A group of writers and dissidents have issued a joint manifesto called Together facing the new totalitarianism, which has been published, appropriately, in the same Denmark newspaper that published the caricatures which have caused much violence around the world. The signers include Salman Rushdie, Taslima Nasreen, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and several others whose lives are in constant danger from the fatwas issued by radical Islamist clerics. I will publish the full text of this manifesto, with which I agree fully, below the fold:
After having overcome fascism, Nazism, and Stalinism, the world now faces a new totalitarian global threat: Islamism.We, writers, journalists, intellectuals, call for resistance to religious totalitarianism and for the promotion of freedom, equal opportunity and secular values for all.
The recent events, which occurred after the publication of drawings of Muhammed in European newspapers, have revealed the necessity of the struggle for these universal values. This struggle will not be won by arms, but in the ideological field. It is not a clash of civilisations nor an antagonism of West and East that we are witnessing, but a global struggle that confronts democrats and theocrats.
Like all totalitarianisms, Islamism is nurtured by fears and frustrations. The hate preachers bet on these feelings in order to form battalions destined to impose a liberticidal and unegalitarian world. But we clearly and firmly state: nothing, not even despair, justifies the choice of obscurantism, totalitarianism and hatred. Islamism is a reactionary ideology which kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present. Its success can only lead to a world of domination: man's domination of woman, the Islamists' domination of all the others. To counter this, we must assure universal rights to oppressed or discriminated people.
We reject "cultural relativism", which consists in accepting that men and women of Muslim culture should be deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secular values in the name of respect for cultures and traditions. We refuse to renounce our critical spirit out of fear of being accused of "Islamophobia", an unfortunate concept which confuses criticism of Islam as a religion with stigmatisation of its believers.
We plead for the universality of freedom of expression, so that a critical spirit may be exercised on all continents, against all abuses and all dogmas.
We appeal to democrats and free spirits of all countries that our century should be one of Enlightenment, not of obscurantism.
12 signatures
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Chahla Chafiq
Caroline Fourest
Bernard-Henri Lévy
Irshad Manji
Mehdi Mozaffari
Maryam Namazie
Taslima Nasreen
Salman Rushdie
Antoine Sfeir
Philippe Val
Ibn Warraq
Please note that what they are opposing is Islamism, not Islam itself or most adherents to Islam. Islamism is the desire to have Islam (more specifically, their particularly barbaric interpretations of Islam) imposed through force of arms or force of law, and that is something that all freedom loving people should oppose. I do not doubt that the majority of Muslims are content to live their lives as they see fit without imposing their religious restrictions on others. Indeed, I think it is absolutely crucial in this battle against extremism to strengthen the positions and form alliances with the large body of moderate Muslims around the world who adhere to the principles of their religion without seeking the imposition of Islam on others.
But we must not let our respect for the voices of moderation within Islam from speaking out boldly and loudly against the barbaric and inhumane doctrines of the fundamentalist reactionaries who seek nothing less than the establishment of a new global caliphate. This reaction against modernism is profoundly dangerous and destructive of the basic principles of freedom and equality that we hold to be inviolable.
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Yep, I agree with this too, except the use of the word "totalitarianism"; it's a cold war word with no meaning that historians abandoned 30 years ago.
I think the word has meaning despite the pointless "totalitarian vs authoritarian" debates during the cold war. And Islamism certainly qualifies as a totalitarian ideology by any criteria.
Please note that what they are opposing is Islamism, not Islam itself or most adherents to Islam.
Unfortunately, it's not easy to tell that from the original text of the manifesto.
By all means is islamism totalitarian, i.e. the desire is to attain total control of all utterances of people's lives: mind, body and soul, so to speak.
I think that when striving to make the distinction between islam and islamism, it is fruitful to consider the situation during the seventies where the major problem for the free world was socialism. Socialism had very many adherents, at least in Europe and the third world. But socialism also had a great divide between democratic and revolutionary socialists. Between those who would ideologically support the fairly widespread socialist terror (RAF, ETA, Action directe, The red brigades, in addition to all the palestinian ones) and those who would not. Between those who would support the "actual, existing socialism" in the USSR, China, North Korea or Albania over allegiance to their democratic homecountry, and those who would not. And just as it was and must be without incrimination or sanction to be a democratic socialist, so must it be for today's democratic muslims. I really think the analogy goes a long way. Except that I perceive the threat of socialism to have been greater than that of present-day islamism...
But socialism also had a great divide between democratic and revolutionary socialists. Between those who would ideologically support the fairly widespread socialist terror (RAF, ETA, Action directe, The red brigades, in addition to all the palestinian ones) and those who would not. Between those who would support the "actual, existing socialism" in the USSR, China, North Korea or Albania over allegiance to their democratic homecountry, and those who would not.
The distinction was not that clear. There were many socialist politicians who were democratic socialists at home, but supported totalitarian regimes in communist countries. Such people are today, too. Just look at how Swedish socialists (or Holywood directors, for that matter) pilgrimage to Castro.
no issues with the essence of what these guys are saying - to the contrary, they are absolutely right on (or full on) except for being a bit academic in their style
the problem though is with their choice of name - there are millions of Muslims in the world who are deeply into their faith - Islam - and i think these worthies are foolish in coining a name - Islamism - that sounds so much like Islam that the vast majority of Muslims (most of whom are not highly educated) could so easily confuse with their religion
this is often a problem with academics
nonetheless, the truth is that Islam is undergoing a fundamantal change - rather like, I assume (because I wasn't there), Christianity went through in the 14th/15th century
and, when I said this to someone, he (or she) said, but where is Islam's martin luther
well, she will be from Iran or Syria or some such - get ready
allahoakbar