Freedom and Shari'ah

New at Reason: An interview with Minaret of Freedom Institute's Ahmad Imad, America's leading Muslim libertarian.

Comments

[Anonymous]

But he lost me with irrational hatred toward Isreal.

People who claim "neocon" means "Jew" have no business describing anyone else as "irrational."

[Anonymous]

Libertarian should be in quotes. This is guys is as "libertarian" as the "liberal" professor who says that Isreal has a moral duty to commit suicide!

See:
http://volokh.com/2003_07_27_volokh_archive.html#105935884672748919

[Anonymous]

Dean has been a libertarian activist for decades -- putting his action where his mouth is -- while I don't agree with him on everything -- he is most certainly not anti-Semetic -- he has and continues to work with Jewish libertarians in a number of areas -- sorry, most libertarians don't support US taxpayer money being sent to Israel -- me included, so I guess I'm anti-semetic right?

[Anonymous]

who said he was anti-semetic? I only pointed out his anti-Isreal bias and blatent lies. When someone's mouth lies it undermines both themselves and their cause.

And why pray tell are libertarians silent about the aid we send to South Korea? being against aid in gerneral is libertarian, against Isreali aid only is supsicious.

[tim]

If you're going to continue this conversation, you must sign your posts with an alias at least. Long strings of anonymous posts make hash out of what looks like an attempt at a back-and-forth exchange.

[tim]

...and for fuck's sake, learn to spell "Israel" before you pontificate about it.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I'm against all taxpayer supplied foriegn aid -- Israel included...

[JJ]

This is guys is as "libertarian" as the "liberal" professor who says that Isreal has a moral duty to commit suicide!

The professor does not say that Israel has "a moral duty to commit suicide." That's just David Bernstein's inflammatory characterization of the professor's views. The word "suicide" does not appear in the paper, and just because Bernstein believes the result of the professor's suggestions will be the death of Israel doesn't mean that the professor is actually calling for the death of Israel.

[ralph]

"All religious groups have shrines dedicated to particular purposes. Why would a non-Muslim want to enter those sites? "

Why would a non Catholic want to go to the Vatican? Why would an aetheist want to see the Grand Canyon? This guy is stupid!

[Rick Barton]

"And why pray tell are libertarians silent about the aid we send to South Korea?"

They are not silent about the South Korea tax aid. See: Antiwar.com

"...being against aid in gerneral is libertarian, against Isreali aid only is supsicious."

But, stressing being against the aid to Israel is not suspicious since Israel is the #1 national recipient of US tax dollars again this year (a hundred billion over the years!)and it can be argued that US tax support of the brutal occupation does more harm per/capita to both Palestinian as well as Israeli citizens. Also, US tax subsidy hurts the Israeli economy too, which is currently in "basket case" status.

"LIES. False. Untrue. Chomskyite bullshit alert --> 'apartheid.'"

Actually, Sharon recently supported "Jews only" restrictions discrimination against Israeli citizens of Arab ethnicity on some Isreali government housing lands!

[Rick Barton]

In reading the interview and Ahmad's web site http://www.minaret.org/ one can only wish him much influence since the people of the Muslim world, particularly the Arab Muslim world would be much better off if their governments took council in his learning. Dubai, of the UAE is the only Arab government that comes to mind that seems to be on it's way to adapting a free-enterprise philosophy. Many of the others are outright state interventionist disasters.
There is much Mr. Ahmad has to offer the rest
of us as well. The history he brings forth is fascinating and invites further investigation; Ibn Tufayl's influence on Locke, being just one example. In a thread on this blog on April 24 2003 titled "Faded-Glorientalism" the subject was a thesis of a "Independent Institute" scholar named Llosa that the the influence of Islam was very libertarian and brought about the Muslim golden age and ended with the centralizing force of the Ottoman Empire. Ahmad's view on this would be quite interesting.

[Mr. Paleo]

he hates isreal, so I am OK with him

[Mr. Paleo]

he hates isreal, so I am OK with him

[Rick Barton]

Ah yes! The "idiot echo effect"! Mr. Ahmad may "hate" the way the Israeli government treats the Palestinians but thats different from "hating
Israel" Heres a hint: Check out the web site.