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The Forum > Article Comments > Hirsi Ali a football in 'domestic culture wars'? > Comments

Hirsi Ali a football in 'domestic culture wars'? : Comments

By Julie Szego, published 21/6/2007

Why the unease from Western secularists when Hirsi Ali assaults, with every justification given her circumstances, an Islam in deep crisis?

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Julie,

I read the Hirsi Ali's book.
I sympathise to what happened to her and I can't imagine a father doing that to his daughters (I have two).

Having said that, I agree with Irfan's comment since she seemed to have blurred the line between whats criticims for Islam as a faith, and criticism to her culture, and criticism to herself for not standing up for her views. She looked like someone who is ok to be pushed around all the time by everyone.

The difference between a critic and a cheer leader becomes obvious when you watch media like like BBC world: there is cheer leading or anti but unemotional factual criticsim to help the author clarify his/her thoughts and message.

Back to Ali's book, you can see the interview by the BBC world and the comments from somali female citizens.

Peace,
Posted by Fellow_Human, Thursday, 21 June 2007 11:54:33 AM
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Look, it's very simple. Why do the Left sympathise with terrorists? Because "my enemy's enemy is my friend".

Why do they loathe Hirsi Ali, who conservatives have found common cause with? Because "my enemy's friend is my enemy".

Yes, they really are that simple-minded and morally bankrupt.
Posted by grn, Thursday, 21 June 2007 12:33:40 PM
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GRN.. it would certainly appear as you described it. "My enemies friend is my enemy" etc.

Hirsi Ali does not matter. She symbolizes something far bigger than herself.

What I find outrageous, is that FH and IRF seek to discredit Ali the 'person' in order to discredit what she stands for in regard to Islamic practice. RATHER...than condemning the fact that she is in need of 24/7 security guards to protect her from... Muslims wishing to murder her!

Such a condemnation would have been MUCH more appropriate.

Yes, she IS a political football, and the various sides are trying to extract the nth degree of debating/political points from all that she is. But I suggest it is her choice to take on that role.

The author also mentioned:

"the left's embrace of cultural relativism over universal human rights."

The Left are just being expedient and opportunistic, by using any means to their utopian (fantasy Island) end. The Right, presumably represented by the 'Universal human rights' thing, are also in a similiarly over optimistic dreamland, and BOTH of these approaches to life are flawed and empty. There is a 3rd and 4th(possibly more) approach to how we organize ourselves in human society.

THEOCRACY. Hizb Ut Tahrir,HAMAS and others, would have us believe that an Islamic state is the way to go, where dissenters who either change their faith or criticize the founder are executed outright.

DEMOCRACY preserved and guided by the JudaoChristian ethic. (or, by whichever social force has the loudest longest voice)

Sadly, if sufficient people are attracted to the 'Theocratic' approach, and arm themselves, they don't need a vote to take power.
We would all do well, to arm ourselves with some truth, and administer ourselves a wake_up call.

PS. HAMAS are now declaring an 'Islamic State' in Gaza. I never saw THAT coming.....
Posted by BOAZ_David, Thursday, 21 June 2007 5:04:45 PM
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Mark Bahnisch

The "secular left" in Australia, as the true believers of cultural relativism and multiculturalism, on the issue of Islam, are similar as the Catholic Church is on the issue of abortion. With the zealotry of their multiculturalism they support the most odious and barbaric practices of Islam, by being SILENT about them.

To ask therefore of Szego, as you do, to cite "antipodean counterparts" of Buruma before she could condemn the secular left for defending these practices of Islam, is like asking someone to cite INDIVIDUAL catholics who support abortion before one could condemn the Catholic Church for its primitive anti-scientific stand.

With such logic, Plato would never allow you to enter his academy.

See Owl Of Minerva for more-http://kotzabasis.bravejournal.com
Posted by Themistocles, Thursday, 21 June 2007 8:49:55 PM
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MARK BANISCH

The secular left in Australia, as the true believers of cultural relativism and multiculturalism support the most odious and barbaric practices of Islam, by being SILENT about them.

To ask of Szego, as you do, to "çite antipodean counterparts" of Buruma before she could condemn the secular left of defending these practices, is like asking someone to cite INDIVIDUAL members of the Catholic Church who are AGAINST abortion before one could condemn the Church, which in toto is against abortion, for its anti-scientific stand.

With such logic, Plato would never allow you to enter his academy.
Posted by Themistocles, Thursday, 21 June 2007 9:49:53 PM
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'While certainly fervent in her atheism, she's not out to convert. She wants to see Islam's God tamed by reason and banished to the private sphere, that's all. She wants a Muslim Voltaire, a Muslim Madonna singing Like A Prayer and a Muslim take on Mohammed in the spirit of Monty Python's Life of Brian. Nothing unreasonable about any of this, I'm sure you'd agree.'

Brilliant. I love Monty Python's 'Life of Brian'!

Perhaps we could have the 'Life of Mo' as a sequel.

Actually, I think that the "Always look on the bright side of life" song would work really well for the Banu Qurayza slaughter scene. You know, the one where several hundred Jewish prisoners get decapitated and their wives sold off into slavery.

Mind you, there is a happy ending which could spoil the effect. Mo did manage to keep the lovely "Rayhana" for himself as a concubine. Well, he had to do something. Her husband was quite dead. I hope the loving couple at least waited till he was cold....

"Always look on the bright side of life..."
Posted by TR, Thursday, 21 June 2007 10:34:30 PM
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