|
|
|
Jewish World Review Nov. 9, 2005 / 7 Mar-Cheshvan, 5766 Muslim rampage not about poverty, but Western weakness By Tony Blankley
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
When, seven months ago, I finished writing my book, "The West's
Last Chance: Will We Win the Clash of Civilizations?" (Regnery Publishing,
Washington, D.C., Sept.11, 2005), London had not been attacked by Islamist
terrorists, the Tate Museum in London had not removed an art exhibit because
it offended radical Muslim sensitivities, and France had not yet experienced
the explosion of violence from elements of its Muslim population in its
"no-go zone" communities.
After studying what the radical Islamists were saying and doing
in Europe, I opened my book with a scenario of a London Islamist terrorist
attack and an Islamist demand for removing offensive European artwork from
museums. Then I wrote: "Muslim parts of Paris, Rotterdam and other European
cities are already labeled no-go zones for ethnic Europeans, including armed
policemen. As the Muslim populations — and their level of cultural and
religious assertiveness — expand, European geography will be 'reclaimed'
for Islam. Europe will become pockmarked with increasing numbers of little
Fallujahs that will be effectively impenetrable by anything much short of a
U.S. Marine division."
"Thus, as the . fundamentalism expands into European (and
perhaps to a lesser extent American) Muslim communities, not only will
Islamic cultural aggression against a seemingly passive and apologetic
indigenous population increase, but the zone of safety and support for the
actual terrorists will expand as well." ("The West's Last Chance," pp
55-56).
Now, two weeks into the appalling explosion of violence in
Europe (and the equally appalling French governmental passivity in the face
of such violence), most of the world's media treats this huge event as the
third or fourth story on the evening news. From the BBC and CNN to the major
newspapers of the world, the story is underreported and mis-reported. On
Monday, the Washington Post was still not reporting the story on the front
page.
The big networks have consistently given only headline coverage
to the story. I was in Russia last week (lecturing and doing media on my
book) and actually timed the BBC coverage of the French Muslim violence
story at about a minute and a half, while in the same broadcast the
post-Pakistani earthquake relief story was given over 15 minutes. CNN
International proportioned their coverage similarly.
Soon, the violence of the last two weeks will be seen as the
opening of an event of world-historic significance.
Even when the current violence subsides — even when the French
government attempts to placate their radical Muslim population by offering
more welfare benefits and programs — it will not be the end of the story. A
new benchmark of the possible will have been established. The flaccid and
timorous response of the French government will only increase the
radicalizing Muslim elements' contempt for Western cultural weakness.
As Paul Belien, writing from Brussels this weekend observed: "It
is not anger that is driving the insurgents to take it out on the
secularized welfare states of Old Europe. It is hatred. Hatred caused not by
injustice suffered, but stemming from a sense of superiority. The "youths"
do not blame the French, they despise them."
As Mr. Belien reports, look what a typical radical Muslim
leader, Dyab Abou Jahjah, the leader of the Brussels-based Arab European
League says: "We reject integration when it leads to assimilation. I don't
believe in a host country. We are at home here and whatever we consider our
culture to be also belongs to our chosen country. I'm in my country, not the
country of the Westerners."
Or consider the statement of a German radical Islamists that I
recounted in my book (based on a National Public Radio news story
broadcast): "Germany is an Islamic country. Islam is in the home, in
schools. Germans will be outnumbered. We [Muslims] will say what we want.
We'll live how we want. It's outrageous that Germans demand we speak their
language. Our children will have our language, our laws, our culture ("The
West's Last Chance," page 75).
This is not about Muslim poverty (the Islamist terrorists who
hit London all had good jobs. Mohammed Atta, who struck us in New York, was
well-born and came from a prosperous family). It is about radical Islamist
self-confidence and contempt for the West. And, it is about Western
weakness.
We should not sneer at French weakness, but rather should
encourage them to re-find their strength. It is a strength we will need to
find in ourselves, as well. Vive la France!
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Tony Blankley is editorial page editor of The Washington Times. Comment by clicking here.
© 2005, Creators Syndicate |
Arnold Ahlert | |||||||||||||||||
Click 
