Monday, September 18, 2006
SCREW THEM IF THEY CAN'T TAKE A JOKE
The Boston Herald’s Jules Crittenden argues against agitation:
We are not dealing with stable, civil societies. We are not dealing with modern democracies forged by centuries of intellectual debate and violent struggle to establish individual rights. Islam’s period of progressive thought — isolated to a few centers of learning — ended about 800 years ago. What we are dealing with is a stunted society, still operating on a 14th-century paradigm. And when you start making Mohammad jokes, you poke a stick into that. This does not advance anyone’s understanding of our differences, nor in anyway does it help resolve our problems. It just gets them riled, and gives them another excuse.
It would also rile them to point out Islam’s period of progressive thought ended about 800 years ago. A fatwa on you, Crittenden! In fact, what doesn’t rile them? “Riled” is extreme Islam’s default setting, and the first three optional settings. Which is why tactical mockery may be a useful device. If you merely seek to “understand differences”, you’re committing to a polite form of the status quo; two opposing societies divided by centuries. But if you seek to take stunted 14th century paradigms off the table, mock away, using all that helpfully-supplied righteous riledness as a platform. Consider it a 21st century response. I’m more inclined to Christopher Orlet’s view:
There will be those who wish the Pope had gone further. Count me among them. Rather than relying on some emperor of seven centuries past, I wish Benedict had said that holy war was an oxymoron like “tax return.” I wish he’d reminded Muslims that this is the 21st, not the 7th century, that the Age of Reason began three centuries ago, and that the days of vilifying Jews and seeking their extermination should be ended.
UPDATE. A thoughtful reply from Jules (who, with his Australian connections and all, should never be quickly dismissed).
UPDATE II. Sydney Archbishop Big George Pell:
"The violent reactions in many parts of the Islamic world justified one of Pope Benedict’s main fears,” Cardinal Pell said in a statement.
"They showed the link for many Islamists between religion and violence, their refusal to respond to criticism with rational arguments, but only with demonstrations, threats and actual violence.
"Our major priority must be to maintain peace and harmony within the Australian community, but no lasting achievements can be grounded in fantasies and evasions."
And further evidence of that Islam/violence link:
Al-Qaeda in Iraq has said in response to remarks by Pope Benedict XVI linking Islam with violence that it will wage jihad until the West is defeated, in a statement posted on the Internet today.
UPDATE. Further from Jules:
The pope blinked.
He picked a fight with Islam. Then he gave Islam a victory.
The exciting exchange of leaden courtesies continues in comments.