Where are all the moderate muslims? Right here

Submitted by Trevor Stanley (Australia), Apr 5, 2003 at 00:19

I've seen a few contributors asking why they rarely hear moderate muslim voices against terrorism on the news.
I think there are two factors.
Firstly, members of the wild-eyed anti-western terrorist sects are more vocal and active than the millions of more moderate muslims around the world (I know a few moderate muslims myself). Similarly, the hardline communist minority in the west during the cold war (and today) are much more active in organising events and publications, and generally getting everyone's attention.

Secondly, wild-eyed anti-western terrorists are much more interesting to news outlets than moderates. An editor choosing whether to show a clip about an Islamist saying it is morally good to blow up civilians (a crazy idea) or another clip in which the head of a muslim organisation says murder is wrong (more sensible, and therefore neither new nor particularly interesting), will pick the former.

I just came across a large list of links to statements by moderate muslims condemning terrorism:
http://www.uga.edu/islam/nineeleven.html
There is an American organisation, Muslims Against Terrorism, which is also of interest:
http://www.matusa.org/

Trevor Stanley, PWHCE.

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