If you're wondering why traditional Muslims aren't more outspoken about condemning the Islamic radicals and identifying themselves with America, you don't realize how effectively the radical Muslims have portrayed America as an atheist, immoral society. In the minds of many traditional Muslims, we are the Great Satan. Historian Bernard Lewis points out that in all the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) Satan is not primary a conqueror, he is a tempter. Many Muslims see the values of America as seducing the traditional cultures of the world to moral self-destruction. I'm not saying that these Muslims are right. As I argue in The Enemy at Home, theirs is a partial view and even a wrong view. But it is a prevalent view, and this helps to explain why Muslims who reject violence are also reluctant to speak up on our behalf. They don't like the radicals, but they don't want to be on Satan's side either.
There is also a second reason. Prominent Americans--many of them on the right--have devoted acres of commentary to attacking the Muslim religion, complete with exposes of the Prophet Muhammad and attacks on the Koran as a gospel of terrorism. Then these same characters plaintively wonder why Muslims are reluctant to join their anti-Muslim crusade. All they are asking, to quote Victor Davis Hanson, is for Muslims to get busy "emancipating women...outlawing polygamy...insisting on secular education...and ending tribalism." Wow, Hanson, and can you also recommend a new holy book?
Robert Spencer can: It's called the Torah. Spencer wants the Muslims to just stop following the Koran and repudiate the teachings of Muhammad and the main schools of Islamic thought. In short, here are a bunch of Americans advising Muslims to stop being Muslims. (Spencer's euphemistic term for this is "cultural Muslims.") Great advice, right? Should anyone be surprised that the traditional Muslims are not signing up in droves? If you were a traditional Muslim, would you join a bunch of Islamophobes who are always denouncing your religion, its founder, its sacred text and its basic values?
These themes are explored in the fourth and final part of my response to conservative critics, which appears today on National Review Online, and which you can read here. In the end there are two broad options for the right. Fight one billion Muslims and lose, since our side is already sorely divided and a purely military approach is not enough. (It does little good to kill 1,000 radical Muslims if 10,000 traditional Muslims sign up the next week.) Or ally with the traditional Muslims who, despite our differences with them, are our best long-term hope for defeating radical Islam. Indeed, as the limits of our martial strategy in Iraq has shown, they are the only ones who can.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 2)
16. Hey, Dinesh: Maybe it's time you took some history courses in school. Your ignorance is appalling.
Oh, and the Torah? What does that comment mean? Are you anti-Semitic? Spencer has many many times referred to his Christian background; this is not something obscure. Why don't you actually read what someone says before attacking them?
Seymour Paine at 9:36AM on Mar 16th 2007
17. America is at war with a belief, just as it was at war many years ago against another belief, Japan and its Emperor Worshipping Kamikazes. America did what it could against such a fierce enemy that wasn’t afraid to die, and survived.
But America’s children (who are in power today) will not survive as their fathers and forefathers did…because of unbelief in God.
America has descended deep into moral decay. The love of money is at the ROOT of every system in America at the expense of true justice. The wealthy govern through corruption. America’s society is saturated in all forms of violence and vice in the name of “freedom.”
America’s Justice System is govern by the American Bar Association, which delays judgment (sometimes for years) for the sake of money. And, at every level of American life, there is “respect-of-persons.”
UNICEF, after surveying 21 developing nations on such measuring sticks as kids’ relationships with peers, time spent with parents, drinking and drug use, and finally, the kids own assessment of their happiness, has concluded that the United States and Britain are the WORST places for children to grow up in the Western world.
To this day, America has not lived up to those wonderful words, “…that ALL men are created equal,” and the entire world knows it. America appears to the world as a first-class "Christian" hypocrite.
As for Islam and terrorism, bible prophesy is unfolding before America’s blinded eyes, the prophesies found in the book of Revelation.
There is no such thing as “traditionalist,” “moderates,” or “radical” Islamic followers. They are all one “family.” The killing of innocent people is “justified” by all Muslims, noted by their lukewarm approach to these murders.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam have only one thing in common: Abraham.
For the Jews and Christians, God promised Abraham a son and called his name Isaac. And through Isaac, came the Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.
However, in Islam, they believe the promised son was Ishmael, and, as everyone knows, Islam’s god (Allah) has no son.
This religious conflict is at the heart of Middle East problems, and will remain so until King Jesus comes to reign.
Day Star Publications
Stan Phillips at 1:07PM on Mar 16th 2007
18. Stan Phillips,
Please write or copy shorter comments. You're not a columnist.
The United States is the most Christian and religious western country...yet UNICEF claims it's among the worst western countries for children? If you believe UNICEF, how do you (as a true believer) square that?
