The Silent Majority

Submitted by Pro-Israeli Democrat (United States), Dec 7, 2006 at 10:01

When you turn on the TV this day [whether you are watching FOX, CNN, MSNBC, or PBS]. you will see tens of thousands of angry Muslims chanting "death to America" and "death to Israel." The scene repeats itself time and again in Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Egypt. It is easy to forget, though, that each of these countries has at least 50 million Muslims.

The majority of Muslims in this world are apolitical. I am friends with a handfull of them. Sure, many would like to see the creation of a Palestinian state. However, they have far more pressing concerns. They are Sunni, Shiite, and Sufi. They pray, they fast, they go to mosque, they read the Quran, and they give zakat. Above all, they try to live their lives.

This, ultimately, is the problem=the silent moderate majority. I am no politically correct apologist for violent jihad or militancy. I will not call Islam a religion of peace [there is no such thing as a religion of peace to begin with...nearly all major religions have blood on their hands]. However, I can easily counter those who say that moderate Muslims "do not exist." Calling for reform within Islam is not Islamophobia. Saying that moderate Muslims to not exist IS. The problem is that the moderate majority is not political; the extremists are very political. Those who are political [Asra Q. Nomani, Shirin Ebadi, Irshad Manji, Akbar Ahmed, Kamal Nawash, Zhudi Jasser, and Stephen Schwartz] are few and far between.

It is important to note that the Muslims I have just mentioned by name are extremely brave. Manji and Ebadi, in particular, are risking their lives. Schwartz continues to amanze me with his life story and his writings. Most moderates, though, aren't speaking up, not because they sympathize with the extremists, but because.they are afraid of being blown up or having their throats cut. It is understandable...They have seen the reactions to the Danish cartoons and the Satanic Verses.

Also remember that most of Al-Qaeda's victims have been OTHER MUSLIMS. THEY ARE AFRAID. Our politicians must realize this in order to re-shape American foreidn policy. As Daniel Pipes says, militant Islam is the problem. As Daniel Pipes also says, Moderate Islam is the solution. In fact, it is the ONLY viable solution.

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