Read other letters about this article

• Wednesday, April 4, 2007 09:44 PM

  reflex action

  Ah LeCastor...right on schedule. Read criticism of Islam, respond with criticism of Christianity. Try resisting the immature recourse to moral equivocation at every turn, if Islam can't be defended on its own merits perhaps it is not worth defending. If someone makes a foolish, unnuanced comment call them out on that point, rather than making prejudiced assumptions about the religious background of the writer.

  
  
  

  You are not alone in this phenomenon, a number of people at Salon (WeikuBoy comes to mind) either assume critics of Islam are of a Judeo-Christian background and/or are under the sway of neo-conservative (i.e. Zionist Jew) propaganda. I guess it threatens the simplistic view that any enemy of American hegemony must be a friend to consider how Islam might be problematic from a rational, pluralistic, democratic and peace-loving standpoint.

  
  
  

  I also liked your 'sharia brought peace to Mogadishu' bit. As far as I've seen only the BBC made that outlandish claim (editorializing in a supposed news piece), where (typically) a male reporter overlooked the sexism, homophobia, religious persecution and legalized brutality (lashings, amputations, stonings) which come with sharia. Why should we accept a medieval solution in the modern world even in a developing nation?

  —Victoria L. Read Victoria L.'s other letters
  Permalink
  Flag
  Click "Submit Flag" if you feel this post is inappropriate. Explain why below if you wish.

  Cancel