My favorite part about the bible is how everyone has to be stoned for everything they do. Yours is a very peaceful religion.
lil_turk at 2:39PM on Mar 16th 2007
19. Your career is over. Shooting from the hip while holding yourself out as an honest intellectual is damaging to your reputation. Shooting from the hip at someone better armed is suicide. You have lost the debate, if one can call it a debate, given your juvenile ad hominem attacks on your critics.
Your book gave your critics the fuel. You had a choice a few weeks ago to admit your mistakes and avoid the fire; instead, you threw them matches. They have destroyed you.
Find another career. Perhaps Ann Coulter needs a new fact checker.
bobnoxious at 4:27PM on Mar 16th 2007
20. Dinesh, your writings are riling up the extremists within the conservatives big time. It is good that all these extremists are getting exposed. Continue to make a difference. You are doing a great service for your country by talking sanity and not giving in to irrational phobias. Keep up the good work.
TruthSeeker1000 at 6:03PM on Mar 16th 2007
21. Well, we ARE a Decadent Society..after 9/11 The Hollywood "Starts" did a "concert" to raise money for the 9/11 victims and families...IN HIDING. The excuse they gave for HIDING in a SECRET LOCATION was that they were AMERICAN ICONS ..and in DANGER! Well, that is so true..they have been spreading their Sex Filled, Violent, Deviant, and Hate Filled propoganda around the World. FOR DECADES THEY AND THEIR PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN BANNED. They have had Fatwa's sent their way..even Madonna...Salmon Rushdie and Van Gogh who was Cruelly Murdered by an Islamic man in the Amesterdam. Many of our Movies and much of our Music has been banned..I WONDER WHY? There are times when I actually think I would feel better living under Sharia Laws..especially when I fight with my children because they want to watch some Disgusting program on TV..usually one filled with sex and making Women look like , yes and sorry, Whores! For all the freedom America claims to have...we are giving up RESPECT for all ..at least In an Islamic world Women may not have a lot of rights, but for sure their Children are not subjected to such Sick programs, movies and hatefilled Rap! The Muslims living here, hopefully in peace, HAVE A RIGHT TO BE WARY OF AMERICA AND WHAT AMERICA OFFERS.. It is easy to rise above such filth and claim to ignore it, however, the Hollywood Icons have so many ways these days to INSULT and INDOCTRINATE our Young Children...be it in Cartoons or Music. Should we just shut off all outside information sources? No Radio, No TV...and no Newspapers. iNSTEAD OF LEARNING TO READ, WRITE AND ADD..MY KIDS ACTUALLY HAVE "GAY DAYS"...Do we suppose they would have MUSLIM DAYS..or STRAIGHT DAYS? IT IS INESCAPABLE AND SOMETHING WILL HAVE TO CHANGE...I DO NOT BLAME MUSLIMS WHO ARE "MODERATE" FOR WONDERING ABOUT US! PERHAPS THE MUSLIMS IN MY AREA COULD JOIN WITH US AND ISSUE STRONG COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE THINGS...I AM SURE I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS BELIEF AND I AM SURE THAT THE MODERATES COULD PUT A LOT MORE PRESSURE ON OUR SCHOOLS AND MAYORS TO CLEAN UP OUR ACT. WHAT OUR KIDS LEARN IN SCHOOL SHOULD BE EDUCATIONAL AND NOT CULTURAL..NO SUCH THING AS GAY DAYS OR ANYTHING ELSE SHOULD BE TAUGHT.
I am sure we could do a lot to improve America if Muslims who claim to be moderate would join with folks like myself and STAND UP FOR DECENCY!
caron Mc Carthy at 12:27PM on Mar 17th 2007
22. bobnoxious, if anyone has lost the debate, it is those who are at the forefront of fear mongering. Dinesh's writings exposed these fakes thoroughly and this is sooooo hurtful to them to see their own house of lies crumble.
TruthSeeker1000 at 6:07PM on Mar 16th 2007
23. Hey truthseeker,
I challenge you to verify a single assertion D'Souza has made against Robert Spencer, Scott Johnson, et. al. He can't do it and neither can you. What "house of lies?"
If you seek the truth, I dare you to read the Koran and Hadiths. If DD had bothered to do so before shooting his considerable mouth off, he wouldn't be ridiculing his intellectual and social betters to defend his indefensible idiocies. If you want an understanding of why they are trying to indiscriminately kill Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindi, and not only feel justified, but believe Allah (and Muhammed) have commanded them to do it, that is the only way.
