into our country? Do we want women who buy into this belief system to have children that grow up brainwashed by this madness?
Note that European and American Muslims did not riot. Far from being a good sign, I explain by saying that they feel they are not strong enough yet to fully intimidate.
Do we want this madness to gain a real foothold here in the US?
The jump from an ignorant Muslim to a full-blown Muslim howler (e.g. jihadist) can happen at any time.
Islam itself must be banned because it is totally incompatible and detrimental to our society. The piety that Ratzinger finds so appealing is really madness.
Ethelred - questioningIslam@yahoo.com
Well written.
The comparison is staggering: muslim mobs destroy the Tomb of Joseph - Jews and Christians write letters.
(Islamic response: The filthy unbelievers! How dare they impugn the name of the Prophet by condemning the actions of his followers! There were very good reasons for this destruction; we were "helping" the other Abrahamic faiths break away from idolatry! Now come to Mecca with us to see our terrible rock-god, etc etc.)
Someone apparently flushes a Quran down a toilet - well, now it's killin-time.
(Islamic response: The filthy unbelievers! How dare they impugn the name of the Prophet by flushing his holy words! Now stand back while we confiscate and burn these Bibles in Malaysia, etc etc.)
And Allah knows jack.
Imam Geoff
What mr. Spencer is saying is so obvious that it is hard to grasp how it is possible for so many to NOT see it. Muslims are, over and over again, treated like spoiled children who totally lack responsibility for their own actions - whatever they do, it's always treated as a REACTION to what the Infidels do; so if they do something bad, it means the Infidels (Americans, or Jews, or sometimes also Europeans, or whoever) are bad because they made Muslims do those bad things. To say that Newsweek is responsible for the murders committed by the Muslim rioters is just the same as to say that Theo van Gogh, with his "tasteless" comments on Islam, was responsible for his own murder (as numerous dhimmi newspapers did say). Just when will the world ask Muslims to grow up and take responsibility for their own actions?
The muslims have a toy. Oil.
I think its about time that the adults of the world took the toy away from them, since all this sparing the rod has only spoilt the child.
Look at the big picture. "Islamophobia" should not be the fear of Muslims as single, law-abiding individuals. In reality the "fear" is that Muslim rioting Muslim mobs will rampage at the slightest provocation. The "fear" includes the fact that rampaging mobs overwhelm, engulf, and extinguish the cultures of non-Muslims while annihilating their citizens.
The rampage caused by a simple allegation is another example of Islam gone mad in which innocent people are hurt and killed and in which property is destroyed. The more often this happens, the more that people are beheaded, assassinated, stoned, scourged, honor-killed, and so on in the name of Islam, the greater the apprehension and concern of the West will grow. Surely Muslims in the West understand this principle. Yet their voices are not raised en masse to condemn these practices.
Silence is not golden, it is acceptance and condoning. At outcry by Muslims against the violence and other heinous behaviors must also be backed up by action as "talk is cheap" and actions speak more loudly than words. The rioters prove this to be true.
I'm willing to share blame equally between SnoozeWeak and the Islamofascist scum.
"The muslims have a toy. Oil."
Muslims were causing widespread mayhem and misery through their brutal Jihads for 1,300 years before they had oil.
1) The discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia and Persia in the early 20th century,
coinciding with
2) oil's crucial economic importance in the 20th century,
coinciding with
3) the voluntary dismantling of Western Colonialism that, before & immediately after World War One would have enabled the West to definitively colonize the entire Muslim world --
has all merely resulted in putting "oil on the fire" of an Islam that since its very beginning has been a military threat to Judaeo-Christian Civilization.
The muslims have a toy. Oil.
I think its about time that the adults of the world took the toy away from them, since all this sparing the rod has only spoilt the child.
Posted by: Absolution at May 18, 2005 10:16 AM
BIO DESSIEL!!! PRESIDENT BUSH HAD A MEETING WITH TRUCKERS THIS WEEK ABOUT BIO DESSIEL!!
