Highbrow Magazine - religious fundamentalists https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/religious-fundamentalists en Ending Terrorism in Pakistan https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1712-ending-terrorism-pakistan <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 10/22/2012 - 17:12</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumshujat.jpg?itok=zyIPE4EV"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumshujat.jpg?itok=zyIPE4EV" width="480" height="268" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> From <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2012/10/pakistani-assemblywoman-girls-education-key-to-ending-terrorism.php">New America Media</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> <em>The attempted assassination of Malala Yousufzai, the 15-year-old Pakistani girl being treated in a hospital in Britain after she was shot in the head by the Taliban Oct. 9 for championing girls’ education, has united her country like few other incidents in recent memory. That's according to Khushbakht Shujat, a member of Pakstan’s National Assembly from the MQM party, who spoke with NAM editor Viji Sundaram.</em></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Would you say that the attempted assassination of Malala has made Pakistanis more mindful than ever before of the growing threat of the Taliban in their midst?</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> While the majority of Pakistanis do not approve of U.S. drone attacks, or of militants crossing borders and creating havoc on both sides of the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, everyone disapproves of the attack on Malala. The attack on her has made many realize finally that terrorists are terrorists. [That] they are not doing jihad or following the word of Allah. [That] they are ignorant and naive. This girl has brought the nation -- and even the world -- together.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>You are known for championing girls’ education and their empowerment. But in neighboring Afghanistan, the Taliban has succeeded through scare tactics in discouraging girls from going to school. That has led to a number of underground girls schools. Could the Malala incident have a similar effect in Pakistan?</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> It is important that steps are taken to keep families from becoming scared and not sending their daughters to school. The government should provide more incentives and offer encouragement so girls in Pakistan seek education. We should set a goal of getting every girl educated in Pakistan. Educated females mean an educated nation. And an educated nation means rooting out ignorance, which will remove terrorism from the equation.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Has any political good come out of the Malala attack and can that be sustained?</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> The government and military are doing a lot, but a lot more needs to be done. The attack has sparked the debate in Parliament whether Pakistan should go after militants in North Waziristan [believed to be a safe haven for terrorists]. On the day of the attack on Malala, I stood up in Parliament and raised a point of order in protest against the attack. MQM and the leader of our party, Altaf Hussain, asked the army to come forward and step up action against the militants in Waziristan and other hideouts.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>There is a lot of anti-U.S. sentiment in Pakistan now, generated by the so-called "collateral damage" from the drone attacks by the United States that have claimed the lives of scores of civilians, along with some terrorists. Would the Malala attack make Pakistanis want U.S. protection on the ground now, or would they prefer dealing with the terrorism problem on their own?</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> Pakistan has suffered a lot due to terrorism. People in the United States don’t realize the price the people of Pakistan have paid for supporting the United States in its war against terrorism. There are protests here from all political parties and religious groups on a regular basis.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediumpakistan%20%28Darwinek--wiki%29.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 397px; " /></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>So does this mean you would like to see the end of U.S. military presence in that region?</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> America and NATO forces have agreed on withdrawal in 2014. I hope by that time Afghani forces are properly trained to defend their nation. Peace talks are also underway and I hope they bring positive results. I do hope America doesn't abandon Pakistan and Afghanistan, like they did after the Soviets left Afghanistan. Pakistan needs support from America to provide security to schools in these regions.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>You seem to strongly believe that the best way to quell terrorism in any part of the world is by educating girls.</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> I want women to be strong and self-sufficient. MQM, the political party I belong to, is constantly raising its voice against injustice [against] women. We are one political party in Pakistan that I believe has done the most in terms of women’s empowerment. I do believe the previous governments may not have done enough and now it is high time we focus on women’s empowerment and education. The attack on Malala has exponentially increased the movement toward promoting women’s empowerment.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Are you optimistic about the end of terrorism in Pakistan?</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> I have devoted my life to the field of education. [The] bottom line in the war against terrorism is education and awareness. We need to equip our youth with books and take guns out of their hands.