The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #112062   Message #2370257
Posted By: Bill D
19-Jun-08 - 06:04 PM
Thread Name: BS: Free speech, eh?
Subject: RE: BS: Free speech, eh?
I have just been browsing thru the links Carol posted. Although I have not read each & every one, I find 2 major patterns.

The first is older notes and lists of sympathy for and condemnation of the 9/11 attacks. At that time, many, many Muslims in various places joined in expressing horror at the attacks and in asserting the basic peaceful messages in the Koran. Since then, there are far fewer comments...possibly because of the details of how the Bush administration went about seeking retribution.

The second pattern I see involving Islamic statements of moderation since 9/11 is that they are largely from NON-Muslim majority nations. Muslim scholars & clerics in the US, Canada, Spain, Denmark and others have, indeed, decried terror and violent Jihad.....but except for a largely grassroots rally in Pakistan, I see little evidence of Muslim clerics & scholars in nations from Egypt to Saudi Arabia attempting to guide their followers away from sympathy to and support of, terrorist causes. THIS is the situation I was most concerned with in my earlier comment.
I am not suprised by this....I just still claim that it does represent a common problem. Until the extremist clerics can be controlled and openly anti-American schools and training centers calmed down IN Muslim countries, I don't expect see much progress. And I do not feel that finding one or two counter-examples will disprove my claim. IF anyone has information to make me less apprehensive, I'd be glad to see it.

My point is....openly moderate Muslims in several countries speak out at their own peril, as there are few safeguards in place to protect such folks.