Re: the Koran and Democracy

Submitted by Bader S (United Arab Emirates), Mar 4, 2006 at 17:09

What makes a democracy is a majority rule that respects and protects minority rights.

Unlike the US, the Muslim world is just now being allowed to have some democracy. The West has been quite happy to tolerate the dictators (secular and autocratic dictators) that rule these Muslim countries, providing them with financial backing and/or political support. It was only very recently that Bush was shaking hands with and praising the Pakistani dictator. Instead of allowing these new democracies to progress and evolve -- just as the democracy is evolving in the US -- there is a great pressure being built by the US as well as other countries to ensure that these new democracies do not get a chance to prove themselves.

How long has Palestinian democracy been around? 5 years,10 years?

How long did the US have democracy before it gave Afro Americans their rights and ended apartheid in its south? 100 years, 200 years?

As to tolerance, the threats that are being made in Palestine is by those who cannot accept this democratic result -- the US and Israel. Threats of cutting funds, threats of killing the elected prime minister, threats of toppling the new government, and threats of overturning the election results are being made by those who are unable to tolerate the sovereign decision of the Palestinian people. What the US and Israel can't tolerate is people standing up to them.

You talk about Christian Palestinians and Iraqi Sunnis submitting to majority rule but I am not sure what you are trying to say. I would appreciate more clarity on the point you are trying to make here....

You say that, "The truth is that all too many Muslims do not understand tolerance", but I will tell you this, I dont think the Muslims have a monopoly on this lack of understanding. The truth is that all too many people everywhere, of every race, colour, creed, and government do not understand tolerance.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".