February 28, 2006
Manifesto Against The New Totalitarianism
Ed Morrisey of Captain's Quarters has posted a Manifesto from Agora who provided this from Jyllands-Posten. Agora has a multitude of links at the bottom noting the reaction of the Blogosphere.
Captain Ed and Agora believe that this Manifesto deserves the widest possible circulation. I agree. For those that do not believe that Islamism or Islamofascism is the greatest threat to world peace at the present time, please read this and ponder its message.
Together facing the new totalitarianismPosted by GM Roper at February 28, 2006 09:03 PM | TrackBackAfter having overcome fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism, the world now faces a new totalitarian global threat: Islamism.
We, writers, journalists, intellectuals, call for resistance to religious totalitarianism and for the promotion of freedom, equal opportunity and secular values for all.
The recent events, which occurred after the publication of drawings of Muhammed in European newspapers, have revealed the necessity of the struggle for these universal values. This struggle will not be won by arms, but in the ideological field. It is not a clash of civilisations nor an antagonism of West and East that we are witnessing, but a global struggle that confronts democrats and theocrats.
Like all totalitarianisms, Islamism is nurtured by fears and frustrations. The hate preachers bet on these feelings in order to form battalions destined to impose a liberticidal and unegalitarian world. But we clearly and firmly state: nothing, not even despair, justifies the choice of obscurantism, totalitarianism and hatred. Islamism is a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present. Its success can only lead to a world of domination: man’s domination of woman, the Islamists’ domination of all the others. To counter this, we must assure universal rights to oppressed or discriminated people.
We reject « cultural relativism », which consists in accepting that men and women of Muslim culture should be deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secular values in the name of respect for cultures and traditions. We refuse to renounce our critical spirit out of fear of being accused of "Islamophobia", an unfortunate concept which confuses criticism of Islam as a religion with stigmatisation of its believers.
We plead for the universality of freedom of expression, so that a critical spirit may be exercised on all continents, against all abuses and all dogmas.
We appeal to democrats and free spirits of all countries that our century should be one of Enlightenment, not of obscurantism.
12 signatures
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Chahla Chafiq
Caroline Fourest
Bernard-Henri Lévy
Irshad Manji
Mehdi Mozaffari
Maryam Namazie
Taslima Nasreen
Salman Rushdie
Antoine Sfeir
Philippe Val
Ibn Warraq
Amen GM!..Hope they keep it going!
Posted by Angel at February 28, 2006 10:45 PM
I agree in principle with everything said in this manifesto... And one thing that I would highlight is:
This struggle will not be won by arms, but in the ideological field.
So this manifesto hardly represents unwavering support for our current attempt at nation building in Iraq.
Posted by E. Nonee Moose at March 1, 2006 04:05 PM
I fear that in an ideological struggle, we (Americans) would lose; we seem to have lost our values and in the newer generations, everything is okay. All we really have left is a strong military and occasionally, the will to use it: attack us, and we will pound you into powder -- provided that Democrats aren't in the White House or control Congress. Everyone can understand military power, even Muslims 8 out of 10 times. A ferocious military may be all that we (as a country) have left.
Posted by Mustang at March 1, 2006 04:22 PM
Their courage is admirable.
Posted by Assistant Village Idiot at March 2, 2006 06:07 PM
Yes, but... Please read "Anti-Jihad Manifesto Misses the Point" at http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/869, and "Divided House: Dutch Quarrel over Nature of Europe’s Culture War" at http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/874. They point out that this manifesto attacks religion in general as well as Islamism, and say the cartoon affair is being used by radical secularists for their own ends. They also explain that Europe is facing a three-way culture war, with shifting alliances.
As for the manifesto, I have to applaud the signers' courage, and I'll be happy to call them allies until given a solid reason not to, but I'm not happy at what's between the lines in this particular statement, especially after reading the above-noted pieces at The Brussels Journal.
Posted by Kathryn Judson at March 3, 2006 02:03 AM
Kathryn, thank you for providing those links. I disagree with you however. I really don't care if secularists decry religion, the secularists aren't trying to kill me and mine. The secularists by signing this manifesto are saying that the Islamists do not have the right to destroy in order to convert or demand "respect" when they give none.
This link will give a different point of view from the links you provided.
Islamism, though it may be a matter of religion, wants to destroy you and yours but also wants to force their religion down your throats. Most secularists of the western persuasion really don't care what the rest of us believe, but they will die out. As Steyn noted, it is a matter of demographics. So, will the secularists be replaced by the Islamists or by people of faith who do not mind others of different faith? That really is the question.
I suggest that the bigger danger is from the Islamists.
Posted by GM Roper at March 3, 2006 07:10 AM
Gotta love how Kathy lumped us liberals in right along with the Jihadists... And you guys wonder why we're so defensive sometimes...
Posted by E. Nonee Moose at March 3, 2006 10:28 AM
I sometimes worry that the term "Islamist" isn't clear enough to everyone and suggests that the signers' main principle is anti-muslim when in fact it is anti-theocrat. Certainly the current threat is from Muslim theocrats, but the principle that I respect and share centers on embracing democracy and rejecting theocracy.
Posted by Mavis Beacon at March 3, 2006 10:51 AM
The overall threat is inflated, but real at a certain level. A theocrat of any cultural stripe is something to avoid. Their thinking is stuck in mythos to the point of losing the logos entirely to culture. That's a prescription for disaster.
Posted by William Tell at March 3, 2006 11:15 AM
Oops. I obviously didn't make myself clear. Mea culpa. I DEFINITELY think that the jihadists are the more immediate, more dangerous threat, and I think we ought to watch the backs of the secularist radicals. After all, everyone who isn't a jihadist is in the same boat, and we do need to stand shoulder to shoulder.
But I don't want to win the battle and lose the war, so to speak. I'm just saying that while defending the right of the manifesto signers to say what they want to say, and applauding their courage, and thanking them for joining the battle, and providing them bodyguards if needed, there are reasons to not embrace everything in that manifesto. And there are reasons to fight some of it. Our own culture wars, divorced from the Islamist threat, have shown that people don't have to use bombs to severely damage a culture's foundation or destroy the lives of innocent people.
I understand that this fight will make for sharing the trenches with otherwise-unfriendly allies. I just think we need to keep our eyes open, is all.
Posted by Kathryn Judson at March 3, 2006 12:17 PM
The secularists will die out ?
What a relief! The sooner the better. Still, Kathryn, keep your eyes wide open because, you know, while we're waiting for THEM to die, the secularists are busy destroying the lives of innocent people. Or fetuses. Or stem cells. Or something. And be sure to wash your hands frequently when you're down in those trenches.
Posted by reg at March 3, 2006 03:03 PM
Oh, one more thing Kathryn. Where can a secularist who compulsively insults theocrats, Big Hair Preachers and fundamentalist morons of all stripes get one of those body guards you're offering up ?
Posted by reg at March 3, 2006 03:07 PM
I just think we need to keep our eyes open, is all.
There's no one left but thee and we, and we're not sure of thee...
Posted by E. Nonee Moose at March 3, 2006 03:08 PM
kathryn, i'll sign up for a bodyguard as well
Posted by ahmed at March 3, 2006 03:41 PM