</p> <p>  </p> <p> I'm very optimistic that in Muslim countries, particularly in Pakistan, a change is coming. Women are a majority in Pakistan. If we want this nation to be successful, we need to educate and empower them. It's as simple as that. Democracy is spreading across the Middle East. We want the world to support us and respect our challenges and appreciate what we are doing in the war on terror.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2012/10/pakistani-assemblywoman-girls-education-key-to-ending-terrorism.php">New America Media</a></p> <p> <em><strong>Photos: New America Media; Dawinek (Wikipedia Commons).</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pakistan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pakistan</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/terrorism" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">terrorism</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/terrorism-pakistan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">terrorism in pakistan</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/malal-yousufzai" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">malal yousufzai</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/violence" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">violence</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/taliban" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Taliban</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/afghanistan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Afghanistan</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/islamic-fundamentalism" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">islamic fundamentalism</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/religious-fundamentalists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">religious fundamentalists</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Viji Sundaram</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">New America Media</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:12:18 +0000 tara 1774 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1712-ending-terrorism-pakistan#comments From Salman Rushdie to Sam Bacile: Why Fanatics Are Easily Offended https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1588-salman-rushdie-sam-bacile-why-fanatics-are-easily-offended <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 09/24/2012 - 15:48</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumSalmanRushdie%20%28NAM%29.jpg?itok=o5orB0ev"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/mediumSalmanRushdie%20%28NAM%29.jpg?itok=o5orB0ev" width="480" height="268" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> From <a href="http://newamericamedia.org/2012/09/salman-rushdie-to-sam-bacile-the-age-of-outrage-ism.php">New America Media</a> and <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/world/salman-rushdie-to-sam-bacile-the-age-of-outrage-ism-458256.html">FirstPost</a>:</p> <p>  </p> <p> A mysterious man in California hires a soft porn director and tricks some low-rent actors into making a trashy movie about the Prophet Muhammad.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Now an Iranian foundation ups the price on Salman Rushdie's head saying that if he had been killed earlier for blasphemy, this newest anti-Islam film would never have been made.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Forget the Crusades, Palestine, the toppling of the democratically-elected Mossadegh in Iran in 1953.</p> <p>  </p> <p> We are expected to believe that Salman Rushdie is the slippery slope that has led to Sam Bacile.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The logic is so ludicrously tortured that it should be the butt of jokes. Instead it turns deadly serious and leaves a US ambassador and others dead in Libya and a gathering storm of mobs from Pakistan to Yemen.</p> <p>  </p> <p> After the 9/11 attacks, Americans grappled with the question “Why do they hate us so?” Now that question has morphed into “Why are they so easily offended?”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Writing in the <em>Washington Post</em>, Fouad Ajami, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution sees this as a “lack of modernity” because modernity, he says, “requires the willingness to be offended". (By that definition, India is most definitely un-modern since Indians of all political colors and religious denomination have turned being offended into a cottage industry of sorts. Being offended has become an expression not of piety or hurt, but really a show of political muscle. Look, we can get this movie banned, this painter exiled, this text yanked from the syllabus.)</p> <p>  </p> <p> Ajami writes that the Middle East is hyper-sensitive about its glorious past and its abject present. That makes it “brittle and proud about their culture, yet deeply ashamed of what they see around them” when it comes to economic growth, political freedom and the status of women.</p> <p>  </p> <p> He sets up a clash of civilizations with the barbarians literally at the gates.</p> <p>  </p> <p> It is inside those fortresses (the US consulates and embassies), the gullible believe, that rulers are made and unmade. Yet these same diplomatic outposts dispense coveted visas and a way out to the possibilities of the Western world. The young men who turned up at the US Embassies this week came out of this deadly mix of attraction to American power and resentment of it.</p> <p>  </p> <p> This is an attractive hypothesis for many Western readers, liberals and conservatives alike, because it keeps the West on top, the conclave of the civilized, with the angry hordes railing against it because deep in their hearts they really want what it has to offer - democratic freedoms and running water.</p> <p>  </p> <p> But this outrage is not just a one-way stream like the line outside the US consulate. We are in the age of outrage-ism where you have to constantly up the ante to fan the flames. For that you need, writes Bobby Ghosh, in <em>Time </em>Magazine, a global outrage machine.