February 15, 2006
ROME REFORMED LAST TOO:
The Islam Gap (KARIM RASLAN, 2/15/06, NY Times)
SOUTHEAST Asian Muslims have not been roiled by a clash of civilizations. Rather, people like me — Western-trained, English-speaking and constantly traveling — have begun to see the subtle differences that fracture our civilizations from within.Whether we are conservative or liberal, many of us are appalled and angered by the stupidity and insensitivity of the Danish newspaper cartoons. But that doesn't mean we've taken leave of our senses. I, for one, won't be throwing out my Lego set or my Bang & Olufsen sound system, let alone plotting to unveil a Zionist conspiracy. I may be a Muslim, but I can tell the difference between a newspaper and a people, a country and a principle.
Even Din Syamsuddin, the head of Indonesia's 30 million strong Muhammadiyah Muslim association (and a firebrand by most accounts), told his followers to remain calm: "I urge Muslims not to overreact and act in a violent and anarchist way because those things are completely against Islamic teachings."
We generally believe that anger and violence are self-defeating.
Indonesia is also a Muslim democracy of over 200 million people. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 15, 2006 1:13 PM
oj-
Indonesia is a highly corrupt and anti-American country. Democracy in such a place merely reflects the ignorance of the majority. You'll believe anything that supports your historical determinism.
Posted by: Tom C.,Stamford,Ct. at February 15, 2006 1:51 PMTom:
The fear of democracy because peoples we've helped oppress won't like us is simply craven and short-sighted. Europe hates us too and the Aussies.
Posted by: oj at February 15, 2006 5:29 PMoj-
What about the corruption and ignorance? I don't fear democracy or offending, only manipulated mobs. Ignoring the truth in order to maintain one's magical thinking is craven.
Posted by: Tom C.,Stamford,Ct. at February 15, 2006 7:09 PMWhat about them? You can't freeze all these places in colonialism and Western-sponsored dicatorship for three or four hundred years and expect them to emerge as Switzerland. Indonesia is corrupt and ignorant with its best days before it. Europe is corrupt and ignorant and dying.
Posted by: oj at February 15, 2006 7:21 PMcolonialism may have been the best thing that ever happened to them.
Posted by: Tom C.,Stamford,Ct. at February 15, 2006 7:28 PMColonialism has only improved the lot of those lucky enough to be Anglicized.
Posted by: oj at February 15, 2006 7:43 PMAnd they would have been Anglicized if not for Islam.
Posted by: Tom C.,Stamford,Ct. at February 15, 2006 7:55 PMFirst we'd have had to colonize them, the rest is pretty easy.
Posted by: oj at February 15, 2006 7:58 PMa golden age, world wide, is aborning.
Posted by: toe at February 15, 2006 10:57 PMTom:
The Dutch ran Indonesia. The Brits ran Malaysia which is No 39 on Transparency International's index.
Posted by: Ali Choudhury at February 16, 2006 6:03 AMThe Dutch ran New York as well.
Posted by: Tom C.,Stamford,Ct. at February 17, 2006 8:45 AMAnd look at how Blue that made NY even though it was Anglicized eventually.
Posted by: oj at February 17, 2006 8:49 AMDamned Dutch! Indonesia would be Islamic, democratic and pro-American if not for those Dutch Reformed, rabble-rousing preachers!
Posted by: Tom C.,Stamford,Ct. at February 17, 2006 10:52 AMTom:
Yes, had it been British it would be India now, instead of just on track to become India.
Posted by: oj at February 17, 2006 11:15 AM