Where's the self-analysis?
Recent comments by local Muslim spokesmen leave more questions than answers.
Aref Assaf laments the immigration problems of Imam Qatenani. He gives no hint
of what problems our government might have with Imam Qatenani's continued
residency. To the contrary, without actually saying so, he seems to imply that
it is more a question of government caprice or "Islamophobia," whatever that
means.
Assaf is a lawyer, and knows what he is doing. The fact that he is presenting
his case in the form of an appeal for sympathy rather than a logical discussion
of the evidence should tell you that there is more to this than meets the eye.
Erol Bulur presents his usual denial of the Armenian Genocide, citing the words
of Israel's Shimon Peres. I disagree. Major public figures like Sen. Robert
Menendez and Illinois' Sen. Barack Obama have supported legislation backing the
legitimacy of the genocide charges. Courageous Turkish writers are taking great
personal risks to remove the blinders from Turkish society. The European Union
will not admit Turkey unless the Turks accept the validity of the genocide.
Obviously, these people feel they are on to something.
Because of the issues I have been involved with over the years, I may have been
typecast in the public's mind as being reflexively anti-Muslim. This is not
true, but I am well aware that many of these issues are being presented
dishonestly. Pope Benedict's vague criticism of violent tendencies in Islam was
met with attacks on Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches, although Muslims
are well aware that the pope does not speak for all Christians.
Meanwhile, the Palestinians lament their conditions now, but they tolerated
Arafat's financial piracy when he was alive. Muslims supported the use of "any
means necessary" against Israel; now the evil of suicide bombing is
metastasizing throughout much of Islam.
What is responsible for this generalized incapacity for self-analysis? What is
the rest of society supposed to think?
James Goldman, Paterson
|
|
