Saturday, April 8, 2006
Miss Kelly notes this Boston Globe article from earlier in the week: Muslim scholars in US push for change.
On the one hand, it's good to read articles that mention people like Irshad Manji, Wafa Sultan (although to describe what Sultan is doing as "reforming Islam" may be a bit of a stretch) and Ahmed Mansour. The point made is one that has been made many times -- that is that America has the potential to serve as a breeding ground for a new, more moderate, Islam.
One of the problems is in recognizing the true moderates, as Kelly points out in her post.
The Globe article concludes:
''It is in the wind in a way it wasn't before," Skerry said. ''It is on the agenda, and Muslims, like earlier groups of immigrants, are learning to take their cues from the society around them."
So here's to that wind and those cues -- cues that don't come from blind acceptance of anyone stepping forward as a self-labeled "moderate spokesman," or turning a blind eye to the building of any new mosque no matter who's behind the project or what they say. Without feedback and watchfulness from society at large -- that's you and me, by the way -- there is no pressure for bad ideas to change, and no support for true moderates like Mr. Mansour, now a legal target of the Islamic Society of Boston.
Keeping that wind blowing is going to require some uncomfortable moments of confrontation and questioning and our politically correct instincts are going to have too take a back seat sometimes. I hope the Globe and other media catches on.
