Dean Esmay rejects Michelle Malkin’s dismissal of Islam

And so do I.

The more non-Muslims who declare in frustration that Islam is incompatible with democracy, the fewer Muslims will step forward to defend their natural human rights.

Michelle Malkin has stopped narrowing her complaints to the extremists, the Islamists, the Muslim fringe, the Islamofascists. To her, the enemy now appears to be all of Islam. It may be that Malkin is daring Muslim moderates to speak up, but Dean Esmay says Malkin is only making enemies of friends.

Major exceptions. Never mind that Turkey and Indonesia are Muslim nations, and democratic. Never mind that Afghanistan is a Muslim nation, and democratic. Never mind that Iraq is trying to lay down democratic roots. Never mind that millions of democratic Americans are Muslims. Malkin would rather insult all Muslims than speak precisely.

History shows that all major religions were organized around at least a few dictatorial rules. But all major religions also include principles that leave the door open to democracy.

Some say Muhammad himself wrote the first constitution, for the city of Medina, adopting relatively liberal ideas for the time. Muhammad is one of several philosophers whose image is engraved on the U.S. Supreme Court building. It’s there because Muhammad insisted on the fairly applied rule of law – and it wasn’t sharia law.

A common love. We shouldn’t be telling Muslims in non-democratic nations that they want and deserve their oppression. We should be reaching out to all Muslims for what most of us have in common -- the love of liberty and the right to be free.

Frank Warner

Comments

[jj mollo]

And truth be told, India is also a Muslim nation. There are as many Muslims in India as in Pakistan, and it's certainly democratic.

[George]

Frank: I'd say you and Michelle Malkin are both half right. Raymond Ibrahim has a recent post on the Victor Davis Hanson website where he points out the conflicting nature of the Koran (violent and nonviolent). He goes on to point out that Osama bin Laden espouses the violent aspect and terrorism. Muslims aren't condemning OBL; instead a poll shows 49% support him.

There are working democratic governments in predominantly Islamic countries. However, there is no denying that the there is an extreme lack of effort to stop, or to even merely condemn, these terrorist acts in the name of Islam.

I'm with the George W. Bush doctrine: you're either with us or you're against us in this war on terrorism. The problem with too many Muslims is that they show no sign of being with us. I believe that is where Michelle Malkin is coming from.

[Kevin]

"The more non-Muslims who declare in frustration that Islam is incompatible with democracy, the fewer Muslims will step forward to defend their natural human rights."

How many fewer can step up before the number is zero? Read this if you get a chance. I'm scared we're underestimating the problem in a big way.

[Frank Warner]

That link indicates there are "so few" moderate Muslims. That's more than zero.

Also, considering the Muslim who said "Of course I support jihad" also said he opposes killing innocent people, it is possible that his definition of "jihad" is something other than "holy war." I can't tell in this case, but jihad does not always refer to war.

[George]

Here's a video for another perspective on this topic.

[Kevin]

From HotAir, that lady in George's video speaks out again! It's long, but informative."I do not believe there are moderate Muslims", she says.

I'm worried.

[George]

For the record, it is Arab-American Psychologist Wafa Sultan.

[Kevin]

Is she single? That's the important question :)

[George]

Here's good article by Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch that punches holes in the suggestion that Muhammed wanted peace. There was a period when Muhammad wanted to "give peace a chance" but, when that didn't work, it was abrogated (topic of article) by "Jihad for everyone."

[George]

Doggone it! I posted the wrong link. Here is the correct link.

[George]

Frank, I withdraw my suggestion that you are half right. Now, I am tending to believe more that you (and I) have been misguided on Islam. Count me in the Michelle Malkin camp.

Bruce Thornton, over at VDH's Private Papers has swayed me.

Islam is one screwed up religion -- if you can call it a religion. Mohammad was a violent cult leader -- there is no denying this. And he was a nutcase using contradictory logic to justify his ever changing whims.