Saturday, September 30, 2006
Of Silly Kerfluffles and Important Questions
I’m a member of the coffee-rant generation!
There’s a kerfluffel going on in the blogosphere. “Whaaat?!?” I hear you say, “How singular!” Well, if you’ll quit being snarky for a moment, I’ll tell ya that I’m only mentioning it because it concerns the important question facing Americans and civilized Westerners today. [No need to keep reading TOaD—this ain’t about you—or the Insane Kos Klowns or any of the other DU/BDS/PEST crowd.]
[Disclaimer: I usually don’t get involved with blog squabbles—ick. But Dean was a good acquaintance and helped me out when I began blogging. I even guest-posted for him. So it feels kinda personal. And I know—that kind of post is known as “traffic bait.” But I’m choosing to proceed under the assumption that Dean’s question was an honest one and that he is stating his actual beliefs honestly. Not particularly well, but what the hell—nobody’s perfect. We can all get inflamed to imprecise verbiage by our passions from time to time.
/background ]
The first punch:
Dean Esmay making “an open appeal ...to the conscience of conservatives everywhere: shouldn’t you start making a distinction between Muslims who hate us and want to kill us, and Muslims who believe in freedom, democracy, and religious tolerance?
As I consider myself one of the conservatives to whom Dean refers, I respond: Sorry, Dean—that’s not my distinction to make. It rightfully belongs to the individuals you mentioned; the “Muslims who hate us and want to kill us, and Muslims who believe in freedom, democracy, and religious tolerance.” Ain’t my job to tell them what to do, what they “really” believe or how they are. What is my job is to observe their behavior in this conflict and draw my conclusions from what I see.
If you come running at me waving a bloody scimitar, I’m gonna judge you differently than if you stand beside me and fight with me against the lunatic running at us both waving a bloody scimitar. And if you sit on the sidelines pretending there is no shrieking lunatic waving a bloody scimitar, I’m gonna judge you pretty harshly. And judge I will—it’s what humans do. Like you did, Dean; though mis-directedly.
The question at the hear of the kerfluffle is “Moderate Moslems: Do they exist and, if so, whereinhell are they?!?”
It is an important question, which is why I bring it up for discussion here. Mostly because we’re Americans and it is part of the American Cuuuuulture [yanno—the thing the Insane Kos Klowns, the DU’ers and the Soros Machine are trying to convince us is so eeeevil, the one that isn’t allowed a booth at the Multicultural Festivals] that Americans give folks an even break, give a guy the benefit of the doubt, sometimes even giving folks too much credit in our efforts to believe that, at heart, everyone is a good guy and that it’s just sometimes folks get misinformed or misled.
That’s part of what makes US a good neighbor and a good friend. Heck—we’re still speaking to the Fwentch, even now that we have better wine.
I’ve heard tell of one Moderate [aka Civilized] Moslem; that fella who helped uncover the British Airline Bombing Plot a coupla months ago. Perfect example. Though I wouldn’t think that foiling a bombing plot is necessarily the prerequisite for Moderate Moslemitude: joining an anti-terrorism rally instead of a pro-HizbAllah rally would make a nice start.
I know there are many of the Muslim faith in our armed forces, and many others leading normal American lives of business building and family raising who are decent people firmly on the side of Civilization. Here, I’m talking about the level of Movements; the iSlamofascist Movement and the Moderate Muslim Movement. m’kay?
I can see the point of those Moslems reluctant to speak out: they get issued with a death fatwa by the iSlamofascists. But, hey— they’re gonna kill ya anyway: why not go out with your head held high? Or better yet—join up to defeat ‘em and everyone lives happily ever after.
Of late, with me—and I suspect with many others—the tone has become a little tougher. It’s been five years and I have heard much more from CAIR whining than I’ve heard from American Moslems telling their bloodthirsty and brainwashed brethren, “Knock it off, already.” I think that deserves a tougher tone; a challenge to stand the hell up and do The Right Thing for Civilization.
So, count me on the non-PC, non-pussy-footing side of the question, cuz I’m headed away from ‘sensitive’ and toward ‘motivational.’ Moderate Moslems, Imams, preachers, deacons, congregations and what have you: time to stand up and be counted. Time to call loudly and long for a reformation of your own—using your own Book, your own customs and your own cultures. Time to do more than denounce techniques: time to denounce particular ideologies and, if ya know one, particular people who intend harm to Civilization.
There are really only two sides to this question: do ya want to live in the 21st Century with medicines, a middle class, opportunity for all and Freedom? Or do ya want to live in the 7th Century with stoning people in the street, slitting the throat of your disobedient daughters and wearing a damned tablecloth over your head?
Thing is—I don’t really care if you want to live in the 7th Century. You wanna go somewhere and pretend that the last 14 centuries never happened—be my guest. Takes all kinds. And part of Civilized behavior is not poking my nose in where it doesn’t belong. All you’re going to have to give up is trying to make me live in the 7th Century—me or anyone else, including your wives, sons and daughters. Other than that—knock yourself out. Have a ball.
So, what I’m really calling for is tougher talk, more challenges to stand up, pick a side and do something about it, and less making distinctions for people who oughta be making their own positions known, themselves. Enough, already of the PC enabling folks to avoid The Issue by telling the iSlamists what they really believe. It is only respectful of the individual to take his word for what he says about his own religious beliefs. It’s often not so pretty, but at least it isn’t patronizing, Dean.
If Zarkawi and the Iranian Moo-lahs tell you that they believe iSlam is incompatible with democracy or a constitutional republic, accept it. They’re not lying to you about their beliefs. And they’re acting on their beliefs. People distinguish themselves by their actions, showing what side they have chosen.
If there are Moslems who believe that their religion is compatible with democracy or a constitutional republic and freedom of the individual, let them stand up and say so. I will readily and gladly accept it as they act on their beliefs. I think damn near every single American is prepared to do the same.
In fact, I will go so far as to say that this PC enabling approach the primary thing hindering our war effort. iSlamofascism has been out there for 1400 years. Ebbing and flowing, it is an opportunistic infection. We in the US have weakened ourselves/been weakened by all this multi-culti socialist self-criticism nonsense for the past 40 years or so.
Now is the time when we must heal ourselves: quit arguing in the halls of Congress for the rights of those who would deny us the very right to live, and seek our roots—that place where we believe in the validity and rightness of our own beliefs. One of those root beliefs is that we may not agree with what someone else says, but we will lay down our lives for his right to say it. We will also lay down our lives for our own right to disagree vociferously. And, so long as neither one tries to force the other to agreement, tries to work out differences as honorable gentlemen, it all works pretty damned well.
But when someone tries to force us into their beliefs, it’s time to lock ‘n’ load.
Statistics
This page has been viewed 18346262 times
Total Entries: 5718
Total Comments: 4193
Total Trackbacks: 714
Most Recent Entry: 06/14/2011 06:44 am
Most Recent Comment on: 11/27/2011 05:18 pm
{/if}