"Hatemonger" is a label that befits the 49% of Muslims surveyed who support Bin Laden (You can google it), not those of us who attempt to point out the evil that they commit, attempt, or support in the name Allah, and then get angry when an ignoramous like DD distorts reality to blame the left wing for antagonizing Muslims. (And I don't even like left wingers.)
BTW, what has DD written that stands against "hatemongers?"
bobnoxious at 11:35PM on Mar 16th 2007
24. The "teachings of Muhammad" are explicit: that Islam is to dominate over non-Muslims, either through conversion, subjugation, or warfare. (Qur'an 9.29, Sahih Muslim 19.4294). And the "main schools of Islamic thought" endorse jihad as a means to that very same end: http://www.emorywheel.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=a9feffcc-8cd9-4cb6-8507-bee2ebfd83b1.
Why shouldn't we expect Muslims to "repudiate" these teachings? And more importantly, how could joining forces with "traditional" Muslims who refuse to repudiate such teachings be a good thing for any non-Muslim?
kamala at 11:54PM on Mar 16th 2007
25. DD, you have really gone off the deep end and are losing my respect everytime you open your mouth on this subject. Your theory is that Muslims hate us because of the immoral stuff that comes out of America. This is one of the reasons they hate us, just like our foreign policy is another reason they hate us. However, the primary reason is because of the concept of Jihad against kaffirs that is one of the five pillars of Islam. There are plenty of traditional Christians, buddhists, jews and hindus out there. They may think our society is immoral, but they are not ramming planes in our buildings and blowing up trains, etc. all over the western world. Furthermore, Muslims hate pagans, the other 2/5 of humanity (hindus & buddhists). So, what do we do ally with Muslims, who will still continue to kill the other half of humanity? Also, you're nuts if you think Muslims don't consider Catholics to be idolators too! So, they will hate you even if you are a devout Catholic, b/c you're an idolator in their eyes.
thetruth at 12:34AM on Mar 17th 2007
26. DD-Each one of your critics destroyed you in the debates on NRO. Any objective reader who read those articles saw that your arguments, if they can be called that, were not supported by any evidence. You simply made broad brushed allegations. Your critics provided evidence to back up their assertions. You should talk about your expertise b/c you certainly do not understand Islam. You didn't even know how the verses in the Koran are organized, when one of your critics asked you about it. It seems like you just dreamed up your theory without doing sufficient research. Typical putting the cart before the horse. Now, you just can't admit your mistake. That's why your arguments on this subject sound illogical and you resort to ad hominem attacks. When you wrote about subjects you researched thoroughly, you made logical arguments. You can still admit your mistake and save your reputation. By continuing down this path you are ensuring the end of your career as a pundit.
thetruth at 1:30AM on Mar 17th 2007
27. Dinesh D'Souza plaintively wonders why so many are unwilling to subscribe to his ridiculous interpretations of contemporary society. All he is asking, after all, is that we turn a blind eye to transgressions done in the name of Islam, to ignore the hate-filled rhetoric that many Muslim nations take as a matter of course, and simply shower those who voice their glee at the prospect of our destruction with kind words and forgiveness until they miraculously disavow themselves of a history of intolerance and we sing kumbaya together. Wow, Dinesh, can you also recommend a better way for me to brush my teeth?
Dinesh can: with a crowbar, but very gently.
You're an embarassment to Stanford. And we know it.
James at 2:20AM on Mar 17th 2007
28. You have greatest control over what you do, not another person or nation. What are you doing to create terrorism? Cold war Afghanistan, CIA uses Jihad to unite disparate tribes and teach them how to fight insurgency. People like BinLaden are given money and tech to fight our cold war by proxy.
Can knowledge and training magically dissapear? The enememy of my enemy can still be my enemy. And if its illegal and morally unjustifiable indicated by covert operations that you are ashamed to take responsibility for then. You shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Covert economic terrorism is what creates global terrorism. The best example is that shrub has funded entities in Iraq that have ties to Al Qeada.
These groups have their own interests independent of US national interests.
As far as US is concerned national interest means the rule of law is only a bludgeon on others that don't submit. Thus the moderates will always be opposed.
In the era of U-Tube people are confronted with real US national interests. Not the propaganda created for plausable deniability.
No truth and not course change on foreign policy,no moderate Muslims. That would be slitting their own throats.
mkdelta69 at 12:08PM on Mar 18th 2007
29. Mr. D'Souza's moralistic condemnation of American popular culture makes him a natural ally of the Islamists. That 'decadent' American popular culture produced Jazz, (once denounced as primitive music), movies as mass entertainment, etc. The censorious Mr. D' would probably be more comfortable living in Saudi Arabia where secret police make sure no one violates Islamic morals.
Stephen Rittenberg at 1:31PM on Mar 18th 2007