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediumyemenviolence%20%28AP%29.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 451px; " /></p> <p>  </p> <p> The US has a pastor like Terry Jones who wants to burn the Koran, try the Prophet, and promote Bacile's trashy film. And Egypt has a TV host like al-Nas' Sheikh Khaled Abdallah who Ghosh writes is “every bit as inflammatory and opportunistic as Jones”. The film had been rightly ignored until the likes of Jones and Abdallah jumped on it from either end. That, says Ghosh, became a “wolf whistle to the Salafists” who had been protesting for months outside the US embassy in Cairo demanding the release of Omar Abdel Rehman, the blind sheik imprisoned in the United States and charged with plotting a series of bomb attacks.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Ghosh writes:</p> <p>  </p> <p> Collectively, these hatemongers form a global industry of outrage, working feverishly to give and take offense, frequently over religion, and to ignite the combustible mix of ignorance and suspicion that exists almost as much in the U.S. as in the Arab world.</p> <p>  </p> <p> It's not about a movie. That's just the pretext, the excuse that groups that want to storm the embassy are waiting for. It suits all the actors concerned, Issandr El Amrani, a Moroccan-American journalist writes in Abu Dhabi's <em>The National</em> newspaper.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The resulting cascade of outrage is now predictable. Islamophobes in the West will say, ‘We told you they're fanatics,' and the crowd-riling demagogues here will say, ‘We told you they disrespect us.' And politicians everywhere will use the language of outrage in their petty calculations.</p> <p>  </p> <p> So the real question is not whether you ban one film or not but how do you puncture this global industry of outrage.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Salman Rushdie has one idea as he propounded to Sagarika Ghose on CNN-IBN.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “I'm tired of religion demanding special privileges, I mean, just get over it. There's no other idea in the world that demands protection, you know. If ideas are strong, they can stand criticism.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Hafiz Saeed who participated in a rally in Lahore has a very different take.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “ do not demand an apology alone from the US government but the hanging of all the persons involved in this blasphemous film. (That's in addition to Pakistan needing to sever all relations with the Western world.)”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Neither can the answer be let's go back to a pre-Arab Spring world where the West coddles dictators in the Middle East as long as they keep the oil flowing and the protesters in jail.</p> <p>  </p> <p> There will never be a world where these fanatics don't exist. But could there be one where they don't matter so much except to their own fringe? That needs addressing the actual socio-economic-political reasons that allow these hate mongers to flourish and bloom and sit on state-linked foundations like the one that raises the bounty on Rushdie's scalp. That's a long tedious process and the Arab Spring is just the beginning of it. The rulers in Egypt are already grappling with the contradictions of both encouraging the protests to defend Islam and having to send out riot troops to protect the American embassy from the defenders.</p> <p>  </p> <p> A friend compares it to the malaria epidemic that's racking India now. The mosquito is not going to go away, no matter how annoying it is. You can deal with the endemic causes for it whether it's trash, the felling of trees, or unchecked development. That won't eradicate the mosquito but will minimize its nuisance potential. Or you can spray it with DDT and worse only to discover 10 years down the line that yesterday's pesky mosquito has turned into today's mutant monster.</p> <p> <em><strong>Photos: New America Media; AP.</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/sam-bacile" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">sam bacile</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/innocence-muslims" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the innocence of muslims</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/salman-rushdie" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Salman Rushdie</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/chris-stevens" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">chris stevens</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/us-embassy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">U.S. embassy</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/yemen" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Yemen</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/egypt" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Egypt</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/middle-east" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Middle East</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/muslim-fundamentalists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Muslim fundamentalists</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/religious-fundamentalists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">religious fundamentalists</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/iran" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Iran</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/ayatollahs" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">ayatollahs</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Sandip Roy</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">New America Media</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 24 Sep 2012 19:48:23 +0000 tara 1607 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1588-salman-rushdie-sam-bacile-why-fanatics-are-easily-offended#comments