Why So Much Bad News About Islam?
By Henrik R ClausenYou may wonder, if you follow EuropeNews on a regular basis, why is there so much bad news about Islam? Well, so do I.
When I assumed the post of international editor of EuropeNews in summer 2007, I was looking forward to getting the full picture of Islam, including the stories that the MSM would not pay attention to. I had followed the news closely enough to be aware that the majority of the news would probably be bad, but I did expect something good to appear here and there, things that deserved exposure.
I was, to my dismay, wrong.
Using neutral automated research tool, one of them being Google News, we can assertively say that practically nothing positive about Islam comes out on the Internet. We have the usual set of terrorist attacks, rockets against Israel etc., things we know about. There are discreet undermining of freedom of expression, as exemplified by Rachel Ehrenfeld and her battle against libel tourism.
In Great Britain, the undermining of secular law is becoming a problem. In France, the insurgency and the Zones Urbanes Sensibles are a tinderbox exploding every now and then. In Germany, the Turkish diaspora is isolating itself and ready to explode on the tiniest occasion, such as the recent fire in Ludwigshafen.
Internationally, more trouble is looming. The crazy theocrats in Iran keep building their nuclear capacity "for peaceful purposes only". Yeah right. Since when did we take the words of openly genocidal regimes at face value? The disaster in Pakistan, where Benazir Bhutto died an untimely death and became a martyr for democracy is equally loaded with nuclear worries.
Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Sudan, Egypt and other Islamic countries are coming out with severe violent discrimination against non-Muslim minorities, escalating bit by bit and breaking any promises of equal rights for all religions. Just slowly, like cooking a frog.
Turkey is a special case in many ways. The negotiations for a possible membership of the European Union shows massive deception in the areas of reforms and human rights, where the events on the ground show no respect for either, and in particular not for the rights of non-Muslim or non-Turkish minorities. Further, the nationalists and the 'Deep State' are churning their machinations of intrigue and deception, too. Erdogan, meanwhile, seems firmly set on a slow but steady course of Islamisation of the otherwise secular country.
But for the good news? Well, one looks around, and finds some propaganda pieces from the Turkish government against various EU countries. That is hardly good news. Left-wing apologists for Islam seem simply to be under-informed. Islamists like Tariq Ramadan or president Ahmadijedad are guising their real message in eloquent speech which, when analyzed, talk about Islamic supremacy and threats to those opposing it.
Really, what about the good news? Islamic scholars try to explain away the negatives of Islam. Individual Muslims are trying to explain the benefits of religion, but fail to answer to even the smallest bit of concrete criticism. That is hardly good news.
The kind of good news we would like to see would be that of a reformed Islam. Islam compatible with democracy. Islam giving women equal rights, abandoning the idea that women are owned by the family and must wear specific clothing. An Islam that willingly let people convert to other religions and abstain from religious violence.
But other kinds of news would also be good. Like Islam inspiring a new agricultural program feeding more hungry mouths. Islam inspiring generosity for emergencies (Israel was a main donor to Indonesia after the tsunami - not the Arab countries). Arab countries accepting to take Palestinians away from the overcrowded West Bank or Gaza. Islamic leaders preaching forgiveness towards the infidels, respect for science and tolerance of Jews. Islam inspiring better schools, university education and scientific progress.
Any of this would constitute good news. And any of this will be published on EuropeNews. If you come across any, please tell us at EuropeNews Tips.
***** A rather pessimistic view with a dash of sarcasm thrown in.
Image - Source
Labels: Religious Extremism.
posted by The Malaysian. at 2/08/2008 11:09:00 AM
5 Comments:
Imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s was behaving exactly like the islamists today-- killing and swaggering its way across much of Asia and the Pacific isles. All it took to bring them to their senses were a couple of well-aimed A-bombs. Undoubtedly this painful cure will also work for the islamists
The article may be laced with some sarcasm but the penultimate paragraph on what could be good news on Islam is either missed by the MSM (hardly in Malaysia, I would think) or does not exist.
If such events did take place, like agricultural reform or acceptance of certain human rights principles, I would love to hear about it. I am sure our Malaysian MSM would proudly broadcast it as well.
But there is an eerie silence.
Brilliant article points well made. Might be a biased but says everything that needs to be said. The last bit about how Israel was a main contributer to the plight of a muslim country was particularly enlightening.
If there is a show of compassion in Israel - why is it not so evident in the other Abrahamic Religions except perhaps Christianity.
When I speak about Christianity I speak of Christ the Cosmic Conscious person.
Not the gamut of religions called Christianity that now seem to flourish and flounder all over the world at the whims and fancies of those who lord over those segments.The same goes for many other religions too.
The TSUNAMI brings a matter to mind. I was imploring all Nations in my capacity as Head of a large Asian Co-operative Movement to donate in every way possible to all the Tsunami affected countries.
Most countries had already responded but I did not see the name of even ONE Muslim country helping out except Malaysia ( which we consider secular irrespective of who says what).
A nasty Email was sent out to all the Co-ops through the aegisof the Web site of the ICA in Geneva and then - the Arab Nations started to move. Such lethargy is symtomatic in all their dealings apparently.
Of course HISTORY repeats itself. That is a Universal order of Nature.
Most history is banned in the books of Malaysia's school children, we are told.
Huntingdon - a Historian of eminence - would not have written about 'The Clash of Civilisations' just out of spite or fun. He wrote it in a historical perspective.
Some part of Civilisation must be rushing ever so madly to its doom. The West is exercising great tolerance.
That surely should NOT be taken as a SIGN of weakness. The USA was tolerant outwardly before both the Great Wars. What happened later?????
Guys, thanks for the kind words :)
One thing: if anyone would like to contribute a Malay (or other language) translation of Fitna (the Dutch movie), please get in touch with the Baron of Gates of Vienna (email address in link). We need information and arguments, not terrorism.
And, not least, we needs this:
Stop the violence
Information heals.
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