"Punks Like You"

Those who have called for American Muslims to be more outspoken regarding Islamist terror psychotics should check out Muqtedar Khan's site. Khan is director of international studies at Adrian College in Michigan, and has consistently used his site to speak out forcefully against Islamist outrages.

Here is a passage from his post replying to the Feb. 11 audiotape message purportedly from Osama bin Laden:

Let me tell you that I would rather live in America under Ashcroft and Bush at their worst, than in any ?Islamic state? established by ignorant, intolerant and murderous punks like you and Mullah Omar at their best. The US, [its] patriot act not withstanding, is still a more Islamic (just and tolerant) state than Afghanistan ever was under the Taliban.

Khan does not support U.S. action against Iraq, but writes,

Once the war is declared, make no mistake Mr. Saddam Hussain and Mr.
Bin Laden, We [American Muslims] are with America. We will fight with America and we will fight for America. We have a covenant with this nation, we see it as a divine commitment and we will not disobey the Quran (9:4) ? we will fulfill our obligations as citizens to the land that opened its doors to us and promised us equality and dignity even though we have a different faith.

There's much more. Khan's post was reprinted in the Feb. 16 Washington Post.

Comments

[geophile]

He had me right up until he praised Ted Kennedy. A good read nonetheless.

[David H.]

The man has a great deal of courage. And I'm sure that, unfortunately, he will be seen as a traitor to Islam by the fundamentalist psychotics who've hijacked that religion.

Come to think of it, kind of like the antiwar protestors -- many if not most of whom are genuinely patriotic, and who oppose this war because they believe a first strike is un-American -- who are being branded "traitors" by the neoconservatives and Christian Right who are shamelessly exploiting blind ignorant nationalism (not to be confused with real patriotism).

[Dylan]

While we're making hay here, David, it's sort of like Chris Hitchens being branded a "traitor" to the left, by the left. Oh, I don't really care about Hitchens one way or the other, but it sure is boring as hell watching you take someone else's actions and somehow turn that into ideological martyrdom for your side. Whatever, dude.

[Ranald H.]

"you take someone else's actions and somehow turn that into ideological martyrdom for your side."

Huh? That's CPF's M.O.? Nice acid, "dude".

[Jim Walsh]

I'm sure the neo-Know Nothings will conveniently ignore this.

[Dylan]

RH - I shall now plagarize myself:
"While we're making hay here, David..."

If it looked like I was gunning for Freund, I appy polly loggy.

I was directing me comments to David H., the previous commenter. I happened to like Charles's post very much.

Oh, hell, I'm not busy right now, so I'll try and make it clearer. It was a good post, an interesting story, and absolutely devoid of ideology. I'd really have to do some mental gymnastics to be upset with CPF, no matter where on the spectrum I sit. As for the subject of the story, Mssr. Khan, is doing a great thing, if only that he is doing something that, wrongly or rightly, is rarely seen. Hell, that makes it interesting, with or without ideology involved.

The piss in my Wheaties was David's "me too, I'm brave too" pose. I imagine that for DH, no matter what, no matter where or how, that any struggle, great or small, real or imagined, is just like the Christian right branding antiwar protestors as traitors, even though the protestors' patriotism is above reproach. Which makes the protestors heroes for enduring mean words from fundies. Heroes!

So, you might (or might not) ask, what do I think of DH's whiny partisan cheapshotting rhetoric? It's. So. Dull. When I engage in cheapshotting, as I'm wont to do, everyone, please feel free to respond in kind.

Remember everyone, it's the Internet: every simgle goddamn word counts.

[mj]

"Come to think of it, kind of like the antiwar protestors -- many if not most of whom are genuinely patriotic, and who oppose this war because they believe a first strike is un-American -- who are being branded "traitors" by the neoconservatives and Christian Right who are shamelessly exploiting blind ignorant nationalism (not to be confused with real patriotism)."

What a pantload. These idiots aren't being called unpatriotic, nor traitors. They're being told they are wrong. They just prefer the patriotism charge because they have no answer to the other. Until they develop a method to deal with the issues instead of pretending they don't exist they will rightfully continue to be challenged.

The sooner they see this the better off they will be. Since I think they put the pet cause of the week ahead of international security, I don't think most of them ever will.

[fyodor]

mj: Maybe all *you're* saying is that they're wrong, but Jesse Walker has reported in this very blog (on Feb 14) that the New York Sun has editorialized that antiwar marchers should be tried for treason.

[Steve]

Just a thought. don't know if I believe it or not:

Is it possible that western Muslims believe that fundy crap, so they don't say anything?

[Johnny Rockets]

No, not all western Muslims believe the extremist fundamentalist line, but unfortunately there are enough of them who do that it's often risky for moderate Muslims to stand up to those wackos, especially in Europe where a lot of the immigrants aren't as well-assimilated as they are in America. That's one reason why you don't see more moderate Muslims speaking up. Do a search on Google for Ayaan Hirsi Ali or Fadime Sahindal and you'll see my point.

We're blessed in the West with societies which not only offer legal freedom of speech but also free and open cultures which make it a lot safer for us to stand up to our own Taliban (i.e. Falwell, Robertson, Ashcroft) without fear of tons of death threats.

By the way, just as Muqtedar Khan rightly denounces Osama bin Laden as antithetical to Islam, am I the only one who thinks that the so-called "Christian" right is un-Christian? I think the "Christian right" is the modern-day version of the Pharisees.

[Steve]

Johnny:

As with my post, your post offers up a little too broad stereotype. I would be careful about comparing the Falwell-Robertson-Ashcroft-types with the Taliban. There's nothing wrong with speaking out about things one thinks are not as they should be, whether I agree with them or not. It's when those beliefs are put into official practice and infringe on the rights of others that it becomes a problem-they have a right to their beliefs. I have found many on the "Christian Right" to be quite "Christian" as well as those who are hypocritical. I have found poeple on the left to be sincere and open-minded in their actions as well, yet there are also those who, while demanding their free speech are the first to shout down anyone they disagree with. I'm much more afraid of crossing the political left than the political right. Which side is more "Taliban-like". Don't know.

[Tim Stich]

I always liked the Wrath of Khan. And he's exactly right on the relative merits of practicing Islam in the U.S. as compared to any Arab state. You get closer to the whole point of the f-ing religion when you stick to the whole tolerance thing.

This guy reminds me of the Japanese American soldiers who enlisted from within the U.S. containment camps in Wyoming. I saw it on PBS the other night. Apparantly, that all Japanese American unit was the most highly decorated unit in the war. Amazing. They were actually fighting for something that they had been forcibly removed from. I'll bet Khan would do the same.

Huzzah Islamic Americans like Khan!

[fyodor]

Go git 'em, Muqtedar!!!!

[wfrgms]

For a long damn time now I've been asking, "Where are the American Muslims?" In the face of the 9-11 attacks and a slew of other rotten events I just can't help but think that western muslims aren't stepping up to bat when it comes to defending their religion.

Jack asses like Jerry & Pat have made major inroades into conservative polotics - simply by bashing Muslims.

It's time for more moderate, westernized Muslims to step up and lay healthy claim to their religion.