OUR FARMERS CAN GROW STUFF TO FEED OUR TRUCKS AND CARS!!!
YOU THINK THE ARABS CAN EAT OIL???
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
GOD BLESS THE USA AND HER FIGHTING FORCES AND ALL WHO FIGHT WITH HER GIVE THEM STRENGTH, WISDOM, SIGHT, AND COURAGE TO STAY THE COURSE TO VICTORY[FREEDOM] TO DESTROY ALL ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM[NEWSWEEK] OPEN THE WORLDS EYES TO THEIR THREAT GIVE THE WORLD COURAGE TO STAND UP AND FIGHT THIS EVIL[WHO CUT OFF PEOPLES HEADS] AMEN
PS
This is why they are trying to stop the FREEDOM in Iraq because the wealth of their land to grow crops!!!!!
Iraq will be the Bread basket of the MiddleEast?????? CALLED POWER SHIFT
EPG: Look at the big picture. "Islamophobia" should not be the fear of Muslims as single, law-abiding individuals.
I must totally disagree with you. ISLAM IS THE PROBLEM, and Muslims embody it.
I simply do not want 20 million 'law abiding' (meaning ignorant of the Koranic mesaage) Muslims living in the United States in the year 2050, only to have them awaken en masse.
Islam must be banned as the religious Nazism it is.
Ethelred
In one newsclip, a helpless fellow was being gunned down by several of what I presume were his Muslim brothers.
Marching, screaming, sloganeering and mayhem are pretty common events in the outlands, often after Friday prayers.
The 'big week' was triggered by the rumor of an event that occurred thousands of miles away.
In fact, more than a few folks, in print, television, and radio did note that no matter what Newsweek or the U.S. Government did in apology, those riots were just a part of ME life, and that their own political and religious leadership were responsible for the violence.
Did Muslims kill fellow Muslims to avenge what they were told was a 'Qur'anic Flush' by an American in Cuba?
Perhaps it was just a handy excuse to even a few local scores.
Ethelred-- One person at a time is easier to take. But you are right -- people tend to congregate to flex their political and social muscles.
I see the constant riots on TV, and I have to ask: Don't these people work? Have jobs? How do they eat, support their families, while burning flags and throwing rocks? Some people just enjoy being pissed off all the time. What a bore.
Perhaps what hurts these 'types' more is the fact that regular folks like you and me just dont give a rip about them. GET OVER IT!
Good Article Robert, I think that the politically correctness will kill us, we have to name the bread bread and the wine wine. It´s necessary.
Regarding Robert's statement: "both the Left and the Right, can’t see this necessity through the enveloping fog of political correctness."
Very prescient (not Robert's first time at prescience I might add).
It is quite disturbing to see the recent trend of conservatives to try and outcompete the Postmodernists in political correctness. Condoleeza Rice is on the very vocal vangaurd of this recent development.
Ultimately, political correctness is the methodology of subjectivity trumping objectivity. It is through such a metaphysic that Postmodernism has ended up in all of its sophistic silliness. As long as the Right pursues such methods, it will endear itself to the scrapheap of philosophical insanity and eventually end up there as well.
We wait for those with a clear vision to declare, "the emperor is naked", RS is telling all who will hear.
http://deoxy.org/emperors.htm
Was anyone of the 17 people killed in the riot over using the Koran as toilet paper of any importance?
Or were they just people caught up in the crowd and trampled?
kleo2x [thanx]
Giaour's comment that all is subjectivity especially religion decidedly disregards Pascale's Wager. Religion is perceived as subjective to the agnostic. However, to a person of faith, religion is quite objective. The conundrum comes in that faith is an experience, and those without it cannot understand it.
Specifically in defense of my statement that political correctness is subjective, this refers to the methodology one confronts when ideas cannot be critically examined since political correctness by definition has decided a priori the position one must take. Without critical analysis, there is no objectivity.